Strong Tea Myths Busted: Dilution Trick? Hangover Cure?

Many tea drinkers have questions about strong tea. Is drinking strong tea followed by plain water the same as drinking weak tea? Can strong tea really help sober you up after drinking alcohol? Let's dive into what strong tea really is and address these common beliefs.

What Exactly is "Strong Tea" (浓茶 nóng chá)?

Think of "strong" here as meaning "concentrated" (浓缩 nóng suō). A strong tea brew contains more of the tea leaves' inner substances (内含物质 nèi hán wù zhì) dissolved in a specific volume of water compared to a standard brew of the same tea. This makes the taste feel "heavier" (偏重 piān zhòng).

How does this happen? Since the total amount of substances in the dry leaves is fixed, you get a stronger brew by:

1. Using more tea leaves than usual for the amount of water (投茶量大于常规 tóu chá liàng dà yú cháng guī).
2. Steeping the tea for longer than usual (坐杯时间大于常规 zuò bēi shí jiān dà yú cháng guī).

These substances include alkaloids like caffeine (咖啡碱 kā fēi jiǎn), polyphenols like catechins (儿茶素 ér chá sù), amino acids, sugars, aromatic compounds, minerals, vitamins, and more.

Why Can Strong Tea Taste Bad?

A tea's final taste isn't determined by one single compound, but by the complex interplay – the balance of antagonism and synergy (拮抗协同 jié kàng xié tóng) – between all its components.

• High-Quality Tea: If the tea itself is excellent, even a strongly brewed cup might not taste bad, just very intense or heavy-flavored (重口味 zhòng kǒu wèi).
• Flawed Tea: However, if the tea has inherent flaws (e.g., from poor material or processing), brewing it strong disrupts the natural balance of extracted substances (内质比例失调 nèi zhì bǐ lì shī tiáo). This imbalance often makes the tea unpleasant, leading to the negative reputation strong tea sometimes gets. Common issues include:
  • Excessive Bitterness (过苦 guò kǔ): While linked to several compounds, the primary driver is high caffeine extraction. It's not just the high caffeine itself, but also a lack of sufficient balancing compounds (like sugars and certain amino acids). Teas made from lower-grade leaves or summer harvests are often more prone to this.
  • Astringency (涩 sè): Often accompanies bitterness. It typically arises from an imbalance in the types of polyphenols extracted, coupled with insufficient levels of compounds that contribute positive sweet or aromatic notes. Also common in summer-picked teas and can be related to processing issues.
  • Other Off-Notes: Strong brews of flawed teas might also exhibit muddy/impure tastes (杂味 zá wèi), stuffy/stewed notes (闷味 mèn wèi), or even sourness (酸味 suān wèi).

Why Avoid Strong Tea? (Beyond Just Taste)

If it were only about potentially unpleasant taste, strong tea wouldn't be so widely advised against.

• Traditional Warnings: For centuries, traditional medical texts and respected authorities (医学巨擘 yī xué jù bò) have cautioned against regular consumption of strong tea (不宜饮浓茶 bù yí yǐn nóng chá).
• Health Concerns: These warnings often centre on strong tea's significant impact on one's energy/vitality (精气神 jīng qì shén) and digestive system (肠胃消化 cháng wèi xiāo huà).

How Strong is "Too Strong"? Listen to Your Body!

Okay, the warnings are clear (一目了然 yī mù liǎo rán), but many tea drinkers remain confused (懵 měng). What actually constitutes "strong" tea? How strong is too strong?

This is frustratingly subjective (因人而异 yīn rén ér yì). What feels strong to one person might be normal for another. A medium-roast Wuyi rock tea could feel intense to someone used to light green tea, but perfectly fine for a seasoned Yancha drinker.

The real standard is your body's feedback (身体的真实反馈 shēn tǐ de zhēn shí fǎn kuì). Pay attention to signals like:

• Difficulty sleeping (失眠 shī mián) after drinking tea.
• Stomach discomfort, aches (肚子疼 dù zi téng, 胃疼 wèi téng).
• Digestive upset like loose stools (便稀 biàn xī).
• Feeling "tea drunk" (茶醉 chá zuì - often involves dizziness, nausea, jitters).

These are signs that you might be drinking tea that's too strong for you, or simply too much. It's your body telling you to ease up, brew lighter, or take a break. Be particularly mindful of digestive effects, as these can develop gradually over time (日积月累 rì jī lěi) and may only become noticeable when they've reached a point needing attention.

Myth #1 Debunked: Strong Tea + Plain Water ≠ Weak Tea

Some people wonder: "If I drink a small cup of strong tea and then drink a glass of plain water, isn't the total effect the same as just drinking a larger cup of weak tea?"

The answer is NO. Physiologically, it's not the same. Drinking a concentrated brew delivers a potent hit of stimulating compounds (like caffeine and polyphenols) directly to your system. Following up with water doesn't negate the initial intense exposure. Drinking a weaker brew from the start provides a gentler, more gradual intake. Regularly consuming highly concentrated brews, even if "diluted" afterwards, can contribute to the cumulative negative effects mentioned earlier. The manner and concentration of intake matter.

Myth #2 Debunked: Strong Tea for Hangovers = "IQ Tax"? (浓茶解酒 nóng chá jiě jiǔ)

There's a persistent belief that drinking strong tea can help alleviate drunkenness after consuming a lot of alcohol.

This is highly inadvisable and potentially risky (冒险 mào xiǎn). The idea that strong tea directly counteracts alcohol intoxication is a myth, essentially an "IQ tax" (智商税 zhì shāng shuì – paying for something due to lack of knowledge).

• No Direct Link: Strong tea doesn't magically sober you up. Any perceived relief is likely indirect – perhaps the psychological comfort of a warm drink settling the stomach temporarily.
• Kidney Strain: Critically, forcing your body to process high concentrations of tea compounds while it's already working hard to metabolize alcohol puts significant extra strain on your kidneys (肾脏 shèn zàng).
• Recommendation: Avoid this practice. It offers no real benefit for sobriety and carries significant health risks. Be cautious (建议谨慎 jiàn yì jǐn shèn).

Conclusion

Understanding strong tea means recognizing it as a concentrated brew, achieved through more leaf or longer steeping. While potentially enjoyable with high-quality tea, it can easily become unpleasant if the tea has flaws or if brewed improperly. More importantly, regular consumption of overly strong tea can lead to negative physical effects – listen to your body's signals. Finally, don't fall for the myths: chasing strong tea with water isn't the same as drinking weak tea, and using strong tea as a hangover remedy is ineffective and potentially harmful. Enjoy your tea mindfully and in balance!