Tea has 27 health benefits, but drinking it incorrectly can also harm your health.

　　Tea tasting is a tradition in China that has been passed down for over a thousand years, yet perceptions of tea vary widely among the Chinese population. While most people still view tea primarily as a refreshing beverage to beat the heat and quench thirst, in the eyes of ancient Chinese herbalists, tea was considered "the medicine for all ailments." Legend has it that when the renowned medical sage Sun Simiao was gathering herbs on Mount Taibai, he suddenly felt his mouth and throat growing dry. He picked a few tea leaves, tasted them, and instantly felt invigorated and refreshed. Not only did he begin drinking the tea regularly himself, but he also shared these same leaves with his patients, using them to brew teas that helped cure many of their illnesses.

　　Today, science illuminates our lives, and research into the health benefits of tea is steadily growing—ranging from radiation protection and cancer prevention to cardiovascular health support. But exactly what nutrients does tea contain, and what’s the best way to enjoy it for maximum wellness? In this issue, we’ll dive deep into everything you need to know about tea.

　　Tea has 27 medicinal benefits.

　　The lipid-lowering tea leaves also contain abundant bioactive compounds—tea polyphenols. These polyphenols enhance the body's antioxidant capacity, help reduce blood lipids, prevent thrombus formation, and may alleviate or slow down the progression of atherosclerosis and hypertension.

　　Nutrition and food safety experts say that the most well-established health benefits of tea currently include cancer prevention (such as lung, esophageal, liver, and colon cancers), regulation of blood lipids, lowering of blood sugar levels, enhancement of immune function, and protection against smoking-related damage.

　　Sugar-reducing tea contains abundant trace elements, such as iron, zinc, selenium, copper, manganese, and chromium. Chromium, when combined within the body, forms a compound known as "glucose tolerance factor," which enhances insulin sensitivity and helps improve glucose tolerance.

　　Anti-aging teas and tea extracts both enhance the activity of superoxide dismutase in animals, slow down the formation of lipofuscin within the body, and boost cellular function, ultimately contributing to longevity and improved health.

　　Experts say that, according to current domestic and international research, tea contains more than 500 chemical compounds, offering over 60 health-promoting benefits and 27 medicinal effects.

　　Drinking light tea is good for health; strong tea, on the other hand, can harm your well-being.

　　From its numerous medicinal benefits, tea can truly be called a treasure for health and wellness. But drinking tea properly is key—otherwise, not only will it fail to promote health, it could even harm your body.

　　Experts emphasize that many people enjoy drinking Longjing and Tieguanyin tea in their daily lives, often preferring strong, heavily brewed flavors. However, both types of tea are naturally cooling in nature. Regularly consuming these overly concentrated, cold teas can potentially harm the spleen over time.

　　Kidney Damage: Today, there's a condition known as "tea-type fluorosis," which refers to chronic fluoride poisoning caused by consuming excessive amounts of tea or tea products high in fluoride. Fluorosis can lead to symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, loss of appetite, dizziness, headaches, and memory impairment.

　　A foreign study reveals that people who drink five cups of strong tea daily have a 70% higher risk of fractures compared to those who don’t consume strong tea. This is because strong tea contains high levels of caffeine, which not only inhibits calcium absorption in the duodenum but also accelerates calcium excretion through urine. Over time, this can lead to a gradual loss of calcium from bones, increasing the likelihood of osteoporosis.

　　Additionally, consuming large amounts of strong tea can dilute gastric juices, reducing their concentration and impairing the stomach's ability to digest food properly. This may lead to symptoms such as indigestion, bloating, and abdominal pain.

　　Therefore, each time you brew tea, use no more than 5 grams, and limit yourself to no more than two cups of tea per day.

　　Learn the "Three Looks" to Enjoy Healthy Herbal Tea

　　Experts say that to achieve the goal of health benefits from tea, you should at least follow these "three key considerations."

　　Observe the tea, savor it, and learn about its properties to discover the best way to enjoy it. For instance, jasmine tea is fragrant and delightful—it can boost productivity, so why not brew yourself a cup in the morning? While fresh tea may smell wonderful, it tends to be quite cooling, so it’s best enjoyed in small sips rather than consumed freely.

　　When drinking tea, the same person at different ages and physiological stages needs to choose tea that suits their condition. For example, teenagers in the vigorous stage of puberty should mainly drink green tea; young women during menstruation and menopausal women with emotional instability should drink floral tea to soothe the liver, relieve depression, regulate qi, and adjust menstruation; elderly people with liver and kidney yin deficiency or deficiency of both yin and yang can drink black tea. Everyone should select tea suitable for their own constitution under the guidance of a doctor. For the elderly, paying attention to the concentration of tea is especially important for protecting their health.

　　Depending on the season, people can choose different types of tea to enjoy. In spring, savoring fragrant floral teas helps dispel the cold energy that may have accumulated in the body during winter, gently encouraging the body’s natural yang energy to rise. Green tea, with its cooling and slightly bitter nature, offers the best nutritional benefits among all teas—making it the perfect choice for summer consumption. Meanwhile, during autumn and winter, a touch of red tea or Pu-erh tea is ideal, as these varieties possess warming properties that effectively help combat the cold.

　　Experts also told reporters that most of China's tea is produced in the southern regions. In fact, Shaanxi province boasts some exceptional teas—such as Wuzi Xianhao, Ziyang Maojian, and Hanshui Yinshuo—especially the Yaowang Tea from Taibai in Baoji. Made from the leaves and flowers of *Celastrus glaucophyllus*, a plant belonging to the Celastraceae family, this tea was discovered by the renowned medical sage Sun Simiao, who reportedly drank it throughout his life. It contains significantly higher levels of flavonoids compared to most other plants, offering remarkable benefits like protecting blood vessels, managing blood sugar, regulating gastrointestinal functions, and even combating aging.