Pu'er tea only serves as a supplementary health-preserving function; do not treat it as the “master key” to well-being and fitness. Combining it with a regular diet and appropriate exercise is the healthiest and most effective way to enjoy the benefits of Pu'er.
Pu'er Tea Taboos
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The saying goes: “When drinking tea, suit your taste.” However, more importantly, you need to consider whether your body can tolerate it. In other words, you should drink Pu'er tea according to your constitution. Fortunately, Pu'er comes in raw and ripe varieties, which can accommodate most people.
1. Avoid drinking tea on an empty stomach
Drinking tea on an empty stomach can chill the lungs and stomach. It can dilute gastric juices, reducing digestive functions. With high water absorption rates, harmful components from the tea leaves may enter the bloodstream in large quantities, causing symptoms such as dizziness, palpitations, and weakness in the limbs.
2. Avoid drinking tea immediately before or after meals
It is not advisable to drink a large amount of tea about 20 minutes before or after a meal, especially strong tea. Doing so can dilute gastric juices and affect digestion. According to traditional Chinese medicine, “bitter coldness will harm the spleen and stomach.” Excessive tea consumption primarily harms the spleen and stomach, leading to various illnesses. Drinking light, warm tea is healthier for the body.
3. Drinking the first infusion
Due to pesticide contamination during cultivation and processing, there are always some residues on the surface of tea leaves. Therefore, the first infusion acts as a wash and should be discarded.
4. Drinking tea at night
When drinking Pu'er tea for weight loss, one easily overlooked taboo is drinking it at night. When drinking tea at night, use less tea and avoid making it too strong. It is best to drink it after dinner. Drinking tea on an empty stomach can inhibit gastric juice secretion and hinder digestion, potentially causing symptoms such as palpitations, headaches, and “tea drunkenness.” People who are emotionally excitable or sensitive, have poor sleep quality, or weak constitutions should drink less or no tea at night.
5. Drinking tea while feverish
Tea contains theophylline, which can raise body temperature. Drinking tea while having a fever is akin to “pouring oil on a fire.” Weight loss requires persistence, but when you're sick, you should stop trying to lose weight.
6. Drinking tea during menstruation
Drinking tea during menstruation can trigger or exacerbate premenstrual syndrome. Medical experts found that compared to those who don't drink tea, women who do have a 2.4 times higher chance of experiencing premenstrual tension. Drinking more than four cups of tea daily increases this risk by three times.
7. Ulcer patients drinking tea
Caffeine in tea can stimulate gastric acid secretion, increasing its concentration. For those with ulcers, this may trigger ulcer flare-ups or even perforations. There's generally no concern for healthy individuals.
8. Unchanging habits
Although drinking Pu'er tea for weight loss requires long-term consistency, the types of tea should be adjusted according to the different seasons. Occasionally switch to other types of tea.
9. Keeping teaware clean is crucial; don't forget to frequently wash your tea cups when drinking Pu'er tea
Some regular Pu'er tea drinkers like to have a thick layer of “tea scale” in their cups, believing it enhances the flavor. However, tea scale is detrimental to health, containing various heavy metals and carcinogenic substances. These substances are ingested with each cup of tea, hindering nutrient absorption. Therefore, it's important to regularly clean the inside of Pu'er teaware to prevent any harm to health.
10. Not choosing different teas based on constitution
Pu'er tea comes in raw and ripe varieties. Those with poor digestive systems should avoid raw tea. Yang-excess constitutions and blood stasis constitutions are not suitable for drinking ripe tea. People with yang-excess constitutions often exhibit robust physiques, red faces, irritability, and fine, sluggish, or sluggish pulses. Some friends may experience symptoms such as heatiness, mouth blisters, acne, and constipation after drinking ripe Pu'er tea. For these constitutions, drinking raw tea regularly can help alleviate these symptoms.
If you really prefer ripe tea, you can add ingredients like white chrysanthemum, lotus leaf, and cassia seed, which have cooling and detoxifying properties, during brewing. Use a quick brewing method, ensuring the tea is light rather than strong. You can also drink some raw tea during the day to balance the tea's nature.
In contrast, yang-deficiency, blood-deficiency, and qi-deficiency constitutions are suitable for drinking ripe tea. Yang-deficiency, qi-deficiency, and blood-deficiency constitutions are often due to insufficient yang qi and weakened organ functions. Following the principle of avoiding what is deficient, compared to raw tea, ripe tea is more beneficial for these constitutions. Adding ingredients like stonecrop (Ophiopogon japonicus), American ginseng slices, red ginseng slices, and Rhodiola rosea to the tea can enhance its health benefits.
Pu'er Tea's Five “Mortal Enemies”
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The health benefits of Pu'er tea are widely discussed among tea enthusiasts. However, its unique fermentation process creates a distinct taste, form, and composition, which can lead to conflicts with certain foods, causing chemical reactions that produce harmful substances and harm human health. So, who are Pu'er tea's “mortal enemies”?
Mortal Enemy #1 — Alcohol
We've been misled by the statement: “Drinking tea after alcohol is good for the liver and helps sober up.” Those who have truly overindulged in alcohol know how inaccurate this statement is. Drinking Pu'er tea after excessive alcohol consumption makes you feel worse, with symptoms such as cold sweats and severe stomach discomfort. Drinking tea after alcohol is not wise as it significantly increases the load on the heart, potentially leading to accidents. If you've had too much to drink, have a cup of hot milk and get some sleep. Drinking ripe Pu'er tea after breakfast the next day will help the damaged stomach and intestines.
Mortal Enemy #2 — Protein
The acidic substances in tea combine with proteins, reducing bowel movements and decreasing moisture in the intestines, affecting the digestive system and causing constipation. Generally, it's best to wait about three hours after consuming protein-rich foods like beef, milk, and eggs before drinking Pu'er tea.
Mortal Enemy #3 — Medications
Both traditional Chinese medicines and Western medicines seem to be naturally incompatible with Pu'er tea. The substances in tea can react chemically with the elements in medications, forming precipitates that reduce drug efficacy. Therefore, avoid drinking tea while taking medication, especially potent Pu'er tea.
Mortal Enemy #4 — Animal livers
Animal livers are typically rich in iron, which is beneficial to the body. Drinking Pu'er tea while eating liver greatly reduces iron absorption. However, drinking it three to five hours later is excellent, effectively lowering cholesterol and preventing high blood