One: Preferring Fresh Tea
Because freshly made tea contains a higher amount of unoxidized polyphenols, aldehydes, and alcohols, these substances can strongly stimulate the gastrointestinal mucosa and easily induce gastric issues. Therefore, it is advisable to drink less fresh tea and completely avoid tea that has been stored for less than half a month.
Two: Drinking the First Infusion
During the cultivation and processing of tea leaves, they may be contaminated with pesticides and other harmful substances, leaving some residue on their surfaces. The first infusion acts as a wash and should be discarded rather than consumed.
Three: Drinking Tea on an Empty Stomach
Drinking tea on an empty stomach can dilute gastric juices and reduce digestive function. Given the high water absorption rate at this time, it can cause a significant amount of undesirable components in the tea to enter the bloodstream, leading to symptoms such as dizziness, palpitations, and weakness in the limbs.
Four: Drinking Tea After Meals
Tannins are present in large quantities in tea. These tannins can react with iron elements in food, forming new insoluble compounds. Over time, this can lead to iron deficiency and even anemia. The correct approach is to wait one hour after a meal before drinking tea.
Five: Drinking Tea While Feverish
Tea contains alkaloids which can raise body temperature. Drinking tea while having a fever is akin to “pouring oil on the fire.”
Six: Drinking Tea When Suffering from Ulcers
The caffeine in tea can stimulate gastric acid secretion, increasing its concentration, potentially triggering ulcers or even perforations.
Seven: Drinking Tea During Menstruation
Drinking tea during menstruation, especially strong tea, can trigger or exacerbate premenstrual syndrome. Medical experts have found that compared to those who do not drink tea, individuals who regularly consume tea are 2.4 times more likely to experience menstrual tension syndrome, and those who drink more than four cups of tea per day are three times more likely to suffer from it.
What kind of tea is most beneficial to your health? In addition to considering your own constitution, experts recommend selecting tea based on different physical and mental states. For example, when feeling depressed, green tea is best; when experiencing poor digestion, wulong tea is a good choice; and jasmine tea is an excellent helper to provide a fresher taste.
If You Feel Cold in Your Limbs
If you often feel cold in your limbs, it indicates poor peripheral circulation and slower metabolism. It is suitable to drink black tea or jasmine tea, which can improve blood circulation within the body, warm you up, and make your complexion rosier. It is also recommended to infuse longan fruit together with black tea, which will enhance the warming effect.
If You Are Feeling Depressed
If you often feel depressed, irritable, or experience heat and thirst, from a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective, this indicates heart fire or deficiency fire. Drinking green tea, which nourishes yin and reduces fire, is appropriate.
If You Have Poor Digestion
If you tend to experience bloating, it is suitable to drink ripe puer tea (preferably aged over five years) or wulong tea, which benefit the digestive system. However, do not drink these teas during meals or immediately afterward; it is best to wait until about half an hour after eating.
If You Want to Slim Down
Tieguanyin, green tea, raw puer tea, and oolong tea all have slimming effects. In particular, Tieguanyin tea from Anxi, Fujian Province, China, has unique fat-burning properties, increasing the metabolic rate of body fats by 14%, particularly enhancing metabolism in the abdominal area.