Drinking tea is an unavoidable ritual in some countries.
Teas are extremely healthy and can contribute to the overall health of your body.
What exactly is oolong tea?
Oolong tea cannot be accurately classified as either green or black tea.
Actually, it is something in between and depending on his processing.
The difference between Oolong, and black and green teas is actually oxidation and form.
Oolong oxidation levels can vary from 8% to 80%.
Depending on that, it is more similar to one or another type of tea.
Oolong tea can be completely oxidized, in which case it acquires a dark leaf color and a sweet taste that gives it a very close resemblance to black tea.
If it oxidizes very little, then it is more similar to green tea.
Green tea almost does not oxidize at all and retains the fresh green appearance of freshly picked leaves.
The shape of Oolong tea is also specific. It depends on the tea producer’s technique.
Oolong teas are traditionally made into balls, twisted or made into thin threads. Moreover, rolling is a very important aspect of the processing of this tea.
By rolling, the tea gets a specific color and aroma to its final appearance.
Origin
This specific and unique tea is rather a masterpiece of a tea master.
Depending on the region where it is cultivated, its taste, appearance and shape vary significantly.
Some sources claim that the origin of this tea is China, while others claim that it originates from Taiwan. However, this tea is very popular and respected in both countries.
According to one theory, Oolong tea originated in China, where it got the name “wulong” or “black dragon” because the huge leaves of this tea were highly oxidized and twisted so that its shape resembled a large, muscular Chinese dragon.
Another story mentions a farmer who was hunting a deer and was absent for a while. He was very distracted and forgot about his tea leaves.
After he returned to his tea leaves, they were already quite oxidized. This farmer discovered the traditional way of making Oolong tea.
Regardless of which story you believe, one thing is certain: Oolong is specific in all its characteristics.
You can enjoy it at any time of the day and it has a very favorable effect on your body.
Where it is grown
This unique tea is grown on high mountain peaks and rocky areas. The cold climate suits him.
Because of the unique geographical area where it thrives and the harsh conditions, this is precisely why it has such a special and specific taste.
Taiwanese Oolong
The most famous Taiwanese teas are less oxidized and that’s why they have green leaves and are lighter in color.
We can safely say that there are as many types of these teas as there are different types of French wines.
Some thrive on high misty mountains. Still, others thrive in lower elevation, more temperate climates in the foothills of bamboo forests.
Oolong around the world
While the most famous types of this tea thrive in China and Taiwan, it is also grown in other parts of the world.
Oolong is grown in New Zealand, India, Sri Lanka and Taiwan. Depending on which part of the world it comes from, it has its own specific taste.
Each of these countries has its own unique way of growing it, how it oxidizes and how it is prepared. This is exactly why there are so many types of this tea.
When to enjoy a cup of tea
Drinking tea is a very healthy habit. Some teas are good to drink immediately after getting up on an empty stomach.
Some are great after a meal, between meals, or before bed.
Oolong after meal
Drinking this tea 25 to 35 minutes after a meal is highly recommended.
It is good for your digestive system and will help you digest the food you consumed faster, especially if it was high in calories.
It is necessary to wait this period of time in order for your body to use all the necessary nutrients in the food.
After that, your Oolong ritual can begin.
In the morning after waking up
Although most people have a habit of drinking a caffeinated beverage before waking up, you should still eat something first.
Although we drink coffee or tea first thing in the morning to wake up, that’s not really the right solution.
In order to avoid the secretion of stomach acid, you should eat something first.
Due to the caffeine, it contains, this tea can cause nausea or dizziness if consumed on an empty stomach.
It is best to consume it 20-30 minutes after you have eaten something. More precisely, the ideal time for its consumption is in the morning after a meal or in the early afternoon.
Between meals
A great time to drink tea is between meals. Thus, you give your body time to start digesting the food you have consumed and then take advantage of all the benefits of Oolong tea.
It will help the body to digest fatty food more easily and will help the body deal with excess calories.
Early afternoon
This tea is excellent for improving concentration. If we drink it in the early afternoon, it will help us feel awake and give us energy.
Oolong tea affects our bodies by shaking us up, increasing productivity and helping us to complete work tasks as successfully as possible.
For weight loss
As we have already mentioned, Oolong tea is excellent after a meal because it helps us to digest the meal we have consumed faster and easier.
Therefore, it affects rapid digestion and can affect weight loss.
It is an excellent ally if you want to lose weight. Its composition contains compounds that are important for weight loss.
The two main ways to lose weight are to increase energy expenditure and absorption of nutrients, including fats and carbohydrates.
Oolong tea is just perfect because it combines both properties.
However, it would be ideal to pay attention to the amount and type of food you consume and to include some physical activity in your daily ritual.
In that case, the results will not be missing.
