There’s one tea you drink to warm you up for the season, one with a rich history of welcoming traditions. It’s the first batch, harvested in early march and served throughout the year and it’s a tea with many names. Spring tea. Chinese tea. It’s part of a country’s tradition of preparing for a season when the flowers are in bloom. It’s also part of a much larger Chinese tradition of having a tea name after each season, though the spring crop tea is undoubtedly the most popular.
Its benefits are universal and undisputed. From a nutritional point, the caffeinated and aromatic substance in tea leaves excites the nervous system and heightens the mood. Chinese tea is also known for improving memory, improving muscle endurance and reducing the risk of diabetes. When it comes to spring tea, it’s all a matter of personal taste.
There are some who prefer green tea or black tea and others who lean more towards the sweeter floral variations found in flower tea or oolong tea. Black tea’s particularly recognized for its healthy energy boosts and one that is often used to combat fatigue, whereas Pu-erh and oolong tea are primarily known for their contributions towards weight loss. Not to mention the anti-aging effects prominent in all spring teas.
The way to choose your favorite among these spring teas is to admire the bent or shape of tea leaves that are about to fill your cup. Keep in mind that good spring tea is one which can be drank neat and one that won’t leave too many leaves in the empty cup. As some seasoned tea lovers will tell you, touching and rubbing the tea leaves slightly with your thumb is the one way to drink your tea. Feel the weight of the leaves in your hands. The ones that feel heavier, usually indicate a tea that’s rich in nutrients and very flavorful.
Have a deep breath and inhale while still holding the leaves. Having a sense of which fragrances you’re getting will help get a clear idea of which flavors you will get later on. Of course, the best way to choose your tea is to brew it. Brewing extracts all that’s best in the leaves and will allow to enjoy all the flavors and nutrients that come out of it.
Pouring slowly hot water over tea will allow the process to be both ritualistic and relaxing. Tea lovers often recommend taking your time brewing and setting your tea cup in the saucer. Mindfulness can both improve your tea drinking experience and your present moment.
You may even use tea drinking as an opportunity to stop and have a few moments away from the pressures of the outside world. Throughout the centuries, drinking tea has gradually evolved from a ceremonial setting to a more domestic and somewhat less formal backdrop. The transformative powers of tea are still pretty much present. Drinking spring tea might just provide you with the right excuse to start things afresh.