Puer tea: benefits and harm to the body

Chinese Puer tea is one of the most interesting, mysterious and popular drinks from ancient times to this day. Around him there are a large number of various rumors and myths. Most often, these rumors are spread by puerh producers to increase its popularity and raise the price, but in any case, Chinese tea is a very tasty and healthy drink.

What is puer tea

Puer tea appeared in ancient times in China, in Yunnan province. It refers to post-fermented teas, that is, those that were susceptible to aging with aspergillus, a mold fungus.

Production technology

This is a unique product for several reasons. For example, they make it from the leaves of a large-leaf tea tree, and the greater the age of the plant, the better the tea. For production choose only large, juicy, meaty leaves.

It takes a lot of time for the collected and prepared leaves to reach the proper consistency for making tea. First of all, they are pressed, making washers out of them. Oxidation occurs in a natural way, which takes a large amount of time, most often several years. Such a puer is considered elite and usually costs a lot of money.

Now technology has come to the point that this tea is made in a much shorter time. To do this, the leaves are collected in small heaps and watered with water. In this case, the process of multiplication of specific microorganisms is launched, which, by their vital functions, can increase the temperature of the leaf heap, which, in turn, stimulates the accelerated production of juice. All the time of fermentation, heaps are monitored by specialists who must dry the prepared leaves and, if necessary, moisten them again, but so that the process of decay does not begin.

The final stage of production is the pressing of raw materials. They give him a special form, which can be a "calling card" - you can find out from her whose production it is and what kind of tea it is made of. One pressed washer can weigh 3-5 kilograms. However, small balls are now more valued, which are designed for one brewing tea.

Species and varieties

Three main types of puer tea are especially popular in the world:

1. Black Puer called Shu. It is made by a faster method. Tea leaves are usually small, brown-black, sometimes with a bright golden tint. The aroma of tea is bright, with earthy notes, bitter. The color of the brewed drink can vary from scarlet to black.
2. Green Puer, also called "Shen." It is prepared according to a traditional recipe. The leaves are large, the color is usually brown with a greenish tint, and the color after brewing is red with a golden tint. The finished drink has a slightly smoky apple smell. Sometimes you can smell dried fruits.
3. White. It resembles a green puer, but the leaves of this species are decorated with a touch of white. The drink has a sharp aroma of honey and grass growing in the meadow.

There are many more subspecies of puerh that differ in the size and structure of leaves, stages of fermentation, and additives. It should be remembered that tea is considered perfect, which was aged 20-25 years. It has a rich dark green color. But its cost is extremely high.

Some more popular varieties of puer:

1. Milk - to give the necessary aroma, whey is used, due to which the tea is very dark, opaque, and its taste has an unusual creamy aftertaste.
2. Royal - a tea of ​​bright red color, aged for 20-30 years. The taste of such tea can even be called noble.
3. Palace - for the manufacture of this variety of tea requires a long and repeated fermentation, after which it turns out a very refreshing drink of red or dark color.

Those who love this unique tea know that its beneficial qualities are independent of the province in which it was made. However, people who have discovered puerh, usually choose the same variety of product, since each of them is unique and unusual.

Types of pressed puer:

1. The shape of the puck or cakes, the Chinese name is “bin cha”. For the manufacture of this species using materials from large and very old trees. The weight of such washers varies from 100 grams to 5 kilograms.
2. The shape of the nest, the Chinese name is “tocha”. In this case, the weight cannot be more than 3 kilograms.
3. The shape of the brick ("juan cha"). This form is the simplest, no special requirements.
4. The shape of the cube ("fan cha"). Very small form, weight can rarely be more than 100 grams. A hieroglyph is imprinted on one of the faces of the cube.
5. The form of the mushroom ("jin cha") is Tibetan tea, which is one of the rarest and highest quality.
6. The shape of a pumpkin ("jin gua"). It really resembles a pumpkin: there are longitudinal recesses on the surface of the raw material. In ancient times, this kind was used only by royal families.

If there are any deviations in the shape and weight of the pressed puer, then you should be wary. Most likely, this tea is a fake. Also, during manufacturing, technology could be disrupted.

Composition and calorie content

This tea is especially valuable in that it has a very rich chemical composition. Each sip of elite tea contains a large number of vitamins, minerals and other beneficial substances.

Puer composition:

1. More than fifteen amino acids, giving it excellent qualities of taste.
2. All major vitamins, including vitamins C, E, A and others.
3. Many minerals, such as manganese, zinc, chlorine, fluorine.
4. Alkaloids (thein and theanine predominate) - they perfectly affect the human body, do no harm.
5. Various organic acids.
6. Satins that produce microorganisms during fermentation.
7. Tannins.

The calorie content of tea is about 152 kcal per 100 grams of product. Protein - 20 grams, carbohydrates - 7 grams, fat - 5 grams.

