Tea continues to be one of the most favorite beverages across the world. It has been around for thousands of years and has evolved with time. However, some tea variants have stood the test of time and have continued to remain popular amongst thousands of tea lovers not only in this country but also across the world.
Keemun tea is one such type of tea that evinces quite a bit of interest and expectations by connoisseurs of tea across the world. In this article, we will have a look at this special type of tea. We find out more about the history of this tea and also get to know the reasons for its growing benefits and advantages. If there are any side effects or downsides associated with Keemun tea, we also will talk about it briefly.
What Is Keemun Tea?
This is a black colored tea and it is considered to be one of the ten most famous teas emanating from China. If we look at history, there are strong reasons to believe that China and India are the two countries where tea was grown, processed and drunk by people many thousands of years ago. Hence, any tea variant that comes from China is always looked at with interest.
Those who have tried Keemun tea believe that it is a wonderful tea in more ways than one. It also has a few more names and is known as Qimen Gongflu tea or Keemun Gongfu tea. The name by which it is referred to depends on the local Chinese dialect. These teas are specially known for their fragrance, apart from aesthetic value. Further, they also have a mellow flavor. The eye-catching and appetizing red liquor that the brewed tea leaves offer is something that is quite remarkable indeed.
When we look at some of the best black teas in the world, the name of Keemun tea always comes to the fore. British tea lovers in particular have a special liking for this tea and it is considered as a delicacy. Many tea lovers in Britain, refer to this black tea as tea-hero because of its delicacy and also perhaps because it has a unique aroma of the Chinese spring rain.
How Is Keemun Tea Produced
This special tea is not produced widely across all territories of China. The Anhui Province is famous for producing some of the finest quality of Keemun tea. It is called as Qimen tea and Keemun perhaps is the English way of spelling Qimen. This spelling has been used since the colonial era.
History Of Keemun Tea
Compared to the overall history of tea, it would be pertinent to mention here that keemun tea is perhaps of a relatively late origin. The first ready-to-drink keemun tea leaves or dust was perhaps produced in 1875 and therefore it is not even 200 years old. The tea was produced using special techniques and methods that was adopted and mastered from the farmers of Fujian province. This entire keemun-tea-producing region is situated between the famous Yangtze River and the Yellow Mountain range. The types of cultivars that are used for making keemun tea are the same that was used for the production of Huangshan Maofeng. The Huanshan Maofeng variant of tea is quite old while the keemun variant is comparatively very new. As mentioned above, the first tranche of keemun tea was manufactured only in 1875.
It is widely believed that the credit for this variant of tea should go to Yu Ganchen. He perhaps traveled to the Fujian Province in a bid to know more about the secrets about high quality black tea production. Before his effort to know the secrets by visiting Fujian Province, it is believed that this Province had produced only green tea.
He gathered enough knowledge and used the same to produce what is today’s famous Keemun black tea. The tea was exquisite and unique and therefore it did not take too much of time to become hugely popular. It first became extremely famous and popular in China and then the fame spread to England. Over the decades and years, Keemun tea has become one of the most sought after and primary teas in the breakfast habits of thousands of English people and its popularity still continues to go quite rapidly.
It would also be pertinent to mention here that there are different varieties and types of Keemun tea that are available in the market today. They are manufactured using different production techniques. However, there are a few things that are common about this type of tea.
All variants of keemun black teas have to go through a very slow process of withering and oxidation. This is vital because it goes a long way in improving and increasing the flavor and the nuanced aroma. This type of tea has a unique floral note and this perhaps could be attributed to the presence of a substance known as geranoil. Though other teas also may have geraniol, it certainly is much more in Keemun black tea.
Health Benefits Of Keemun Tea
Apart from having one of the finest tastes, aroma and drinking satisfaction, there are quite a few health benefits as far as Keemun tea is concerned. We will look at a few of them for the benefit of our readers and others who might have an interest in this type and variant of tea.
1. Rich source of antioxidants
We know that antioxidants play a big role in increasing the overall immunity power and disease-fighting capability of the body. Our body, in today’s highly polluted and stress-filled world is under constant attack from free radicals and they damage cellular structures across the body if they are not controlled. Regular use of keemun tea could help reduce the impact of free radicals. It has many other benefits that are common with various other black tea variants that we are used to.You could stay away from diseases and ailments with regular consumption of this tea. This is because it is rich in many important vitamins, minerals and other micronutrients. The list is quite big and we are mentioning a few of them that are considered vital and important for keeping our body free from illnesses and diseases (1).
2. Rich source of Vitamins and Minerals
You will get rich quantities of potassium, magnesium, folic acid, sodium, and quercetin. Additionally it also is a rich source of Vitamin C, Vitamin E and the complex variants of Vitamin B (2).
3. May Decrease the level of Bad Cholesterol
This tea could decrease the levels of bad cholesterol in the body and thereby reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, strokes, heart attacks and other such life-threatening diseases and medical conditions (3).
4. May Help with Diabetes and Blood pressure
It may helps to reduce the risk of diabetes and could also help to keep blood pressure under check and prevent the complications related to hypertension (4).
