Gui Hua tea (桂花茶, Guì Huā Chá) is made from Osmanthus fragrans. Gui Hua is the Chinese name of Osmanthus fragrans.
In China, there are two kinds of Gui Hua tea. One is made from 100% of Gui Hua. The other one is made from Gui Hua and traditional Chinese tea, such as green tea, black tea, and oolong tea, which are called tea base for processing Gui Hua tea.
According to the different tea bases, Gui Hua tea can be classified into Gui Hua green tea, Gui Hua black tea, Gui Hua oolong tea, which have not only the benefits of Gui Hua but also of the traditional Chinese tea.
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Culture of Gui Hua Tea
As a precious tree species, Gui Hua has been loved by people all over the world. In China, besides being appreciated by people, Gui Hua is also a carrier for the literati to express their thoughts and feelings.
Many ancient Chinese poets wrote poems to praise Gui Hua. The meaning of Osmanthus fragrans in China is “lofty”, “beautiful”, “auspicious”, “friendly” and “loyal”.
As early as the Tang and Song dynasties, the imperial concubines drank Gui Hua tea to make themselves fragrant. It was called “fragrant body” in ancient times.
Chinese people have the traditional habit of drinking Gui Hua tea during the Mid-Autumn Festival (Zhong Qiu Jie). The Mid-Autumn Festival is the time when Gui Hua blooms. Gui Hua tea adds a special feature to the festival.
Types of Gui Hua Tea
Gui Hua Longjing Tea
Gui Hua Longjing tea is made from Gui Hua and Longjing tea, which is a famous green tea native to the West Lake in the Hangzhou City of Zhejiang Province.
Hangzhou City is located in the north of the southeast coast of China. It has a subtropical monsoon climate and is suitable for the growth of Gui Hua.
When Gui Hua is in full bloom, the local tea farmers will process Gui Hua Longjing tea. Gui Hua Longjing Tea is also the best drink for entertaining family and friends. This formed a local custom.
With the development of the tea industry, Gui Hua Longjing tea has come to the market. Many enterprises began to produce Gui Hua Longjing tea, which was loved by a vast number of customers.
Gui Hua Oolong Tea
Gui Hua oolong tea is made from Gui Hua and oolong tea. It is an exported product in the Anxi County of Fujian Province. Anxi County is famous for producing high-quality oolong tea and is the hometown of the famous oolong tea Tieguanyin tea.
Gui Hua oolong tea is thick and soft, the color is brown, the fragrance is long-lasting, the taste is mellow and sweet, and the tea liquid is orange and bright.
Gui Hua Broken Black Tea
Gui Hua broken black tea is made from Gui Hua and broken black tea. It is invented by the Southwest Agricultural University of China. The shape of broken black tea is fragmented or granular. Gui Hua broken black tea is often processed into teabags to sell.
Guilin Gui Hua Tea
Guilin Gui Hua tea produced in the Guilin City of Guangxi Province is a specialty of this province and is a geographical indication of agricultural products in China.
There are many rivers in the growth area of Gui Hua in Guilin City, where the climate is mild, the rainfall is abundant, and the light is sufficient, so it is very suitable for the growth of Gui Hua.
Gui Hua growing in Gulin has large flowers, thick petals, golden color, and strong fragrance. It has very high quality to make Gui Hua tea. Guilin Gui Hua tea mainly includes Gui Hua green tea and Gui Hua black tea.
The production of Guilin Gui Hua tea began in the Tang Dynasty and Gulin tea factory began to produce Gui Hua tea in the 1970s.
Benefits of Gui Hua Tea
Detox
Gui Hua tea can help your body get rid of toxins in the kidney and liver. In traditional Chinese medicine, it is used as a powerful detox drug. It helps to treat diseases related to the kidney, liver, and endocrine system.
Anti-Aging
Gui Hua contains a lot of phenolic acids, which are the natural source of antioxidants. It can fight free radicals, which are one of the causes of aging.
Calm the Nerves
Gui Hua tea has a sedative effect to relax the mind and also has a function of improving brain function.
Provide Nutrients
Gui Hua tea contains a variety of amino acids and 15 kinds of vitamins such as A, B, C, D, E, K, and more than 10 kinds of trace elements necessary for the human body.
Treat Rheumatism
Gui Hua tea has the effect of removing dampness, improving blood circulation, and relaxing muscles, so it has a certain auxiliary therapeutic effect on rheumatism.
Improve Eyesight and Skin
Gui Hua tea can help to improve eyesight and moisturize the skin. Some skincare products contain the essential oil of Gui Hua.
Side Effects of Gui Hua Tea
- People with stomach diseases should not drink Gui Hua tea. If you are suffering from stomach diseases, such as stomach pain and bleeding, you should not drink it, which will increase the severity of the disease.
- Pregnant women should not drink Gui Hua tea, because Gui Hua tea has the effect of accelerating blood circulation. It is not good for the fetus, especially in the early stage of pregnancy.
- People during the medication period should not drink Gui Hua tea. It will reduce the efficacy of the drug, making patients difficult to recover.