Belgium Chinese Tea Centre

Tea and tea culture began from China more than 4000 or more years from now, medicinal and health benefits from tea in various ancient herbal scripts have all been confirmed by modern scientific research in various countries in recent years.  Since the COVID-19 outbreak first happened in Wuhan last year, scientists from different science research disciplines launched different research programs on how to combat against COVID virus through natural and alternative remedies based on ancient TCM wisdom, in which also included deepened research specifically on if EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate) in Camellia sinensis could disactivate the COVID virus, and the research results from tea by Hangzhou University and Yunnan Agricultural University are very encouraging.

But wait, there are few things you have to be aware before jumping into the conclusion that drinking tea can disactivate COVID:

• EGCG, namely epigallocatechin gallate, molecular formula C22H18O11, is the main component of tea polyphenols, is a catechin monomer isolated from tea。 Indeed the compound of EGCG in light fermented tea, i.e. green and white tea, is richer than other tea types
• EGCG requires lengthy time in very high melting temperature, 222-224°C.  Indeed more EGCG can be dissolved in such conditions, but on the other hands, the taste will be very strong and bitter with higher dissolvent from Caffeine (Tea Tannin) that can be irritating to stomach and digestion system
• No one can drink tea at that kind of high temperature but leave it to cool down, but during the cooling process, the oxidation process with the air will reduce the compound of EGCG in tea
• The above information meant how to abstract EGCG from tea through brewing, but this is not the method they use in the research laboratory.  In the lab, scientists break tea leaves and inject the abstracted EGCG to the testing white mouse, but not injecting tea water or feeding tea to mopuse.
• How can any one expect to have the same result from different approaches? That’s a logical question.

Tea is more than just a cup of delicious beverage, it reflects a way of living and health.  The unexpected change from the COVID pandemic accelerates more health problems besides COVID itself, because of anxiety and emotional stress. 

The more unexpected stress we are facing, the more we need to maintain rational thinking and actions to preserve our health and safety.

Chinese tea ceremony is more than a tea ritual, in the process of enjoy fine and pure flavors and taste from pure quality tea, it facilitates the practice of alignment in body, mind and energy through relaxing, practice of good social behaviors with positive energy by increasing self-awareness.

Health is not something you should it lightly by taking risk.  Indeed tea provides many health benefits, but only under the circumstances if you know the basic of What, Which, Who, When and How and follow the basic principle for health by eating less and drinking mild.

©Mei Lan Hsiao, Belgium Chinese Tea Culture Association, 14/01/2021

Quietly tapping your sleeping heart, open your eyes slowly

See that past busy world is till spinning crazily as before

the spring breeze doesn’t realize how it awakens our young heart

Let the grieving tears of yesterday dried out on our face

Look up to wings in the sky, follow the trace of seasonal birds

Bring news of famine and ruthless wars that are still existing in the distance

White snow drifts on mountain and our young hearts are bouncing

Let’s true feelings melt into notes

Reach out your arms and sing out your passion

Let me embrace your dreams, let me hold your genuine face

Let our smiles full of youthful pride and devote our sincere pray for tomorrow

Who can not caring own home and ignore the childhood memories

Who can let sorrows of yesterday take away our smiles

We probably don’t understand because of young and innocent

Today let the long-lost tears nourish our face again

Sing out your passion and reach out your arms

Let me embrace your dreams, let me hold your genuine face

Let our smiles full of joyful pride and devote our sincere pray for a better tomorrow

Quietly tapping your
sleeping heart, open your eyes slowly

See that past busy world
is till spinning crazily as before

the spring breeze doesn’t
realize how it awakens our young heart

Let the grieving tears of
yesterday dried out on our face

Look up to wings in the
sky, follow the trace of seasonal birds

Bring news of famine and
ruthless wars that are still existing in the distance

White snow drifts on mountain and our
young hearts are bouncing

Let’s true feelings melt into notes

Reach out your arms and sing out your
passion

Let me embrace your dreams, let me hold
your genuine face

Let our smiles full of youthful pride and
devote our sincere pray for tomorrow

Who can not caring own home and ignore the
childhood memories

Who can let sorrows of yesterday take away
our smiles

We probably don’t understand because of
young and innocent

Today let the long-lost tears nourish our
face again

Sing out your passion and reach out your
arms

Let me embrace your dreams, let me hold
your genuine face

Let our smiles full of joyful pride and
devote our sincere pray for a better tomorrow

Since the first outbreak of COVID-19 happened in WuHan when doctors and nurses were doing their best to save live in hospitals and citizens were doing their best to follow the lock-down policy in order to reduce the burden to the medical helps that are need to the Coronavirus fight in that most critical and horrified moment, specialists in different disciplines have been working closely in China, including virus and medical research experts for medicine and vaccine, in meantime, there were many experts in TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicines) and tea research area started to deepen their research from the past health benefits to specifically against the virus reactions or immunity system research; such researches  are still ongoing today.

When the effective curing medicines that don’t create other health problems and proven effective vaccine are not yet available, there are more and more people turning their head to find ‘solutions’ from tea.

