Appreciating Dark Tea: Nutritious, Weight-Loss Friendly, and High Quality

In recent years, more people have started collecting tea, with "antique tea" becoming popular. CCTV's "Treasure Appraisal" program once featured a batch of 1953 dark tea valued at 480,000 RMB.

Dark tea is a post-fermented tea made from steamed and compressed green tea. The "golden flowers"—Eurotium cristatum—produced during fermentation are the secret to dark tea's improving flavor with age, found in varieties like Qingzhuan, Xiangjian, and Fuzhuan.

Once tea leaves are inoculated with Eurotium cristatum, they undergo unique changes due to enzymes secreted by the fungus: the total amount of aromatic compounds decreases, but low-boiling, volatile aromas significantly increase, forming the distinct flavor of dark tea.

Beyond aroma, Eurotium cristatum enhances the nutritional quality of dark tea. For example, vitamin A increases noticeably. Eurotium cristatum appears golden and contains vitamin precursors, such as β-carotene and lutein. One β-carotene molecule can hydrolyze into two vitamin A molecules. Thus, the nutrients in tea leaves combine with the nutrition from the fungus. The enzymes secreted by these precious "molds" also break down macromolecules like cellulose in tea leaves, generating low-molecular edible oligosaccharides. These compounds aid weight loss, cleanse the intestines, and stimulate the growth of beneficial gut microbiota, giving dark tea excellent weight-loss properties.