In recent years, using Chinese herbal medicine as tea has become a fashion trend. Many people enjoy using herbal medicine to brew tea for its simplicity and health benefits. However, it is important to note that not all herbal teas are safe for consumption. While some dried flowers and herbs can be consumed without harm, others may have adverse effects on the body.
Chinese herbal medicine often follows the principle of "using poison to fight poison", so it is not as safe as people may think. It is a misconception to believe that herbal medicine is completely natural and free of any toxic side effects. However, it is also incorrect to completely dismiss the safety and effectiveness of herbal medicine when adverse reactions occur. It is important to have a comprehensive understanding and not oversimplify the matter.
The main groups of people who use herbal tea are young and elderly individuals. Young people often drink herbal tea for beauty, weight loss, and internal balance, while the elderly use it for blood pressure and cholesterol reduction. Some men who frequently attend social events may also drink herbal tea, believing that it can help with hangovers. These individuals often overlook the disadvantages of herbal tea in pursuit of its benefits.
Although some dried flowers and herbs have certain benefits for the body, they are not completely safe. Long-term consumption can cause harm, such as digestive problems after drinking wild chrysanthemum tea. Some individuals may experience discomfort, poor digestion, intestinal noises, and loose stools. Therefore, people with weak spleen and stomach or pregnant women should avoid drinking it. It is important not to use dried flowers and herbs as dietary supplements. Additionally, consuming excessive amounts or using them for an extended period can lead to toxic side effects and harm the body. Patients taking Western medicine should be especially cautious when consuming herbal tea, as improper combination with Western medicine may cause harm to the body.
When using herbal medicine to brew tea, it is necessary to consider the properties of the herbs, one's own physical condition, symptoms, climate, and season to achieve the desired effects. Blindly using herbal tea without considering these factors can be detrimental. Some herbs contain toxic ingredients, such as ginkgo leaves, which can cause spasms, paralysis, allergies, and other adverse reactions when used to make tea. While cassia seed has the effect of reducing blood lipids, it can also cause diarrhea and is not beneficial for long-term consumption. Licorice, despite its benefits for the spleen and Qi, can cause edema and high blood pressure with long-term use.
Long-term consumption of yimucao (motherwort) tea can easily cause excessive heat in the spleen, disrupting the body's natural balance. When discontinued, it can lead to spleen and stomach weakness. In addition, pangdahai (sterculia seed) is only suitable for hoarseness caused by wind-heat pathogens, such as vocal cord nodules or hoarseness caused by excessive smoking and drinking. Drinking pangdahai can cause side effects such as loose stools and chest tightness, especially in the elderly with sudden voice loss or spleen deficiency.
If choosing to brew herbal tea, it is important to understand the taste, dosage, and administration of the herbs. Excessive consumption should be avoided. Generally, it is best to choose a single herb for brewing tea, but if necessary for treatment or specific conditions, a combination of up to 4-5 herbs can be used. Using too many herbs will diminish the purpose of brewing tea. It is important to take Chinese herbal medicine under the guidance of a doctor and not to use it without authorization. Increasing the dosage or prolonging the duration of use should be avoided, as well as improper combinations. Care should also be taken when using a combination of Chinese and Western medicine to avoid adverse reactions. It is our responsibility to take care of our own health, as some non-toxic drugs in Chinese and Western medicine may have side effects for individuals with high allergies.
In addition, when brewing tea, it is a common misconception to use boiling water close to 100°C to brew tea. People believe that this will allow the tea leaves to fully expand and kill any bacteria on the leaves. However, this belief is incorrect. Tea leaves contain tannic acid, caffeine, aromatic oils, and various vitamins, which should be brewed with water at around 80°C. Using a thermos to brew tea, keeping the tea leaves immersed in high and constant temperature water for a long time, is similar to boiling the tea leaves, resulting in the destruction of vitamins, evaporation of aromatic oils, and excessive extraction of tannic acid and caffeine. This not only reduces the nutritional value of the tea but also makes the tea taste bitter and increases the presence of harmful substances.
The temperature of the water used to brew tea depends on the type of tea being brewed. Different teas have different temperature requirements. High-quality green teas, especially those with tender leaves, should not be brewed with boiling water. Water at around 80°C is suitable to ensure the nutritional content of the tea leaves. The younger and greener the tea leaves, the lower the brewing temperature should be. This will result in a bright and fresh tea with less damage to vitamin C. Brewing high-quality tea with boiling water at 100°C can cause significant damage to the tea leaves, resulting in yellowish tea and a bitter taste, as well as the destruction of vitamin C. As the saying goes, high water temperature "overcooks" the tea leaves, causing them to lose their vitality.
For various flower teas, black teas, and medium to low-grade green teas, boiling water at 100°C should be used for brewing. Lower temperatures result in poor permeability, resulting in fewer active ingredients being extracted and a weaker taste. When brewing oolong tea, Pu-erh tea, and flower teas, a larger amount of tea should be used, and since these teas are relatively older, they must be brewed with boiling water at 100°C. Sometimes, in order to maintain and increase the water temperature, it is necessary to preheat the tea utensils with boiling water before brewing and pour hot water outside the pot after brewing. Ethnic minorities who drink brick tea require even higher water temperatures. The brick tea needs to be crushed and boiled in a pot to extract the active ingredients from the tea leaves.
The temperature of the water used for brewing tea is directly related to the solubility of the active substances in the tea leaves. The higher the water temperature, the greater the solubility, resulting in a stronger tea. Conversely, lower water temperatures result in lower solubility and a weaker tea. Generally, the extraction rate of tea using 60°C water is only about 50% of that using boiling water at 100°C. Therefore, it is important to choose the appropriate water temperature based on the quality of the tea leaves to ensure that the active substances in the tea are absorbed by the body to the fullest extent.
