Broadleaf Holly Leaf belongs to Folium llicis Latifoliae, also known as pineapple tree, big leaf tea and Kuding tea. The source is the leaves of llex latifolia Thunb., a plant of the Ilex family. Grows on hillsides, bamboo forests, and shrubs. Distributed in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River provinces and Fujian.
Plant form: Evergreen tree, up to 15m tall. The bark is ocher black or gray-black, rough, with shallow cracks, the branches are thick and smooth, and the new branches are angular. The leaves are leathery and thick, spirally alternate, oblong or ovate, with sharp apex or slightly rounded base, blunt base, sparsely toothed edges, glossy upper surface, and protruding main veins below. Cymes, mostly concentrated in the upper leaf axils; male inflorescences have 1 to 3 flowers, and female inflorescences have only 1 flower; bracts are ovate, mostly; calyx is 4-lobed, lobes are ovate, ciliate, yellow-green; petals are 4, elliptical. Shape, base healed, 3 times as long as the calyx; male flowers have 4 stamens, longer than the petals, filaments straight, anthers ovate, with reduced ovary in the center, strong bisexual stamens as long as the petals, ovary globose egg shape. The drupe is spherical, red when mature, with remaining styles; it has 4 cores and 3 ribs. The flowering period is from April to May and the fruiting period is from October.
Harvesting and processing: Harvested throughout the year, removed impurities and dried.
Characteristics: The leaves are oval and oblong, leathery, not wrinkled, and some are slightly curled longitudinally. They are yellow-green or gray-green above, shiny, and yellow-green below. Slightly bitter taste.
Chemical components: Contains ursolic acid, β-amyrin, lupeol, taraxerol, etc.
Nature and flavor: Cold in nature, bitter and sweet in taste.
Ilex kudingcha C. J. Tseng is an evergreen tree of the Ilex genus Ilex kuding tea species. It is commonly known as tea ding, Fuding tea, and Gaolu tea. It is mainly distributed in Guangdong, Fujian and other places. It is a traditional pure natural health drink in my country. Kuding tea contains more than 200 ingredients such as Kuding saponin, amino acids, vitamin C, polyphenols, flavonoids, caffeine, and protein. The finished tea has a fragrance that is bitter and then sweet and cool. It has many functions such as clearing heat and relieving heat, improving eyesight and improving intelligence, producing body fluids and quenching thirst, diuresis and strengthening the heart, soothing the throat and relieving cough, lowering blood pressure and losing weight, suppressing and preventing cancer, anti-aging, activating blood circulation, etc. Due to its efficacy, it is known as "health tea", "beauty tea", "weight loss tea", "hypertension tea", "longevity tea" and other reputations. In recent years, research on Kuding tea has mostly focused on nutritional and health care aspects such as processed finished tea and tea beverages. Kuding tea bags, Kuding tea granules, Kuding tea lozenges, and compound Kuding tea have been successfully developed. Tea and other health foods. At present, research on the cultivation, processing, physiology and biochemistry and application of Kuding tea is very active. However, the research on its fine processing, deep processing, trade and physiological and biochemical mechanisms, especially the functional components of Kuding tea, needs to be further explored. , to promote the development of Kuding tea beverage resource utilization.
2 Efficacy
Functions and Indications: Dispersing wind and heat, clearing the head and eyes, and eliminating polydipsia. Used for headache, toothache, red eyes, fever, polydipsia, and dysentery.
According to the "Compendium of Materia Medica", Kuding tea has pharmacological functions such as dispersing wind and heat, clearing the head and eyes, producing body fluids and quenching thirst, digesting and refreshing, anti-inflammatory and detoxifying, lowering blood pressure and lipids. According to research conducted jointly by scientific research institutions such as the Tea Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the Crop Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the Forest Environmental Protection Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Forestry Sciences, the Geological Testing Center of the Ministry of Metallurgical Industry, and the Tea Quality Supervision, Inspection and Testing Center of the Ministry of Agriculture, Vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, various amino acids, B-carrots, polyphenols, triterpene glycosides and other substances, as well as calcium (Ca), potassium (K), sodium (Na), Manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), selenium (Se), germanium (Ge), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), phosphorus (P), etc. Trace elements are essential for the human body.
