Best Way to Drink Tea
Tea is a healthy drink. To maximize the marvelous taste and health effects of tea, here are some tips on how to judge the quality of tea, the best time to drink, and taboos about tea drinking.
Looking, Smelling, Touching, and Tasting Good
In general, the quality of tea can be identified by the senses, of sight, smell, touch, and taste.
1. Tea types are generally distinguished by the color of dried tea leaves, so observe carefully the color. The leaves of green tea should be dark green; the leaves of black tea should be dark red; the leaves of white tea should be covered with white hair, and the leaves of dark tea should be black…
2. Sniff deeply the smell of the tea leaves. Good tea is supposed to emit a natural and pure tea fragrance.
3. Lightly pinch the dried tea leaves with your fingers. If the leaves are easily shredded, it means they have dried nicely, and constitute good tea.
4. The thicker the flavor, and the longer-lasting the sweet aftertaste, the better the tea.
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Time to Drink Tea
The best time to drink tea is between meals because drinking tea when your stomach is empty will hinder digestion and harm your body.
The type of tea you drink should be adjusted according to the season. According to traditional Chinese medicine, tea can be divided into hot and cold.
For example, green tea is bitter and cold, suitable for summer to relieve the summer heat, while black tea and Pu'er tea are warmer, so will be better for winter drinking. Oolong tea, tieguanyin, and others are relatively neutral.
Taboos of Drinking Tea
1. New tea should not be drunk until it has been stored for at least half a month.
2. Do not make tea too strong – use fewer leaves – when drinking at night.
3. Those who are weak and do not sleep well, should drink less tea at night, or none at all.
4. Tea oxidizes quickly after brewing, so drink it hot. Tea that has been brewed for more than 12 hours is not suitable for drinking.
5. Don’t make tea with a thermos mug, to prevent loss of nutrients.
6. Don’t drink tea along with medicines. Tea drinking should be banned within 2 hours before and after taking medicine because tea contains about 10% tannin, which reduces medicines’ efficacy.
7. Don’t drink tea when your stomach is empty. Otherwise, it may quench your appetite and lead to dizziness, headache, and fatigue – so-called “tea-drunkenness”.
If you are a fan of tea, you must be interested in tea culture. Visitors to tea production places will know more about tea.
There are many famous tea attractions throughout China, among which the most renowned is Hangzhou, the hometown of West Lake Longjing (西湖龙井) tea. Our Hangzhou Tour Packages will surely not let you down!