How much white tea (high grade silver needle) is too much?

[Synchronic]

Hi there

 

 

I've loved white teas for quite a few years now, but have only drank supermarket grade "organic white tea" that is made from dustings and put into tea bags (always had to use a bit of honey, or lemon juice).

 

At the start of the week I purchased some very nice silver needle white tea at £10 for 50g, which is by far the best tea I have ever tasted in my life.

 

I am currently abstaining from my previously excessive cannabis and high quality craft beer/ales consumption, and the white tea is really acting as a substitute in the fact of how enjoyable the smells and tastes are, and the calming yet invigorating effect is really helping my productivity in my creative projects.

 

 

Anyway to get to the point, I am wondering how much would be considered TOO much silver needle white tea? I am using distilled water so there are no harmful chemicals or heavy metals in there, although I know tea contains small amounts of flouride (although I assume high quality silver needle will be very low in that), and that the first infusion of white tea can contain a fair amount of caffiene.

 

I am currently using about 2-3g a day, spread over 3 infusions or so, I can definitely feel a pronounced and enjoyable physiological effect from this much, so I am wondering if I am perhaps indulging a bit too much ( I do drink from very large cups, about 2-3 times the size of a standard coffee/tea mug).

 

I feel that it is moving my chi around my system more efficiently/pronouncedly, but is there a possibility of "losing" chi from it being spurred to move around and perhaps out of the body?

 

In terms of the fact that every action has an equal and opposite reaction, am I draining myself by using this and myself being more productive? Meaning perhaps the next day I will be more drained/tired than usual, or that I will be using up my creative energy too fast and have to "recharge" at a later time.

 

Many thanks

Edited August 26, 2015 by Synchronic

[liminal_luke]

I´m no tea expert but unless your actually noticing negative effects I´d be inclined not to worry about white tea. If anything could be too much, I would imagine it would be caffeine. Are you having trouble sleeping? Feeling jittery? Anxious? If not, I wouldn´t sweat it.

 

Many people have experienced negative consequences from over consumption of alcohol and cannibis, but you never hear about people being carted off to Betty Ford because of an out-of-control white tea habit.

Edited August 28, 2015 by liminal_luke

[Synchronic]

I´m no tea expert but unless your actually noticing negative effects I´d be inclined not to worry about white tea. If anything could be too much, I would imagine it would be caffeine. Are you having trouble sleeping? Feeling jittery? Anxious? If not, I wouldn´t sweat it.

 

Many people have experienced negative consequences from over consumption of alcohol and cannibis, but you never hear about people being carted off to Betty Ford because of an out-of-control white tea habit.

 

 

Haha thanks for the response, no side effects or negativeness yet from the tea, I am not very easily affected by caffeine either, even 5-10 cups of coffee won't do anything other than make me feel a bit more clear minded and energised.

 

I'm more wondering about long term depletion/dependency I guess, as it took me over 9 years of smoking daily cannabis before I really started noticing it's negative effects when it comes to productivity/work ethic.

 

Thanks!

[thelerner]

During my Tea drinking periods I found brewing less each time but reusing the leaves more often; throughout the day meant I wasn't getting a huge hit of caffeine.   To that end I moved from clay pots (unless entertaining or feeling formal) to the newer style of clear drip through the bottom cup style brewers that end up drying the leaves out better after each cupful. 

[Aetherous]

I'd say that too much is when you're peeing very often...then the qi can be drained over a period of time. Otherwise, the increased qi flow that you feel might be due to a release of qi stagnation, which only benefits the qi rather than drains it. Tea is also said to raise the yang, and it's used in a formula that treats the head and promotes a release of wind from the exterior...so over a period of time it could also drain the qi when there is already wei deficiency. Maybe someone more knowledgeable could correct me about these things.

From what I understand, tea is gentle compared to other herbs, and white tea is the most gentle of the teas. Your dosage is small in terms of herbs in general.

[Synchronic]

Thanks guys, yes I reuse the tea "buds" up to 4 times in my clear teapot/infuser, so there is probably very little caffeine after the 1st infusion... I may anyway do what some of the Chinese do and quickly bath the tea in warm water for 30 seconds before the first infusion, as this apparently get's rid of up to 80% of the caffeine.

 

But yes Aetherous I do have to use the toilet a lot more than usual when I am drinking tea, partly because of the large amount of liquid... probably about 800ml to a litre every hour for 4-5 hours... maybe I should use less water and drink smaller cups instead of large mugs?

Thanks for the info!

[bamboo]

Hi Synchronic,

 

Nice to see you discovered the good stuff (white tea). Silver needle is my favourite tea also, I had to stop drinking it a few years ago though. I am a qigong/neigong practitioner and I noticed it has a pronounced cooling effect on the stomach and spleen...in fact I would go so far as to say cold. This may not be a problem for you depending on your constitution and practices but just thought I would make you aware

[idquest]

Hi Synchronic,

 

Nice to see you discovered the good stuff (white tea). Silver needle is my favourite tea also, I had to stop drinking it a few years ago though. I am a qigong/neigong practitioner and I noticed it has a pronounced cooling effect on the stomach and spleen...in fact I would go so far as to say cold. This may not be a problem for you depending on your constitution and practices but just thought I would make you aware

 

Can you share on how this cooling effect manifested? Do you think it was due to caffeine or other components?

[Synchronic]

Hi Synchronic,

 

Nice to see you discovered the good stuff (white tea). Silver needle is my favourite tea also, I had to stop drinking it a few years ago though. I am a qigong/neigong practitioner and I noticed it has a pronounced cooling effect on the stomach and spleen...in fact I would go so far as to say cold. This may not be a problem for you depending on your constitution and practices but just thought I would make you aware

 

Thanks for the info, I have sort of unconsciously limited my intake of white tea to about once every 2 or 3 days (although still quite a few cups/steeps during that sitting), I think I have not enough heat in my stomach/spleen to begin with being a (metal) sheep, and I've always had trouble tolerating chili (gives me a stomach ache) and being lactose intolerant some dairy products give me a bit of a stomach ache/flatulence.

 

I also drink quite a lot of ale/beer which I believe releases yang leading to coldness if consumed too regularly or in excess.

 

I will try to limit my intake of both and balance them out with teas consisting of warming spices such as turmeric+cloves+ginger+black pepper (quite nice actually with some coconut oil in there to give it an almost soup like thickness).

 

Do you think this would be a good method (Balancing with opposite type beverages in the same day)?

[Aetherous]

Here's an easy solution in the midst of Chinese medicine terms...
 

Do what's most natural. If you find that white tea seems really enjoyable and good in the moment, then it's good to have that. If you feel like you've had a lot of it, then take a break. Too much of a good thing diminishes how good it seems. If something is said to be healthy, but it doesn't feel ideal and you'd rather have something else, go for that something else. Go to the grocery store or farmers market and find the thing that seems most appealing...have that.

The body seeks to heal itself, and gives us signals of how to do that. Sometimes these signals are part of the Chinese Medicine diagnosis, and are also part of the treatment. For instance, a person with excess heat is really thirsty for cool drinks...they should have them! Because it will help protect the body fluids and yin, and will cool them down by opposing the heat.

Doing what's unnatural is not the way to health. It would be fine to have opposite types of drinks in a day, but is only ideal if the body really enjoys them.