
- HOME >
- How to choose quality tea
The true reason why some pu-erh and black tea causes stomachache
We noticed that there are a number of customers who refrain from black tea or raw pu-erh tea due to the uncomforted stomach. I too have had the same experience that I suffered from stomachache after drinking some black tea. However, it has nothing to do with black tea or raw pu-erh tea. If tea is not made of the right material, any type of tea will give the same uncomfortable effect. Nevertheless, if tea is made from the right material, we can feel free to enjoy any type of tea even when empty stomach.
It is summer tea that causes various problems
Based on our experience, the summer tea has strong astringency which tends to cause stomachache.
During warm season especially in summer, one type of specific substance is composed in tea. When this type of tealeaf is processed into any type of tea, it tastes very astringent and causes stomachache. Because of the same reason, Darjeeling Second Flush gives strong astringency too. If the tea is processed into ripe pu-erh tea or deeply roasted oolong, the astringency is neglectable.
I have experienced the same trend in natural herbs. In Japan, I often go to the mountain to collect natural herbs. In spring, those herbs give sweetish taste and very thick flavor. These herbs are available in summer too. However, it turns extremely bitter and astringent in summer. It is impossible to enjoy them in summer.
For making black tea or raw pu-erh tea, the best quality is the first spring crop. Usually the first spring crop gives very sweet taste with creamy and soft mouth-feel. It is absolutely not astringent. However, the black tea and raw pu-erh tea is often made of the late-plucked tea in summer. The taste of the second- and third-plucked tea is less creamy and not soft but it is still acceptable. After the forth-plucked tea onwards, tea has a noticeable level of astringency.
In China, the price for the first-plucked tea is twice as expensive as the second-plucked tea. The price of third- or forth-plucked tea is much lower. The first-plucked spring tea is very limited due to the high demand. In the famous tea production area, the tea plucking is carried out more than 10 times. That means there is less than 10% of chance for getting the first-plucked spring tea. Considering that the first-plucked tea has high demand in China, most of the black tea or raw pu-erh tea available in overseas is the late-plucked tea. That is the reason why many people have negative experience with black tea and raw pu-erh tea. If the tea is of the first spring crop, it gives no astringency at all and the effect to the stomach is very gentle, no matter how thick we brew tea or drinking even when stomach is empty.
The root cause of the astringency
Now the question is what substance in tea causes stomachache and astringency. We should be able to identify it if we investigate which substance is particularly increasing in summer tea. I found the data in the Japanese book “Science of Tea” written by Yamanishi, on page 22. It shows that towards summer Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg) is particularly increasing.
They monitored 4 different types of tea. No.1 from the left is Yabukita cultivar, No.2 is Qing-xin-wu-long, No.3 is Benihomare cultivar and the last one is Assam variety from Sri Lanka. 春 means spring and 夏 means summer.
Another literature, B Schwarz, T Hofmann – European Food Research and Technology, October 2008, 227explains in the abstract that Epigallocatechin gallate has a strong binding ability with protein.
Susanne Scharbert , Nadine Holzmann , and Thomas Hofmann, J. Agric. Food Chem., 2004, 52 (11), pp 3498–3508 carried out the sensory study to identify the substance in tea that causes astringency. The table below indicates the taste threshold to various poly phenols. The data shows that Epigallocatechin gallate gives the strongest astringent effect. Based on the data, we should be able to conclude that Epigallocatechin gallate is the substance causing the astringency and stomachache.
The mechanism that EGCg causes the astringency
Our oral and stomach cavity is made of protein. If any substance is binding with this protein layer, it gives astringent taste and uncomforted feeling. Tea with milk gives least effect in astringency and to the stomach, because Epigallocatechin gallate has already been reacted by milk protein and it is no longer reactive.
As a conclusion, the astringency or uncomfortable feeling with the stomach has nothing to do with the process or type of tea but it is directly affected by the material. If those teas are made of the first-plucked spring tea, we will not experience any astringent taste or stomachache at all.
In HOJO’s black tea and pu-erh tea lineup, all teas are made of the first spring crop except some Darjeeling autumn tea and second flush tea.
Every year we constantly visit the tea production sites to select tea in order to make sure that teas is mellow and not astringent.
Related Articles
How to get the latest update on HOJO Tea?
1. Follow Twitter, 2. Click "Like" on Facebook, and 3. Subscribe in newsletter. You can have the latest tea news from HOJO Tea.
Subscribe the Newsletter to enjoy the privileges
- You may receive a free sample upon purchase, or you may have the priority to purchase special products. So please remember to subscribe our newsletter as well as the social network.
