Tea Talk: Do You Follow the "Eight Precepts" of Tea Drinking?

Tea drinking requires attention to the "Eight Precepts"! While tea can strengthen the body and offers many benefits, it is important to observe certain taboos. This article summarizes eight key aspects for detailed understanding.

First Precept: Avoid Drinking Tea on an Empty Stomach

Drinking tea on an empty stomach dilutes gastric juices, reduces digestive function, and may cause "tea drunkenness," manifested as palpitations, dizziness, headache, fatigue, and unsteadiness. Additionally, it can intensify hunger, potentially leading to hypoglycemic shock. Drinking tea on an empty stomach is like "inviting trouble." There has long been a saying in China: "Do not drink hollow tea."

On an empty stomach or after waking up, drink a glass of warm water first, have some snacks, and then drink tea.

Second Precept: Avoid Drinking Scalding Hot Tea

Excessively hot tea strongly irritates the throat, esophagus, and stomach. Long-term consumption of overly hot tea may lead to lesions in these organs. Foreign studies indicate that people who regularly drink tea above 62°C are more prone to stomach wall damage and gastric diseases.

After brewing tea, wait a moment for the temperature to cool to about 60°C before drinking slowly.

Third Precept: Avoid Drinking Cold Tea

As the elderly often say, "weak wine" and "cold tea" are most harmful to health. Drinking cold tea is not good for the body. Cold tea can cause cold stagnation and phlegm accumulation, especially for women with cold constitutions, who should avoid it.

Finish tea promptly after brewing. If unfinished, discard it; do not refrigerate or consume it overnight.

Fourth Precept: Avoid Strong Tea

An ancient saying goes, "Drinking mild, warm tea is most nourishing." Strong tea contains more caffeine and theophylline, which are highly stimulating and can cause headaches and insomnia. It may also accelerate heart rate, which is unfavorable for冠心病 patients with tachycardia, premature beats, or atrial fibrillation. Women during menstruation, pregnancy, postpartum, and breastfeeding should especially avoid strong tea.

Maintain a proper tea-to-water ratio; avoid using too much tea leaves or too little water.

Fifth Precept: Avoid Excessive Infusions

Tests show that the first infusion extracts about 50% of the water-soluble compounds, the second about 30%, the third about 10%, and the fourth only 1-3%. Further infusions may leach harmful components from the tea leaves, as some trace harmful elements are often released last.

Generally, tea leaves lose most of their essence after 3-4 infusions, so limit brewing to four times at most.

Sixth Precept: Avoid Drinking Tea Before Meals

Drinking tea before meals is similar to drinking on an empty stomach. It dilutes saliva, dulls the taste of food, and temporarily reduces the digestive organs' ability to absorb protein. Tea on an empty stomach directly irritates the stomach and intestines, diluting digestive juices and affecting digestion, often leading to tea drunkenness.

Have some snacks or appetizers first, then drink tea, or consume tea during the meal.

Seventh Precept: Avoid Drinking Tea Immediately After Meals

It is not advisable to drink tea right after eating. Doing so dilutes gastric juices, hinders food digestion, and the tannic acid in tea can coagulate proteins in food, burdening the stomach and impairing protein absorption.

It is best to drink tea one hour after a meal to aid digestion and reduce greasiness.

Eighth Precept: Avoid Taking Medication with Tea

Tea contains大量鞣质, which breaks down into tannic acid. This can bind with many drugs, forming precipitates that hinder absorption and reduce efficacy. As the saying goes, "Tea neutralizes medicine," so never take medication with tea, or the medicine will be wasted.