What is Oolong Tea
- Quen
- Sep 24, 2018
- 5 min read
Oolong tea is a traditional Chinese tea, named after the founder of this tea. It is a kind of half fermented tea between green tea and black tea, with sign of green leaves and red edges. Famous oolong teas such as Anxi Tieguanyin Tea and Taiwan Dongding oolong tea have distinctive characteristics among several famous teas in China.
To form the best quality of oolong tea, the first is to select the fine varieties of tea leaves as raw materials from strictly controlled tea leaves picking standards. Then, the extremely fine production processes is needed. Oolong tea is an unique tea from China. According to tea origins, oolong tea is sub-categorized to northern Fujian oolong, southern Fujian oolong, Guangdong oolong, Taiwan oolong and etc. It is mainly produced in the provinces of Fujian, Guangdong and Taiwan. In recent years, Sichuan, Hunan and other provinces also have a small amount of production.
Types of Oolong:
Phoenix Shuixian
This is the oolong tea produced in Phoenix Township, Guangdong Province. It is divided into three varieties: Dan Cong, Lang Cai and Shui Xian.
This is the famous tea from Taiwan. Because of its dense trichome on the tea buds, it is also called white oolong tea.
Wuyi Rock tea is one of China's top ten famous teas. It is produced in the Wuyishan area in the northern part of Fujian Province. Wuyi Mountain is located in the southeastern part of Chong'an, Fujian Province. There are 36 peaks and 99 rocks In the radius of 60 kilometers. There are tea trees growing on every rock, and the tea is named after the rock it grows on. It is known as the best oolong tea.
The tea grows at about 600-1000 meters above sea level in Lugu Township, Taiwan. Dongding oolong from the core regions consisting of village Fenghuang, yonglong, zhangya, is known as “a holy of teas”.
Luohan chenxiang
This kind of oolong tea has the advantages of both black tea and white tea. It tastes fresh and mellow, pleasant fruity, and elegant lasting.
Anxi Tieguanyin
It is mainly produced in Anxi County, Fujian Province, one of China's top ten famous teas. Tieguanyin is the best in oolong tea.
Oolong black tea
This is a contemporary tea product. It is made into a black tea with Xiao Zhong oolong including varieties of honey oolong black tea and honey black tea. After the oolong black tea is baked, it will emit a light honey scent, and it will taste refreshing with a hint of sweetness.
Red oolong
This is an emerging specialty tea created by oolong tea and black tea. It is a heavy-fermented, heavy-baked hemispherical oolong tea. The tea is amber orange red, just like black tea, but tastes like oolong tea which is mellow and round. It is durable for brewing. This type of tea is more distinctive for cold brewing rather than hot.
Tieguanyin tea belongs to oolong family and is representative of oolong tea, but there are still differences between them. Tieguanyin may not necessarily have all the characteristics of Oolong tea generally have, but oolong tea has all the characteristics of Tieguanyin tea.
Oolong tea colligates both quality and production of green tea and black tea. It has both the rich sweet flavor of black tea and the fresh fragrance of green tea. The biggest difference between oolong tea and green tea is the fermentation process. During the fermentation process, the catechins in the tea will combine with the increase of temperature. At this time, the color of the tea will change and the astringency will decrease. The combination of these catechins is the polyphenols of oolong tea. The catechins and polyphenols have a strong antioxidant effect. About half of the catechins are converted to polyphenols from oolong tea. Therefore, under the effects of catechins and polyphenols, oolong tea is much more beneficial than green tea.
The pharmacological effects of oolong tea are highlighted in the aspects of fat decomposition, weight loss and beauty care. It is called "beauty tea" and "bodybuilding tea" in Japan.
Oolong tea Weight loss
Oolong tea has been very popular recently for weight loss. Because oolong tea contains tannic acid for weight loss, it can stimulate fat metabolism. The experimental results show that oolong tea can lower the blood cholesterol level, lower blood pressure, and lose weight.
Oolong tea is rich in minerals such as iron and calcium. Regularly drink a cup of oolong tea before and after three meals a day can inhibit the rise of cholesterol. Pair greasy food with oolong tea not only can remove fat, but also can feel fullness. Oolong tea can burn fat, stimulates digestive enzymes and decomposing fat components.
Oolong tea is half fermented tea, which is between green tea and black tea. Caffeine content of oolong tea is also greater than green tea and less than black tea.
Oolong tea benefits
Oolong tea is rich in organic chemical components. The main ingredients are: tea polyphenols, proteins, amino acids, vitamins, organic acids, sugars, enzymes, and plant alkalis. Oolong tea is beneficial to health care because of its rich nutrients.
Oolong eliminates the active oxygen causing the damage to beauty and health. The polyphenols of oolong tea help to eliminate the active oxygen molecules in the cells, and have the functions of nourishing, detoxifying and defaecation.
Regularly drinking oolong tea helps to improve allergic skin.
Weight loss. The tannic acid in oolong tea has the effect of dissolving fat. Moreover, compare to green tea, oolong tea has more effects of stimulating the activity of pancreatic lipase and reducing the absorption of sugar and fat foods.
Anti-tumor, prevent aging. Oolong tea can enhance the body's anti-aging ability. Drinking oolong tea can keep the vitamin C content in the blood at a high level and reduce the discharge of vitamin C which has an effect of anti-oxidation.
Improve hearing. Regularly drinking oolong tea can help middle and old age group maintain hearing. It is best not to exceed two cups a day.
Prevent cancer. Study has shown that ingredients in oolong tea can inhibit cancer cells in the body.
Reducing blood fat. Oolong tea can reduce blood viscosity, prevent concentration of red blood cell, reduce sclerosis of blood lipids in aortic atherosclerosis, and improve blood hypercoagulability.
Although oolong tea is helpful for human health, it also has some side effects.
Side effects of oolong tea
Do not drink oolong tea on an empty stomach, otherwise it will make to feel hungrier, and causing dizziness and vomiting.
Do not drink before bed time; otherwise it will lead to insomnia. Because Oolong tea contains more tea polyphenols and caffeine than other teas.
Not to drink cold oolong tea. Because cold oolong tea is not good for the stomach, especially to people having stomach problems.
Should not blindly drink oolong tea. It is best to drink hot without sugar, and should stop if you feel uncomfortable after drinking oolong tea, such as stomach pain or insomnia.
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