How great is the health benefits of tea For the Chinese, drinking tea for health is a tradition that has been passed down for thousands of years. In recent years, there has been more and more research on the health benefits of tea: anti-cancer, cardiovascular protection, radiation protection …… It seems that all the health hazards in people’s lives can be solved by a cup of tea. So, what are the nutrients in tea, whether it can play a role in health, and how to drink it to maximize the health effects? In this issue, we asked the top tea experts in China to answer these questions that we are most concerned about. Cancer prevention is the main effect of tea Professor Han Chi, a researcher at the Nutrition and Food Safety Institute of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, has been engaged in research on the nutrition and efficacy of tea for decades, and is the leading tea expert in China. He told reporters that the more precise health effects of tea are the prevention of cancer (including lung cancer, esophageal cancer, liver cancer, colon cancer, etc.), regulation of blood lipids, lower blood sugar, enhance immune function, prevent smoking damage, etc. “Drinking tea can repair the DNA damaged by smoking, and the effect is very good, which is our conclusion through human experiments, and is considered a leading conclusion in the world.” Han Chi explained, “Now there are many studies on tea around the world, but most of them are animal experiments, and are done with tea extracts. Whereas we are using tea brewed tea broth for human experiments to prove that people can get such benefits if they stick to drinking tea correctly in their daily lives.” Mainly engaged in research on tea and health and other aspects of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Tea Research Institute associate researcher Jiang and source told reporters that tea has a variety of effective nutrients, such as the familiar tea polyphenols, as well as theanine, vitamins, caffeine and so on. “According to the production principle, Chinese tea is divided into six categories, namely green tea, black tea, yellow tea, white tea, green tea, black tea. Later there were some reprocessed teas, such as flower tea, which were developed on the basis of the six categories.” Jiang and source said that the active ingredients in various teas are different, and the efficacy varies. Green tea protects cardiovascular. Green tea is a non-fermented tea, represented by West Lake Longjing, Dongting Biluochun, Huangshan Mao Feng and so on. Its main effect is to prevent cancer and cardiovascular disease, but also antioxidant, improve immunity, inhibit and kill bacteria, etc. White tea relieves anxiety. “White tea includes two kinds according to different methods of classification.” Han Chi said that one is more familiar Anji white tea, which is actually considered a kind of green tea, due to the taste is more mellow than green tea, in recent years has become very popular. Jiang and source said that the main effects of white tea are to protect brain nerves, enhance memory, reduce anxiety and so on. In addition, the theanine in white tea can neutralize some of the effects of caffeine, “fear of drinking tea affect sleep, you can drink some white tea.” There is a white tea produced in Fuding, Fujian Province, “this tea production is less, the taste is heavier than the general green tea, on the current study, this tea for the regulation of immunity and lowering blood sugar have a good effect”, Han Chi said. Green tea, black tea to lower cholesterol. Green tea belongs to the semi-fermented tea, its representative varieties are Wuyi rock tea (Da Hong Pao), Tieguanyin, frozen top oolong tea, Phoenix mono-fir, etc.; and black tea belongs to the full fermentation of tea, representative varieties of Anhui Qi Hong, Yunnan Dian Hong, India and Sri Lanka’s black tea is also known around the world. “Black tea, due to fermentation, is less stimulating than green tea, and its efficacy is different, promoting blood circulation, lowering cholesterol, etc.” Jiang and source told reporters. Black tea weight loss and fat elimination. Black tea belongs to the post-fermented tea, people are most familiar with Pu-erh tea, which has a high total amount of tea polyphenols and has a very good effect of reducing fat and weight loss. It is reported that Professor Bernal Giacoto of the Henri Rondeau Hospital in Paris gave 20 patients with excess blood fat 3 bowls of Yunnan Pu’er tea a day and found that the patients’ blood fat was reduced by almost 1/4 after a month. the Japanese magazine “Health” introduced that Pu’er tea can inhibit weight gain and reduce cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. “The active ingredients in some of the famous teas, such as the Ming Qian tea in Long Jing, are no different from ordinary tea types, and the content may vary.” Jiang and the source explained that the bright front tea because of the early picking, which has a high content of theanine and vitamin