According to the "Guangdong Science and Technology News" on May 15, 1993: "Kuding tea has the functions of lowering blood pressure, lowering blood lipids, lowering cholesterol, clearing heat and detoxifying, anti-inflammatory and sterilizing, strengthening the stomach and eliminating accumulation, and refreshing the brain. , improve eyesight and improve thinking, etc. It is a good medicine for cooling the liver, dispersing wind, relieving pain and reducing inflammation.
It has significant effects on treating hypertension, obesity, stomatitis, pharyngitis, etc.; it has good effects on acute gastritis, colds, abdominal pain, Sha, malaria, constipation, etc.; it has an inhibitory effect on nasopharyngeal cancer and esophageal cancer; boiled Washing with water outside can treat a variety of skin diseases and burns; if you drink it as tea, it tastes sweet and cool, promotes body fluids and quenches thirst, is bitter at first and then sweet, and has a long-lasting aftertaste, so it is known as "green gold". 'Longevity tea', 'beauty tea'".
Modern scientific clinical applications show that Kuding tea has the functions of relieving heat and detoxification, anti-inflammation and sterilization, resolving phlegm and relieving cough, strengthening the stomach and eliminating accumulated accumulation, refreshing the brain, and promoting weight loss. It has anti-cancer and anti-radiation effects, lowers blood pressure, lowers blood lipids, and lowers cholesterol. It is praised as a health tea, a longevity tea, and a beauty tea by consumers at home and abroad. It is a natural multi-functional plant beverage that is widely used.
Processing technology
The fresh tea leaves must be processed in a timely manner and must not be piled up to prevent the leaves from falling and rotting.
1. Withering
There are three main methods of withering:
(1) Heating withering: Artificial heating with the help of electric heat and charcoal is fast and efficient, but if the heat is not controlled well, the quality is not easy to guarantee. < /p>
(2) Indoor natural withering: It is mainly carried out in a ventilated and light-transmitting room. That is, use a bamboo mat to spread the tea leaves evenly for about 15-20 hours, and turn them evenly several times to allow the water to evaporate. 50%-60%, withering will be completed after the petioles and leaf buds are soft.
This method evaporates slowly and is easy to master.
(3) Sunlight withering: Spread the fresh leaves on a bamboo mat or put them in the sun. It only takes 30 minutes on sunny days, and it depends on the softness on cloudy days. In short, the criteria for withering are: the leaves shrink; the thick stems lose water and are soft and difficult to break; the green flavor is reduced.
2. Greening
Greening is a key measure to improve the quality of tea. The general requirement is that the greening should be even and thorough, and the principles of "high temperature, few leaves, and a combination of tossing and frying" should be followed, usually using an iron pot. , the diameter should be large, the pot temperature should be between 150-200°C, first high and then low, fry the leaves in the pot for about 2 kilograms at a time, and double the standard for machine processing: the appearance of the leaves changes from bright green to dark green, and the leaves are fried by hand. The tea leaves are slightly sticky when held tightly, and the thick stems are broken continuously, the green air disappears, and the aroma of tea is revealed.
3. Twist the leaves. Kuding tea generally has thick buds and leaves, large stems, and multiple leaves. Use hot kneading. When kneading, stir-fry and knead over slow heat. Warm kneading must also be done on a hot stove. Cold kneading is generally used less often. When the tea leaves have strong adhesion, roll them into a ball and take them out of the pot. To shape, you can grab the main stem of each bud and twist one leaf or several leaves into a rope shape. You can also roll several leaves into a square, round or triangular shape, etc. to make it exquisite and elegant, and restore it after brewing. It is green and has excellent aroma, taste and shape. The formation rate of young leaves is required to be above 80%, and the formation rate of over-aged buds is only 60%-70%.
