“Three days without food is better than a single meal without tea” … approximately 2 billion people worldwide cannot live without this humble leaf, which is considered the “national drink” in some countries. What magical power does this simple tea leaf possess? Professor Sheng Jun, recipient of the Yunnan Province Distinguished Contributions to Science Award, former president of Yunnan Agricultural University, and chairman of the expert committee of the Yunnan Pu'er Tea Association, shares the story of this remarkable leaf with fellow tea enthusiasts based on his professional research.

Fermented tea Detoxifies and Relieves Homesickness

Through special processing techniques, tea leaves transform into six major categories: green tea, White Tea, Yellow Tea, oolong tea, Black Tea (red tea), and dark tea (Pu'er tea). People living in Tibet, Xinjiang, and Inner Mongolia often rely on fully fermented teas—dark tea and Pu'er tea—as part of their daily lives.

Dark tea undergoes high-temperature and natural microbial fermentation for extended periods. During this process, the tea polyphenols in the leaves react through biological enzymes and oxidation to form large molecular tea brown pigments. These pigments have surface-active properties similar to those found in detergents, significantly enhancing their ability to bind with oils, especially saturated fatty acids and cholesterol. By binding with oils, tea brown pigments increase their solubility in water, inhibit absorption, and facilitate excretion.

Excess fat intake can disrupt the body's metabolic balance, requiring all metabolic organs to work overtime to manage the surplus energy. Fermented teas act as functional “metabolic compensators,” regulating excess energy metabolism and ensuring that the body receives the maximum benefit while also facilitating the removal of excess components such as saturated fatty acids and cholesterol. The tea brown pigments in fully fermented teas like Pu'er can also bind to bacterial toxins, modulating gut microbiota and offering significant “detoxification” benefits. If you accidentally consume harmful bacteria leading to gastrointestinal discomfort, drinking strong fermented tea may help alleviate symptoms.

Additionally, if you're experiencing homesickness in a foreign land, try drinking strong fermented Pu'er tea.

The Unique Nutrients and Appeal of Fermented Tea

Fermented teas are characterized by two notable features: they warm the stomach and do not affect sleep. An interesting question arises: why does fermented Pu'er tea warm the stomach and not interfere with sleep, and where does the caffeine go? The Key Laboratory of Pu'er Tea Science at Yunnan Agricultural University has unraveled these mysteries.

Research shows that the large molecular tea brown pigments formed during the complete fermentation of Pu'er tea not only bind strongly with oils but also with caffeine, rendering it incapable of stimulating neural excitement. As a result, fully fermented Pu'er tea does not affect sleep.

Why does Pu'er tea warm the stomach? Studies reveal that the astringent and stimulating effects of tea polyphenols on the stomach lining can cause discomfort in individuals with cold stomachs when consuming green tea, which contains tea polyphenols but lacks tea brown pigments. However, the complete biological fermentation of Pu'er tea transforms tea polyphenols, eliminating their stimulating effects and forming large molecular tea brown pigments that create a protective layer on the stomach lining, providing a “warming” effect.

Fermented Pu'er tea from large-leaf varieties is rich in tea brown pigments, containing 500 to 600 milligrams per gram of fermented tea, twice the amount found in regular teas. Since these large-leaf Pu'er teas grow in high-altitude mountainous regions, particularly in the optimal growing area around 23.5° north latitude, this explains the remarkable “fat-burning” effect of fermented Pu'er tea.

Black tea and Pu'er tea (dark tea) are both fully fermented teas. Women who drink black tea can regulate their hormones, especially during menopause, and drinking two cups of strong black tea each day can improve sleep quality. brewing black tea with fresh Dendrobium candidum (fresh leaves can also be used) enhances its effectiveness.

The Missing Eighth Nutrient: Food Polyphenols

Recent scientific research suggests that modern industrialized foods lacking in food polyphenols can lead to metabolic and immune imbalances, commonly known as chronic inflammation or “internal heat.”

Food polyphenols were once considered undesirable components, especially due to their bitterness and tendency to discolor, affecting the appearance of food. However, discoloration does not indicate spoilage, a common misconception. Long-term research has shown that food polyphenols possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. The tea brown pigments formed during tea fermentation are polymers of tea polyphenols, inheriting many of their beneficial characteristics, such as anti-inflammatory and metabolic-immune regulation functions. Compared to tea polyphenols, the tea brown pigments produced through high-temperature fermentation exhibit more pronounced medicinal properties, with tea polyphenols offering faster anti-inflammatory effects, while tea brown pigments provide slower, longer-lasting benefits.

The Key Laboratory of Pu'er Tea Science at Yunnan Agricultural University was the first to uncover the secret behind the anti-inflammatory properties of tea: the cooling effect of tea is attributed to the anti-inflammatory action of tea polyphenols and tea brown pigments. Given their indispensable role in regulating metabolic immunity, food polyphenols are now referred to as the “eighth nutrient.”