Many Pu-erh tea enthusiasts have heard that raw Pu-erh tea is cold in nature and can harm the stomach if consumed excessively; ripe Pu-erh tea is hot in nature and can cause internal heat if consumed excessively. How to avoid these problems? It is necessary to first understand the characteristics, production process, and effects of raw and ripe Pu-erh tea. Let's listen to the insights of Guo Zijian, a national first-class tea evaluator!

Guo Zijian is a national first-class tea evaluator, vice president of the World Tea Culture Exchange Association, and a direct disciple of Bai Shuiqing, the "Godfather of Pu-erh." Teacher Guo went to Yunnan to study tea in 1998 and learned about Pu-erh tea selection, blending, and tasting from Bai Shuiqing. Now, Teacher Guo has a new identity as the leader of the "Only See Pu-erh" Taobao store.

1. Production process of raw Pu-erh tea

Raw Pu-erh tea is not fermented and has a strong tea nature; newly made or short-aged raw tea has a yellow-green soup color, a bitter and astringent taste, and strong irritation.

The "Compendium of Materia Medica" also records that "tea is bitter and cold, the yin within yin, sinking and descending, most effective in reducing fire." Long-term consumption of raw Pu-erh tea with a cold nature can damage the body's vital energy and affect the spleen and stomach system and metabolism.

For tea lovers who enjoy raw tea, it is often necessary to balance it with other foods or choose older raw tea with higher time and cost to drink.

2. Production process of ripe Pu-erh tea

Ripe Pu-erh tea is made through pile fermentation, and its mellow and smooth characteristics are widely loved by tea enthusiasts. However, many tea lovers say that drinking newly made ripe tea can cause internal heat.

Due to the fermentation process of Pu-erh tea, the tea leaves are tempered at high temperatures of over 50 degrees Celsius for several fermentation weeks and dozens of days, and the tea nature gradually turns warm; plus the later steaming and drying, the dryness and heat become more obvious. The degree of fermentation also determines the degree of dryness and heat of ripe tea; and ripe tea fermented in summer, autumn, and winter will also have different degrees of dryness and heat.

The reduction of fire in ripe tea needs to be achieved by reasonably selecting the fermentation season, accurately controlling the fermentation process, and extending the aging period of raw materials. Tea lovers who like ripe tea often find it harder to choose the right favorite.

3. Effects and suitable groups of raw and ripe Pu-erh tea

Raw Pu-erh tea: Mainly can clean the intestines, has lipid-lowering, refreshing, blood pressure-lowering, and weight-loss effects. Raw tea is rich in tea polyphenols, cold in nature, and has effects such as clearing heat, relieving summer heat, detoxifying, quenching thirst, promoting digestion, and laxative.

Raw tea is suitable for young people, but raw tea has more active ingredients, so it is not suitable for those who are prone to insomnia, those with colds and fevers, those with stomach ulcers; pregnant women should not drink it, and it is also not suitable to drink raw tea on an empty stomach!

Ripe Pu-erh tea: Ripe tea can lower lipids, lower blood pressure, prevent arteriosclerosis, prevent constipation, diuretic, and nourish the stomach.

Ripe tea is more suitable for middle-aged and elderly people and those with a cold stomach. Long-term consumption can warm the stomach, strengthen the spleen, soften blood vessels, and promote gastrointestinal peristalsis. The health preservation effect is prominent, but it should not be too strong.

In short, both raw and ripe Pu-erh tea have their own outstanding characteristics and effects. As long as you understand their respective tea nature and effects, and then choose different Pu-erh teas according to your physical condition, this is the most reasonable and healthy way. Remember not to drink blindly!

If you want to learn more about Pu-erh tea, you can follow the "Only See Pu-erh" public account; this platform is run by Guo Zijian, a national first-class tea evaluator. Since entering the field of Pu-erh tea in 1998, Pu-erh tea has become the most important part of his life. Based on rich research and tasting of Pu-erh tea, Teacher Guo has a lot of experience in how to drink, buy, brew, and taste Pu-erh tea. On this platform, tea lovers and tea merchants gather to discuss and exchange Pu-erh tea culture; let you drink Pu-erh tea more healthily and scientifically!