11 Amazing Health Benefits of Oolong Tea You Didn’t Know Before

About Benefits of Oolong Tea

A lot has changed since tea was discovered by chance by a Chinese emperor, Shen Nung. Initially, it was used only for medicinal purposes; then, by the late 17th century, tea had become the regular beverage of the elite. (Benefits of Oolong Tea)

But today, not only black teas, but also some other teas with much more health benefits are popular. One such tea is Oolong tea, which is said to be very healthy. So, let’s take a deep dive into what this Oolong tea is and what magical benefits it has. (Benefits of Oolong Tea)

What is Oolong Tea?

It is a semi-oxidized Chinese tea that has gone through a unique process, including withering in direct sun and then partially oxidizing the leaves. This is why oolong tea is also called semi-fermented tea.

Oolong tea originated in the Chinese province of Fujian, but is now widely produced in Taiwan as well. It is still processed according to three centuries old traditions. (Benefits of Oolong Tea)

Basic Steps in Oolong Tea Making

The processing of oolong tea is described in the following easy steps.

Harvesting

The tea leaves for oolong tea are typically harvested 3-4 times a year, with some farms even having the possibility of 6 harvests.

Withering

Thanks to the enzymes that initiate a chemical reaction in the leaves, the leaves begin to wilt after the harvest. It is up to the tea grower how to control this withering process to achieve the desired taste of oolong tea.

Oxidation

Chemically speaking, in this step the cell walls of the tea leaves are broken. That is, leaves are exposed to air or other methods where they can be oxidized.

It is normally made by putting leaves on long woven bamboo cylinders

Kill-Green Step

This is the control step where oxidation is stopped when the desired oxidation level is reached.

Kill Green is the translation of the Chinese term ‘Shaqing’ which means to kill the green.Rolling and Drying
Finally, when the Kill Green process is finished, the Rolling and Drying process begins. The oxidized leaves are wrapped with the help of modern machines and left to dry. (Benefits of Oolong Tea)

Nutritional Facts of Oolong Tea vs. Green & Black Teas

The following table is a glance at the dietary facts of Oolong tea in comparison with green and the traditional black tea.

A US mug has a capacity of 8 ounces—approximately less than a mug. 11 ounce capacity.

It means that a cup of Oolong tea will make you more alert than green or black tea; and protects you from cancer, heart disease, stroke and asthma more than black tea.

An important consideration here is oolong tea caffeine, which is 10-60 mg/8 ounce cup, or in other words, almost equal to current green tea, but much less than black tea. (Benefits of Oolong Tea)

Types of Oolong Tea

There are two main types of Oolong tea, depending on the processing method you follow. One is slightly oxidized, undergoing oxidation of 10% to 30%, giving it a bright green, floral and buttery appearance.

Dark oolong tea, on the other hand, is oxidized up to 50-70% to look more like black tea. (Benefits of Oolong Tea)

11 Health Benefits of Oolong Tea

Is oolong tea good for you? let’s find

Oolong tea is healthy because it contains more antioxidants such as catechins than black or green tea. There are not only catechins, but also beneficial nutrients such as Caffeine, Theaflavine, Gallic acid, phenolic compounds, Chlorogenic acid and Kaempferol-3-O-glucoside.

A study of 30 different Chinese teas concluded that compared to other teas, oolong tea has the strongest antioxidant capacity.

Fun Facts

In Chinese, Oolong means black dragon, named either because of the dragon-like bushes around the tea plant or dragon-like dance of the tea while it’s brewed.

So what does oolong tea do? Here are 11 Oolong tea benefits you can get by adding two or three cups of Oolong Tea to your daily diet. (Benefits of Oolong Tea)

1. Helpful in Weight Loss

Nowadays, almost everyone wants to look fit and for this, people are always wondering about ways to lose weight. Sometimes people try fat-burning massagers, sometimes belts that are helpful but time consuming.

While you may be familiar with the benefits of green tea in this regard, oolong has also proven its worth in the weight loss field. Like green tea, oolong tea is made by drying the leaves directly in the sun. Plenty of catechins help to lose weight faster than other drinks.