Before workout
If you want to lose weight you should consume Oolong tea at least 30 minutes before a workout. It will help you have enough energy for training and speed up metabolic processes during exercise.
In this way, it accelerates the burning of excess fat and accelerates your metabolism.
In addition to this, even after training, the body will continue to burn excess fat and thus help your body to get rid of stubborn extra pounds.
Difference between Oolong and Green tea for weight loss
As we have already emphasized before, the difference between Oolong and green tea is precisely in the processing. In order for green tea leaves to remain bright green, they are heated to stop the chemical oxidation reaction.
When the green tea leaves are dried they are then rolled to deliberately break up the cell structure.
Oolong tea leaves are plucked and then left in strictly controlled conditions to oxidize. These sheets are not broken on purpose so that the cell structure remains intact.
Each tea prepared for use in this way has its own specific properties, even though they actually come from the same plant.
Oolong tea is more effective in the process of losing weight precisely because it has a lower level of caffeine compared to green tea.
Moreover, the concentration of polyphenols, i.e. natural oxidants, is significantly higher in Oolong tea than in green tea.
In both senses, it is significantly more effective for weight loss than green tea.
Before bed
Since this tea is full of caffeine, it is not recommended to consume it immediately before going to bed.
Caffeine will wake you up and it may happen that you won’t be able to fall asleep for a long time, and it may even disturb your sleep later.
Because of this, it is best to consume it earlier in the afternoon in order to take advantage of all its benefits.
However, if you need to stay awake for work or study, Oolong tea is an excellent choice.
The season for Oolong tea
Perhaps you did not know, and neither did we, that each tea has its own season when it is best to drink it. Maybe not so much in the world, but in China, it is believed that each tea has its own season when it should be drunk, because that’s when we get the most benefits from it.
This principle is used in traditional Chinese medicine.
According to this belief, Oolong tea is best drunk in autumn. There is an explanation for that.
Oolong tea is neither too strong like black tea nor too mild, so it is ideal for autumn temperatures that are neither too high nor too low.
In autumn, the air becomes drier, so people can feel thirsty and dehydrated. That is why this tea is ideal for consumption.
Oolong tea soothes the throat and helps hydrate the skin. And as we have already mentioned, the difference is an ally in the burning of fat deposits and the fight against extra pounds.
How often should you drink Oolong tea?
Oolong tea should be drunk twice a day if you want to see the effects of weight loss.
You should definitely take into account the quantities because too much tea can have harmful effects on the body.
Expiration date
Experts recommend that you drink your tea within 4-6 months after purchase.
In fact, if you have stored it properly, it can be drunk even twelve months after you bought it.
It will still have its unique aroma and color, but it may not provide all the benefits it would otherwise provide.
In order to take full advantage of all the health benefits this tea can provide, it is recommended that you drink it within the expiration date.
Considering its unique taste and aroma, we believe that this will not be a problem.
Health benefits
Given that it is rich in nutrients, vitamins and minerals, it can provide many benefits to your body.
Maintaining sugar levels
This tea has a very favorable effect on lowering and maintaining optimal blood sugar levels.
This is exactly why it is good for weight loss.
It prevents sudden jumps and drops in blood sugar levels and thus prevents food cravings and overeating.
Moreover, it is important in the prevention of diabetes because it alleviates insulin resistance by reducing inflammation among other symptoms.
Heart health
Antioxidants found in this tea can significantly improve heart health. Regular consumption has been observed to reduce blood pressure in people suffering from this disease.
Also, regular consumption reduces the risk of other heart diseases.
It lowers the cholesterol level
Cholesterol buildup narrows the arteries, slowing or blocking the flow of oxygen-carrying blood to the heart, which can manifest as chest pain.
If blood flow to the heart is cut off due to blocked arteries, the result is damage to the heart muscle – a heart attack.
In addition to the beneficial effect on the heart and blood vessels, Oolong tea has a significant effect on the lower level of cholesterol, thus preventing and protecting our bodie.
Improves brain function
Regular consumption of Oolong tea can significantly improve brain function. It can help improve memory as well as mitigate age-related memory loss.
Components that have a positive effect on brain health are primarily caffeine, which can increase the level of norepinephrine and dopamine.
It is believed that these two brain transmitters have a significant effect on mood, attention and brain function.
Then, tannin, which is very present in this tea, can have a significant effect on alleviating anxiety and strengthening alertness and attention.
It was also observed that regular consumption of this tea reduces the risk of cognitive impairment.
For weight loss
We have already mentioned that this tea is important if you want to lose weight.
Consuming moderate amounts can increase fat oxidation – that is, direct reduction of fat deposits.
Although daily drinking of this tea is desirable for weight loss, there is no magic trick with which you can get rid of extra pounds.
It is necessary to take into account the type and quantity of food.
