All About Oolong Tea - Benefits & Brewing
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Oolong Tea Basics
The name "oolong" comes from the Chinese for "black dragon." Oolong tea is processed from the Camellia sinensis plant, the same leaves from which green tea comes. It is available loose leaf or in tea bags, and more recently, oolong tea extract has become available as a diet supplement.
Oolong is more oxidized than green tea, but less than black tea. Consequently, its flavor is somewhere between the two; it isn't as sweet as black tea, but it is more slightly more floral and less grassy than green tea. Traditionally, oolong is brewed strong for a bitter tang with a sweeter aftertaste.
Two of the most popular types of this tea are Taiwanese oolong and tea from the Wuyi Mountain Province (not to be confused with the diet scam Wu-Yi Tea).
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Oolong Tea Benefits
The health benefits of oolong include both antibacterial and antiviral properties, as well as boosting metabolism and the immune system. It aids in the relief of allergies, diabetes, eczema, and obesity, and may help prevent cancer.
Green Tea Vs. Oolong Tea: Both green tea and oolong tea contain catechins, powerful antioxidant compounds which aid in fighting disease and aging. While the levels of catechins in the tea leaves are reduced during oxidization, the concentration of other beneficial chemicals like polyphenols and flavanoids increases during fermentation. As a result, oolong is especially effective in reducing bad cholesterol.
Oolong Tea And Weight Loss: Yes, oolong does promote weight loss. While green tea is a better antioxidant than oolong, oolong is more productive in fat burning. Green tea may be more accessible and in some cases more affordable, but some people prefer the less vegetal taste of oolong. (Of course, you can always use matcha powder to whip up some green tea ice cream.)
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Drinking Oolong Tea
You can purchase oolong tea in whole leaves (loose), tea bags, or as a liquid extract. Organic oolong, like all organic foods, will have better benefits for your health, cultivated without pesticides, and with fewer chemicals used in processing.
Brewing Oolong Tea: For optimal brewing, oolong should steep for 3 to 4 minutes in water that's been boiled to 180 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you choose to buy loose leaf oolong, you should measure between 2.25 grams for every 6 ounces of hot water, or approximately two teaspoons of whole leaf oolong per cup.
If you find the taste of oolong too strong, use a smaller measure of tea leaves or steep for less time. You can also add a small amount of skim milk or soy milk, or sweeten with honey. As you grow accustomed to the flavor, you can brew stronger tea and eliminate these additions.
Happy Drinking!
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Comments
This brings back childhood memories when my Irish mother had a very strict regimen for brewing all teas, she stoutly maintained that the tea must be put in the pot first and then the water was poured on top. She claimed that there was a difference in taste if the tea was put into the water, and of course it had to be a china teapot, anything else was pure heresy.We all enjoy tea in our household, BTW it does have somewhat of a thermogenic effect.
Thanks for the hub, enjoyable reading
Hi Maddie, Thanks for this article. I keep hearing bits and pieces on green tea, oolong and so on. You put the pieces together here, especially the particular health benefits of oolong.
Amazing that we all used to drink more tea, and then coffee took over - and now we are rediscovering the benefits of tea, and the teas that had not made it to the West before.
Thanks, Elsa
Thanks - great beleiver in the good effects of green tea!
Ooh lala;)
It looks like another addition to my shopping list!,,,,I love tea and i thankyou for sharing ths new flavour and explaining everything about it!
Thanks for this article. Sounds like a tea I need to add to my "keep on hand" list. Hard to keep up with all of them. Might even save someone's life with the allergy relief component. That seems to come up in my circle of friends a lot.
Has your research turned up anything about oolong's safety for kids?? Lot's of encouraging scenarios are emerging in my mind on this if it is safe for kids. They often have allergic reactions.
Oolong is safe for children, though you may wish to brew it weaker, since they may dislike the taste. Also, oolong naturally contains caffeine (about 1/3 of the amount in a cup of coffee), so that's something to be aware of for those that are sensitive to it.
I'd like to be clear that while oolong is very helpful in the relief of allergies, drinking a cup of tea is not a replacement for medical care in the case of a serious allergic reaction.
this is great, the phytochemicals you mentioned about are interesting, the presence of flavonoids and polyphenols must show the medicinal implications that has to do with diabetes and diabetic retinopathy
Very interesting hub. I had never heard of Oolong tea before now. We do however have rooibos tea in South Africa which is also more of a herb than a tea. It has great properties including that of being and anti-oxidant and it is also caffeine free.
