The sensation of tea hurting your mouth, often described as dryness or astringency, is primarily due to tannins.
Tannins are naturally occurring chemical compounds found in many plants, including tea leaves. When you drink tea, these tannins bind to proteins in your saliva and the lining of your mouth. This binding action reduces the lubricating effect of saliva, leading to that dry, puckering, or even slightly painful sensation some people experience.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
-
Tannins and Astringency: Tannins are responsible for the astringent taste in tea. Astringency refers to the mouth-puckering, dry, and sometimes bitter sensation.
-
Protein Binding: The key mechanism is the tannins binding to proteins in your saliva. This precipitation of proteins reduces the slipperiness of your saliva, creating the feeling of dryness.
-
Tea Varieties: Some teas are higher in tannins than others. Black teas and some green teas tend to have more tannins compared to white teas or herbal teas (which are technically not "tea" at all, as they don't come from the Camellia sinensis plant).
-
Brewing Time and Temperature: Over-steeping tea, especially black tea, and using water that is too hot can extract more tannins, increasing the astringency.
-
Individual Sensitivity: Some people are simply more sensitive to tannins than others.
How to Reduce the Effect:
-
Shorten Brewing Time: Steep your tea for a shorter period to reduce tannin extraction.
-
Lower Water Temperature: Use slightly cooler water, especially for green teas.
-
Add Milk: Milk proteins can bind to tannins, reducing their effect on your mouth.
-
Choose Lower Tannin Teas: Opt for white teas or herbal teas.
-
Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water to counteract the drying effect.
In summary, the "hurt" you feel from tea in your mouth is typically not actual pain but rather the astringent, drying sensation caused by tannins binding to proteins in your saliva. You can manage this effect by adjusting brewing methods, tea selection, and hydration.
