In most materials and articles on tea, the most common classification of tea is into 6 main categories, namely: green, white, yellow, red, black and dark tea. Along with yellow tea, dark tea is the most often overlooked category, sometimes lumped in with the pu-erh category, and sometimes simply not considered.

To establish the truth whether Pu-erh is a type of black tea, you must answer - is Shen Pu-erh also a dark tea or not? Confused? That's why you should read this.

What is dark tea?
Dark tea is also known as post-fermented tea, although both terms need a little clarification, which we will get to shortly.

Dark tea, as a category of tea, includes tea that goes through the following processing steps:

• 1) Shaqing/Shaqing - cessation of oxidation, destruction of enzymes (enzymes) in the plant
• 2) Rolling or Shaping - Shaping dry tea leaves
• 3) “Wodui (渥堆)”/Wodui – Using heat and moisture to ferment tea leaves
• 4) Drying – Drying the sheet to reduce moisture in the sheet

The teas can then be pressed into different shapes and the sequence of the process may vary depending on the area of ​​production, but the basic principles of preparing dark tea are the same as described above.

What's in a name?
Dark tea from Chinese hei cha (黑茶) actually translates to "black tea", but since this category was already used to describe another category of tea known in Chinese as "red tea" (红茶), the next best translation was "dark tea".

Dark tea is also known as post-fermented tea (后发酵茶). This is based on a classification based on the degree of oxidation, where teas are "fermented", "semi-fermented", "lightly fermented" and "non-fermented".

In short, post-fermented tea is actually “fully” fermented.

How it all began
One of the most common versions is that dark tea appeared in Sichuan province during the Tang Dynasty. At that time, Sichuan was one of the most important warehouses on the "tea horse trade route."

Minority tribes in Tibet, Xinjiang, Ganxi, Mongolia and Northern China did not have access to an adequate supply of fruits and vegetables, and their arid desert conditions were ill-suited for plant growth. Therefore, this meat diet was supplemented with teas that were imported from the provinces of Sichuan and later Yunnan.

These teas were green teas that were compressed into pancakes—different from today's pu-erh pancakes—and transported on the backs of horses. Of course, being in the Tang Dynasty, around the 8th or 9th century, these teas were not vacuum packed or sealed in opaque airtight bags.

This was further compounded by the fact that the journey by horse could easily take 2 to 3 months. During this trip, the tea pancakes were exposed to precipitation, sunlight and temperature changes, and the process was repeated many times.
By the time the tea reaches its destination, the tea leaves have been significantly fermented and the tea tastes noticeably different from what the tea tasted immediately after production.

So, sometimes, growers began repeating this process, using temperature and humidity, and sometimes spraying water directly onto the leaves when the moisture content was insufficient. Over the years, this process was refined step by step, and today we know it as "vodouille".

Common Types of Black Tea
While the world outside of China has only recently been introduced to Pu'er, dark tea is actually the third most produced tea in China after green tea and oolong teas. Today it is still a favorite among ethnic minorities.

The most famous dark teas, besides pu-erh, are: Hei Cha Hunan, Hubei Lao Jing Cha, Sichuan Nanlu And Xi Lu Ban Cha, known as tea Guangxi Lubao.

In addition, perhaps Liubao tea and Hunan Hei Cha are more suitable as dark teas than Pu-erh, since it seems doubtful that Sheng Pu-erh is a type of black tea.

Shu puer It is made mainly from raw materials of Yunnan Da Ye Zhong (assamica variety) and processed in accordance with hei cha manufacturing technology, that is, it goes through water.

This is because in the 60s and 70s, there was no demand for pu'er from Hong Kong. At that time, the only known way to obtain pu-erh was Sheng pu-erh, which needed to be aged for at least 3-5 years before it acquired a good taste.

To meet market demands and demand, manufacturers experimented and eventually included "wodui" to simulate the aging process. Instead of 3-5 years, tea can be drunk in the same year.

So is Sheng Puer still a dark tea?
Some experts believe that Sheng Pu'er should be considered a dark tea. However, in the production of Sheng Pu'er, there is no "wodui" process, but a natural fermentation process, resulting in almost complete fermentation over the years and under the right storage conditions.

