⚠ Not medical advice. Traditional uses and modern research are presented here for cultural and historical context. We do not make health claims. Consult a physician before changing your diet or substituting tea for medication.
A catalogue of traditional Chinese medicine framings of tea: which categories were used when, why, by whom. Cross-referenced with peer-reviewed studies where available. Annotated by what the research actually shows — and where it stops.
Green
Traditionally: Antioxidant catechins (EGCG well-studied). TCM cooling — taken in summer or after rich food.
Modern research: Strong evidence for cardiovascular markers. Mixed for cognition. Caffeine-sensitive: drink before 3pm.
White
Traditionally: Less processed, gentle. Given in convalescence and for the elderly. Cools without bitterness.
Modern research: Comparable polyphenol profile to green but lower caffeine. Aged white (>5y) shows different alkaloid balance — actively studied.
Pu-erh (shou)
Traditionally: Drunk during and after fatty meals. Yunnan minorities use it for digestion and warming.
Modern research: Microbial fermentation produces unique theabrownins. Some lipid-metabolism studies; samples small, claims often overstated.
Oolong
Traditionally: Wuyi rock tea — careful preparation, careful consumption. Aged Tieguanyin used for cough.
Modern research: Theaflavins from semi-oxidation. Roasting changes profile substantially. Few large studies separating sub-types.
Red (hong cha)
Traditionally: Warming tea, drunk in winter and at altitude. Common in Tibet, Mongolia, the Russian steppe.
Modern research: Theaflavins and thearubigins. Some L-theanine. Caffeine higher than green per gram of dry leaf, but extracted slower.
Pu-erh (sheng)
Traditionally: Strongly bitter when young, taken sparingly. Aged sheng was a luxury — used by monks and merchants.
Modern research: High catechin in young leaf, very different after 10+ years. Very little controlled human research yet.