In the previous post, we have introduced you guys to the most common tea in China – green tea. So today, we continue to talk about the second largest tea after green tea — black tea.
Black tea is arguably the most successful international tea. You’ve probably heard how much the British love black tea, and seen so many imported teas in supermarkets, that you may wonder where it all started. But rest assured, tea is China’s national drink because all tea is originated in China and black tea is no exception.
The color of black tea leaves tend to be dark red while the bottom of the tea is bright red. And the fragrance of black tea is persistent. Black tea has been favored by global consumers and its social impact is very extensive, which makes it the representative of Chinese tea culture.
Next follow the primary benefits of black tea.
Benefit 1
Eliminating Fatigue
The caffeine contained in black tea excites the nerve center by stimulating the cerebral cortex, so it has the effect of refreshing the brain. It also excites the blood vessels and the heart while increasing blood circulation and accelerating the excretion of lactic acid (a substance that makes muscles feel tired).
Benefit 2
Preventing Fevers
The flavonoids in black tea have the effect of killing toxinobacteria in food and making influenza virus lose infectivity. Besides preventing cold, gargling with black tea when the throat is sore because of cold, also have good effect of preventing fever.
Benefit 3
Anti-inflammatory Effect
Catechin in black tea can combine with bacterium, make its protein breaking down. Therefore, patients with food poisoning fed with black tea is beneficial to their health condition. In Chinese folk, if people suffer from bacterial skin infection, black tea is often used as the treatment.
Benefit 4
Anti-cancer Effect
Experimental studies have shown that black tea blocks the formation of carcinogenic compounds nitroso compounds, blocking the rate of 65%. Regular consumption of black tea may reduce the risk of skin cancer.
Benefit 5
Nourishing Your Stomach
Black tea taste sweet. Black tea can warm your stomach and enhance the human body to the cold resistance. In addition, as people in the winter appetite and eat more greasy food, drinking black tea can remove greasy and open the appetite.When drinking black tea, it‘s recommended to add some sugar or milk to help your stomach stay healthy.
A lot of people like to drink black tea because of its warm atmosphere it brings to them. At the same time, black tea has versatile drink features, which means it can be mixed with other drinks such as milk or lemon juice.
Of course, there are some people who don’t like to drink black tea, or are trying to drink black tea. One of the questions they are concerned about is when is the best time to drink black tea?
In the UK, the most authentic afternoon tea is usually served at four o ‘clock, with a sweet western dessert served with black tea or a milky tea made from black tea. This is a kind of elegant leisure life style, and can be in the right time in time to fill a little hungry belly, and relieve the physical and mental exhaustion brought by a day of work.
And in many parts of China, especially tea-drinking areas, such as Guangdong Province. Morning tea, afternoon tea, evening tea, from six or seven in the morning, tea is never absent from their table. Black tea is also the choice of quite a few tea people.
Whether it is afternoon tea in the UK or the ubiquitous tea in China, a cup of tea will definitely refresh you.
So, when is the best time to drink black tea?
Technically speaking, time is not the most important factor to consider. But you should start from understanding yourself first about when you have the desire to take a cup of black tea, just as the saying “suit the taste for precious” goes.
It has always been a wise choice to drink black tea in the cold winter. Because a cup of warm black tea, with ginger and milk, conduces to the body to fight cold and warm your stomach.
Now black tea, as a historical precipitation in China, is presented right in front of you.