Black tea can warm the stomach and protect the heart. China produces a wide variety of black teas, generally divided into three categories: Congou black tea, Lapsang Souchong black tea, and broken black tea. Black tea is widely consumed due to its dark brown and glossy color, rich and sweet aroma, mellow and sweet taste, bright red and yellow liquor, and tender and uniform red leaves. Black tea is fully fermented. During processing, tea polyphenols oxidize into theaflavins and thearubigins, and most sugars hydrolyze into soluble sugars, giving black tea its unique aroma and taste.
It is understood that theaflavins are the most important functional components in black tea. Numerous medical studies have shown that drinking black tea can help regulate the levels of low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein in human arteries, thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. In addition, theaflavins have antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and anti-obesity effects. According to existing literature, compared with other types of tea, black tea generally has better effects in preventing cardiovascular diseases. From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, black tea is warm in nature and has a stomach-warming effect. People with a cold constitution and the elderly should drink warm-natured black tea.
How to brew black tea? It is best to use freshly boiled water to brew black tea. The amount of water is similar to that used for green tea, and the brewing time is 3 to 5 minutes. Black tea is best brewed in a glass cup using the middle infusion method: first pour about 1/10 of hot water into the cup to warm it, then add 3 to 5 grams of tea leaves, and finally pour water along the wall of the glass cup to brew. Covering the cup while brewing will make the tea aroma richer.
Unlike black tea, dark tea can help resist cold and reduce fat. Mr. Cheng introduced that dark tea is a unique type of tea in China with a long history and a rich variety, such as Yunnan Pu'er tea, Hunan Fuzhuan tea, Guangxi Liubao tea, Hubei Qingzhuan tea, and Sichuan border tea (Kangzhuan). Dark tea is a post-fermented tea. During the fermentation process, a series of complex chemical reactions occur under the action of microorganisms, generating some functional components beneficial to human health.
Pu'er tea and Fuzhuan tea are representatives of different types of dark tea in China. Their active components differ, but both have lipid-lowering effects. Current research shows that Pu'er tea has health functions such as lowering blood sugar, lowering blood lipids, and antiviral effects. Its lipid-lowering effect may be related to statin-like compounds. Fuzhuan tea also has a good effect on reducing fat and greasiness, with strong lipid-lowering and weight-loss functions. In addition, dark tea is rich in minerals, and many mineral contents are higher than those in other types of tea. Dark tea is warm in nature, helps resist cold, and is suitable for people with a cold constitution.
Drinking tea can promote health, but one should choose the right tea according to their constitution to achieve health benefits.