Red tea or Pu Erh tea originates from the Pu-Erh area, a village in China located in the southwestern part of the country, in the Yunnan district.
This is where these trees grow and according to the stories, there are trees thousands of years old.
It is a perfect region for growing tea as there is no frost and its climate varies very little throughout the year.
Yunnan is mountainous, so it’s called “the tea mountains”
Red tea or Pu Erh tea is made from the leaves and stalks of Camellia sinensis.
A plant from which many other teas are put together.
In the case of red tea, it is characterized by having a sweeter taste than the rest and being stimulated by having theine and caffeine.
In addition to providing a wide variety of health benefits.
To get Pu Erh tea the main thing is patience.
It goes through two fermentation processes, the first in the barrels and the second outside them.
During these processes, it is necessary to let the leaves breathe and try to keep them constantly at a temperature between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius.
The marketing of Red tea is very peculiar since true red tea is acquired in compact balls or “bricks” and “cakes” that must crumble just before preparing it.
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Is Red tea good for your health?
Red tea contains vitamins B, C, and D, in addition to providing minerals such as magnesium, potassium, iodine, zinc, and fluoride, also with polyphenols, theophylline, caffeine, and fiber.
A variety of elements give it a number of properties. Thus, red tea has diuretic, detoxifying, digestive, stimulant and immunostimulant, hepatoprotective, antihistamine, hypotensive, hypocholesteromious, and antioxidant properties.
A whole variety of properties are reflected in a series of very interesting benefits.
Among its best-known benefits, we can highlight its antioxidant power supported by various studies.
In which it is found that it is a source of natural antioxidants even greater than that offered by vitamin C.
In addition to preventing the aging of cells by fighting free radicals, tea has positive effects on cardiovascular health.
Its qualities such as the prevention of atherosclerosis (hardening and narrowing of the arteries).
The decrease in cholesterol and blood sugar levels, the reduction of the risk of stroke, and its power to keep hypertension at bay.
There are many reasons to begin the day with a cup since red tea is also recommended to take care of healthy bones.
Its use is associated with positive effects to prevent osteoporosis, particularly among women who have gone through menopause.
Besides, its effects are also noticeable on the skin, which remains more moisturized, soft, and smooth.
More Benefits…
Promoting good digestion is another good thing. And Promotes concentration the percentage of caffeine and theine that red tea has favored concentration and staying awake as long as possible, having fewer side effects than coffee.
Taking it after eating stimulates the secretion of gastric acids and regulates the digestive process.
Also accelerates the metabolization of food and, therefore, contributes to the body not absorbing so many fats and toxins.
The effects on the liver practically left scientists amazed, since many fats are metabolized in this organ, so its main attribute is in the liver.
Another great benefit of Pu Erh is that due to its fermentation processes caffeine is practically lower than green tea, that is, 10% of the total that a cup of coffee would have. So if you want to relax, a cup of red tea is the solution.
The latter note leads us to list one of the most popular qualities of red tea: its benefits of weight loss.
This will not be anything new for people who have followed a slimming diet because professionals usually recommend its intake in most of them, not only for its satiating effect to help not snack between meals but also for its fat-burning action.
It does not help absorb them during digestion but also helps remove them.
This is because it speeds up the metabolism of the liver and exercises a diuretic action that contributes to a very fast weight loss.
Related article: The health benefits of green tea.
The side effects of red tea
Like coffee, red tea contains caffeine and theobromine, being not advisable to take more than 5 cups daily since we can find side effects such as nervousness, headache, vomiting, diarrhea, irritability, tremors, heartburn, dizziness, confusion, irregular heartbeat, or seizures.
- Constipation
One of the cautions when consuming red tea is not to drink it after eating lamb as it may cause constipation.
In addition, if you have irritable bowel you should also avoid excessive consumption as it can cause diarrhea and aggravate the symptoms of the disease.
- Liver irritation
As a purifying infusion, red tea facilitates the removal of fat that helps purify the liver.
However, if taken in excess of the recommended amount, it can cause liver irritation.
- Stay safe during pregnancy.
During pregnancy and breastfeeding, you should try to drink red tea only in small amounts, not more than 2 cups per day.
It must be considered that an excess of caffeine can cause problems during pregnancy by being able to cause the premature birth of the baby or that it is born with little weight.
It can also cause irritability, sleep disorders, and increased bowel activity in nursing children.
- Changes in the nervous system.
As previously noted, red tea contains caffeine and teas.
Substances that, if consumed excessively, may cause alterations of the nervous system, as well as palpitations in the heart.
As a consequence, we have to bear in mind when we suffer from a nervous system disease.
- Be cautious of high blood pressure.
In comparison with the above, red tea may also increase heart rate and generate tachycardia.
Also, assuming an increase in heart pressure.
If you have a tendency to have high blood pressure or suffer from tension spikes.
Then it will be better to drink red tea only once or twice a day at most.
Related article: What tea to drink instead of coffee for breakfast?
How much red tea should you drink to reap the benefits?
It is recommended to drink 3 cups a day, without sugar, the taste of red tea is very pleasant.
You can add a little stevia, but I suggest you get used to the natural flavor. Have a cup after breakfast, lunch or dinner.
As you will see, red tea has many beneficial properties for our body, adopt this healthy habit.
And drink tea instead of other drinks with a higher level of caffeine.
It should be noted that no substance or supplement has magical properties that, when taken.
Disappear as overweight accumulated by years of dietary neglect.
Red tea and other teas are additives in the diet to improve body functions that work in conjunction with a healthy lifestyle, namely food and exercise regime.
Bring red tea to your diet.
Focusing on taking advantage of these qualities and losing weight.
What they propose according to the red tea diet is to follow for five days a diet low in fat and calories.
And, above all, take at least four cups of this infusion a day.
For example, for breakfast, we will have the first cup of red tea of the day.
Accompanied by a juice or a piece of fruit and a toast of whole wheat bread with unsweetened jam.
Related article: Red Clover Tea Benefits.
Red tea regime for weight loss.
To eat, we can choose between pasta salad, rice salad, rice with vegetables or rice with French omelet.
For dessert, a piece of fruit and another cup of this infusion.
A drink that we will also take at snack time.
At dinner, you have various options to choose from, mixed salad, grilled fish and lettuce, rice, lentil salad with vegetables, or pasta salad with vegetables.
For dessert, one piece of fruit and the 4th cup of red tea of the day.
How to prepare Pu Erh Red Tea?
There are mainly 2 ways, the western one (in a cup or teapot with a filter)
And the eastern one “Gongfu” (With a small teapot of about 100ml or Gaiwan)
Western Method: The one we usually use in our latitudes, corresponds to the Western one.
In this case, an approximate ratio of 3 g of tea per 200ml is put.
For Red tea or Pu Erh, the temperature should be around 90┬║C-95┬║C and the infusion time between 4-5 minutes.
In this way we obtain fewer infusions of the same strands and a lower intensity of the strong drink.
Oriental Method: It is known as Gongfu and between 5-7g of tea per 100ml of water is used.
In this case, we are going to make very brief infusions, between 15 to 25 seconds and we are going to use boiling water.
When it is at 100┬║C, we add it to our tea.
With this preparation, you will get a concentrated flavor that will give us everything that the strands offer us.
It is the most recommended for this type of tea and you can make many infusions with the same leaves.
The tea yields more in this way, although a priori, it may seem that we put a lot of amounts.
As an experience I tell you that I get on average 1.500 ml of tea with about 5g-6g with this preparation.
Related article: How green rooibos tea will make you healthier.
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