Oolong Tea Facts – Health Benefits, Caffeine, and Varieties of Oolong Tea

Posted by david jones on July 14th, 2021

Oolong tea-

Oolong tea, also known as Wulong or Wu Long, is a type of semi-oxidized tea that is intermediate between black tea and green tea. Various facts about oolong tea are discussed in this article, including health benefits and an introduction to different varieties.

China and Taiwan are the principal sources of oolong tea. It originates in China and is produced and consumed there. In order to produce oolong tea, the leaves must be allowed to oxidize, as was done in the production of black tea. In spite of this, before the oxidation has completely completed, it is stopped by heating (usually a roast). Variations in both oxidation level and roast level make for many different varieties with distinct colors, flavors, and aromas.

What is the caffeine content of oolong tea?

Oolong tea, like all appropriate teas from the Camellia Sinensis plant, naturally contains caffeine. One cannot generalize about the caffeine content of oolong tea, since the amount depends on the amount of leaf used and the steeping time. There are usually 15 to 70 milligrams of caffeine in a typical cup of tea under normal brewing conditions, a very small amount compared to coffee. There are not many places where you can purchase decaffeinated oolong.

What particular health benefits does oolong tea have over other types of tea, such as weight loss?

Oolong tea is frequently marketed as a dieting or weight loss product, often under the name wu long. Most oolong teas marketed as weight loss products are inferior in quality and offer no additional health benefits over tea sold as a beverage. If you desire to drink oolong in order to lose weight, you would be better off buying high-quality loose oolong from a reputable tea company.

Although there is considerable scientific evidence that drinking tea brings numerous health benefits, particularly cardiovascular benefits including a lowered risk of heart attack, there is no factual evidence that oolong tea is any healthier than other teas such as black or green tea. The same is true for using tea as a weight loss product–there is no research concluding that oolong is superior to green, black, or white teas, and most known facts suggest that any weight loss properties are due to caffeine alone, which is known to aid weight loss.

The primary benefit of oolong teas over green, black, or other teas is that oolongs often have a smoother flavor and can be gentler on the stomach.

Varieties of Oolong Tea:

Although basic, generic “oolong” available in most Asian markets or served in most Chinese restaurants can be enjoyable, the true joy lies in exploring the numerous named varieties from particular regions. Oolong teas exhibit great diversity; some more closely resemble black tea whereas others are more suggestive of green tea. There is an oolong to suit everyone’s tastes.

Taiwanese Oolongs:

Taiwan oolong tea is the lightest oolong, much like green tea, is known as pouchong or bao Zhong, and is popular in Taiwan. Progressing to darker varieties, Jade oolong is another greener variety, and amber oolong is intermediate in color and overall qualities. Darker oolongs from Taiwan are usually just labeled as Formosa oolong, although a particular variety called dong fang mei ren or bai hao oolong is widely available.

Loose Oolong Tea

Loose Oolong Tea comes from Camellia Sinensis. It is processed as loose semi-fermented loose tea. It has two varieties; Loose Green Oolongs or Loose Dark Oolongs. If you looked at the Oolong Tea, it looks dark red brown-green color. It is graded as seventy percent green color and thirty percent red color.

Loose Oolong Tea Grades

It has different grades from first grade to 5th grade. The first grade is the highest in quality and the 5th grade has still the power of a Loose Oolong tea but may have a different shade or grade during the fermentation process. It is graded according to its appearance, taste, and color.

Loose Oolong Tea as Aperitifs

Loose Oolong teas are famous aperitifs in Chinese kiosks and restaurants in ancient China. Usually, people take it after a heavy meal to end the meal properly. The drinking of Loose Oolong tea was not as ceremoniously done in Japan as in China, but one thing is for sure, they drink loose Oolong tea drinks to eliminate cholesterol through active polyphenols real blockbusters against those evil free radicals.

Now, Loose Oolong tea can be found anywhere as more countries are exporting it from China, because of health benefits such as healthy polyphenols. Chinese doctors for centuries have used Loose Oolong teas as medicines.

Loose Oolong Tea is available in cans and packets. The best are those which are propagated in China, however many countries are following suit in its production as this variety of tea is getting popular by the day.

Many manufacturers like Lipton, Robina Corporation, and Nestea are using Oolong Tea for their drinks. Some pharmaceutical companies have concocted dietary supplements which include loose oolong tea.

The best, however, is to buy it as loose oolong tea, boil it, and drink it, as polyphenols are easily taken in when drank. Its compounds are easily mixed with our body chemicals naturally.

General Indication

Loose oolong tea is not given to persons who have severe heart palpitations, who are taking weight loss prescription drugs like Phentermine, Orlistat, and Paxil.

It is also not given to people who are suffering from an overdose of caffeine and those who are under the influence of drug-like ecstasy and marijuana.

It is not good to take coffee and Loose oolong tea at the same time, as it can overdose your caffeine intake for the day, and will make you awake almost the whole day.

Chinese Oolongs:

Most Chinese oolongs originate in Wuyi and Anxi in Fujian province. The most widely-known is arguably Tie Guan Yin, meaning Iron Goddess of Mercy. Also produced in Anxi are the Se Chung oolongs, including Huang jin GUI (golden osmanthus), qi can (profound orchid), and many others. Many of these oolongs have floral aromas, and are available in different forms, with varying levels of roast. Famous Wuyi oolongs include da hong pao (big red robe), and GUI (cinnamon). Also worth mentioning are the Dan Cong teas, such as Feng Huang dan cong. Some of these teas are remarkable in how they mimic the aromas of flowers or spices.