Banzhang Wang weird reaction

[Candana]

I am coming to the end of a six month visit to Penang (Malaysia). The owner of a small tea shop donated to me a cake of 2006 "Banzhang Wang". It is amazing tea, thick and syrupy with a strong initial bitter note that quickly moves into a deep honey orchid flavour. However... after two thimbles full my heart starts palpitating, the blood pounds in my temples and I am drenched in sweat. Is this a normal reaction to this tea? Should I lay off it for a while?

[jayinhk]

I am coming to the end of a six month visit to Penang (Malaysia). The owner of a small tea shop donated to me a cake of 2006 "Banzhang Wang". It is amazing tea, thick and syrupy with a strong initial bitter note that quickly moves into a deep honey orchid flavour. However... after two thimbles full my heart starts palpitating, the blood pounds in my temples and I am drenched in sweat. Is this a normal reaction to this tea? Should I lay off it for a while?

Some would say it is overwhelming cha qi....I'm gonna guess it's pesticide residues!

[gasninja]

It could easily be either. Are you accustomed to drinking strong pu-erh? Did you have an empty stomach?
LBZ tea is famous for having strong energy.
Drinking strong Bulang area gushu on an empty stomach has produced similar symptoms in myself. To the point where I have had to leave a tea gathering and get a bite to eat.

[jayinhk]

Palpitating or beating fast? There's a difference...

I've drank lots of tea, but never had any that made my heart race or my temples pound. That sounds downright unpleasant...

[gasninja]

Yeah it sounds intense. But if you are not used to drinking strong your sheng pu-erh. It can really grab you especially if you haven't eaten in a while. I am not saying that it's not pesticides in this case. Just that in. t could just be the tea


Don't eat for 6-8 hrs then about young Bulang Gushu at a ratio 1.25 grams per ten ml of water. You may experience something similar.
I experienced something like that with Tokis /(Mandarins tea room) 2006 Yiwu while on an empty stomach.

[jayinhk]

Yeah it sounds intense. But if you are not used to drinking strong your sheng pu-erh. It can really grab you especially if you haven't eaten in a while. I am not saying that it's not pesticides in this case. Just that in. t could just be the tea


Don't eat for 6-8 hrs then about young Bulang Gushu at a ratio 1.25 grams per ten ml of water. You may experience something similar.
I experienced something like that with Tokis /(Mandarins tea room) 2006 Yiwu while on an empty stomach.

I've never had that experience, even on an empty stomach, but I have had a significant blood sugar drop. Since the OP is a Theravada Buddhist monk, he doesn't eat after noon and is probably drinking tea after this time. Maybe that's just how your bodies react to it?

[Henk]

I haven't felt palpitations from drinking tea either. It just tends to make me hungry. When drinking on an empty stomach I get queasy with hunger.

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[jayinhk]

I haven't felt palpitations from drinking tea either. It just tends to make me hungry. When drinking on an empty stomach I get queasy with hunger.

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Exactly, and this is more pronounced with raw pu erh and black tea (also assamica varietal) for me.

I get palpitations from nicotine and other stimulants...very slight palpitations a few times from prolonged gaoshan sessions (gaoshan oolong is a caffeine bomb), but not from any other tea.

[stevorama]

I've felt similar when drinking young sheng pu er, but with less intensity perhaps. It would take more that two thimbles full (if you meant that literally) to do that to me however. The tea may just be strong (or strong for you at this point in time) and adjusting your brewing parameters or when you drink it may help.

[jayinhk]

I've felt similar when drinking young sheng pu er, but with less intensity perhaps. It would take more that two thimbles full (if you meant that literally) to do that to me however. The tea may just be strong (or strong for you at this point in time) and adjusting your brewing parameters or when you drink it may help.

By thimbles I think he means 25-30ml gongfu cha cups

[Rui]

I've felt similar when drinking young sheng pu er, but with less intensity perhaps. It would take more that two thimbles full (if you meant that literally) to do that to me however. The tea may just be strong (or strong for you at this point in time) and adjusting your brewing parameters or when you drink it may help.

