The summers in the Jiangnan region are characterized by both humidity and heat.

When the hot days coincide with the plum rains season, there's a vivid term for it: “steamer basket.” When drenched in sweat, all one wants is a pot of Tea to gulp down thirstily.

What teas are best for dispelling dampness and cooling off during summer?

To cool off and generate body fluids, drink White Tea

The processing of white tea is very simple. After picking, the leaves are thinly spread on withering trays and placed under sunlight or in a well-ventilated indoor area to naturally wither. Once the grassy scent dissipates, they are slowly dried over a gentle fire.

The production process of white tea is minimalistic and close to nature, without undergoing high-temperature treatments. White tea contains higher levels of polyphenols, which have anti-inflammatory properties, as well as higher caffeine content compared to other types of tea. These components collectively contribute to white tea's ability to clear heat and reduce internal heat. Because of its light taste and cool nature, white tea is commonly used in Fujian as a cooling medicine to reduce internal heat.

Drinking white tea in summer helps cool off, generates body fluids, and dispels heat, bringing about a sense of calm and natural coolness. While new white tea has a cool nature, aged white tea undergoes oxidation and polymerization reactions of polyphenols, gradually reducing its coolness and becoming milder.

For those whose digestive systems cannot tolerate coolness, aged white tea is a good choice.

To clear heat and reduce internal heat, drink Green Tea

Green tea is the most suitable tea for summer, with its pale green and bright infusion, fresh and sweet taste, and long-lasting fresh aroma. brewing a cup of tea and watching the emerald leaves float and sink in the cup makes one feel refreshed and cool.

Green tea is the only type of tea that remains unfermented, without undergoing oxidation. This preserves the various substances in the fresh leaves to the greatest extent possible, including a higher content of polyphenols, amino acids, and vitamins that are active ingredients.

Green tea also belongs to the cooler category of teas. Drinking it in summer can help clear heat and reduce internal heat. Spring teas of the current year, after being stored for one or two months, lose their initial “fiery” character and reach their optimal drinking period just in time for summer.

Green tea can not only be brewed hot but also cold-brewed.

Cold brewing reduces the “astringency” in the tea infusion while preserving the fresh and aromatic flavor of green tea, making it especially suitable for summer.

To dispel dampness and reduce heat, drink dark tea

Dark tea is a general term for post-fermented teas, and one key step in its processing is the pile fermentation. Sun-dried raw tea is piled up in an environment with certain temperature and humidity to undergo microbial fermentation, causing a series of changes in the internal substances of the tea.

Dark tea is made from older leaves and contains more tea polysaccharides. Dark tea can be stored for a long time, and as storage time increases, its polyphenols, theaflavins, and thearubigins gradually oxidize into theabrownins. Theabrownins have the strongest inhibitory effect on lipase, so dark tea has the effect of aiding digestion and reducing greasiness.

In modern history, some representative categories of dark tea, such as Anhua and Liubao tea, were very popular in Hong Kong, Macau, and Southeast Asia.

These regions, located in the tropics, experience high temperatures and humidity, making them prone to epidemic diseases. Aged tea, after undergoing fermentation over time, loses its initial “fiery” character and becomes mild in nature. Local Chinese workers found that it could dispel dampness and reduce heat, thus gaining widespread popularity.

When the humidity feels particularly heavy in summer, brewing a pot of such tea results in an amber-colored infusion with a smooth and mellow taste, slightly reminiscent of betel nut fragrance – this is precisely the charm that time imparts to aged tea.

To soothe emotions, drink floral tea

With the arrival of summer and rising temperatures, discomfort increases, leading to a subconscious feeling of irritability.

At such times, a cup of fresh and fragrant floral tea can help soothe emotions.

Floral tea, also known as scented tea or aromatic tea, is generally made using flowers with strong aromas, such as jasmine or pearl Orchid. Besides the inherent tea aroma, it also carries a delicate and natural floral fragrance, which can alleviate anxiety and tension, bringing about a sense of tranquility.

The custom of adding fragrant flowers to tea dates back to ancient times. Ancient literati would use jasmine and lotus flowers of summer to infuse green tea overnight. Then, together with a few friends, they would share a cup of delicately fragrant tea beneath the flowers, truly refreshing and elegant – how playful!

Floral tea is also suitable for cold brewing, with its aroma wafting and the tea flavor light and elegant.

One might take inspiration from the ancients, placing a few flowers near the window. Accompanied by the pure and fragrant blooms, sipping a pot of cold-brewed floral tea, one wonders whether the flowers or the tea are more fragrant?