What Tea Should You Drink: Yin Tea or Yang Tea?

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According to Taoist philosophy, everything on earth has either Yin or Yang attribute. Chinese tea, based on their taste and fermentation, is categorized into Yin tea and Yang tea. Each has different attributes and effects on the body. Therefore, some teas are conducive, and some are not. It’s essential to know what tea you should drink.


What is Yin Tea and What is Yang Tea?

Tea is cold and Yin in natural property, and it can be warm and Yang by stir-frying at a high temperature, fermenting, baking, and storing. The cold materials contained in tea is gradually oxidized and transformed, making the Yin tea mild. In general, if the tea leaves are green in the water, the tea is Yin tea. If the tea leaves are dark red or slightly black, the tea is Yang tea. Among the six major teas, green tea, yellow tea, and white tea are Yin teas, and Oolong tea, red tea, and black tea are Yang teas.  



What Are the Attributes of Yin Tea?

Yin tea is cold in property, making it an excellent drink for those who suffer great inner heat. For example, it’s believed that those who have many dry food or meats are most likely to have internal heat. They might consider drinking some Yin tea to cool off. However, different Yin tea has different effects. 


1.Green Tea - Refreshing

Attributes: non-fermented tea, Yin, and restricting fire

By deactivating the enzymes contained in the green tea at a high temperature, the green tea preserves the natural components of the tea leaves. It’s incredibly rich in minerals, which have a unique effect on resisting radiation, aging, and enhancing immunity. Besides, there are thousands of green teas in China, and some have high artistic value.

Suitable for: those who have a naturally warm body, inner heat, and good energy.

Tip: Be careful if you also suffer from hepatic disease; green tea may increase your pain.

Recommended teas: Dragon Well (Longjing), Biluochun, and Xinyang Maojian

Best time to have: summer.

Green Tea


2.White Tea - Faint Sweetness

Attributes: faintly fermented and Yin

Instead of deactivating the enzymes or rolling the tea leaves, the white tea is naturally sunned or slightly dried at a gentle heat. It has an essential function in resisting radiation, oxidation, and tumor, lowering blood pressure, blood lipid, blood sugar, and nourishing the heart, liver, eyes, and skin. 

Suitable for: those who have a dampness-heat constitution or suffer from and those with hot hands and feet, hot temper, oily skin, or ozostomia.

Recommended teas: Baihao Yinzhen, Baimudan, and Shoumei.

Best time to have: summer.

White Tea


3.Yellow Tea - Mild

Attributes: slightly fermented and mildly Yin

The yellow tea production is similar to that of the green tea, except that an additional step is taken to make the tea soup yellow. Yellow tea contains many tea polyphenols, amino acids, soluble sugar, and vitamins, making it useful in preventing esophagus cancer. 

Suitable for: Those who have inner heat.

Tip: Those who suffer from stomachache and anemia are not suggested to drink yellow tea.

Recommended teas: Huoshan Xueya, Wenzhou Huangtang, and Junshan Yinzhen

Best time to have: summer.

Yellow Tea


What Are the Attributes of Yang Tea?

Yang tea is mild in nature. It can be the right balance if you are a vegetarian. Drinking Yang tea can warm your body and dispel the coldness.


1.Oolong Tea

Attributes: fermented tea and Yang tea

Oolong tea is grown out of the same tea like green tea, making it very similar to green tea. However, Oolong tea is deactivated, half-fermented, and baked. Therefore, Oolong tea is less amertume. Besides, Oolong tea contains more theine and polyphenols, making it more effective than green tea in many ways. 

Benefits: nourish skin, ease skin allergy, lose weight, prevent tumor and cancer, and lower blood fat.

Suitable for: almost everyone, especially for those who have a phlegm-dampness constitution or stagnant blood constitution.

Tip: Please avoid having Oolong tea on an empty stomach.

Recommended teas: Tieguanyin, Taiwan Oolong, Dahongpao, Shuixian, and Yancha.

Oolong Tea


2.Black Tea

Attributes: fermented tea and Yang tea

By rolling, fermenting, and drying, the black tea is completely fermented and becomes mild in nature. During the process, the tea polyphenol in the tea is significantly decreased, and new contents like theaflavin and thearubigins and the aromatic substances are produced. Therefore, black tea has red leaves, red soup, and fragrant taste. 

Benefits: refreshing mind, allaying tiredness, discharging lactic acid, purine trione, extra salt, reducing inflammation, and detoxifying.

Suitable for: Those who have cold feet and hands and suffer from stomach cold.

Tip: people who suffer from lithiasis or anemia are not suggested to drink black tea.

Recommended teas: Qishan red tea and Dianhong red tea.

Black Tea


3.Dark Tea

Attributes: post-fermented tea, Yang tea

Drak tea is a unique tea type in China. Due to the long fermenting process, the dark tea has dark brown leaves. The commonly seen dark tea is Puer tea, which, based on the fermentation, can be divided into raw Puer tea and cooked Puer tea. The raw Puer tea is effective in cleansing the intestinal canal, lowering body fat, refreshing, releasing pressure, and losing weight. In contrast, the cooked Puer tea is mild and more effective in nourishing the stomach. However, expecting women should not drink dark tea.

Suitable for: those who suffer from cold hands and feet, sore back, and declining energy.

Tip: a dark tea that has been stored for over five years is mild and more beneficial.

Recommended teas: Puer tea, Anhua dark tea, Guangxi Liubao tea.

Dark Tea


What Tea Should You Drink in Autumn and Winter?

During the transitional season, the climate can change a lot, imposing a challenge on health. Drinking Yang tea can help you get through the change and cold weather smoothly. 

Seasonal tea, especially the Oolong tea, has the best effect on adjusting the body in the transitional season. As the half-fermented tea, Oolong tea has the advantages of cooling your inner heat, nourishing the body, and removing food retention. 

With the climate getting cold, you can gradually move to mild and fermented tea, such as Puer Tea. It’s suggested to choose the raw Puer tea first to keep your body warm.

In cold winter, the cooked Puer tea or Black tea is an excellent treat to warm your body and adjust organs.

Puer Tea

Related Articles:

Chinese Tea - History Types Benefits and Ceremony

Why Do Chinese People Prefer Drinking Hot Water

5 Major Chinese Alcoholic Drinks


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