4. Drying
After the fresh leaves have been withered, dried, rolled and shaped, they should be scattered immediately on bamboo mats, dustpans or drying grounds in the shade. Do not expose them to direct sunlight. When the leaves can be ground and the thick stems are broken and the lotus roots are broken and connected, it means that the moisture content of the tea is between 3% and 5%. At this time, the tea has reached the dryness level. If it encounters rainy weather after collection, it must be dried slowly at low temperature until dry.
Botanical name: Kudingcha
Alias: Big-leaf holly
Latin name: Ilex latifolia
Family name: Ilexaceae< /p>
Genus name: Ilex
Adapted area: Lower Yangtze River to South China
Mid-subtropical evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved forest areas (major cities: Wuhan, Shashi, Huangshi, Yichang, Nanchang, Jingdezhen, Jiujiang, Ji'an, Jinggangshan, Ganzhou, Shanghai, Changsha, Zhuzhou, Yueyang, Huaihua, Jishou, Changde, Xiangtan, Hengyang, Shaoyang, Guilin, Wenzhou, Jinhua, Ningbo, Chongqing, Chengdu, Dujiangyan, Mianyang, Neijiang, Leshan, Zigong, Panzhihua, Guiyang, Zunyi, Liupanshui, Anshun, Kunming, Dali)
South subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest area (major cities: Fuzhou, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Guangzhou , Foshan, Shunde, Dongguan, Huizhou, Shantou, Taipei, Liuzhou, Guiping, Gejiu)
Tropical monsoon forest and rainforest areas (major cities: Haikou, Sanya, Qionghai, Kaohsiung, Tainan, Shenzhen, Zhanjiang , Zhongshan, Zhuhai, Macau, Hong Kong, Nanning, Qinzhou Beihai, Maoming, Jinghong)
Ecological classification: Woody plants> Evergreen trees
Ornamental classification: Shade trees
Height range: 20 (M)
Morphological characteristics: Spring flowers are yellow-green, fruits are red, mature in autumn, young leaves can be used as tea
Growth habits: Tolerant Shade
Landscape use: Courtyard shade tree
Source: China Tea Online
Authenticity and counterfeit identification
The leaves of Kudingcha are relatively common The tea leaves are 1.5-2 times larger, oval, thick, leathery, and hairless. The fresh leaves are glossy and dark green. Tea made from young leaves has a thick, curly appearance and no hairs. The authenticity can be determined by brewing: Kuding tea tastes bitter at first (this bitterness is an acceptable bitterness) and then slightly sweet, without astringency, spicy, smelly, sour and other odors, and is resistant to brewing. One gram of Kuding tea made from young leaves can be brewed with 150ml of water. The tea has a strong flavor and is still strong after being brewed 8 to 10 times. It is difficult to match with ordinary tea. The taste of tea made from mature leaves is also bitter at first and then sweet, without green taste. The taste is rich and slowly released, and its main characteristics are resistance to brewing. Adding 2-4 times the amount of tea leaves will only make the taste slightly stronger, but the bitter taste will still be refreshing and mellow, and will not become overpowering. It is difficult to make from other leaves or even by adding some substances. If the aftertaste is too strong or sweet, it may be due to the addition of licorice or sugar. If there is a ginseng flavor, it may be Gynostemma pentaphylla or other ginseng. Check the bottom of the leaves: the bottom of the Kuding tea leaves is purple-brown, without hairs, the leaves are large and thick, and the tea stems are thick. The whole old leaf area is large and the leaf margin teeth are relatively pure.