In the study, more than 65% of obese people who drank oolong tea daily for six weeks were able to lose about 1 kg of weight.

A study was conducted to determine whether oolong tea helps reduce diet-induced obesity. And it was concluded that it helps to reduce body weight by improving one’s lipid metabolism.

The reason it improves metabolism is because it blocks fat-forming enzymes. What’s more, the caffeine in it provides you with energy like coffee, so you can exercise more, which ultimately means less weight. (Benefits of Oolong Tea)

2. Improves Heart Health

This famous Chinese tea has also been proven to work in improving heart health.

I. Lowers Cholesterol

In fact, according to one study, it helps reduce the risk of dyslipidemia, in which cholesterol or fats (lipids) in the blood are elevated.

The dyslipidemia patient has blocked arteries, cardiac arrest, stroke and other circulatory system disorders.

In 2010-2011, a study was conducted in southern China, where oolong tea is most consumed. The study aimed to know the relationship between oolong tea consumption and the risk of dyslipidemia.

It was concluded that among other teas, only oolong tea was associated with lower HDL-cholesterol levels.

ii. Reduction in Heart Disease Mortality

About 647,000 people in the United States die with heart diseases every year. Means after every 37 seconds, there is one death due to some cardiovascular disease.

A study was conducted with 76000 Japanese people aged 40-79 to know the effects of oolong and other hot beverages on heart disease mortality.

It was ensured that none of them had cardiovascular disease or cancer. It was concluded that caffeine intake from oolong and other hot beverages was associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular mortality.

Therefore, Oolong tea is beneficial in reducing the risk of this heart disease. (Benefits of Oolong Tea)

3. Help Fighting Breast Cancer

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 627,000 women died from breast cancer in 2018, or 15% of all cancer-related deaths in the world.

In anti-cancer research at Saint Louis University in collaboration with Fujian Medical University, it was discovered that oolong tea damages the DNA of breast cancer cells and hinders the growth of tumors.

Oolong tea originates from Fujian, which is why deaths from breast cancer are the lowest; It means 35% lower incidence of breast cancer and 38% lower death rates compared to other parts of China. (Benefits of Oolong Tea)

4. Helps Prevent Bone Loss in Old Women

In addition to its other magical effects, oolong tea helps reduce bone loss in older women, especially mothers. Osteoporosis is the process by which bone weakens and tends to break more easily than normal. It is a common disease in women who have reached the age of menopause.

A study was conducted to analyze the effect of oolong tea in preventing bone loss in postmenopausal Han Chinese women. Regular drinking of oolong tea has been found to help prevent bone loss, especially in postmenopausal women. (Benefits of Oolong Tea)

5. Strengthens Teeth

We have all known since childhood that fluoride is a substance that our teeth need a lot. It makes our teeth healthy so they are less prone to falling out or breaking and are less prone to dental disease.

One of the characteristics of the oolong plant is that it extracts Fluorides from the soil and then stays in its leaves. Therefore, oolong tea is very rich in fluorides. In a cup of oolong tea approx. 0.3 mg to 0.5 mg of Fluoride.

The more you drink oolong tea, the stronger it will make your teeth.

In addition to drinking it as a tea, oolong tea extracts plus ethanol solution were found to significantly stop plaque accumulation in the person who rinsed it in the mouth before and after meals and before going to bed. (Benefits of Oolong Tea)

6. Helps against Chronic Inflammation

Polyphenols, an active bioactive compound in oolong tea, strengthen the immune system and thus help reduce inflammation.

Inflammation is usually of two types, Acute and Chronic. Acute may be helpful for the body, but Chronic does not. Chronic inflammation occurs due to the unwanted substances in the blood, such as excessive fat cells or toxins from smoking. Drinking Oolong tea helps as it works as an anti-inflammatory activity of the body. (Benefits of Oolong Tea)

7. Improves Digestive System

Its antibacterial function helps our bodies work better against bacteria and other microbes that tend to affect our gut health. Also, its alkaline effect reduces heartburn by reducing acid reflux.

