As the season for new tea arrives, many teas await refinement, but a question arises...

It's often said that new tea has strong 'fire energy'...

Freshly roasted green tea should be stored for a while before drinking...

What exactly is this so-called 'fire energy'?

The term 'fire energy' does sound somewhat mysterious...

In this new tea season, let's discuss 'fire energy'.

Ancient people recognized 'fire energy' early on

Zhou Liangong of the early Qing dynasty wrote 'Ten Poems of Fujian Tea', one of which states:

Before rain and after brightness, only newness is disliked,

When fire energy remains, do not let it touch your lips.

Stored till deep red, its value triples,

Every household flaunts last year's aged stock.

This shows that ancient people were aware of the heating effect of new tea. Even today, excessive consumption of new tea can indeed cause heating in some individuals.

Note: Although this doesn't specifically refer to green tea, it provides some reference, indicating that ancient people recognized fire energy early on.

How to explain 'fire energy'?

1. 'Fire energy' from the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

TCM uses the biases of food properties to adjust the body's qi, blood, yin, and yang, supporting health and dispelling pathogens, aiming for 'balanced yin and yang, leading to spiritual harmony'. TCM categorizes foods into 'four natures' and 'five flavors', with the 'four natures' being cold, hot, warm, and cool. Simply put, foods that reduce or eliminate heat syndromes are cold or cool in nature; those that reduce or eliminate cold syndromes are warm or hot in nature.

According to TCM theory, freshly processed tea can cause heat syndromes, meaning it is warm or hot in nature. This fire energy diminishes after storage.

Of course, due to objective limitations, TCM's diagnosis and treatment of 'fire energy' are somewhat vague, relying on clinical experience rather than Western scientific logic with measurable indicators, which reflects TCM's practical nature.

2. 'Fire energy' from the perspective of modern scientific research

Modern medicine attributes fire energy to infections, microcirculation disorders, gastrointestinal issues, nutritional deficiencies, and emotional disturbances. At a microscopic level, it may relate to local water changes leading to energy excess, somewhat like the sensation of eating snow.

Here's a hard science explanation:

For food 'fire energy', high temperatures cause the loss of bound water in food. When consumed, the food and water re-form hydrogen bonds, releasing excess energy, which is an important reason for 'fire energy' (He Rubang, 2008).

Water in food exists in two forms: free water (unbound water), which is lost when heated at 100°C; and bound water, which forms hydrogen bonds with food nutrient molecules (like proteins) and is lost only at higher temperatures (usually above 120°C).

Experiments by Zeng Rongjin et al. (2002) show that roasting peanuts destroys hydrogen bonds and loses bound water. When we eat roasted peanuts, the food components recombine with water molecules in the mouth, restoring hydrogen bonds and releasing excess heat, which may cause 'fire energy'.

Simultaneously, hydrogen bond formation and bound water restoration temporarily deplete free water in the mouth, disrupting the balance between free and bound water on the oral mucosa. This increases sodium pump activity, enhances energy metabolism, and generates more heat, leading to localized energy excess and a non-infectious inflammation—'fire energy'.

Additionally, for tea, another reason for fire energy may relate to catechin isomerization and the energy release when caffeine and catechins form hydrogen bonds (Zhong Qiuju, 2006). During processing, catechins undergo isomerization, converting from cis-catechins to trans-catechins under heat. When consumed, they may isomerize again, releasing energy. Caffeine and catechins and their oxidation products are free at high temperatures (100°C). As the temperature drops during drinking, they form hydrogen-bonded complexes, releasing energy. Experimental data show that the most significant decreases in premium green tea during the first two months of storage are in caffeine and catechins like EGC and EGCG.

Moreover, highly active substances in tea—such as unoxidized polyphenols, aldehydes, and alcohols like catechins, caffeine, and alkaloids—can irritate the gastric mucosa, potentially causing discomfort like chest tightness, nausea, bloating, or abdominal pain in some individuals with specific constitutions.

However, under traditional storage conditions, new tea's potential for 'fire energy' typically decreases significantly after about half a month, becoming almost negligible.

Of course, this varies by individual, much like the perception of oranges causing fire energy. The phenomenon exists but varies, emphasizing the importance of moderation in all things.