Regarding the origin of tea-soaked rice, 'The Complete Guide to Chinese Cooking · Selected Records of Ancient Delicacies' records: "My concubine Dong Xiaowan was skilled in cooking and had a淡泊 (tranquil) nature. She had no liking for rich and fatty foods. Every time she ate, she used a small pot of tea to warm and rinse the rice. This was an eating custom of the ancient people of Nanjing, existing since the Six Dynasties period." This shows the long history of tea-soaked rice.

Whether tea-soaked rice is delicious or not ultimately requires personal tasting. But undoubtedly, tea-soaked rice can be prepared in various delicious ways. The refreshing tea broth is used to soak the rice, combined with preferred ingredients such as fresh fish slices or sour and spicy preserved mustard tuber, pickled snow cabbage with shredded pork or cold dressed fresh bamboo shoots, dried plum preserves or thin crispy seaweed — roughly imagining it makes it worth trying.

The key to the flavor of tea-soaked rice lies in the taste of the tea broth, the strength of the tea, and the degree of soaking. If the tea is too strong, it will overpower the fragrance of the rice; if too weak, the tea aroma won't be noticeable. The timing to start eating after soaking also matters — too early and the flavor isn't right, too late and the rice becomes too waterlogged, both affecting the texture. Also, the water temperature for brewing the tea and the amount of tea leaves used require continuous总结经验 (summarizing experience) through practice to achieve the best flavor.

The benefits of tea-soaked rice are not only reflected in its refreshing taste but also in its significant dietary therapy effects: It can remove grease, clean the mouth, and aid digestion. Middle-aged and elderly people who often eat tea-soaked rice may soften blood vessels, reduce blood lipids, and prevent cardiovascular diseases. The tannic acid in tea can also effectively prevent stroke.

Furthermore, tea-soaked rice, which is complete in color, aroma, and taste, is not only a delicious food but can also provide an indispensable important substance for tooth dentin — fluoride compounds. If a small amount of fluoride continuously infiltrates the tooth tissue, it can enhance the toughness and acid resistance of teeth, preventing dental caries.

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Tip: Eating tea-soaked rice over the long term is not good for the body; do not overemphasize the advantages of tea.

Firstly, the weakly alkaline tea water neutralizes stomach acid, which is not conducive to food digestion. As the saying goes, there is a reason for drinking tea thirty minutes after a meal.

Secondly, soup-soaked rice容易让食用者增加进食速度 (easily makes the eater increase eating speed), reduces chewing of food, and places a burden on the digestive system.

Thirdly, the soup and rice entering the stomach together significantly dilute gastric acid. Southern classmates should know that eating like this for a long time is very damaging to the stomach and intestines. Finally, the tea used for tea-soaked rice is generally green tea. Green tea is cool in nature; it should not be drunk excessively, let alone regularly used to soak rice for eating.

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