The Benefits of Oolong Tea

A tea recently exploited for its weight-loss properties, oolong tea features an old and deep history. It was cultivated and cherished by Chinese emperors thousands of years ago. Today health-conscious individuals are coming around and beginning to cherish in the same way for its health benefits.

The origin of oolong tea is the plant called the Camellia sinensis. It is a Chinese tea plant which produces black tea, green tea and oolong tea. Many people don't realize that these three teas actually come from the same plant. They only differ in the way they are harvested, aged and treated.

Black tea is allowed to oxidize for a good while after it is picked, and this oxidization process increases the caffeine and robustness of the flavor but create a flavor which seems a little distant from its origin plant. Green tea is generally boiled or treated right after being picked, so there is very little oxidization and the tea retains the plant's color and flavor.

Oolong tea is sort of in between green and black teas. The Camellia sinensis leaves are picked, sun-wilted then lightly bruised in a deliberate fashion. When they are bruised, it opens the leaf surface to the air's oxygen. This causes the internal parts of the leaf oxidize much like a cut fruit will oxidize (like the way an apple's insides slowly turn brown when exposed to oxygen).

But the oxidization process is halted much more quickly than with black tea, retaining more of the floral flavor of the original plant. The leaves are then fully dried.

Oolong teas can range from darker teas closer to black teas to light green teas closer to green teas. Thus an oolong tea can vary much more than a green tea or black tea.

Oolong teas are full of anti-oxidants. This is one of the main reasons people believe oolong teas help preserve good health. Anti-oxidants help your body fight free radicals. Free radicals are by-products of our body's digestive system which contain oxygen. These free radicals can do damage to our DNA and our cells. So eating a diet high in anti-oxidants assists our body to preserve its health and lighten the load on the aging process.

You'll see the terms wulong tea oolong tea used interchangeably. Wulong tea is the original Chinese name for this tea, but in recent years it has been adapted as the name used for oolong tea when used for weight loss.