Identification of heterogeneous tea
That is, other substances are mixed into Kuding tea, which can be distinguished by the senses. Ordinary tea leaves have lighter body bones and smaller shapes. When you look at the bottom of the leaves, the leaves are small and thin. If there is a lot of coarse powder, it may be mixed with other substances. The most convenient and effective method is to take a suspected foreign object about the size of 2 grains of grain and put it into your mouth and press it with your front teeth. You can feel the bitter taste when you hold the genuine product in your mouth. It is bitter first and then sweet, while inferior products have no bitterness or weak bitterness, or are extremely bitter or have other peculiar smells. Licorice has only sweetness but no bitterness.
Quality identification
Kuding tea is a health drink. Its evaluation is different from ordinary tea. Whether it can withstand brewing is the main thing. High-grade Kuding tea has a strong and mellow taste. It is bitter but sweet, and the cord is tight and clean.
Handle the plate: After sifting, shaking, and collecting the tea sample, there should be no debris, more tea in the middle, and those with heavy bones are better. Old leaf tea should be cut into even strips.
Make the soup: Weigh 3 grams of tea sample, use a 150ml tasting cup, and soak in boiling water for 5 minutes.
Smell the aroma: The aroma at the bottom of the leaves is not obvious and relatively bland. It is normal to have no peculiar smell when smelling hot or cold, and there is no mold or burnt gas.
Taste: first bitter and then sweet. The bitter taste is acceptable and mellow, and it is better to have no peculiar smell. The sweet taste is just a mellow taste, and the aftertaste is not strong and sweet. After drinking, the mouth and throat feel clear and sweet, without any unpleasant taste. If the product tastes sour, bitter, spicy, or burnt, the quality is not good enough, or it is even adulterated and inferior, it must be re-inspected.
Test of bubble resistance: Kuding tea is resistant to brewing, and its flavor is released slowly. It is better if it is brewed continuously (5 minutes each time) for more than 10 times and still feels a strong flavor. It loses flavor quickly and tends to become bland.
Look at the color of the soup: Kudingcha is best if its soup color is yellow-green, clear, and without turbidity or suspended solids.
Comment on the underside of the leaves: Indigo or dark blue, soft leaves with no scorched spots and no debris are better.
Storage of tea leaves and soup: Kuding tea soaked in clean boiled water will generally not change flavor if left for 3 to 5 days, and the taste will remain the same. When the tea leaves are brewed and poured until there are no water drops, the tea residues will generally not become moldy if left in the cup for 3 to 5 days. If the water is boiled again, the tea flavor will still remain.
The taste of Kuding tea made from old leaves is similar to that made from young leaves, except that it can be brewed slightly less often and the tea tasted lighter each time. If the amount of tea is slightly increased, the drinking taste will still be better.
The legend of Kudingcha
The buds of Kudingcha are purple-red. Legend has it that they were dyed red by the blood of the tea girl Axiang. In ancient times, there was a tea girl named Axiang. Because of her beauty, the government wanted to select her into the palace, but Axiang refused. On the day she was sent to the palace, she jumped off a cliff and died. Blood splashed on the Kuding tea buds. The tea buds turned from green to purple, and the taste became sweet and fragrant. Later, people called Kuding tea Purple Bamboo Shoot Tea.
It is also said that there was a poet named Song in Anshu City in the Tang Dynasty. He had extraordinary literary talent, but he failed to succeed in many tests when he was over fifty. Then he traveled south and lived in seclusion in Xiqiao Mountain, where he taught the mountain people how to grow tea. In order to find a method for cultivating Kuding tea seeds, he first fed tea fruits to the cranes, and then obtained tea seeds from their feces for breeding, but was unsuccessful. Later, under the guidance of an immortal, he soaked it in Penglai Pavilion fairy water and succeeded, making Xiqiao Mountain a famous tea area. Song grew tea and wrote poems in the mountains for ten years. He was admitted as a Jinshi when he was 70 years old. Later, people built a Tea Fairy Temple on the mountain to commemorate his merits.