Tea is not medicine and cannot cure diseases.
Tea is a health Drink, but Drinking Tea is not the same as taking medicine; it cannot cure diseases. Many authoritative organizations worldwide have confirmed that long-term consumption can help prevent certain diseases.
The primary substances in tea include polyphenols, theaflavins, thearubigins, and theabrownins, among others. For the sake of simplicity and ease of understanding, we will focus on just a few of these components out of the over one hundred substances present in tea.
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Beneficial Components in Tea
Tea polyphenols are a general term for the polyphenolic compounds found in tea, including flavanols, anthocyanidins, flavones, flavonols, and phenolic acids. They mainly have detoxifying, anti-radiation, and fat-reducing effects.
Theaflavins are a type of yellow pigment found in Yellow Tea, Black Tea, and Pu'er tea, produced during the fermentation process. They primarily have antioxidant properties, aid in cardiovascular disease prevention, and lower blood lipids.
Thearubigins are a general term for a heterogeneous group of acidic phenolic pigments, with higher content in black tea, aged Pu'er tea, and older Pu'er teas. They are an essential component responsible for the red color of tea infusion. Thearubigins act as powerful antioxidants, helping aging bodies resist biological oxidation.
Theabrownins are a general term for a class of highly complex products formed by the oxidation and polymerization of catechins. During the processing of dark tea and Pu'er tea, theaflavins and thearubigins oxidize and polymerize to form a brown substance known as theabrownins.
Theabrownins primarily work to improve overall metabolic balance in the human body and effectively reduce blood sugar, lipids, pressure, and uric acid levels.
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Transformation of Tea Polyphenols
The different processing methods of tea revolve around the transformation of tea polyphenols, converting them through fermentation into theaflavins, thearubigins, and theabrownins. The content of tea polyphenols and other substances varies between different regions and tea varieties, leading to varying health benefits. For example, the internal substance content in small-leaf teas from southern China is not as high as in Yunnan Pu'er tea. This is why Pu'er tea is often described as having a strong tea essence, a pronounced bitterness and astringency, and a remarkable durability when steeped.
Taking Green Tea as an example, any tea can be processed into green tea, provided its tea polyphenols have not been transformed. In this case, the content of tea polyphenols in large-leaf green tea from Yunnan is higher than in green teas made from smaller-leaf varieties in Sichuan, Guizhou, Fujian, Hunan, and other regions. After post-storage fermentation, Pu'er tea's quality improves, developing unique flavors and colors that cater to various preferences.
After consistently drinking Pu'er tea for about half a month, drinkers may find other teas lacking in “tea strength,” which is why Pu'er tea often becomes the final destination or the last stop for tea enthusiasts.
