Chi Gan 小种

A recent creation of Master Jun, a producer of the Wuyi area of writes with this tea a new page of the history of Hong Cha (red tea). This excellent product offers a delicate amber liquor, with complex aromas of chocolate, honey and fruits. Only available in limited quantities. We recommand to prepare this tea in gong fu cha, and to brew it for 30 seconds with a water at 80°c.

Tea and health

Red teas (often called "black teas" in Western countries) don't have the positive reputation of green, white or oolong teas in terms of health benefits, but they nevertheless have interesting properties. They contain powerful carbohydrates (polysaccharides) which slow blood sugar absorption and can help in cases of diabetes or in a weight loss diet. The antioxidants present in red teas may also play a positive role in weight loss, along the other benefits they offer, such as helping decreasing the risks of cardiovascular diseases. They relax the muscles of bronchioles, thus helping regulate and enhance breathing.  Drinking red tea is also said to help bring cortisol (the "stress" hormone) levels back to normal more quickly and might even help recover sooner after a workout. Red teas have a reputation of containing an important amount of caffeine, but they still have less caffeine than coffee. So, drinking red teas offers caffeine's benefits - alertness, concentration... - but without its more negative effects.