- Special Release Limited Set of Ancient White Tea from 5 Gardens
- The ancient white tea is a very popular tea in our store. We produced this tea in spring. Following production, it was stored in an oxygen-free environment for several months to further enhance its flavor, achieving the expected maturation. The production of ancient tree white tea is limited in quantity per day, resulting in small …
- The New Arrival of Da Xue Shan Wild White Tea Loose 2023
- We have released the 2023 harvest of wild white tea from the Da Xue Shan. Fresh Green Colour of Leaves Achieved Through Custom Production Da Xue Shan’s wild white tea is an incredibly rare type of white tea, and it’s made from a unique plant called Camellia Taliensis that grows in the wild in the …
NEW ARTICLES
We released Lapsang Suchong Qi Zhong Classic: Premium Lapsang Souchong
- Lapsang Souchong is one of the earliest known black teas distinguished by a unique production method and flavour profile. Its origins are often linked to the Wuyi Mountains in China’s Fujian province, where Lapsang Souchong is traditionally crafted. Black tea production in the Wuyi region has a history dating back several centuries. Lapsang Souchong tea …
Regular Consumption of Umami Seasoning Can Influence Taste Preferences
- Excessive consumption of artificial condiments, such as umami seasonings, is believed to influence one’s taste and preferences. I’d like to share my own view to explore how an overabundance of condiments can indeed influence one’s palate. Umami Seasonings Are Prevalent in Asian Countries I spend half of the year living abroad, particularly in China and …
Special Release Limited Set of Ancient White Tea from 5 Gardens
- The ancient white tea is a very popular tea in our store. We produced this tea in spring. Following production, it was stored in an oxygen-free environment for several months to further enhance its flavor, achieving the expected maturation. The production of ancient tree white tea is limited in quantity per day, resulting in small …
The New Arrival of Da Xue Shan Wild White Tea Loose 2023
- We have released the 2023 harvest of wild white tea from the Da Xue Shan. Fresh Green Colour of Leaves Achieved Through Custom Production Da Xue Shan’s wild white tea is an incredibly rare type of white tea, and it’s made from a unique plant called Camellia Taliensis that grows in the wild in the …
5 Years Aged Wu Liang Shan White Tea from 2018
- In 2018, we introduced the Wu Liang Shan Ancient Tree White Tea. It became an instant hit, selling out quickly due to its exquisite taste and captivating aroma.Fortunately, we had the foresight to store half of the tea in Malaysia, where the consistently high temperatures create the perfect conditions for aging. Over the past five …
Grand Reopening of Gardens’ HOJO Store: Exciting Promotions Await!
- We are delighted to announce that HOJO tea shop at The Gardens Mall will be reopening after renovation on Tuesday, July 11th, 10am to 10pm. To celebrate the store’s reopening, we have prepared some special promotions for the entire month of July: 1. For every RM1000 purchase on single receipt, you will have the opportunity …
Discover the long-lasting flavor profile of 2023 Shi Feng Long Jing
- We have launched the 2023 harvest of Shi Feng Long Jing tea. Shi Feng Long Jing tea, also known as Shi Feng Dragon Well tea. It is one of the most famous and highly regarded teas in China.Shi Feng Long Jing tea is characterized by its flat, spear-shaped leaves that have a vibrant green colour. …
Rare Jasmine Tea Uniquely Crafted from Ripe Pu-erh
- Instead of sourcing finished jasmine tea, we specialize in producing custom-made jasmine tea by bringing our carefully selected raw materials to jasmine factories. Over the years, we have created numerous unique jasmine tea varieties that are not available elsewhere, such as Pu-erh jasmine tea made from raw Pu-erh tea leaves, Jasmine Silver Needle made from …
Introducing 3 Varieties of Phoenix Dancong Oolong Tea
- We have released new types of Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong Tea that are finished with more rounds of roasting with traditional charcoal fire by skilled tea master. In Phoenix, the locals called it Nong Xiang style, meaning that tea is giving more intense matured flavor. Nong Xiang tea refers to tea that has been roasted …
Exploring the Taste Diversity Within a Tea Tree: Apical Buds vs. Lateral Buds
- Do you believe that all tea leaves have the same taste as long as they come from the same tree? I would like to explain that the taste of tea can vary significantly depending on the plucking position, even when harvested from the same tree. The Difference in Flavor Due to Different Harvesting Parts of …
Shop Info

Address:Lot No. T-215, 3rd Floor, The Gardens Mall, Mid Valley City, Lingkaran Syed Putra, 59200 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +603-2287-4537
Business Hour: 10am to 10pm
Category
- New Arrival at HOJO Online Shop
- Featured Articles
- Newsletter
- Types of Tea
- Origin of Tea
- Teapot and Tea Equipment
- Tea Column
- How to enjoy tea
- Tea Processing
- How to choose quality tea
- Tea constituents and functional effect
- Safety of Tea
- Foods
- Tea Business Operation
- Hobby and Outdoor Activity
- Ranking of Tea
- Video
- FAQ
- Media Release
Profile

- AKIRA HOJO
- I invite you to experience my tea selections.I was born in Nagano, Japan. In university, I studied agricultural chemistry, and I have the master degree in food science. I worked in Japanese food industry for 10 years. I involved in R&D, QC and QA. As a factory manager, I implemented ISO9000 series and managed the factory.
- The Art of Tea Magazine
- We posted the article on “The Art of Tea Magazine No.9, the magazine is published in Taiwan. We featured some scientific view about the tetsubin
- New Straits Times
- The Malaysian National Newspaper, New Straits Times featured HOJO Tea on 17-Oct-2007.