Personally, I tend to lean toward this argument, especially since Sheng Pu'er is a “powerful beast” that warrants a category of its own characteristics. Also, although the flavor nuances of well-aged Sheng Puer can be emitted by well-made Shu, Shu Puer only somewhat repeats the taste, not having the cha qi that Sheng Puer contains.

However, dark tea should not be overlooked by tea lovers or simply considered in the context of pu-erh, for it is the third oldest type of tea in the world, after green and yellow tea.




Translation and adaptation: Plombir specifically for

Without exaggeration, black tea can be called the most beloved drink in Russia, and certainly one of the most recognized throughout the world. People have been enjoying black tea for many centuries, but in recent decades, debates have not subsided: black tea - benefits and harms - what more? Why is black tea so popular and is it really that healthy?

Not everyone knows that black tea, familiar to us from childhood, is called red in our native China: when brewed, such tea gives a dark red or brick color and has a slightly harsh, incomparable taste. Real black is a mature, strong, noble drink, tea for true connoisseurs. However, it was red tea that was the first to come to Europe and won the love of millions - this tea is easy to transport and convenient to store (unlike, for example,), it is affordable - the cheapest varieties of black tea are made from leaves of medium and low grades, production residues and even tea dust (it can’t even be compared in price with or). And most importantly, the bright taste of black tea is preserved with any additives - whether you drink tea with milk, lemon or sugar.

Black and green tea - what is the difference between these so popular drinks?

Black and green tea - the difference between these types, it would seem, turns them into completely different drinks, but these teas are made from the same tea leaves. The difference in taste, color and healing properties is obtained due to special processing of raw materials.

Green tea leaves undergo the least processing - they are steamed to remove excess moisture, then rolled - and the tea is ready: its properties are as close as possible to fresh, just picked tea leaves. With black tea, everything is somewhat more complicated - first, the collected leaves wither for a long time, then they are rolled, which actively releases essential oils (which is why dry black tea smells so attractive). Then comes the process of fermentation (oxidation): under the influence of oxygen, the leaves become darker, and the tea acquires a special smell and taste, unique for each variety.

The history of black tea goes back many centuries, and today it is impossible to reliably know how exactly it appeared. One of the most interesting legends tells how a detachment of soldiers settled in one of the villages while collecting tea leaves. For several days, the warriors spent the day and night, trampling the damp leaves, and as a result, the peasants did not have time to process the tea as usual. When the soldiers left the place, local residents quickly collected the already fermented tea and, for speed, dried it over the fire using smoke from pine branches. They sold the resulting batch of tea for next to nothing as defective products, but within a year, orders for unusual tea - and then the price - skyrocketed. This is how the world got its real black tea - stupid soldiers are to blame for everything...

The most famous varieties of black tea

China is the birthplace of black (red) tea, but today the best varieties of this drink are produced in several countries. The most popular are:

• Indian, with a tart taste and excellent tonic properties;
• Kenyan - dark and very strong, with a bitter and pungent taste;
• – with a high caffeine content, but less tart than Indian varieties;
• Ceylon is perhaps the most popular variety in the world today: it goes perfectly with both lemon and milk, and has an excellent taste, which is appreciated by both gourmets and ordinary tea lovers.

What are the benefits of black tea?

One of the strongest aspects of black tea is, of course, caffeine. The tonic and invigorating properties of black tea make it a favorite drink in the morning - a cup of tea for breakfast instantly activates your performance and puts you in a winning mood. Besides:

• antioxidants in black tea protect our body from the formation of malignant tumors;
• black tea not only invigorates, but also calms the nervous system, fights stress and increases cerebral circulation - and therefore reduces the risk of stroke;
• black tea without additives dilates blood vessels, reduces the risk of a hypertensive crisis;
• black tea is good for kidney function (especially “English style” tea with milk);
• Ordinary black tea will also save tired and red eyes. Eye tampons soaked in tea are not just an old “grandmother’s” recipe, but a remedy recommended by ophthalmologists;
• It is also possible to relieve an attack of vomiting in case of poisoning with the help of this drink: a sip of strong black tea - and the nausea will subside for a long time;
• Tea is also famous for its antibacterial properties: it destroys bacteria in the mouth and eliminates unpleasant odor, for example, after a cigarette. Although the proven “grandmother’s” method of quitting smoking will help eliminate the smell of cigarettes...

