Does drinking black tea in summer "increase internal heat" or "reduce it"?

YuanJia131

As soon as summer arrives, the dilemma about whether to drink tea follows.
Green tea is refreshing, and many people drink it with a clear conscience. When it comes to black tea, however, there's always a nagging doubt: this tea is warm and mellow, but would drinking it on a hot day add fuel to the fire?
Black tea is a fermented tea, where the originally stimulating compounds in the leaves are transformed during the fermentation process, resulting in a tea nature that tends to be "warm." However, many people interpret "warm" as "hot," believing that drinking it will cause dryness. In reality, these are two different things.
In *Compendium of Materia Medica: Supplement*, Zhao Xuemin of the Qing Dynasty explicitly stated: "All teas are cold in nature; those with weak stomachs should avoid excessive consumption, as it often leads to stagnation. Only Wuyi tea is warm and does not harm the stomach, making it suitable for those prone to tea addiction or stagnation."
The warming nature of black tea does not equate to dry heat. This is precisely why it is considered a daily staple tea by many.

Summer is actually quite suitable for drinking black tea.
The "Huangdi Neijing" advocates the seasonal health concept of "nurturing yang in spring and summer." During summer, when external heat prevails, the body's yang energy rises to the surface. Prolonged air conditioning and frequent consumption of ice-cold beverages can easily lead to a sense of coldness. At this time, a cup of warm, mild black tea—its soothing brew perfectly aligns with the ancient practice of drinking tea in harmony with seasonal rhythms—can alleviate discomfort caused by excessive cold-seeking.
Li Shizhen of the Ming Dynasty recorded in *Compendium of Materia Medica* that hot tea could promote the dispersion of tea's energy, while Gao Lian's *Eight Treatises on Health Preservation* also mentioned that warm beverages were suitable for summer. This was not because ancient people feared the heat, but rather a tea-drinking habit aligned with seasonal changes.
Therefore, drinking black tea in summer doesn't directly "extinguish" the heat but helps the body regulate its internal environment, allowing the fire to dissipate naturally.
This summer, why not brew yourself a cup of mild and mellow black tea? The gentle taste in your mouth embodies the pleasure of drinking tea in harmony with the season.