According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, while drinking black tea is suitable in winter, one can also consume more dark tea. It not only helps eliminate greasiness from the body but also cleans lipids, protects blood vessels, and prevents obesity.

Mentioning dark tea might be unfamiliar to some, but almost everyone knows about Pu'er tea and Hunan Anhua dark tea. Pu'er tea is one of the most representative types of dark tea. Furthermore, the famous Oolong tea, although sometimes categorized separately into its own class, can essentially be considered a dark tea based on its fermentation type and color.

Aiding digestion and breaking down accumulated food can be said to be the health functions of dark tea. In the sixty-third chapter of "Dream of the Red Chamber," Baoyu ate too much longevity noodles on his birthday and didn't dare sleep immediately. The housekeeper instructed the maid to serve Baoyu some Pu'er tea, and his personal maid Xiren promptly said, "I've brewed a cup of daughter tea."

Daughter tea is a relatively mild type of Pu'er, which not only aids digestion but also contains far less theine than green tea, so having some in the evening doesn't risk causing sleeplessness. Additionally, dark tea can cut through grease, which is why ethnic minorities in border regions who primarily eat beef and mutton regard dark tea as the tea of life.

In winter, people not only have increased appetites but also tend to store substances in their bodies, making weight gain very easy. For modern people who often consume rich, fatty meals, drinking more dark tea can remove grease, clear blood lipids, protect vascular health, and help prevent obesity.

Typically, the first three infusions of dark tea are the best. However, as the tea leaves are often aged, you can quickly rinse them with boiling water before brewing to remove any tea residue. Normally, it's good to drink a cup every 1-2 hours before 4 PM, and consume less in the evening.

Although dark tea aids digestion, all teas contain tannic acid, which can bind with protein, form precipitates, affect protein absorption, and interfere with gastrointestinal motility, potentially causing constipation. Therefore, it's not suitable to drink immediately after meals; waiting about an hour is optimal.