There are generally two kinds of osmanthus teas in Chinese daily life. One is made from 100% of osmanthus, and another is made from osmanthus and traditional Chinese tea, such as green tea, black tea, and oolong tea, which are called Tea Base for making osmanthus tea.
According to the Tea Base required, osmanthus tea can be classified into osmanthus green tea, osmanthus black tea, osmanthus oolong tea, etc., which have not only the benefits of osmanthus but also of the traditional Chinese tea.
1. Osmanthus tea culture
As a precious tree species, osmanthus has been loved by people all over the world. Besides being appreciated by people, osmanthus is also a carrier for literati to express their thoughts and feelings.
Many ancient Chinese poets wrote poems to praise osmanthus. The implication of osmanthus in China is “lofty”, “beautiful”, “auspicious”, “friendly”, and “loyal”.
As early as the Tang and Song dynasties, the imperial concubines drank osmanthus tea to make themselves fragrant. It was called “Fragrant Body” in ancient times.
In Chinese folk, people have the traditional habit of drinking osmanthus tea during the Mid-Autumn Festival (Zhong Qiu Jie). The Mid-Autumn Festival is the time when osmanthus blooms. Osmanthus tea adds a special feature to the festival.
2. Famous varieties of osmanthus tea
Chinese osmanthus tea is mainly produced in Guangxi, Hubei, Guizhou, Sichuan Province, and other places.
Osmanthus longjing tea
Longjing tea or called Dragon Well tea is a famous green tea produced in West Lake in Hangzhou City of Zhejiang Province. Hangzhou City is located in the north of the southeast coast of China. It has a subtropical monsoon climate and is suitable for the growth of osmanthus.
When osmanthus is in full bloom, the local tea farmers will make some osmanthus longjing tea. Osmanthus longjing tea is also the best drink to entertain relatives and friends. This has formed a kind of folk custom with a unique flavor and local characteristics.
With the development of the tea industry, osmanthus longjing tea has come to the market from farmers, representing the quality of leisure life in Hangzhou. There are many enterprises began to produce osmanthus longjing tea, which was loved by the vast number of customers.
Osmanthus oolong tea
Osmanthus oolong tea is made from osmanthus and Chinese oolong tea. It is a traditional exported product in Anxi County of Fujian Province. Anxi County is famous for producing high-quality oolong tea and is the hometown of the famous oolong tea Tieguanyin tea.
Osmanthus oolong tea is mainly sold in Honghong, Macao, Southeast Asia, and Western Europe. Its features are that the tea leaves are thick and soft, the color is brown, the fragrance is long-lasting, the taste is mellow and sweet, and the soup color is orange and bright.
Osmanthus broken black tea
The shape of broken black tea is fragment or granules. Osmanthus broken black tea made from osmanthus and broken black tea is an achievement invented by Southwest Agricultural University of China.
This kind of tea was sent to the United States and France and was highly praised. In daily life, osmanthus broken black tea is often processed into bagged tea to sell.
Guilin osmanthus tea
Guilin osmanthus tea produced in Guilin City of Guangxi Province is a specialty of this province and is a geographical indication of agricultural products in China.
There are many rivers in the growth area of osmanthus in Guilin City, where the climate is mild; the rainfall is abundant; the light is sufficient, so it is very suitable for the growth of osmanthus.
The production and drinking history of Guilin osmanthus tea began in the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) and Gulin tea factory began to produce osmanthus tea in the 1970s.
Golden osmanthus growing in Gulin has large flowers, thick petals, golden color, and strong aroma. It has very high quality to make osmanthus tea. Guilin osmanthus tea mainly includes osmanthus green tea and osmanthus black tea.
3. Health benefits of osmanthus tea
Providing important nutrients
Osmanthus tea contains cobalt, selenium, manganese, and molybdenum. It contains trans-α-carotene, trans-β-carotene and new β-carotene B which can relieve fatigue and prevent drowsiness.
Nourishing skin and eyes
Osmanthus tea can help to improve eyesight and moisturize the skin. Some skincare products contain osmanthus essential oil.
Osmanthus tea can help your body get rid of toxins in the kidney and liver, making you feel fresh and energetic. In traditional Chinese medicine, it is used as a powerful detoxification drug.
It helps to treat problems related to the kidney, liver and endocrine system.
Osmanthus contains a lot of phenolic acids, which is the natural source of antioxidants. It can fight free radicals that can cause cataracts or cell damage. Free radicals also cause chronic inflammation and cardiovascular disease. Drinking osmanthus tea can reduce the risk of chronic disease.
Osmanthus tea contains antiallergic agents which can help to reduce throat congestion and mucus caused by inflammation of the lungs.
Reducing phlegm and blood stasis
Osmanthus tea can reduce the sputum and blood stasis of animals. Blood stasis is the slowing or stopping of the flow of blood and other body fluids.
Reducing oxidative stress
Osmanthus tea can reduce the oxidative stress of animals. So it has a mild sedative effect and helps to relax the mind and improve brain function.
Helping to treat rheumatism
Osmanthus tea has the effect of removing dampness and activating blood circulation, relaxing muscles, and has a certain auxiliary therapeutic effect on rheumatism.
4. Precaution of drinking osmanthus tea
The following people should not drink osmanthus tea:
- People with stomach diseases. If you are suffering from stomach diseases, such as stomach pain and bleeding, you should not drink it, which will increase the severity of the disease and cause discomfort.
- Pregnant woman. Pregnant people should not drink osmanthus tea, because osmanthus tea has the effect of promoting blood circulation. It is not good for the fetus, especially in the early stage of pregnancy.
- People during the medication. It is not advisable to drink osmanthus tea, not only osmanthus tea, but also other teas. Because the substances contained in the tea will reduce the efficacy of the drug, making patients difficult to recover.