As early as in "Supplement to Compendium of Materia Medica," there is a record that states: "Pu-erh tea paste is as black as lacquer and is the best for sobering up. The green variety is even better for eliminating food stagnation, resolving phlegm, clearing the stomach, and promoting the production of body fluids, with particularly great effects." Traditional Chinese Medicine also believes that Pu-erh tea has various effects, such as clearing heat, relieving summer heat, detoxifying, aiding digestion, removing greasiness, promoting urination, relieving constipation, eliminating phlegm, expelling wind and relieving the exterior, stopping coughs and promoting body fluids, replenishing qi, and prolonging life.
The conclusions drawn from modern medical research on the effects of Pu-erh tea confirm that it has the effects of warming the stomach, aiding weight loss, lowering lipids, preventing arteriosclerosis, preventing coronary heart disease, lowering blood pressure, anti-aging, anti-cancer, and lowering blood sugar. In addition, the fermented ripe Pu-erh tea is rich in probiotics and has high nutritional value. Under the action of microorganisms, chemical substances in the tea, such as aromatic components and tea polyphenols, undergo structural transformations, presenting a unique tea character and health-preserving effect.
"There are many varieties of Pu-erh tea. To achieve health benefits, one must choose the most suitable one according to their own physical constitution and time. This is the healthy tea drinking we advocate," said Qian Shenghua, Director of the Tea Bureau of Menghai County, Yunnan.
Selecting Tea Based on the Individual and Time
So how should one choose Pu-erh tea? Qian Shenghua gave an example, saying that timing is important. For instance, in the morning, when yang qi is just beginning to rise, the body's resistance is very weak, like that of a teenager. It is most suitable to drink relatively warm teas that nourish the stomach, such as milk tea, black tea, and ripe Pu-erh.
From 9 to 10 o'clock, the body's functions are on the rise, making it suitable to drink green tea to refresh the mind and help improve one's mental state for the day.
From noon to the afternoon, the body's functions are at their peak, similar to a person's prime years, with the strongest absorption capacity. This is the time to drink Pu-erh tea with a higher alkaloid content.
After dinner, the body's functions are in a calm period, so the focus should be on calming the mind. It is advisable to drink relatively mild teas, such as black tea and ripe Pu-erh.
The elderly can drink aged Pu-erh that is ten or twenty years old, which will give them a different experience, and should not drink more stimulating teas like raw Pu-erh, green tea, or Tieguanyin.
In addition, when drinking Pu-erh tea, one should choose a tea that suits them based on different regions and genders. Men are suitable for teas with strong "tea energy," such as Ban Zhang and Man'e. Women, on the other hand, are more suited to teas with milder "tea energy," such as Naka and Yiwu. On the other hand, people from different regions can choose their own tea based on their personal lifestyle. For example, people in the north usually have a light diet and do not eat spicy food, so they should drink teas with a relatively light flavor. People from places that love spicy food, like Chongqing and Hunan, should choose teas with strong "tea energy." Although Guangzhou has a light diet, people there prefer a strong taste when drinking tea, requiring the tea to have high viscosity and a rich mouthfeel.
People with different constitutions should also choose teas of different natures. People with excessive liver fire are prone to agitation, impulsiveness, impatience, and irritability. They are suitable for drinking raw Pu-erh to reduce the heat. Drinking four cups of Pu-erh tea daily can relieve skin that is prone to itching or acne, and symptoms of deficiency fire, such as dry mouth or a bitter taste, will gradually disappear. People with weak spleen and stomach are more suited to drinking ripe Pu-erh, which warms the stomach without harming it and dispels cold and keeps the body warm.
"Teas with extremely strong 'tea energy,' like Ban Zhang, are not suitable for everyone," said Qian Shenghua. Because Pu-erh tea accelerates the body's metabolism, drinking strong Pu-erh to lower blood pressure and blood lipids can lead to a drop in blood sugar... When the body is weak, unwell, or hungry, the reaction to drinking Pu-erh can be very intense. Therefore, it is advisable to eat some tea snacks when drinking tea to supplement sugar.
So, whether a tea is good or not, the tea leaves will speak for themselves. No extra comments are needed; just let the tea liquor tell you.