Another one crossed off the list: Free tea

Just like local pork, mutton, and anything served in a takeaway box, seemingly humble and innocent tea is now part of the global effort to give us health problems:

Free tea served in restaurants could be of poor quality and possibly bad for your health, according to the Shanghai Tea Institute.

It said if people consume large volumes of such teas over a long period, the beverage could damage the liver and kidney. According to the institute, free teas may contain high levels of heavy metals and dust. It warned consumers to beware of tea with a strong fragrance or funny smell.

We would never argue with an institute, but the news doesn't seem quite right without a few inspirational words from an "official". Luckily the writer of the article felt the same, throwing in:

"We change the barley every day and we have received no complaints about the taste," said an official, surnamed Wang, at Little Sheep, a famous hot pot chain restaurant.

That Wang guy seems to be everywhere.