Pu-erh (pu’er) tea refers to processed leaves and buds of the broad-leaf variety of the tea plant (Camellia sinensis var. assamica
(L.) O. Kuntze; Theaceae) primarily sourced from China’s Yunnan
province, as well as from neighboring areas of southwestern China
(Sichuan, Guangxi and Guizhou provinces), Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar,
Cambodia, and northeastern India. The tea must be fermented. It is
generally believed that the longer the aged Pu-erh tea is kept, the
better it will be in both quality and taste. Thus, the commercial value
of older Pu-erh tea is much higher than that of the younger ones.
Pu-erh tea is very popular in Asian countries, mainly in southwestern
China and south Asian countries, but its consumption becomes even more
popular also in Europe, due to the well-documented beneficial effects on
human health.
Traditionally, pu-erh tea was valued in traditional ethnomedical systems
for its ability to strengthen the immune system, improve circulation,
balance the body’s hot and cold levels, detoxify blood, treat rheumatism
and stones, remedy headaches, clear skin conditions, promote oral
hygiene, treat stomach conditions, and reduce swelling and soft tissue.
Pu-erh tea extracts have also been reported to have lipid-lowering
activity, hypoglycemic effects, protective effect against
ethanol-induced gastric mucosal damages, hypouricemic effect,
nitric oxide lowering effect, anti-inflammatory, anti- osteoporosis ,
neuroprotective and anticancer effects.
Pu-erh tea is processed from the young terminal buds and adjacent leaves
of tea plants. The sun-dried green tea leaves are autoclaved and dried
to make Pu-erh raw tea and stored in natural conditions to make aged
Pu-erh tea, or the leaves are artificially post-fermented with
microorganisms for several months to 1 year to produce ripened Pu-erh
tea. For fully fermented black tea, the oxidation of the tea polyphenols
is performed mainly by polyphenol oxidases from the tea leaves.
Unlike most other teas (white, green, red), which tend to lose their
freshness and flavor soon after the time of production, Pu-erh, due to
qualities inherent in its broad leaves, undergoes a fermentation process
which improves its taste, texture and aroma over time. As such, while
most teas should be consumed while they are fresh, Pu-erh tea, like fine
wine, is best enjoyed many years later after the tea has been aged.
Technically, any liquid intended for drinking is a beverage so named by a word derived from French and Latin verbs meaning ‘to drink.’ Healthy beverages are beverages with health benefits that attribute by its nutritional value. The use of healthy beverage for promoting health and relieving symptom is as old as the practice of medicine.
Monday, November 30, 2020
Top articles this week
-
Tea, renowned for its numerous health benefits ranging from antioxidants to artificial coloring, owes much of its character to the presence ...
-
Safflower is a highly branched, herbaceous, thistle-like annual plant with many long sharp spines on the leaves. It is a highly branched pla...
-
Sports energy drinks are broken down into three different types depending on their concentration compared to the human body, or tonicity to ...
-
This Brazilian kaschiri is brewed from masticated cassava. The alcoholic cassava products are beverages similar to beer or solid foods. To o...
-
Ordinary maize or finger millet are not popular foods but when fermented to busaa they are very popular. Busaa is an indigenous fermented fo...