Improves the immune system
Oolong tea is a real treasure trove of vitamins and minerals that can do wonders for your immune system.
The nutrients in this tea increase antibacterial proteins and thus fight against substances that should not exist in the body, improving your entire immune system.
Against flu
When cold and flu season reigns, drinking Oolong tea is an ideal and delicious solution.
This tea can prevent the onset of a cold or flu, but also ease the symptoms.
It helps in the defense against free radicals that can cause various types of diseases.
Better sleep
It may not be logical that a drink containing caffeine can help you sleep better.
However, in addition to containing caffeine, it also contains a blend of L-theanine, which contributes to relaxation and longer-lasting sleep.
L-theanine is a substance that stimulates alpha waves in the brain that otherwise help the body to calm down and reduce stress levels.
This means that it is not exactly an ideal drink that you can consume before going to bed, but it is ideal for consumption in the early afternoon. That’s how it will prepare you.
Tooth and bone health
One study showed that people who consumed Oolong tea had higher total bone mineral density.
Higher bone mineral density means stronger bones and a lower risk of fracture.
However, there is a direct relation between bone fractures and Oolong tea.
However, research has confirmed that tea consumption is directly related to better dental health because it reduces the occurrence of gingivitis and plaque. It thus contributes to better overall dental health.
Protects against certain cancers
Some scientists believe that the antioxidants present in Oolong tea can help prevent mutations in the body that can cause cancer.
Moreover, polyphenols in tea can reduce the rate of cancer cell division.
However, for such serious claims, it is necessary to carry out more detailed investigations so that we can claim with certainty that it can help prevent this vicious disease.
Lowers Risk of Parkinson’s Disease
We have already mentioned that consuming this delicious beverage provides significant benefits for the brain.
In this sense, it can help reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease. This includes its ability to increase neurotransmitter activity.
Caffeine and L Tannins work to keep your brain alert, calm and cognitively capable.
Relieve eczema
Atopic dermatitis, i.e. eczema, is increasingly present in both children and adults.
Consuming Oolong and green tea has been shown to be effective in alleviating the symptoms of this widespread disease.
Although the results are promising, more studies should be conducted in order for these results to be definitive.
Side effects
The health benefits of Oolong tea are really great. 2-3 cups per day are the recommended dose.
As with other drinks and food, you should be moderate because otherwise, it can cause unwanted consequences.
Stomach problems
These can be mild side effects but also very serious ones such as vomiting, upset stomach, diarrhea, headache, sleep problems and irregular heartbeat.
Skeletal fluorosis
Oolong tea contains natural fluorides. It is precisely for this reason that excessive consumption should be avoided.
It can increase the level of fluoride in the body and cause skeletal fluorosis.
Too many polyphenol antioxidants
This tea is very healthy, but you should pay attention to the amount consumed.
Too many polyphenol antioxidants can cause them to act as pro-oxidants, which is not good for general health.
Iron homeostasis
Flavonoids in tea can disrupt the homeostasis of iron, which can later disrupt the absorption of this mineral in the body.
Does oolong tea interact with any medications?
The answer is YES. If you consume tea in combination with other stimulants such as amphetamines or ephedrine, it can cause serious problems with your heart.
This tea should be avoided if you are taking any blood thinners such as heparin or warfarin (Coumadin).
Is oolong tea hard on the kidneys?
Teas such as black, green or Oolong are otherwise recommended for kidney health. They come from the same plant.
However, they contain significant amounts of caffeine, which can be harmful to people suffering from kidney diseases.
In that case, you should be very careful and consult with your doctor about the choice of tea or the quantities.
Is it food for the thyroid?
Since green tea, like green tea, contains fluoride, it can be more harmful than beneficial for people suffering from thyroid diseases.
How to use it
When you prepare, you should drink while it is hot.
The method of preparation is more or less the same. It would be best to use, if possible, fresh, filtered water.
Considering that there are Oolong teas with different levels of oxidation, the temperature of the water and the steeping time can also vary.
Basically, the water temperature ranges from 180 to 200 degrees, while the immersion time can vary from only 3 seconds to 3 minutes.
If you write instructions for use with your Oolong tea, you should follow them. In essence but using about 2 grams of loose-leaf tea per 8 oz. cups of water is a normal portion.
Cover your tea while it steeps to keep it warm.
In order to fully enjoy the unique taste of tea, it is best to drink it without adding milk or sugar.
Final thoughts
Oolong tea has a unique taste and many health benefits. If you are a tea lover, this type should definitely be included in your daily routine.
Even if you haven’t, you should give it a chance. It contains enough caffeine to replace drinking coffee at least once a day.
Consume it in moderation and enjoy the unique combination of aroma and taste that will surely win you over.
Read also: Best Time to Drink Rosemary Tea / Best Time to Drink Green Tea