C, while the tea polyphenol content is low. “For health reasons, people do not have to buy particularly expensive tea”, Han Chi reminded. So which tea is the most nutritious, the two experts believe that in terms of the total amount of polyphenols, each tea is similar, however, because the green tea processing process is the simplest, so the nutrients are better preserved some. How to drink tea is the most health After choosing the right tea for you, how to make it play the maximum effect, is also a discipline. Han Chi said, “Different tea, preservation, brewing, drinking methods have their own instructions.” Preservation: tea leaves are most afraid of moisture and odor. Preservation of containers to tin bottles, porcelain jars, colored glass bottles are the best; followed by the appropriate use of iron listening, wooden boxes, bamboo boxes, etc.; plastic bags, paper boxes the second most. The container should be dry, clean, no odor. Hold well preserved tea, should be placed in a dry and ventilated place, can not be placed in a damp, high temperature, unclean, exposure to the sun. These places can not have camphor, drugs, cosmetics, cigarettes, detergents and other items with strong odor. The new green tea of the year can also be sealed and put into the refrigerator freezer, which can be kept for 3-6 months. Brewing: Wash the tea for a maximum of 15 seconds. “Nowadays, people like to wash their tea, but I don’t agree with excessive tea washing.” Han Chi said, we found in the experiment, green tea rinsed twice its active ingredient leaching rate of 70% more, black tea is 60% more. That is to say, if the excessive washing of tea, a lot of nutrients will be lost. Jiang and source then reminded that if the tea has to be washed, then the tea washing time should not exceed 15 seconds. Green tea and white tea, it is best not to wash. “But there is an exception, people who are more sensitive to caffeine, you can drink tea before washing it again, because the caffeine in it leaches faster than the tea polyphenols, quick wash can remove some of the caffeine.” Drinking: 12 grams per day is most suitable. Jiang and the source of advice, for ordinary people, a day drinking tea about 12 grams, divided into 3-4 times brewing is appropriate. People who eat more oily food and smoke and drink a lot can increase the amount of tea appropriately. Pregnant women and children, neurasthenia, tachycardia, the amount of tea should be appropriately reduced. Han Chi reminded, with the popularity of kung fu tea, people drink tea “more and more hot”, which is very wrong. “People drink tea for health care, but drinking hot tea will increase the incidence of esophageal cancer and other cancers, the loss is not worth the gain. The best temperature for drinking tea should be about 60 degrees, not more than 70 degrees.” In addition, you can drink different teas at different times of the day: a cup of light green tea in the morning to wake up the brain and clear the mind; jasmine tea in the morning, fragrant and pleasant, can improve efficiency; drink a cup of black tea in the afternoon, sleepy and refreshing; evening reunion with friends or family, a pot of oolong or pu-erh, a special interest, but also not to affect sleep. This day drinking tea arrangements, you may wish to try. Leftover tea can also play the residual heat Say tea is full of treasure is not an exaggeration, as long as it is properly utilized, “over the gas” tea can play the same residual heat. First, overnight tea. Jiang and source said that drinking overnight tea is actually no harm, but tea is easy to oxidation, so overnight tea tea cups often leave tea spots. In addition, the summer temperature is high, tea is easy to be contaminated by bacteria, mold, rancid, leading to diarrhea, so summer or not to drink overnight tea is good. If you do not want to dump, can also be used for the following purposes: 1, overnight tea is rich in acids, fluorine, not only can prevent capillary bleeding, but also can play an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effect, such as oral bleeding, skin bleeding, etc. can use it to wash the bath containing gargle; 2, overnight tea to wash your hair, can cure itchy scalp; 3, bad breath makes many people distressed, if overnight tea gargle three times a day, you can eliminate bad breath trouble. Second, the old tea and tea residue. Longjing and other green tea people pay attention to drink the year’s new tea, in case they did not drink, these tea leaves can also be just as effective: 1, making dishes. When stewing meat or making other greasy, fishy dishes, you can put some tea, with the effect of removing oil and grease; 2, tea dregs can be dried and put away, and old tea together to make tea pillows, especially suitable for summer use. If the amount of tea is not enough, you can also make small tea bags, used for eye compresses, can relieve visual fatigue; 3, soaked tea leaves dried and scattered in damp places at home, such as under the bed, can absorb moisture.