Wu-Yi tea is a term used to describe any of a series of teas grown and produced in or around Mount Wuyi in China. More recently, it has surfaced as a brand name for a tea product produced by a specific company. This product, essentially oolong tea, has become one of the latest dieting fads with ubiquitous advertisements and almost magical claims.
Oolong teas have been produced in China for at least three thousand years. Its name means, literally "Black Dragon Tea". It is made from the leaf of the plant camellia sinesis, the same one from which green, black and white teas are brewed. Its oxidation level ranges somewhere between that of green tea (which is minimally oxidized) and black tea (which is heavily oxidized). Depending on the quality of the tea leaves it wan be brewed multiple times from the same source and even improve with reuse.
Oolong tea is consumed far less frequently than green or black tea, so its health benefits are less well known as they have been less studied. Because its oxidation level varies (anywhere from ten to seventy percent) it is also a complicated tea to explore. The general consensus, however, is that there are some truly impressive benefits to the consumption of wuyi tea:
Wuyi tea is a very effective antioxidant, the most effective among teas next to green. It has been found to block oxidation by up to 50% over a period of 15 days (with regular consumption).
There is admittedly a lot of unrealistic hype, but oolong tea truly does help promote weight loss. It is known to increase metabolism by up to 10% for two hours after consumption which will lead to the burning of more calories. This is due, in no small part, to the amount of caffeine in it which is still considerably less than the amount found in a comparable portion of coffee.
Some studies have found that oolong tea helps reduce cholesterol. Others have determined it reduces the blood levels of triglycerides (a type of fat). Others have found it reduces blood pressure on the long term. In short, its consumption can promote a healthy heart.
It has been determined that oolong tea helps reduce the levels of plasma glucose and fructosamine concentrations in the blood, which makes it particularly attractive to diabetics with their ongoing treatment.
As with green tea, oolong is believed to have anti allergic properties with particular efficacy in complementing treatments for skin disorders such as eczema.
Oolong tea is not a magical concoction that will immediately lead to the loss of all excess weight. It is not a replacement for a balanced diet, daily exercise and an overall fit and healthy lifestyle. However, its properties have been studied and documented and it has been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years. As a complement to a health regime, even if only used as a replacement for coffee, oolong can be extremely beneficial as long as an individual's personal physician sees no problem with it being consumed regularly.
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Wu-Yi tea is a term used to describe any of a series of teas grown and produced in or around Mount Wuyi in China. More recently, it has surfaced as a brand name for a tea product produced by a specific company. This product, essentially oolong tea, has become one of the latest dieting fads with ubiquitous advertisements and almost magical claims.
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