What exactly does the bitterness have to do with the quality of the tea?
The bitter substances of tea mainly include: caffeine, theobromine, theophylline, anthocyanins, tea saponins, bitter amino acids and some flavanols. The astringent substances of tea mainly include tea polyphenols, aldehydes, iron and other substances, among which catechins are particularly important.
Tea with high relative content of catechins and caffeine in tea leaves, the brewed tea soup is rich and fresh, which is the performance of high-quality tea.
The heavier the bitterness and astringency of tea, the richer the contents?
First of all, we must know that the bitter substances of tea are mainly derived from the alkaloids and pigments in the tea, and the astringent substances of tea are mainly derived from the flavonoid substances such as tea polyphenols, and the bitterness of tea soup is often accompanied by astringency.
Tea functional substances such as alkaloids and tea polyphenols are mainly concentrated in the first, second and third leaves of tea, and the content of these functional substances will become lower and lower as tea becomes older. Therefore, Pu'er tea with bitterness and astringency is often a relatively high-grade tea, and these teas often have the characteristics of thick tea soup and rich inclusions. This is also the reason why the taste of medium and low-grade tea, reeds, and old leaves is thin and bitter and astringent.
These bitter substances do have many health benefits. However, it should be noted that tea polyphenols and alkaloids have a stimulating effect on the stomach and intestines, and people with bad stomach should pay attention not to drink on an empty stomach or drink excessively. In addition, due to the stimulant effect of alkaloids, people with neurasthenia and poor sleep should also pay attention to the amount and time of drinking and do not affect sleep.
Why different teas
The bitterness is not the same?
Generally speaking, the bitterness of ancient trees is heavier than that of mesas, while the astringency is that mesas are heavier than those of ancient trees, and the bitterness of summer tea is heavier than that of spring and autumn tea. However, these bitter and astringent tastes are acceptable and can be converted into sweet and sweet tastes.
Tea made of raw materials with serious damage from diseases and insects, the bitter and astringent taste is often heavier than the normal buds and leaves, and there will be bitterness and astringency, bitterness and astringency, bitterness but not dissolve, some still have a fishy smell, and some have an uncomfortable feeling in the stomach after drinking. If you drink tea with this taste, you can check the bottom of the leaves. Leaves that are infested by pests and diseases will have dark brown spots. The bottom of the insect-infested leaves feels hard, lacks softness and elasticity, and the color is dark and not bright, and there are often many fragments after rolling in the process of making tea.
The formation of the taste of Pu-erh tea
The taste of Pu-erh tea is formed during the process of worn-pile and drying. Polyphenols, amino acids, caffeine and carbohydrate compounds are oxidized, polymerized, degraded, decomposed and transformed under the enzymatic action of extracellular enzymes secreted by microorganisms and the action of damp heat.
The total amount and composition of catechins and amino acids (or the proportion of internal components) are changed, the purine base is converted internally, the organic acid content is increased, and the fresh, sweet, sour, astringent, bitter and mellow substances are comprehensively coordinated, forming a unique taste of its mellow and slightly astringent.
Copywriting and typesetting: Wu Xinyang of the Planning Department