Pu'er Tea is a post-fermented tea, known as the “longevity tea,” and also referred to as “drinkable antiquity” due to its ability to improve with age. Over the centuries, Pu'er tea has been highly favored by consumers due to its excellent quality. Pu'er tea contains more tea polyphenols than any other type of tea. Research has shown that tea polyphenols have beautifying effects and can increase skin's antioxidant levels, directly absorbing ultraviolet light and acting as an effective skin protector. Due to their high content of hydrophilic groups, tea polyphenols easily absorb moisture from the air, helping to maintain skin hydration. Tea polyphenols can also brighten the skin and eliminate skin discoloration.
What are the benefits of Pu'er tea?
1. Fat Reduction and Weight Loss: Pu'er tea is closely related to fat metabolism. The unique fermentation process of Pu'er tea generates new chemical substances, some of which contain lipase enzymes that can break down fats, contributing to weight loss.
2. Beauty: Pu'er tea can regulate metabolism, promote blood circulation, and balance bodily functions, thus having a beautifying effect. It is known overseas as “beauty tea.”
3. Lipid Reduction, Blood Pressure Lowering, and Anti-Arteriosclerosis.
4. Inflammation Reduction, Bacterial Killing, and Treatment of Dysentery.
5. Cancer Prevention and Cancer Fighting: Through extensive comparative studies, scientists have found that people who drink tea have a lower incidence of cancer. Pu'er tea contains various anticancer trace elements and has strong cancer cell-killing properties.
6. Sobriety Induction: According to “Bencao Gangmu Shiyi” (Supplement to Materia Medica), “Pu'er tea is most effective in treating oiliness in the pericardium, cleansing the intestines, and sobering one up.” Medical evidence shows that tea polyphenols facilitate the metabolism of ethanol, protecting the liver. They help ensure normal and smooth ethanol metabolism. Drinking Tea increases blood vessel contraction and has a diuretic effect, which helps to quickly expel alcohol from the body, reducing the harm caused by drunkenness. Drinking tea can also replenish the vitamin C needed for alcohol metabolism and stimulate the brain that has been numbed by alcohol, thereby aiding sobriety. Moreover, using tea to induce sobriety does not harm the stomach or cause vomiting and discomfort.
7. Dental Health: Pu'er tea contains many biologically active components that have antibacterial properties, which can remove oral odors and protect teeth.
8. Radiation Protection: According to research by He Guofan and others from Sun Yat-sen University, drinking 2% Pu'er tea can counteract the damage caused by exposure to cobalt-60 radiation.
9. Anti-Aging: Studies have proven that lipid peroxidation in the human body is one of the mechanisms of aging. The presence of vitamins C and E, tea polyphenols, amino acids, and trace elements in Pu'er tea have antioxidant properties, slowing down the aging process. Therefore, Pu'er tea is often called “longevity tea.”
10. Stomach Protection and Nourishment: At appropriate concentrations, drinking mild Pu'er tea does not irritate the stomach. The viscous, sweet, and rich Pu'er tea forms a protective film on the surface of the stomach when it enters the digestive tract, creating a beneficial protective layer. Long-term consumption of Pu'er tea can protect and nourish the stomach.
11. Free Radical Scavenging and Immune Enhancement.
12. Improves Vision: After drinking raw Pu'er tea, while the tea residue is still warm, apply it to the eyes for a few minutes. If done regularly, it can improve vision. This is particularly effective for internet enthusiasts and office workers who spend long hours in front of computer screens, as Pu'er tea has radiation protection properties.
Comparison of Benefits Between Raw and Ripe Pu'er Tea
Both raw and ripe Pu'er teas have weight loss effects and numerous Health benefits. Raw tea is rich in tea polyphenols and has a cool nature, offering benefits such as heat-clearing, heatstroke prevention, detoxification, thirst quenching, digestion improvement, and constipation relief; ripe tea, after fermentation, becomes warmer in nature. Under the action of enzymes, it produces many new nutrients, therefore, in addition to the benefits of ordinary tea, it also offers additional benefits such as lipid reduction, blood pressure lowering, anti-arteriosclerosis, cancer prevention, cancer fighting, stomach protection, dental health, inflammation reduction, bacterial killing, and anti-aging.
Raw tea, similar to Green Tea, has a cool nature and contains more active components. Therefore, it is not recommended for those prone to insomnia, fever, gastric ulcers, or pregnant women.
Ripe tea, similar to black tea, has significant stomach-nourishing effects and is more suitable for middle-aged and elderly individuals and those with cold stomachs.
However, during summer, it is better to drink raw tea, as ripe tea can be heat-inducing. To avoid heatiness, drink raw Pu'er tea!
When Pu'er tea is appropriately combined with other ingredients, it can offer even more benefits and significant effects. For example, Pu'er tea combined with honey enhances its beauty benefits. A combination of lotus leaf and Pu'er tea can enhance weight loss effects, lemon and Pu'er tea can be more invigorating, and chrysanthemum and Pu'er tea can improve heat-clearing and detoxification effects.
