Kudin - tea or not tea?

Now all kinds of teas have poured into our market from all over the world: black and green, flavored and not, just herbal. And in this mass a completely unusual plant was lost. Many, perhaps, paid attention to the funny sticks and needles of Kudin tea or, as they sometimes write, Ku-din. It is usually sold as tea, but at best sellers warn about its specific bitter taste. And few people think that kudin has nothing to do with tea. It is obtained in China from holly broadleaf(Ilex latifolia).

Hollows have long been used by humans. They are appreciated by decorators and florists for the decorative effect of shiny leathery leaves, dark green or bi-colored, and bright attractive berries, which can be red, yellow, white, black or orange, which are good both on the plant and in bouquets. For foresters, holly are of interest as wind shelters, coastal plants (due to their high salt tolerance), and as very reliable hedges. In the beliefs of the Druids, the holly symbolized the sun, so the ancient Celts decorated their homes with young shoots of the plant during the gloomy winter months.

Still holly holly (Ilex aquifolium) is a traditional Christmas plant and is widely used during the Christmas holidays to decorate rooms and the festive table, as a material for making Christmas wreaths.

In South America, leaves and stems paraguayan holly(Ilex paraguariensis) are used to make a drink known as mate. So in its usefulness for humans, broadleaf holly(Ilex latifolia) not alone.

What is kudin, how and why is it drunk?

Since ancient times, kudin tea has been most popular in the east of China, since the time of the Han dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD). In the treatise of that time, "Notes of Mr. Tong," it is mentioned that kudin tea, among other dishes, was supplied to the imperial court. The chronicles of the Ming era contain a record relating to the life of the founder of the Zhu Yuanzhang dynasty, which tells of the emperor's illness with a "palace knot" (intestinal volvulus). A physician named Ling Nanyi prepared an infusion of kudin tea for the emperor, which relieved pain and normalized bowel function. Since then, this tea has received the status of a "beauty product" from the imperial wives.

How kudin is grown and harvested

Broadleaf holly, a source of raw material for this drink, is native to more than a dozen provinces in China where it is produced, but each province is justifiably proud of its variety of kudin.

In nature, the plant reaches a height of 20 m, but in culture it is kept in the form of a shrub for easy collection, that is, it is sheared all the time. In this it is not much different from a tea bush.

Leaves are simple, 8-25 cm long, 4.5-8.5 cm wide, alternate, thick, leathery. The upper side of the leaf is usually dark green and shiny, while the lower side is lighter and matte. The edge of the leaf blade is serrated, the outer and inner sides of the leaf are without pubescence, with a pronounced central vein.

He prefers deep, loose and moderately moist soils. Heat-loving. It can withstand frosts down to -13 ° С without damage.

At home, berries are harvested from the plant in order to either dry them or freeze them later. These berries are a storehouse of vitamins, they are produced in limited quantities, are extremely expensive and sell out instantly. They practically do not stale; they are an extremely exclusive and rare commodity in Chinese cuisine.

The raw materials for the drink are collected and processed in the southern Chinese provinces on the humid shady slopes of the mountains, in canyons and along the banks of channels in mixed forests, kudin does not like direct sunlight. It has several varieties - twisted kudin, spiral, knitted, sheet, pressed, etc.

The infusion is obtained, depending on the variety, from light yellow to deep gray-green in color. The highest category Kudin Shui Xiu is obtained from tiny leaves resembling, when dried, small needles, which are collected in the territory of Sichuan province.

Composition and properties of kudin tea

The chemical composition of kudin has so far been described in the scientific literature rather sparingly, there has been little research in this area - China has published everything in its native language and is in no hurry to share its knowledge, and in Europe there is not enough interest for research. Any science requires funds, and they are given in response to the demand for research. Kudin is known to few in Europe.

So, from what is known. Kudin contains alkaloids of the xanthine series, and in everyday language, the well-known caffeine, theobromine, theophylline. Therefore, there is a pronounced tonic effect. In addition to alkaloids - triterpene saponins, represented by ursolic acid. This acid has been found in no less than a hundred plants. Its antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antiallergic, antiviral, cytotoxic, antitumor properties are known. And at the everyday level, when brewing kudin, you will be struck by the fact that it forms foam, but the younger the leaves, the less this foam, and, consequently, the less saponins.

Flavonoids were found in the leaves - rutin, quercetin, etc., tannins 4-10%, phenolic glycosides, trace elements: Mg, Zn, Cu, K, Mn, Ca, Fe, Si, P.

The polyphenols included in the drink kudin differ significantly from the polyphenols in green tea, since they contain a high concentration of chlorogenic acid in the absence of catechins inherent in green tea.

It has many useful properties. In addition to the obligatory tonic effect, it works as an antipyretic, detoxifying, anti-inflammatory and bactericidal agent. For fat people, it is important that it normalizes lipid and carbohydrate metabolism and blood pressure, despite caffeine. The Chinese also noticed that it improves the functioning of the digestive system and helps with poisoning and disorders. Like regular tea, it is an antioxidant. In China, it is classified as a product with Yin energy and it is believed that it improves blood circulation and removes toxins from the body.

The taste, of course, is very for everybody's taste - it is bitter. And the older the leaves, which are presented in tea, the more bitter, and, by the way, there is more caffeine in them. And the most not bitter are the needles. It is brewed like regular tea, but first put very little, you need to get used to its taste. Usually they take 2 needles per kettle.

The degree of bitterness also depends on the temperature of the water in which the tea is brewed. At a temperature of 100 ° C it really turns out to be very bitter, and at 80 ° C it acquires an interesting aroma with a less bitter taste. And the main thing is not to overdo it with the tea leaves!