Black tea, originating from China, was historically known as Lapsang Souchong. As a fully fermented tea, black tea is meticulously crafted from the buds and leaves of the tea plant through a series of typical processes: withering, rolling, fermentation, and drying. It is named for the reddish hue of its dry leaves and the brewed liquor. So, do you know about the health benefits of drinking black tea?
1. Promotes Salivation and Clears Heat
Drinking black tea in the summer can quench thirst and relieve summer heat. This is because polyphenols, sugars, amino acids, and pectins in the tea react chemically with saliva, stimulating saliva secretion and moistening the mouth. Meanwhile, caffeine acts on the hypothalamus's thermoregulatory center to regulate body temperature and stimulates the kidneys to promote the excretion of heat.
2. Aids Digestion
Black tea can cut through grease, aid gastrointestinal digestion, stimulate appetite, and strengthen heart function. When you feel bloated, drinking more black tea can promote digestion. After heavy meals that often cause indigestion, drinking black tea can eliminate grease and contribute to better health.
3. Nourishes the Stomach
The polyphenols in tea have an astringent effect and can be irritating to the stomach, which is especially pronounced on an empty stomach, sometimes causing discomfort. Black tea, however, is fermented and baked during production. Through an enzymatic oxidation process, the polyphenol content is reduced, thus decreasing the irritation to the stomach. Black tea not only doesn't harm the stomach but can actually nourish it. The oxidized polyphenols in black tea promote human digestion. Regularly drinking black tea with sugar or milk can help reduce inflammation, protect the gastric mucosa, and is also beneficial for treating ulcers.
4. Diuretic
Regular consumption of black tea, with the combined action of caffeine and aromatic substances, helps increase blood flow to the kidneys. It improves the glomerular filtration rate, dilates the kidney's micro-vessels, and inhibits the reabsorption of water by the renal tubules, thereby increasing urine output. This facilitates the elimination of excess lactic acid, uric acid, and salt from the body, and can also alleviate edema caused by heart disease or nephritis.
5. Refreshing and Fatigue-Relieving
Medical experiments have found that the caffeine in black tea can stimulate the cerebral cortex to excite the central nervous system, resulting in a refreshing effect and making thinking and reactions more acute. It also has a stimulating effect on the vascular system and the heart, strengthening heartbeats to accelerate blood circulation and promote metabolism.
6. Anti-inflammatory and Bactericidal
The polyphenolic compounds in black tea have anti-inflammatory effects. Experiments have found that catechins can bind with single-celled bacteria, causing their proteins to coagulate and precipitate, thereby inhibiting and eliminating pathogens. Drinking black tea is particularly beneficial for patients with bacterial dysentery and food poisoning.