In addition to its medicinal properties, black tea has established itself as a real elixir of beauty. It acts as a self-tanner and at the same time a sunscreen: if you wipe your face with strong tea every day, your skin will soon take on a fresh look and a light tan. On the beach, it is useful to regularly wipe your face and body with freshly brewed tea: this will prevent sunburn and reduce damage from direct sun rays.

Facial compresses with black tea will remove fine wrinkles and increase skin elasticity and tone. Rinsing with black tea for hair and excessive oiliness will add shine to dark hair and enhance the natural color.

For whom is black tea harmful?

The main advantage of black tea is caffeine, but in some cases it can also be a disadvantage.

More than 4-5 cups of strong tea per day are dangerous for people suffering from hypertension and atherosclerosis. If you are hypersensitive to caffeine, it is also better to avoid black tea: “tea” caffeine can lead to increased excitability, irritability and insomnia.

Oxalic acid in black tea irritates the stomach, so rich tea is also not recommended for ulcers.

Despite the ability to kill harmful bacteria and bad breath, you should not get too carried away with tea rinses - black tea harms the enamel and stains it.

Excessive consumption of black tea (more than 5-6) mugs can trigger the development of rheumatoid arthritis, especially in pregnant women. During the period of gestation and feeding, it is generally better to forget about strong black tea - it can affect the fetus and harm the baby.

However, all these contraindications are not so terrible and mainly concern those who drink tea in large doses and in a very strong form. And there is also a little secret - if for some reason black tea is harmful for you, but you don’t want to give up your favorite drink, prepare a weakly brewed infusion or dilute it with milk: the harmful effect of “tea” caffeine is reduced significantly, and the nutrients in tea and milk is well absorbed.

How to properly prepare black tea

Another question that interests many lovers of constantly drinking tea is the calorie content of the drink, and this has its own nuances.

One cup of regular black tea contains only 9-12 calories, and even a few mugs a day simply cannot harm your figure. But the fact is that few of us like tea without additives - and sugar, milk and condensed milk increase the calorie content of the drink by 2-5 times. And if you add a couple of cookies or a piece of homemade cake to this... So count the number of harmful carbohydrates!

It is also important for black tea connoisseurs to know how to brew black tea correctly. At work and in our daily rush, we are used to simply throwing a bag of tea leaves into a mug, but in order to get a wonderful drink that has conquered the whole world, it is important to follow a few rules:

1. The first condition is the right water: the most delicious tea is obtained from soft, purified water, the temperature is 90-100 degrees.
2. Dishes: the best teapot for black tea is earthenware or porcelain; it is not recommended to choose metal utensils. The tea leaves should be poured into a warm but dry teapot.
3. The amount of infusion depends on your preference, usually 1-2 teaspoons per glass (250 ml) of tea. Add tea, add boiling water and leave for 4-7 minutes. At the same time, be sure to cover the spout of the teapot with a towel so that the essential oils do not erode and the original aroma is preserved. When the tea has already brewed, carefully stir it in the teapot so that the oils are evenly distributed in the tea, and pour it into mugs.

Margarita

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Black tea is the most favorite drink; it is drunk everywhere. The brewed aromatic infusion has excellent taste. Tea is a wonderful end to breakfast and lunch; we like to drink it with sweets. Some people cannot do without a cup of strong black tea. The drink contains caffeine, which has the ability to tone and give energy. Strong black tea affects your health differently, depending on the number of cups you drink. Let's determine how a strong infusion is useful for the body and why it is harmful.

Compound

Black tea leaves are rich in tannins such as tannin and catechin, which give the infusion strength. It also contains alkaloids, vitamins A, B, C, nicotinic acid and trace elements. Each tea variety has its own specific composition. It depends on the growing conditions of the bushes, the time of collection, etc. Therefore, each tea has its own characteristics and different taste qualities.

