Wu Long Tea, Chinese Traditional Tea for Losing Weight

Wulong tea is a traditional Chinese tea. It is somewhere between green tea and black tea that is usually used for losing weight. It ranges from 10% to 70% in oxidation. Polyphenol which is found in this tea is believed to have a role in activating the enzymes in the body that breaks down body fat. There are more than two phenol-based hydroxyl groups inside the molecule of polyphenol.

The word Wulong means “black dragon” in Chinese. There are several legends show the origin of this strange name. One of them tells there is an owner of tea plantation scared away from his drying tea leaves by the appearance of a black snake. The tea had been oxidized by the sun when he went back after a few days. Because of that oxidation process, the tea has wonderful brew.

Another legend tells a man named Wu Liang found about Wulong tea accidentally when his attention was diverted by a deer after an exhausting day of picking tea. He almost forgot about it that the tea had already started to oxidize.

Another version says that the word Wulong is used to name the tea because the leaves look like little dragons awaken when hot water is poured on them.

Semi-oxidized of Wulong tea that is merged in groups is called Blue green tea. The taste is more close to green tea rather than black tea. It does not possess the rosy, sweet aroma of black tea, and it does not have the bitter grassy vegetal quality that distinguishes green tea. The best Wulong tea has a nuance flavor profile. It is commonly brewed to become strong, with the bitterness leaving a sweet and pleasant taste on the tongue.

Wuyi Mountain in the province of Fujian in China and Central Mountain in Taiwan are places where the original Wulongs are created. They are commonly processed and rolled into elongated coiled leaves or into a ball-like form to gunpowder tea. Wulong tea is usually offered to go with dimsum and other Chinese food in Chinese restaurants.

There are several customaruy mixes of Wulong tea that marries the wonderful outcome of Wuyi’s Wulang tea with another Wulong tea from the province of Anxi and Formosa’s Wulong tea. Although each of them is unique in flavor, they are good for health. There are many benefits when we consume Wulong tea. It wards off hunger, burns calories, excesses fat resulting to weight loss, lessens signs of aging, boosts energy, fortifies teeth, lessens hair fall, improves immune system, lessens eczema and may treat type 2 diabetes as well.