Great Hub Maddie, I have lived in Japan for many years. If I was to list the claimed benefits of this amazing drink as related to me by the Japanese I am sure I would end up falling under some kind of malpractice (or is it malauthorship) suit!
For sure the variations in Oolong tea or Oolong Cha as it is called here amaze me. The Japanese have no fear in offering the milder forms to very small children and in many cases they claim to be caffeine free. Some however are quite strong and one needs to take care if they have a caffeine concern. As for me these days if I am really thirsty then I know the first thing I grab will be a bottle a icy, thirst quenching Oollong cha.
Your fan.
Monitor.
Brewing tea is a ritual that in and of itself brings me peace. It keeps my hands occupied and my mind is free to ramble and ponder. I find green tea helps calm me - the L-theanine is good for my ADHD. I love tea in all forms. In my wife's village in Spain we go out and pick fresh Manzanilla and brew up some tea from the flower petals. I often use that and Linden leaf tea to help me sleep.
I've tried oolong tea and the flavor was just something I couldn't get used to, you know?
Hello Maddie, I am 17 years old and I'm allergic to dust mites and I'm congested all the time I'm in bed... Can oolong tea help my immune system and reduce my allergies? If so, I'll buy it on eBay for less than 10$ :) but do I always have to drink it every day? If I stop drinking it, will my allergies come back? Thank you and your blog on the truth of Wu-Yi tea is really great! you saved lot of people, including me!!!
Eastern alternative works wonder. Quality Oolong Tea, I believe is really expensive. It's a great gift for your Chinese friends, they will absolutely love you.
Is it safe to take the Wu-Yi tea while exclusively breastfeeding????
is Wu-yi tea safe while breastfeeding
I absolutely love Oolong tea! I love the flavor and the effects it has on you! I lost a pound a day and had energy all day long. I have to drive 80 miles round trip to the Central Market to buy it, but it cost me $7.50 a can there, which sounds high for tea, but I promise you, after you taste this tea, you'll love it too! I sweetened it with raw sugar that you can buy in any grocery store, but found out later that Stivia is the sweetner you should use if trying to watch your weight. Raw sugar is better for you than pure cane sugar, but not much less fattening.
Oolong has a flavor like no other tea. It makes me feel like I have a hot cup of "Special" in my hands. As a matter of fact, I loved it so much the first time I bought it that I made it for so many friends and family, who fortunately and unfortunately for me, loved it so much, that I ran out quick and had to make that 80 mile round trip in a few days to get more. I had so much energy drinking this tea, I had to limit myself to no more than three cups a day, way before noon! Try it! I won't promote a brand, but mine was in a tall tan and brown can. It's well worth the money for a special cup of tea in my world!
I've been drinking oolong tea for two weeks now and though I haven't noticed the benefits, it's nice to be able to drink a hot drink knowing it's hydrating you and benefitting your body. It has a mild taste which is much more soothing than green tea, though I'll always prefer black. And if you forget about it and it goes cold you can still enjoy it, it doesn't go bark-y or metallic.
waaaah the taste of oolong i bought is very bad..its taste like a cardboard,,,very bitter..i drink once i dont like anymore.the tea brand is tie guan yin oolong tea..waaah..taste like dun know how to explain...very bad..anyone can introduce me good brand that can buy in market..im from singapore...
I'm drinking oolong tea for a while. It can be brewed several times from the same leaves without any quality loss
excellent work Maddie Ruud i am getting news on diet and food so its excellent and nice article
can i drink wu long tea while breastfeeding? please email me pnai_angel22@hotmail.com asap thanks
I think you would do well to mention the Gong Fu way of brewing oolong tea...this involves many brief infusions in a special, small teapot.
Even if you don't brew tea the proper "gong fu" way, Oolong tea, especially whole-leaf oolong but even some broken-leaf or teabag oolongs, is often very good for multiple infusions...that is, you can brew the same set of leaves two, three, or sometimes even more times while still yielding a flavorful cup.
In order to do this, you generally want to make each successive infusion longer. For example, you might start with 2 minutes for the first cup and 3-4 for the second and maybe 8 for the third. It really depends on the tea.
This is worth trying though...Oolong tea in particular tends to be very good for multiple infusion. You also will find that different aspects of the flavor and aroma come out in each brewing.
Somebody please advise where I can get the best brand Oolong Tea in South African.
I found a Health Shop in Durban where it is selling for R12.00 don't know if this is the imitation of the Oolong tea or what........If anyone has a name brand, please advise urgently.
amulets says:
16 months ago
Yes. I do believe Green Tea or Oolong Tea has a long term good effect for our bodies. Nice explanation about Oolong Tea.