Beneficial properties of strong tea

Drinking a cup of strong aromatic infusion will quickly invigorate you, give you strength and energize you to start your working day.

1. Due to its antibacterial properties, the drink is used for eye inflammation and to get rid of conjunctivitis.
2. The presence of caffeine in the infusion helps improve the functioning of the kidneys and cardiovascular system.
3. The antioxidant properties of the drink improve metabolism and prevent the development of atherosclerosis.
4. Strong black tea is the main component of various weight loss diets, so it helps to get rid of extra pounds.
5. Able to kill pathogenic bacteria in the oral cavity and eliminate bad breath.
6. A strong infusion improves blood circulation and is a good prevention of stroke.

It is not recommended to take strong black tea on an empty stomach to avoid diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. It has already been proven that regular use of the infusion improves immunity and prolongs life. Black tea is considered one of the natural drinks that provides health benefits. But only if it is brewed correctly and contains natural ingredients.

Harm of black strong tea

Knowing all the beneficial properties of the infusion, do not forget that it can also harm the body. Tea has a detrimental effect on the nervous system of overly emotional people. Regular consumption of the drink in the evening can cause insomnia. Drinking one cup of strong tea on an empty stomach can cause stomach cramps. If you often drink a strong infusion, it can affect the color of tooth enamel, so after drinking the drink it is better to rinse your mouth with water. It also affects eye pressure, so drinking tea is prohibited for people with glaucoma. Taking this drink is not recommended for pregnant women and nursing mothers. Therefore, it is better to brew weak black tea.

Tea selection

To brew delicious aromatic tea, you need to choose a quality product. When purchasing tea leaves, consider the following:

• All tea leaves of high-grade tea are approximately the same size;
• Pay attention to its color, it should only be black. Do not buy a product that is gray or brown because it was either stored incorrectly or is of poor quality;
• A real sheet should be well curled, its shelf life will be longer than others;
• A high-quality product does not contain foreign impurities; it should not contain broken branches or any other debris;
• The brew should be no older than five months so that it does not lose its aroma and beneficial properties, so look at the manufacturing date on the packaging.

How to brew strong tea

Everyone likes a delicious drink, but not everyone follows the brewing rules. Many people pour boiling water directly into the tea leaves, making a mistake. Because the pleasant aroma and benefits will disappear as soon as the tea leaves are mixed with boiling water. To truly enjoy your tea, follow these rules:

1. It is better to take good purified water or spring water as a basis. If you don’t have one, you can use store-bought or pre-settled tap water.
2. Turn off the kettle as soon as the water begins to boil; do not pour boiling water into the tea leaves. The best water temperature for brewing is ninety-five degrees.
3. When choosing tea, choose a high-quality tea variety.
4. The best vessels for brewing are ceramic or red clay. Before brewing, you need to warm up the kettle and rinse it with hot water.
5. Pour one teaspoon of dry black tea into the teapot. First, pour fifty milliliters of water. Close the lid and cover the kettle with a towel to retain the aroma and essential oils. Leave this for about five minutes, then pour another hundred milliliters of water. Strain the infusion and you can drink. The tea can be strong, so you can decide for yourself how much tea to add next time.

Black tea is one of the most popular soft drinks along with coffee. It is consumed daily as an addition to desserts, as well as as a stand-alone drink between meals. The beneficial properties of tea lie in its tonic effect. Traditionally, hot tea is consumed - a drink based on brewing dry leaves with boiling water. Sugar, lemon, cream, milk, honey, jam are added to this tea to enhance and shade the taste of the drink. In summer, they also drink cold iced tea, which has refreshing and thirst-quenching properties.

Benefit

The key benefit of black tea for human health is its pleasant tart taste, as well as its tonic and invigorating effect. Black tea contains caffeine, which has a stimulating effect on the nervous system. Thanks to this property, the drink is useful for people suffering from decreased body tone, low blood pressure, and lethargy.

The characteristic tart taste of tea is given by tannin, a tannin that has an astringent effect. The aroma of tea is the result of the essential oils it contains, and the characteristic golden-brown hue is obtained due to the high concentration of biological pigments - carotene, thearubigens, chlorophyll and other substances.