Before we enter the discussion about what can tea do for us to fight against COVID-19 virus, I think it is important to establish a clear understanding and repeat the fundamental professional protocols that we need to follow:

1. Tea does can provide many health benefits but shouldn’t consider tea as cure to disease.
2. Whenever you have healthy, always suggest to check with your family doctor and/or specialist before following from what were written in books or social medias by anyone, neither from so-called “Guru” nor amateurs.
3. Those who would like to be seen and respected as ‘tea sommelier’ definitely should take the responsibilities more strict, we can share and give suggestions based on confirmed scientific research data and facts, but may not play the doctor or medicine specialist roles.

I am very fortunately to have Prof. Wang FangCheng from Academia Sinica from Beijing, as good friend who I share the same passion for the facts and data researches in tea.  So whenever I read something interesting on line, I have a ‘double-checking windows’ to verify the accuracy and authenticity about the scientific research.

There are indeed two major tea research centers in China are devoting their resources and expertise to deepen their researches in tea and both have very encouraging progress  that related to the researches to Coronavirus, one is Zhejiang University Agriculture Department and the other one is Yunnan Agriculture University.

According to the Director of Research Center lead by Prof. Wang XuanJun, actually the FDA from USA has already approved the use of plant derived tea polyphenols for external use in 2006, which is used to treat diseases caused by virus.  Therefore research in antivirus functions from tea polyphenols is an important focus by tea research experts. Since the outbreak happened in WuHan, his team has deepened the research on tea polyenols for Coronavirus.

Prof. Wang’s research does not limit to Camellia sinensis only, actually in his lab his teams have tried to isolate 800 compound structures from 110 plants, including tea, honeysuckle and grapes; the computerized analysis showed 20 compounds have the potential to bind the S protein on the surface of the virus.  “Of course, there is potential gap between computerized analysis vs. reality that we need to investigate further”, according to Prof. Wang.  Prof. Wang and his teams so far have continue the actual binding test in which they discovered five compounds are preferred, and block experiments are performed at the molecular level. The blocking experiment means when compounds are present whether can block the virus from binding to the receptor.  If compounds can’t block the virus from binding, then it is meaningless with the claim for unite.

Based on the current research result, they discovered EGCG, a catechin monomer component in tea polyphenols in tea, can effectively block the binding of S protein to receptor ACE2 and almost 6 EGCG can achieve the ability of one human receptor to bind to viral S protein.  This is a very good news for tea lovers.

Many people thought only green tea has EGCG, as matter of fact, EGCG is one of richest compounds (80%) in catechin, as matter of fact richer EGCG can be found in large-leaf Pu’erh (Sheng) and green tea.  When analyzing  Theaflavins (yellow color), thearubins (red color) and theabrownins (brown color) in black tea from the tea process, they found theaflavins can also vind to S protein. Tea lovers can appreciate the theaflvins more from the golden tippy black tea.

What is amazing about tea is may be there are only small differences in tea polyphenol structures but the functions may be completely different, and that reflects the mysteries in life and Nature.

Due to the time rush and data were not sufficient enough, therefore Prof. Wang and his teams will continue with the research, they will only announce the final result after having sufficient data and facts.

At the same time, the experts in Zhejiang are studying how the warm tea drink to the relapse of virus infection.  Any research, either medicine, vaccine or tea, that related to COVID-19 Coronavirus require very struct research attitude, quantifiable and verifiable data and facts.  But with diligent and strict scientific researches we do can sense the light at the end of tunnel for Coronavirus.

Various health benefits that different kind of tea have already been scientifically confirmed, and people simply need to enhance the most foremost important learning – Listen to your body & respect your conditions but not follow information blindly and carefully choose pure and authentic quality tea, take responsibility for own decision. When you think you deserve the best, then learn to respect tea and the Nature.

During the interview by the Yunnan TV & Radio, Prof. Wang XJ said “there is no double drinking tea is good for health, but in order to reach the potential objective to prevent and cure from the virus, perhaps it is better use the extract of effective compounds, we are deepening the research on the application side, hopefully can provide more data to the research for COVID-19 Coronavirus.”

Tea and tea culture began from China that silently traveled, integrated in different cultures through human migration. The different selections for the first step have created different tones in tea cultural journeys in the West.

In five thousand years China history, Chinese have been using tea to bridge cultures through trading, tolerate and encourage cultural integration without imposing, encourage the simple concept of sharing for mutual prosperity, solidarity and friendships; it has been further cultivated into Chinese culture when tea eventually embedded in Chinese daily living culture without emphasizing cultural hierachy but the sharing of common wealth, self cultivation and good social behaviours.

However, the West started their tea journey from totally different angles. The initial ideas from those who brought tea to the West from China meant to make money and profit for their own but not for the common wealth. The high tea concept did encourage the growth of afternoon tea culture in England which further influences the tea culture in the world,

The western tea journey did not start as a social drink to promote common wealth of average people but more for rich and selected high society, just like how tea and tea culture were before the 7th century in China. Even though today became a social drink, but the hidden shadow of hierarchical show-case and comparative behaviors are not yet whitened out after the past two decades.

Under the horrified threats from Corona virus pandemic, it is not clear about potential impacts to the global economy, let’s hope the growth of tea drinkers and awakened awareness for solidarity can continue. Perhaps slowly, but let’s make sure it grows surely.