Eases digestion: Hot tea works wonders in washing down your food thereby keeping your throat clear. It eases off the mucus accumulation and helps in breaking down the food better. As a result, you can expect your meal to digest faster and smoother.
Role of tea in digestive health Several studies have proven that drinking tea during or after meals aids digestion by relieving stomach gas and flatulence.
Tea leaves are acidic and will affect the digestion process. If you consume protein in the meal, the acid from the tea will harden the protein content, making it difficult to digest. Drinking tea immediately after a meal will also interfere with iron absorption by the body. Avoid tea one hour before and after meals.
The best time to drink tea is usually 1-2 hours after having a meal. You can drink it in the morning as well, but make sure you aren't empty stomach and tea or coffee isn't the first thing that you consume. Most people drink tea during the evening, along with some snacks which is a good enough option.
While tea may not be able to cure more serious illnesses, it can provide much-needed relief when you're in gastrointestinal distress. Whether you're suffering from persistent stomach troubles or are just seeking relief after a heavy meal, tea can be a great way to aid digestion and soothe the stomach.
Many people don't know that it is a tradition in Japanese culture to enjoy a cup of tea after the sushi meal to help cleanse the palate and aid in digestion. This after meal tea is known as “agari,” which is still followed in Japanese restaurants around the world.
Indigestion or an upset stomach is caused by foods that are not easily digestible, which your body may reject. So, drinking tea helps to dissolve these substances and prevents abnormalities, which is why the Chinese turn to tea after a meal.
"It is believed that a tea-drinking process is a spiritual enjoyment, an art, a means of cultivating the moral character, and nourishing the mind." The tea ceremony is a tradition that exemplifies Chinese culture that has spread throughout the world, including in Japan, Korea, and Great Britain.
There is little to no scientific evidence that proves that drinking water after having tea is dangerous for your health. However, it is believed that drinking water immediately after drinking a hot beverage like tea can lead to problems like pyorrhoea disease and digestive issues like acidity or pain.
The best time to drink tea is an hour after breakfast or lunch, or in the evening along with some snacks. Nutritionists suggest alternatives like juice (without sugar), water infused with herbs, honey or lemon, or just plain warm water first thing in the morning to help kickstart your day.
Average monthly tea drink consumption in China 2019
According to the survey among Chinese fresh tea beverage consumers, around 94 percent of respondents consumed more than five cups of tea beverages in a month. Around 83 percent of the surveyed tea drinkers purchased five to 14 cups of tea drinks monthly.
An oolong is an excellent choice for early in the day. Oolong tea sits between green and black tea and offers more flavour diversity, complexity and expression than any other type of tea. I generally reach for something lightly oxidised from Tawain or China – usually something at the greener end of the oolong scale.
In China, drinking tea is mostly a cultural thing with the majority of the people drink tea throughout the day. Chinese teas can be traced back all the way to the Tang Dynasty and were first discovered in 2737 BCE, by the Chinese Emperor Shen Nong.
Drinking tea regularly is also known to help improve your dental health. Drinking tea on a daily basis can help give your body additional protection from cavities, gum disease, and bacteria that causes bad breath.
Pu-erh tea is a fermented and aged tea that originates from the Yunnan province in China. It has a unique, earthy flavor and is believed to help with digestion and weight loss. Its properties make it an ideal choice for drinking after a heavy meal.
This is because tea contains tannins and oxalates which block the absorption of iron from iron-loaded foods. These compounds can bind iron with them which prevents their absorption in the blood. You must also avoid pairing iron-rich foods like nuts, green leafy vegetables, grains, lentils and cereals with tea.
The best rule to go by is to not drink excessive amounts of tea for about a half hour before a meal. The same rule applies to drinking tea after a meal. Because the tannic acid in the tea will bind with protein and iron in the food and prevention absorption of these in the body if you drink tea following a meal.
If sat at a table, the proper manner to drink tea is to raise the tea cup, leaving the saucer on the table, and to place the cup back on the saucer between sips. It's considered rude to look anywhere but into the cup whilst sipping tea, and absolutely no slurping!
Milk is more hydrating than water
For example, milk was found to be even more hydrating than plain water because it contains the sugar lactose, some protein and some fat, all of which help to slow the emptying of fluid from the stomach and keep hydration happening over a longer period.
Mongolians drank tea with milk. Chinese did not. The simple fact is that China was never traditionally a country where cows grazed in vast numbers. Milk was available in England in the countryside and it was common to drink Chinese black tea with milk even before Indian tea arrived in the 1840s.
The Chinese drink their tea without additional ingredients because they have quite a vast array of flavours to choose from, and most of them don't really taste good with milk. Take jasmine tea or lavender tea for example. They are not likely to mix well with milk.
It became popular during British colonial rule when the British started importing tea. So while Hongkongers were already colossal tea drinkers, the art of tea drinking became even more popular during colonial rule. The Asian people put a twist to the British version by adding milk and sometimes sugar.
The order in which the host provides tea to the guests is : guests first, then the host; women first, then men; older people first, then younger people. If another person than the host is preparing the tea (called silu), that person is served last. A good host will always care to fill an empty cup.
The formal and standard gesture is to stand up, men hold fists(left over right), women put palms together, make a bow, sit down, and take over the tea cups, smell the tea's aroma first, then take a sip and savor the tea.
Drinking tea around 3 pm in the afternoon is very beneficial to human body, as it can increase our immune system and prevent flus and colds. In fact, this time is perhaps the most important time to drink tea during the day.