Because it is rich in polyphenols, it is very beneficial for microecology due to its bioactive metabolites and the modulus-based effect of the gut microbiota.

The more microbes you have in your gut, the less likely you are to develop certain allergies.

Today, processed foods have made it impossible to produce microbes and hence Oolong tea helps to produce them. (Benefits of Oolong Tea)

8. Helps in Improving Intestinal Health

Is there caffeine in oolong tea? Yes, like coffee or black tea, the caffeine in Oolong tea stimulates you and improves your mental performance.

This means that a steaming cup of Oolong tea can be of great help when you are napping at the office and not being able to do your task with due diligence. In fact, if you know a friend who is stressed out during work hours, a pack of Oolong tea would make a great tea gift for her.

A study to control the effects of caffeine and theanine on alertness concluded that tea drinkers had significantly reduced error rates.

Polyphenols have also been proven to have a soothing effect within minutes of ingestion.

Another study was conducted to check for the relationship between cognitive impairment and tea. Cognitive impairment is difficulty remembering, learning new things, focusing, or making decisions in daily life. The study concluded that those who took oolong and other teas had a lower incidence of cognitive impairment. (Benefits of Oolong Tea)

9. Helps in Skin Allergies

What are the skin benefits of oolong tea? The benefits of oolong tea for the skin are incredible.

About 16.5 million people in the United States have moderate to severe Atopic Dermatitis or Eczema; this is a condition in which itchy inflammation occurs on the skin, especially on the arms and back of the knees, and many people resort to wearing gloves for household chores. washing dishes and carpet cleaning.

Japanese researchers reported that drinking Oolong tea three times a day helped relieve Atopic Dermatitis. In this experiment, 118 Dermatitis patients were served a total of one liter of Oolong tea three times a day. More than 60% recovered after 30 days, whereas surprisingly few recovered within just seven days.

The reason behind this functionality of oolong tea is due to the presence of Polyphenols in it. Thanks to their antioxidant activity and ability to oxidize free radicals, Polyphenols are those that fight various allergens. (Benefits of Oolong Tea)

10. Helps in Hair Growth

Worried about your short hair not allowing you to use your favorite hairpin?

You don’t have to worry anymore. Oolong tea has a solution. One of the oolong benefits includes helping hair grow, thanks to its antioxidant properties. This is the reason why it is widely used in some hair care products. Extracts of oolong tea, along with some herbs, not only help hair growth, but also reduce the chances of hair loss. (Benefits of Oolong Tea)

11. Helps Reduce Type-2 Diabetes

Among the many benefits of oolong tea, reducing Type-2 diabetes is the most important.

A study was conducted in Taiwan to determine the effectiveness of oolong tea in lowering plasma glucose in patients with type 2 diabetes. And it was concluded that taking oolong tea for weeks helped lower plasma glucose and fructosamine concentrations in patients with type 2 diabetes. (Benefits of Oolong Tea)

Can I drink Oolong Tea Daily?

3-4 cups of oolong tea per day is an adequate intake to reap its health benefits. However, excessive doses such as 7-10 glasses a day are harmful. An overdose of caffeine overstimulates brain function and causes high blood pressure, which is extremely dangerous in the long run. (Benefits of Oolong Tea)

Are there any side effects of Oolong Tea?

Like other teas, it does not have any side effects when consumed normally. But if an unusually high dose of Oolong tea is taken, it can cause headaches, sleep problems, confusion, etc. (Benefits of Oolong Tea)

People who are allergic to caffeine should avoid drinking it. Hypokalemia is a life-threatening condition associated with the toxicity of caffeine.

Besides this, side effects in the form of kidney stones, stomach pain, fluorosis in skeleton due to the consumption of tea in large amount has also been reported.

Speaking of kidney stones alone, it is worth noting that oolong tea is not harmful to a person with kidney stones. Instead, all types of tea, from black to green, contain oxalates that help form kidney stones.