Useful properties of Puer tea

General benefit

Puer is important to be able to brew correctly. If everything is done according to the standard, then you can get a drink not only with great taste, but also with considerable benefit.

The main beneficial properties of Chinese tea:

1. Develops attention, improves memory. This can be seen after the first use of puer, and if you take it regularly, the results will be impressive. It is able to relieve fatigue, improve concentration, after eating it becomes easier for a person to assimilate various data.
2. Brings weight back to normal. It is believed that it is an effective means for losing weight, with its help you can lose weight without exhausting yourself with heavy diets and sports loads. It is able to reduce appetite, accelerate metabolism, stimulate the digestive system and remove excess fluid from the body.
3. Relieves inflammation. Puerh sheets are coated with plaque, which consists of essential oils and phytochemical compounds (polyphenols). In combination with tanning agents, they neutralize the activity of microorganisms that can cause inflammation. In addition, tea stimulates the adrenal glands, which minimizes inflammation.
4. Improves the functioning of the digestive system. If a person abuses fatty foods, then this tea reduces the feeling of heaviness in the stomach and quickly removes harmful components from the tissues of the body.It should be consumed by those who suffer from gastritis or ulcers, as it can lower the acidity of the stomach.
5. It fights cholesterol, removes toxic substances. Thanks to this, the work of the liver, heart muscle, and vessels improves, and the risk of developing arterial disease decreases.
6. Reduces the harm from the use of tobacco and alcohol products. Of course, he cannot completely remove the harm from tobacco and alcohol, but the negative impact is reduced significantly.
7. Lowers blood sugar. Pu-erh is very useful for patients with diabetes. Of course, you need to drink it correctly, without adding sweeteners and sugar.

Puer has long been called the elixir of youth and health. It has been used for many centuries, so such properties are time-tested.

For women

Many of the people who love pu-erh tea believe it belongs to men's drinks. But this is a false statement, women choose this type of tea much more often than men. It is not only very tasty, but also healthy.

The first thing that is important to note: it can improve well-being, mood, and health. But the fair sex should know about the special useful properties of this tea:

1. Strengthens the immune system. This is not immediately apparent, however, after drinking Chinese tea all day you feel an increase in strength, and if you drink it in the winter, you will notice that colds will appear much less often. The body with its help increases resistance, so that various diseases can be avoided. Puer also improves the functioning of the heart, blood vessels, digestion, liver, kidneys, urinary system, which makes it an excellent alternative to other drinks.
2. Improves the condition of hair and skin. Tea perfectly affects the beauty of women. It cleanses the body of toxic substances, fills it with nutrients. The result is healthy, shiny hair, strong nails, clean, beautiful skin. An important point can be considered that beauty is natural, coming from the inside. With the help of puer, the girl can keep youth for a long time, prevent the appearance of wrinkles, and improve well-being.
3. Gives a smile a beauty. Chinese tea gives vitality, fills with vitality, improves mood. Women begin to smile more often, in addition, they have a reason for this - tea can strengthen tooth enamel and prevent tooth decay. If you regularly drink puer, you can keep your teeth healthy and beautiful for a long time.
4. Reduces weight. Due to its cleansing and metabolism-accelerating properties, puerh helps to reduce weight. Nutritionists often advise drinking it if a woman is on a diet. You need to drink it in between snacks. On an empty stomach, you should not use it. If you drink tea hungry, you can harm the digestive system, as it acts on the esophagus as a strong irritant. This can cause pain, heartburn, or even lead to the development of any disease.

The main thing is to remember that everything should be in moderation. There are people who think that Puer tea can get rid of all the problems, so they start to use it excessively often, which leads to problems.

For men

Puerh is very useful for men. Among its useful properties, the following can be noted:

• lowers cholesterol;
• restores liver cells;
• lowers the risk of oncology;
• removes heavy metals, toxic substances;
• increases appetite;
• removes toxins - men often like fatty and junk food;
• gives vigor;
• relieves nervous tension;
• improves erection due to improved blood flow and increased vascular tone;
• It is an excellent prophylactic against prostatitis.

Many believe that puerh has a great effect on the potency of men. This, of course, is not far from the truth - tea, which has many wonderful properties for the body, has a beneficial effect on potency.

During pregnancy

Many pregnant women ask if they are allowed to drink Chinese tea while they are carrying a baby. Those who are used to it and love this wonderful tea do not want to part with it even at this time.

Representatives of the fair sex during pregnancy carefully compose their diet, are careful about harmful products, choose only food that benefits the body and can not harm the baby.

Doctors confirm that during the period of development of the fetus, it is not forbidden to use puer, since it contains a large number of vitamins and minerals. It perfectly removes swelling, has a good effect on the functioning of the cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal tract, improves well-being and mood, helps to remove toxic substances and has a beneficial effect on the skin. These factors help pregnant women well, since they cannot be treated with pills, and puer improves the situation a little.