In this account I actually agree here although I am not a doctor and I recommend to seek a doctor immediately if the strong symptoms re-occur.

The same sort of symptoms happened to me when sipping Yunnan Sourcing 2006 Lao Ban Zhang about a year of two ago but after adjusting the tea parameters nothing like that happened again. Basically instead of the 5 to 6 gms of tea leaves I started using 3.5 gms and Mr. Mopar, if I recall correctly, either here or on Steepster also concurred with using less leaves of this tea which has a lot of energy.

[onjinone]

Seems like there could be multiple possibilities.

- Pesticide related
- Poor quality puerh
- Tea is a stimulant and strong puerh can have more powerful effects. Your body can be reacting to those stimulative properties. Certain people can have the increased heart rate, palpitating symptoms from puerh. It's why some of those people with high blood pressure are advised not to drink too much puerh but this definitely doesn't apply to everyone.

Do you happen to feel dehydrated/thirsty all the time? And how's your sleeping? If yes, raw puerh might be more suitable/less likely to cause this reaction than ripe for you.

Tea's super interesting because everyone has different reactions and different teas help more than others for an individual from a health perspective. It totally varies depending on your body.

[Cwyn]

Jayinhk's point above is an obvious explanation, to my way of thinking. A monk follows a dietary line that supports lightening for the purposes of a contemplative lifestyle and reduces sluggishness. My own order of nuns had a specific interest in the dietary regimes of Buddhist monks in support of meditation. This interest began with the cultural exchanges begun by monk Thomas Merton, OCSO and Buddhist monks in Thailand. As a novice I was sent to vegan cooking classes, at a time when my order was making changes out of learning more about how diet supports a life of prayer.

From following such a lightening in the diet, any substance has a profound effect. All effects, flavors etc. are highly enhanced in tea, alcohol, or other substances. Teahouse or restaurant parameters would hit like a truck. Any substance used should be in smaller amounts. Tea is an herb, 1-2g pinch of fine leaves will do for a monk what I might need now from 7-8g, giving a bit of lift but well within control.

I salute this monk for the discipline, enjoying more from less tea is a wonderful thing.

[jayinhk]

Jayinhk's point above is an obvious explanation, to my way of thinking. A monk follows a dietary line that supports lightening for the purposes of a contemplative lifestyle and reduces sluggishness. My own order of nuns had a specific interest in the dietary regimes of Buddhist monks in support of meditation. This interest began with the cultural exchanges begun by monk Thomas Merton, OCSO and Buddhist monks in Thailand. As a novice I was sent to vegan cooking classes, at a time when my order was making changes out of learning more about how diet supports a life of prayer.

From following such a lightening in the diet, any substance has a profound effect. All effects, flavors etc. are highly enhanced in tea, alcohol, or other substances. Teahouse or restaurant parameters would hit like a truck. Any substance used should be in smaller amounts. Tea is an herb, 1-2g pinch of fine leaves will do for a monk what I might need now from 7-8g, giving a bit of lift but well within control.

I salute this monk for the discipline, enjoying more from less tea is a wonderful thing.

Very interesting that your order were looking into the practices of Theravada Buddhist monks! I read your blog and knew of your (fascinating) story. BTW I love your writing style and many of your posts have me rolling.

Now my concern is that it is only this LBZ that seems to do it to him. From the sounds of things he's been drinking quite a bit of tea in Penang and has been fine otherwise.

[Cwyn]

The other issue possible here is an herb like ginseng or rodiola rosea was added to the puerh tea to mimic a true LBZ tea. I got rather uncomfortable heart palpitations from a rodiola laced mini tuo. The rodiola was not disclosed and I didn't find out until after I drank it. The experience might be enough to convince some people they have a real LBZ when the tea is a fake.