But luckily, oolong tea has a mere 0.23 to 1.15 mg/g tea of oxalates in it, as compared to 4.68 to 5.11mg/g tea in black tea, which is too less to worry about.

Also, drinking too much tea can reduce a person’s ability to absorb vitamins from plant sources. Therefore, it is not recommended to drink tea for children.

It can also interfere with iron absorption when taken with food. Therefore, lactating and pregnant women should avoid it or drink less. (Benefits of Oolong Tea)

What is Wulong Tea?

Wulong is not a new type of tea. Instead, it is a rare type of oolong tea that contains much more catechins and polyphenols than other types. It is placed between green and black teas due to semi-oxidation. It is 100% natural with no chemicals, pesticides or any artificial flavors added. (Benefits of Oolong Tea)

Wulong tea tastes great, suppresses your appetite, is packed with catechins and polyphenols, and above all, burns more calories than green tea. (Benefits of Oolong Tea)

Oolong Tea vs. Green Tea vs. Black Tea

Oolong tea leaves are more oxidized than green tea and less than black tea before drying, according to an Oregon State University study. Catechin, Thearubigin, and Theaflucin in oolong tea are less than fully oxidized black tea and more than green tea.

Are Oolong and Green Tea the same? (Oolong and Green Tea)
Most people think so, but they are not the same. Both teas are derived from the same plant, Camellia sinensis, but the difference still lies.

The difference is the processing methods of the two. Green tea is not fermented whereas oolong tea is semi-fermented. (Benefits of Oolong Tea)

Green tea involves using young tea leaves that do not go through any fermentation process after withering. Here, the pan-cooking method is used to prevent it from fermenting.

On the other hand, oolong tea is produced by partial oxidation of the leaves, which is an intermediate process for green and black teas.

If we talk about nutrients, Green tea is much more mature than white tea but less so than black tea. It contains catechins, but the amount varies according to the cultivation area. Their antioxidant abilities are different due to the presence of other non-catechin antioxidants. (Benefits of Oolong Tea)

How Is Black Tea Different From Oolong Tea?

Not to mention that black, green, and oolong teas are all derived from the same plant, Camellia sinensis. The only difference is the processing method that each tea goes through. (Benefits of Oolong Tea)

Black tea is called fermented tea. The leaves are allowed to ferment for several hours before being steamed, flame-lit, or smoke-ignited.

In the first step of processing black tea, the first tea cloves are exposed to air to oxidize. As a result, the leaves turn brown and the flavor intensifies and is then heated or left as is.

Oolong tea, on the other hand, is semi-oxidized, meaning they are much less exposed to air than black tea.

In terms of chemistry, black tea leaves are completely crushed to maximize the reaction between catechin and polyphenol oxidase.

They are low in monomeric flavins and rich in Thearubigins and Theaflavins, as they are allowed to oxidize before they are completely dried. Theaflavins are known to have higher antioxidant capacity than others. (Benefits of Oolong Tea)

Where to buy Oolong tea?

Like rare items, you don’t have to worry about where to buy oolong tea. Instead, it can be easily found online or at the nearest herbal tea store.

But before you buy, here are some tips.

Whether you’re buying from your favorite retail store or ordering online, there are some tips for purchasing specialty drinks like Oolong tea.

Note that oolong tea is produced in Korea and Taiwan. Therefore, any seller based in any of these countries or reliable enough to import directly from the source, you can buy from it.

Besides that, good ratings and reviews when buying online are some of the indications that oolong tea can be purchased from them. (Benefits of Oolong Tea)

Conclusion: Is Oolong Tea Good For You?

Once you see the benefits of oolong tea, will you include it in your favorite drinks list? If you need relief from stress after a tiring work day, this tea can be your best partner.

So, fill your infuser mug with oolong tea leaves with cup notes of your favorite nuts that will allow you to enjoy your work at the office or at home and lead a healthy life free from deadly diseases.

Have you tried yet?

Also, don’t forget to pin/bookmark and visit our blog for more interesting but original information. (Benefits of Oolong Tea)