5. Improve metabolism
Keemun tea could also improve the overall metabolism process of the body. If you are keen on keeping your weight under check and are on a weight-reduction program, it will make good sense to be on a regular regimen of keemun tea beverage drinking (5).
6. May help prevent cancer
Since this tea is a rich source of antioxidants, it could be quite helpful in preventing different types of cancers including breast cancer, cancer of the digestive tract and cervical cancer (6).
7. Help with Digestion
People who suffer from digestive problems could also benefit by regular consumption of keemun tea. It has properties that could help give a fillip to the various digestive enzymes in our digestive system (7).
8. Help relieve pain
Some people also have found relief from pain because keemun black tea could have some interesting anti-inflammatory properties.
9. May help preventing strokes
It is a rich source of quercetin, a specific compound. This is a plant-based chemical and also is referred to as a phytonutrient. It could play an active role in preventing different types of cancers, strokes and sudden and fatal heart attacks (9).
10. May help with neurologically-related diseases
Elderly people often suffer from debilitating diseases of the nerves including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. For these groups of people keemun tea could be a good option. This is because this specific black tea is a rich source of a compound known as catechins and this could prevent various neurologically-related diseases (10).
11. Strengthen teeth and bones
This tea also has rich concentration of magnesium. This is a water-insoluble mineral that is essential for strong teeth and bones. It also is essential for the right absorption of calcium into our bones, teeth and circulatory system (11).
Magnesium could also play an important role in reducing the severity of asthma attacks. Hence, this could also be another possible benefit for those who regularly consume Keemun tea.
12. Improve Performances
Keemun black tea consists good quantities of caffeine, though lesser when compared to coffee. Caffeine can help in improving the performance and brain and making a person alert and sharp.Last but not the least, It also good could extremely beneficial for efficient and healthy blood circulation. This is because this tea is a rich source of thiamine and vitamin B1. Thiamine also helps the body to use carbohydrates more efficiently (12).
Hence, at the end of the day, there are dozens of benefits associated with Keemun tea.
Side Effects Of Keemun Tea
However, like all products, anything in excess could cause problems. Therefore, you must know the limits of consuming this black tea. Further, there are a few downsides as far as Keemun black tea is concerned. We are listing down a few of them for the sake of our customers and readers.
Women who are pregnant or those who have just given birth to a baby are advised to stay away from Keemun tea. The same is the case with lactating mothers. It could cause problems to the baby.Too much caffeine is bad for your health and could lead to some unwanted problems and could negatively impact sleep patterns. Hence, you must know the limits as far as daily consumption of keemun black tea is concerned (13).
A Few More Things To Bear In Mind
Though there is no doubt that keemun black tea, by its very nature, is full of benefits and goodness, the manufacturing process, the materials used and the agents used have an important role to play. Manufacturing this tea requires use of large quantities of water. The water that is used to brew the tea must be of the best quality. It should be totally free from contaminants.
Further, the water also should be rich in oxygen. This will go a long way in enhancing the natural flavor of the tea. Any black tea that is made from pure water help in giving you a final product that comes with a crisp flavor. Clear brewing, using quality water also goes a long way in making the tea aesthetically pleasant.
Different Varieties Of Keemun Tea
Before buying this black tea, you must understand that it comes in different varieties. We are sharing a few of them:
- Keemun Mao Feng – It comes from leaf buds that are slightly twisted. They have to be steeped for seven minutes or even more.
- Keemun Hao Ya – This tea originated from fine buds and it is considered to be of the best quality and of the highest grade.
- Keemun Xin Ya – This is considered to be bitter in taste when compared to other varieties. Keemun Congou – This has a beautiful floral fragrance and the aftertaste is also extremely pleasant and enduring.
Keemun tea has almost the same active constituents that are a part of other quality black tea variants and types available in the market. It is a rich source of poly-phenol (antioxidants) and also catechins. These make it extremely suitable as a stimulant accompanied with many health benefits.
How To Make This Tea
The process of making keemun tea is quite simple. All that you have to do is to add around a teaspoonful of keemun black tea leaves (fully dried). It should be added to around 150 ml of water that has been freshly boiled. The steep should be mixed for around 3 to 5 minutes. Though you can add milk and sugar, keemun tea is best taken without the above two ingredients. This will help you to enjoy the original taste and aroma.
Conclusion
In fine, if you are a connoisseur of quality tea that offers the best of taste, aroma, floral odor accompanied by top-class aesthetics, you have many reasons to try out keemun tea. It is almost 145 years when the first lot of this black tea hit the markets in China. Since then it has become a favorite for thousands of people not only in mainland China but also across Britain and other countries of the world. Yes, it also has many health benefits.
Sources:
(1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3249911/
(2) http://www.freefoodfacts.com/black-tea/
(3) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14519829
(4) https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/news/20050420/black-tea-green-tea-good-for-diabetes
(5) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15640470
(6) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15341993
(9) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23295000
(10) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17013636
(11) http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/1344892.stm
(12) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21172396
(13) https://www.parents.com/pregnancy/my-body/is-it-safe/how-much-tea-can-you-drink-when-pregnant/