Black tea contains a complex of vitamins and microelements, which are also considered beneficial for the human body. The dry matter contains vitamin A, ascorbic acid, as well as B vitamins - up to 55% riboflavin. There is also a large amount of nicotinic acid - vitamin PP. Among the macroelements, calcium, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus, potassium and iron predominate.

Thanks to this complex of beneficial substances, the medicinal properties of black tea are determined:

• due to the high concentration of tannins, black tea improves digestion and helps treat gastrointestinal disorders;
• normalizes cardiac activity and blood pressure due to its vasodilating effects;
• improves the elasticity of the walls of blood vessels due to the effects of vitamin PP;
• prevents the formation of blood clots;
• reduces blood cholesterol levels;
• stimulates the functioning of the kidneys and urinary system;
• has an antioxidant effect;
• prevents the development of cancer;
• has a hepatoprotective effect, protects liver cells.

Black tea has many other positive effects due to its composition. For example, due to the presence of a tannin - tannin - the drink has bactericidal properties.

In addition to being used as a drink, tea is used in medicine, cooking, and industry. It is customary to wash the eyes with tea for conjunctivitis. Strong black tea has an antiemetic effect. In some cases, black tea is used as a pain reliever.

The industry uses a brown pigment in tea, which is used to produce brown, green and yellow colors for coloring sweets and other foods. For the same reason, black tea is also used in the cosmetics industry: pigment for natural hair dyes is obtained from dry tea leaves. Many women add black tea to henna when coloring their hair at home to achieve a natural brown or reddish tint.

Harm

There are many myths and prejudices about the benefits and harms of tea. The main one is about addiction and dependence on the drink. Indeed, some people note a persistent desire to drink a cup of hot tea to cheer up, as well as a deterioration in well-being with prolonged abstinence from this drink.

But you should not equate the effects of tea and natural coffee. Despite the fact that tea also contains caffeine, it is much less concentrated, and the effect on the nervous system is not as pronounced.

Natural black tea, prepared in compliance with the preparation technology, does not have a harmful effect on the body. But if we are talking about cheap black tea or a surrogate containing chemical components - artificial food colors and flavors - then this product really poses a danger to human health.

Tea tends to absorb vapors of foreign substances, including toxic chemicals. Drinking tea made in violation of the preparation technology or storage rules is fraught with severe intoxication.

Another indirect harmful effect of tea on the body lies in the way it is consumed. It has been proven that very hot tea provokes esophageal cancer. Tea at temperatures above 70°C is most dangerous. Therefore, it is recommended to dilute hot tea with cold water, milk, cream, and ice cubes.

Dietary properties

Black tea has particularly valuable dietary properties. The weight loss benefits of black tea are indirect - a cup of tea increases the volume of the stomach, temporarily relieving the feeling of hunger.

It is not recommended to drink hot black tea on an empty stomach, because... the drink increases the secretion of gastric juice and stimulates appetite. If you drink black tea with milk, sugar, cream, the calorie content of the tea increases, and its dietary properties are lost.

Calorie content

“Empty” black tea – without sugar, cream, milk and other additives – is absolutely calorie-free. One cup of drink contains approximately 1 kcal. But we are talking specifically about brewed black leaf tea. When adding two spoons of sugar to a cup, the calorie content of the drink increases to 28 kcal. Tea with milk and sugar becomes even more nutritious - 71 kcal.

The so-called sweet tea, which is sold in bottles as a refreshing drink, has a high calorie content - from 35 to 39 kcal.

It should be understood that the habit of consuming sweets with tea - pastries, cakes, sweets - negates the dietary properties of the drink. To lose weight, it is important to give up these foods. As for the drink itself, the calorie content of one cup (250 ml) of tea with sugar is only 45 kcal, which does not play a significant role in weight loss. For men and women who are watching their weight and have strong cravings for sweets, drinking sweetened tea is allowed.

However, it should be remembered that refined sugar, even in small quantities, provokes the release of insulin and causes a feeling of hunger. Therefore, you should consume sweet tea with sugar in limited quantities - no more than one cup per day.