However, they should not be abused. To avoid adverse effects, it is worth consulting a doctor.

When breastfeeding

Immediately after childbirth, doctors do not recommend drinking puer, since during breastfeeding it can adversely affect the infant’s sleep. When the child is three months old, you can start drinking tea again, but you need to drink it only in the morning and no more than two cups per week.

Why Puer Tea is useful for losing weight

Thanks to the exceptional complex of enzymes in Chinese tea, it is an excellent helper in losing weight. With the use of puer, the metabolism is accelerated, which has a beneficial effect on weight loss. The effect of Chinese tea on weight loss is similar to the influence of spicy spices such as cinnamon, for example.

Harm and contraindications

This wonderful drink with a unique taste and aroma has almost no contraindications and is not harmful.

Who should not use puer:

• people with hypersensitivity to caffeine (intolerance);
• sick stomach ulcer;
• persons with urolithiasis and other kidney diseases;
• not recommended for use by people with glaucoma, arterial hypertension;
• children under 6 years old.

You can not drink Chinese tea on an empty stomach - it can irritate the walls of the esophagus. You should not drink it before bedtime because of its ability to excitability of the nervous system. Doctors do not recommend consuming cooled tea.

How to choose and store puer tea

1. When choosing Chinese tea, the first thing you need to do is smell it. The aroma should be crisp and clear, there should be no smell of mold.
2. Then you need to pay attention to its appearance. If the briquette with tea has been lying for many years, it will have a reddish tint, if the tea is young - then green. Chinese tea will never be black.
3. On briquettes and tea leaves there should not be the slightest sign of mold - yellow or white dots.

In order to learn how to understand these drinks well, you can visit the tea museum.

If you can taste Chinese tea before you buy, you should definitely use it. It is important to pay attention to the color, saturation, type of leaves after brewing - if there are no complaints about these indicators, then tea is of the highest quality.

It is not difficult to store puer tea after purchase. It is important to remember a few important rules:

1. Fresh air. Other teas must be isolated from fresh air that can destroy their taste and aroma. But the Chinese need it for oxidation. Therefore, to store puer, you need to select a container that can pass air.
2. Shine. It is able to spoil the tea, so in no case can the storage container be transparent.
3. Smell. Often people store Chinese tea next to other drinks. But this is wrong - in such a place, expensive puerh comes to an end in about a week, since it quickly absorbs odors. If expensive tea smacks of vanilla or some flavored drinks, then this is no longer puer, but simply hay.
4. Temperature. The older the puer, the more expensive it is, since it continues to oxidize all the time and acquire new shades of taste and aroma. For storing Chinese tea, a room temperature will be a good temperature (approximately + 20-25 degrees). At cold temperatures, microorganisms cease their activity, and at high temperatures, on the contrary, they are activated, which leads to a quick spoilage of the product.
5. Ripening speed. It is believed that a pancake (puck, brick, etc.) is best broken to make it ripen faster. However, it is worth remembering that you need to break the workpiece carefully, being careful not to damage the leaves, as only tea with whole leaves is stored and retains all the beneficial properties.

All of these rules for storing Chinese tea are easy to follow. You just need to choose a well-ventilated room that does not have strong odors (by no means a kitchen), and prepare a dark cupboard, basket or box with a lid to protect the tea from light.

How to brew puer

To brew Chinese tea according to a traditional recipe, it is important to know several important rules:

1. Brewing water must be spring, spring or bottled.
2. It’s best to buy a wide-necked Chinese cup with a lid called gaiwan. If this is not possible, you can find any porcelain mug with a lid.
3. It is necessary to divide pressed puer as follows: remove small pieces with a sharpened knife or carefully break off a piece.
4. The proportions should be as follows: per 100 ml of water - 10 grams of tea.

How to make tea:

1. Water should be brought to a boil 3 times, after each stage, draining about a third of the liquid, slightly cooling it and returning it back.
2. After the water boils for the third time, it must be mixed very quickly with a spatula to form a funnel, into which the puer will be poured.
3. When the tea begins to boil again, it must immediately be removed from the heat. The main thing is not to let it boil completely, the temperature should not be more than 98 degrees.
4. After this, you need to wait until the tea leaves fall to the bottom. Then you can pour it.

Instead of water, some use milk to brew Chinese tea. There are many options for brewing puerh; almost all manufacturers have their own “ideal” recipe.

How to make pu-er in tablets

Puer in tablets are brewed as follows:

1. Prepare a teapot made of porcelain or glass.
2. The tablet is carefully kneaded so that there are as few broken leaves as possible.
3. The leaves are poured into a teapot, which should first be doused with boiling water.
4. Leaves are filled with water.
5. After 10-20 seconds, the water is drained. You need to wait a bit for the leaves to cool.
6. The leaves are again poured with hot water and insisted for a couple of minutes.
7. After all this, pour the finished tea into another dish, but without tea leaves, and drink.

