Although green tea ranks first in both production and sales in China, with no other tea able to rival it, many people also prefer dark tea, black tea, white tea, and oolong tea.

China has six major tea categories, each with distinct appearances and flavors. Moreover, not every type of tea suits everyone. Let’s see which cup of tea is more suitable for you and your family.

Green Tea: The Leader of Six Teas, Clears Heat and Irritability

Green tea is unfermented, well preserving the natural substances in tea leaves. Nutrients such as vitamins, chlorophyll, tea polyphenols, and amino acids are the most abundant among all tea types. Green tea can clear internal heat, reduce irritability, enhance thinking ability, and improve immunity.

Suitable for: Busy working adults, mental laborers, and those frequently using computers.

Who should be cautious: Green tea is cooling in nature. Although it can clear heat and reduce irritability, it may irritate the stomach. Those with weaker spleen and stomach should drink less or use fewer leaves when brewing to reduce irritation.

Black Tea: Warm and Sweet, Regulates Spleen and Stomach

In China, black tea is the second largest tea category after green tea. Both the dry leaves and the brewed tea soup are red, hence the name black tea.

Black tea is fermented and has a relatively mild nature, helping regulate the spleen and stomach. Abroad, it is common to add milk and sugar to black tea to supplement nutrition and increase body heat.

Suitable for: Those with poor digestion or weak constitution who should not drink green tea may find black tea more suitable.

Who should be cautious: Black tea is warm in nature, so it is not very suitable for those currently experiencing excessive internal heat or who generally have a hot constitution.

Yellow Tea: Represented by Junshan Yinzhen

The reputation of yellow tea is not as widespread as green or black tea, but many people know of Junshan Yinzhen and Huoshan Huangya—these belong to yellow tea.

Suitable for: Yellow tea requires piling (wo dui), which is a "fermenting" process. During this process, a large amount of digestive enzymes are produced, which benefit the spleen and stomach. Thus, it is most suitable for those with indigestion, poor appetite, or obesity.

Who should be cautious: Yellow tea contains relatively high amounts of caffeine and tea polyphenols, which can easily cause excitement and increase urination. Therefore, it is not suitable for pregnant women as it may affect maternal and fetal health, potentially leading to conditions like gestational poisoning.

White Tea: A Treasure Among Teas, Can Lower Blood Sugar

Although white tea is not as common as green or black tea and its production volume is not high, it is a rare treasure among teas.

Suitable for: Diabetic patients are most suited for white tea because it is not fried or rolled during processing, so the polysaccharides in the tea remain largely intact. Tea polysaccharides have certain efficacy in treating diabetes. Additionally, white tea is cool in nature and can reduce internal heat, alleviate dryness, and treat constipation.

Who should be cautious: Diabetic patients should brew white tea with lower temperature water, around 80°C, steep for 4 to 6 hours, and drink it in the early morning or evening. Do not use boiling water to avoid destroying tea polysaccharides.

Oolong Tea: The健美Tea for Lipid Lowering and Weight Loss

Suitable for: Oolong tea is most suitable for obese individuals. Due to its good effects on lowering blood lipids, cholesterol, and aiding digestion, it is called the "Beauty and Fitness Tea" in Japan. Additionally, Oolong tea has a refreshing effect, suitable for students studying late or overtime workers.

Who should be cautious: All drinkers of Oolong tea should avoid drinking it on an empty stomach, otherwise, they may feel extremely hungry, and some may even experience dizziness and nausea—known as "tea drunkenness." Moreover, pregnant women最好 not drink it as the theophylline has a stimulating effect, which may increase fetal movement and be harmful to the fetus.

Dark Tea: Underweight Individuals Should Avoid

Dark tea is also unique to China and is widely spread in ethnic minority areas of the border regions. The fermentation degree of dark tea reaches 100%, belonging to post-fermented tea, such as the highly regarded Pu-erh tea in recent years.

Suitable for: Dark tea is most suitable for those who usually enjoy eating meat because its nature is warm and moist, with significant effects on removing grease, reducing fat, and lowering blood lipids.

Who should be cautious: First and foremost, pregnant women should avoid it. Dark tea contains large amounts of tea polyphenols, caffeine, etc., which are detrimental to fetal development. Secondly, underweight individuals, those with malnutrition or protein deficiency should stay away, as dark tea removes fat and hinders the body's absorption of protein. The third category to note is vegetarians. Drinking dark tea can easily lead to deficiencies in vitamin B, iron, calcium, and other nutrients, and vegetarians may already have insufficient intake of these elements. Those with severe arteriosclerosis or hypertension should also not drink dark tea, as the theophylline and caffeine in tea pose a potential risk for those with arteriosclerosis and may promote the formation of cerebral thrombosis. Additionally, anemic individuals should not drink dark tea, as the tannic acid can combine with iron to form insoluble compounds, blocking the body's iron source.