Contraindications

Due to the increased content of tannins, tea has an irritating effect on the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines. And the caffeine content stimulates the nervous system. Due to these properties of tea, it is not recommended to drink it in the following conditions:

• gastritis;
• stomach ulcer;
• irritable bowel syndrome;
• insomnia;
• chronic fatigue syndrome;
• nervous exhaustion;
• hysteria
• arterial hypertension.

Violation of the preparation technology and rules for drinking black tea can cause undesirable health consequences. So, if tea is steeped or boiled for too long, it loses most of its beneficial properties, and the alkaloids in its composition acquire carcinogenic properties. For stomach ulcers and gastritis, you can only drink weak tea, because Too strong a drink has an irritating effect on the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines.

Is it possible for pregnant or breastfeeding women

Black tea is not contraindicated for pregnant women, as long as you do not abuse this drink and do not make it too strong. The daily norm is 2-3 cups of a medium-strength drink. If complications arise during pregnancy - high blood pressure, gestosis - then it is recommended to give up black tea and switch to herbal and fruit infusions.

When breastfeeding, tea is considered safe because... A very small amount of caffeine passes into mother's milk.

The nutritional value

The nutritional value of black tea is calculated from the nutrient content of 100 g of dry matter:

Microelements per 100 g of dry matter:

How to use

There are many ways to drink tea and techniques for preparing it. Traditionally they use the so-called. Long tea - dried leaves are placed in a bowl and poured with boiling water. Mass production of black tea led to the emergence of a new way of packaging and storing tea in thin paper bags. There is instant black tea - an extract obtained from the leaves of this plant.

Depending on cultural traditions, tea can be brewed and consumed in a variety of ways. The simplest is to pour boiling water over a tea bag and leave it for 5 minutes until it turns a rich brown color. If desired, add sugar, honey, cream, milk, lemon to the drink.

This is interesting! The quality of black tea can be checked using milk. To do this, you need to add milk to the cup with the finished drink. If the tea turns orange, this indicates a good quality product. The appearance of a grayish-brown tint indicates that the tea is of poor quality.

You can prepare black tea in a teapot or in a cup by adding 1-2 teaspoons of dry leaves to the bowl and pouring boiling water over it. The tea should steep for 15-20 minutes, after which the drink can be consumed.

Storage

Only dry tea leaves can be stored. It is better to store it in its original packaging or pour the dry leaves into an airtight glass container and place it in a dry and dark place. Direct sunlight is harmful to tea, so it is better to use an opaque container.

It is contraindicated to store the finished drink, because Long-term aging of tea leads to the loss of its beneficial properties and deterioration in taste.

How to choose

Dry black tea has a fairly long shelf life - from 6-12 months. It is recommended to buy tea in specialized stores by weight. This increases the chances of purchasing high-quality natural tea without foreign additives. If you choose tea in regular supermarkets, you need to read the label and study the composition: it may contain dyes, flavors and other foreign components.

What goes with it?

Black tea goes well with desserts - sweet pastries, confectionery, chocolate, honey, as well as natural sweets and dried fruits. Traditionally, tea is drunk with lemon, which brightens the drink and gives it a pleasant sourness and citrus aroma. In winter, to warm up and prevent colds, raspberry or currant jam is added to black tea - a valuable source of vitamin C, which strengthens the immune system and helps fight viruses.

Among the spices and herbs, black tea pairs well with many natural supplements. The traditional tandem with black tea is bergamot (a popular variety of Earl Gray tea), jasmine, chamomile, thyme, hibiscus, linden, and rose hips. Fans of tart and bitter flavors can add dry cloves or sage herb to the drink.

But sweet spices - cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom - are not suitable for tea. They are best consumed with coffee or cocoa.

Black tea is a popular drink made from the dried leaves of the tea bush. The beneficial properties of tea include a tonic and stimulating effect, as well as a large amount of vitamins and microelements. Black tea has a pleasant tart taste. Hot tea helps keep you warm in cold weather, while iced tea can quench your thirst in the summer. Unlike coffee, the effects of black tea, which contains caffeine, do not have such a pronounced stimulating effect. Therefore, tea can be consumed by almost all people. Restrictions for this drink include some diseases - gastritis, ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome and others.