When using a zisha Teapot for brewing Tea, you often hear enthusiasts who like to leave the tea in overnight or deliberately avoid cleaning the pot. According to information on Baidu, this is said to help develop a patina on the pot more quickly and effectively. Such behavior may indeed shorten the time it takes for a patina to form on a zisha teapot, but there are some issues that must be taken into consideration. Please be cautious.

Be Mindful of Tea Scale

The tea scale visible on the body of a zisha teapot is formed from the oxidation reactions between tannins in tea and metallic substances in tea rust in the air. Cadmium, lead, iron, arsenic, mercury, and other metals, as well as nitrite, can precipitate and accumulate, attaching themselves to both the inside and outside of the teapot, becoming harmful substances to the body.

Unfinished Tea Forms Tea Scale Most Easily

Studies have shown that drinking water contains minerals and trace amounts of harmful heavy metal ions, such as cadmium, mercury, and arsenic. When water is heated, the solubility of certain calcium and magnesium ions decreases, causing the concentration of insoluble salts to increase continuously. When the water is concentrated to a certain extent, these salts precipitate out.

These precipitates can enter the zisha teapot when the water is used to Brew tea. Tea left unfinished or exposed to air for a longer period of time will cause tannins in the tea to oxidize with metallic elements in the tea rust, forming a brownish tea scale, which adheres to the inner walls of the teapot. The tea scale contains various harmful metals including cadmium, lead, mercury, and arsenic, which are the main culprits for harming human health.

Harm Caused by Tea Scale to the Body

Researchers have pointed out that a layer of tea scale that forms on the inner wall of a teapot contains cadmium, lead, iron, arsenic, mercury, and other metallic substances. These substances are ingested along with the tea, combining with proteins, fats, and vitamins in food to form insoluble precipitates, hindering the absorption of nutrients. Moreover, when these oxides enter the body, they can cause neurological, digestive, urinary, and hematopoietic system disorders and dysfunctions. In particular, arsenic and cadmium can cause cancer, fetal malformations, harm health, and even accelerate the aging process.

Therefore, while tea scale may make it easier for a zisha teapot to develop a patina during maintenance, one should not sacrifice health for this reason. The correct way to use a zisha teapot involves promptly removing tea residue after each use and cleaning the inside and outside of the teapot with boiling water to maintain cleanliness.

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