Uncle Qin is a tea fan, he firmly believes in the truth that "old tea is better than new tea", and he will make a cup of tasting every day.
One day, he was tasting the sweet fragrance of tea when he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his stomach, his face was pale from pain, and his family rushed him to the hospital. Unexpectedly, this check found out a big problem, Uncle Qin was diagnosed with stomach cancer!
When he heard the news, he was so shocked that he couldn't speak: "I just like to drink some tea, how can I get stomach cancer?"
The doctor sighed: "The tea you often drink has been spoiled for a long time, and this moldy tea is comparable to poison." ”
Uncle Qin regretted: "I always thought that Chen tea was more fragrant, but I didn't expect it to harm myself......"
1. Can you still drink tea that has been left for a long time?
Tea is a treasure drink in the hearts of Chinese, even if you don't drink it often, you always have a few bags of tea at home. However, if you are not careful, you will put it for several years, and it is a pity to throw it away, and you are worried that it will be a problem if you drink it for too long. Therefore, many tea lovers are very concerned: can the tea leaves that have been left for a few years be drunk?
In fact, tea is not as everyone thinks, can be stored for a long time without deterioration, there are two reasons: first, the adsorption of tea is very strong, and it is easy to get damp if it is not well sealed, which will absorb the strange smell in the air; secondly, the tea polyphenols and theanine in tea are not very stable, and they will change after a long time, which will affect the taste and quality of tea.
However, the shelf life of tea is different from that of food, which is equivalent to the "best tasting period", and expired tea may only become less good in taste, aroma, and texture, which does not mean that it is poisonous and cannot be drunk.
Whether you can drink it after expiration depends on whether it is damp, moldy, or polluted.
Of course, not all tea leaves can't be left for a long time:
Like white tea, black tea, and pu-erh raw tea, if stored properly, the longer it lasts, the more fragrant it will be.
Green tea can be stored at room temperature for about a year;
Oolong tea is refrigerated and stored after opening, and can be stored for about 8 months;
Black tea can last for about three years;
Pu'er raw tea can be stored for 15 years, and ripe tea can be stored for more than 15 years.
Therefore, drinking tea also depends on the shelf life of the tea, don't blindly pursue long-term storage, and store it scientifically in order to taste the best taste and quality.
2. Overnight tea is toxic and can't be drunk?
Many people have heard their elders say: "You can't drink overnight tea, it will cause cancer!", and even now you can see relevant health articles shared in various family groups, but is this really the case?
In fact, overnight tea is non-toxic and can be consumed.
The CCTV financial program team once invited the tea taster to taste and put the three kinds of tea of Longjing, Pu'er and Chrysanthemum overnight for a period of time, and it was found that the overnight tea did not deteriorate, nor did it have a rancid taste, and even the taste of Pu'er overnight was better.
In addition, the nitrite in the overnight tea is not exceeded, so as long as the overnight tea has not deteriorated, it is drinkable, but it is still recommended to brew and drink it now, and try to drink as little overnight tea as possible.
Many people smell "overnight" discoloration, mainly because overnight can increase nitrite in food.
After nitrite enters the human body and combines with ferrous ions, it will cause hemoglobin to lose its ability to carry oxygen, resulting in nausea, confusion, shortness of breath, hypoxic poisoning and other poisoning symptoms.
In addition, nitrite may also be converted into carcinogens nitrosamines, increasing the risk of cancer.
In general, the consumption of 0.3 grams of nitrite can cause poisoning, and 3 grams can cause death.
However, there is no need to be too alarmed about nitrite, only excessive intake will cause harm to human health.
According to the Additives Committee of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organization, nitrite of less than 0.07 mg per kilogram of body weight per day is acceptable, which means that people weighing 60 kg can consume 4 mg of nitrite per day without any problem.
3. Do these 4 points, drinking tea is healthy and reassuring
Drinking tea should also pay attention to the way, learn to drink tea correctly, in order to taste health in the fragrance of tea, today I will share with you 4 tips for drinking tea.
1. Drink an appropriate amount of tea
Excessive tea consumption will lead to increased excitability of the central nervous system, causing insomnia, palpitations and other uncomfortable symptoms. Drinking tea in moderation can help relieve fatigue and improve sleep quality.
2. Tea drinking temperature
Drinking hot tea can burn the mucosa of the mouth and esophagus, which is so easy to induce esophageal cancer in the long term. Warm tea is less irritating to the body and is conducive to retaining the nutrients of the tea.
3. Types of tea
Choosing the right type of tea can promote good health, but if it is not consumed properly, it may increase the burden on the liver. For people with liver disease, the intake of tea with high caffeine content such as black tea and oolong tea should be reduced.
4. Tea storage method
Proper storage can prevent tea from spoiling or losing its flavor, while the wrong method can lead to a loss of taste or even harmful substances. Unopened tea leaves should be stored in a dry and cool place, and those that have been opened should be sealed and refrigerated.
In short, drinking tea is a healthy lifestyle habit, but it is necessary to master the correct way to drink tea in order to truly enjoy its benefits.
Resources:
[1] "Can Tea Be Drunk When It Is Expired?Every Tea Has a "Best Taste Period".Life Times.2023-06-06
[2] "What are the health advantages of drinking tea for a long time?", Guangdong CDC.2024-03-13
[3] "Mendelian randomization study of Sun Yat-sen University, each extra cup of tea is associated with an increased risk of dementia".
Reproduction without the author's permission is prohibited