Keemun Black Tea: Benefits and Effects, Storage Methods, and Drinking Taboos

As the “Queen of Black Tea,” Keemun black tea has always been the finest among black teas, enjoying great prestige, and is the beloved beverage of the British Queen and the royal family. So what are the benefits and effects of Keemun black tea, the taboos of Keemun black tea, the precautions for drinking Keemun black tea, and the storage methods for Keemun black tea?

I. Benefits and Effects of Keemun Black Tea

1. Refreshes the mind and relieves fatigue

The caffeine in black tea stimulates the central nervous system by affecting the cerebral cortex, promoting alertness and concentration, thereby making thinking reactions sharper and memory stronger; it also has a stimulating effect on the vascular system and the heart, strengthening the heartbeat, then accelerating blood circulation to facilitate metabolism, while also promoting sweating and diuresis, thereby accelerating the excretion of lactic acid (the substance that makes muscles feel fatigued) and other old waste substances in the body from multiple angles, achieving the effect of eliminating fatigue.

2. Promotes salivation and clears heat

Drinking black tea in summer can quench thirst and relieve heat because the polyphenols, saccharides, amino acids, pectin, etc. in the tea react chemically with saliva, and stimulate saliva secretion, causing the mouth to feel moist and producing a cooling sensation; at the same time, caffeine controls the body temperature center of the hypothalamus, regulating body temperature, and it also stimulates the kidneys to promote the excretion of heat and waste, maintaining the body's physiological balance.

3. Diuresis

Under the combined action of caffeine and aromatic substances in black tea, the blood flow to the kidneys is increased, the glomerular filtration rate is raised, the renal microvessels are dilated, and the reabsorption of water by the renal tubules is inhibited, thereby promoting increased urine output. This helps to eliminate lactic acid, uric acid (related to gout), excess salt (related to high blood pressure), harmful substances, etc. from the body, as well as to alleviate edema caused by heart disease or nephritis.

4. Anti-inflammatory and antibacterial

The polyphenolic compounds in black tea have anti-inflammatory effects, and through experiments it has been found that catechins can bind with single-celled bacteria, causing protein coagulation and precipitation, thereby inhibiting and eliminating pathogenic bacteria. Therefore, patients with bacterial dysentery and food poisoning benefit greatly from drinking black tea, and folk remedies also commonly use strong tea to apply to wounds, bedsores, and athlete's foot.

5. Detoxification

The theophylline alkaloids in black tea can adsorb heavy metals and alkaloids, and precipitate and decompose them, which is nothing short of good news for modern people whose drinking water and food are subject to industrial pollution.

6. Nourishes the stomach

Black tea is made through fermentation and roasting; under the action of oxidase, the tea polyphenols undergo enzymatic oxidation reactions, their content decreases, and their irritating effect on the stomach is accordingly reduced. In addition, these oxidation products of tea polyphenols can also promote human digestion, so black tea not only does not harm the stomach, but can actually nourish it. Regularly drinking black tea with sugar or black tea with milk can reduce inflammation, protect the gastric mucosa, and also has a certain effect on treating ulcers.

II. Taboos of Keemun Black Tea

Although Keemun black tea is good, there are also places where caution is needed when drinking it:

1. Keemun black tea contains relatively large amounts of alcohols and polyphenolic substances that have not yet been oxidized; drinking too much can harm our stomach and intestines. Especially for those with poor gastrointestinal function or chronic gastroenteritis, it is very detrimental to health.

2. Keemun black tea must not be used to take medicine, as this will greatly affect the efficacy of the medicine. At the same time, behaviors such as adding American ginseng or ginseng to Keemun black tea are not allowed.

III. Precautions for Drinking Keemun Black Tea

Keemun black tea is a very good healthy tea beverage, and has a certain effect of nourishing and warming the stomach, making it very suitable for drinking in winter. However, when drinking Keemun black tea, it should be consumed hot, not cold, otherwise it will affect the stomach-warming effect and be very detrimental to health. Avoid drinking strong Keemun black tea to sober up, and it should not be consumed before or after meals; also do not drink it within 1 hour before or after taking medicine.

IV. Storage Methods for Keemun Black Tea

1. Bag storage method

Using plastic bags to store tea leaves is currently one of the simplest, most economical, and most practical methods for home tea storage. When choosing plastic bags for home tea storage, first, they must be packaging bags suitable for food use; non-food bags cannot be used; second, the bag material should be of high density, that is, low-pressure material is better than high-pressure; third, the bag material should have a certain strength, and thicker ones are better; fourth, the material itself should not have holes or peculiar odors.

2. Canister storage method

Using iron canisters to store tea is simple and convenient, and you can take and drink as you please, making it the most popular and commonly used method for home tea storage today. Just put the tea leaves you bought into a clean iron canister. If it is a newly purchased iron canister, or an iron canister that previously held other foods, you can first put a small amount of tea dust inside, then cover it well, and store it for several days, and it will absorb all the peculiar odors. Wiping the iron canister with tea dust can also remove peculiar odors. Iron canisters containing tea leaves should be placed in a cool place, and must not be placed in direct sunlight or in damp places or places with heat sources; this can both prevent the iron canister from oxidizing and rusting, and also inhibit the speed of aging and deterioration of the tea leaves in the canister.