There are a few more nuances when brewing tea. For example, the temperature of the water depends on the age of the tea. The older the tea, the higher it should be.

If the tea turned out to be bitter, then the tea leaves were over-exposed.

How to make pressed puer

There is no one right technology for brewing pressed puer. Everyone stops at his own method, which seems the most convenient. To find the right method, you need to take into account such subtleties:

1. Separate the part from the press.They do this with a special knife for puer, but you can use a simple knife or even fingers. It is necessary to separate so as not to damage the leaves. For one brewing, approximately 3-5 grams will be required.
2. Put the separated tea in a brewing dish. The ideal dishes are clay, but you can replace them with a small teapot or ceramic mug. The main thing is that the container has a lid.
3. Heat water without boiling it. The approximate temperature should be about 90 degrees.
4. Rinse tea - pour water and immediately pour it back.
5. Pour the tea again with hot water and hold for ten seconds. Then pour it into circles.
6. If tea is brewed more than once, then hold the water longer. One portion can be brewed up to ten times.
7. After brewing, rinse the kettle so that each subsequent brewing starts anew, with clean water. Then the drink will not be bitter.

Everyone can brew Puer at home, there is nothing complicated in the technology of brewing.

How to make loose puer

Loose Chinese tea is quite common for buyers compared to tea in tablets or pressed. In appearance, it resembles ordinary tea. Brewing it is also simple:

1. Pour one or two small spoons of tea into a teapot made of clay or glass.
2. Pour a little boiling water, shake and drain the water to rinse and moisten the tea leaves.
3. Then pour the leaves with boiling water, close the lid and leave for 3 minutes (if someone prefers strong tea, you can increase the brewing time).
4. It is best to drink puerh "pure" without adding sugar, honey or lemon.

If you observe all the subtleties of brewing, the process of tea drinking will bring a lot of pleasure.

At what temperature to brew

Since Chinese tea is very unusual and exotic, you should try to fully comply with all the nuances of brewing.

One of the rules is to comply with the required temperature regime. So, the best temperature for brewing Chinese tea is 90–95 degrees.

How many times can I brew

Each brewing puer gives a lot of pleasant tastes. The higher the quality of the tea, the more times it can be brewed.

On average, Puer brew up to 10 times. Each variety is unique: some can be brewed four times, the other will retain excellent taste properties for up to twenty tea leaves.

How to drink Puer tea

Before you start using the drink, it is important to find out for yourself how and with what to drink this tea. Some add sugar, honey, jam and other ingredients that completely interrupt the real aroma and taste of puer.

The Chinese recommend drinking puer without additives from small bowls or mugs. You should not rush, you should drink in small sips to warm yourself and enjoy the true delicate taste of puer.

How much can I drink per day

Chinese tea is great for daily drinking. But excessive abuse of puerh can be harmful. To avoid this, it is worthwhile to limit yourself to one or two receptions per day.

Health-conscious people know that doctors recommend drinking at least 2.5 liters of fluids throughout the day. Therefore, the volume of puer should be distributed so as to take into account other liquid products - juice, water, soups, etc.

It is also important to consider for what purpose puerh is used: if as an invigorating drink - it is better to drink about 250 ml of tea in the morning, if as an auxiliary dietary remedy - dividing the tea leaves in two doses of 100 ml.

Drinking three or more cups of puerh per day can discourage both appetite and sleep.

Can I drink at night and on an empty stomach

Puer should not be consumed before bedtime, as it has a strong tonic effect and can excite the nervous system. You don’t need to drink it on an empty stomach either - it stimulates the production of gastric juice, which can cause pain, heartburn, and pain.The ideal time for drinking puerh is half an hour after a meal.

Interesting facts about Puer tea

There are many rumors and legends about this ancient Chinese tea. Some interesting facts:

1. According to the Chinese sages, in the old days they had such a tradition: as soon as a child was born, his father and mother this year had to make a cake of Chinese tea. The reason for this action was significant: when a child became an adult, he could sell this cake and pay for his own wedding. Indeed, the older Puer, the more expensive it is, and 20–25-year-old tea is almost priceless.
2. Rumor has it that they are digging tea into the soil for storage. But these rumors are wrong.
3. In China, there is a special institute where young Chinese students thoroughly study how Chinese tea is made. Only having received a diploma at this institute, they can apply for prestigious positions of a very good factory.
4. Puer is unique in that at all times it was drunk by members of the royal families and commoners.
5. The price of Chinese tea is getting higher and higher every year. Therefore, some Chinese people buy puer instead of investing in a bank.

Puer tea photo