Have you noticed that recently, Oolong Tea has taken some of the spotlight attention from green tea? Oolong is a very old Chinese tea that is rapidly gaining favor. It has been featured on several health and talk shows, including the Oprah Winfrey Show, because of its effectiveness in helping people to lose weight.

Oolong is a very refreshing tea with a variety of aromas that make it unique from green or traditional black tea. Flavors like Pouchong and Ti-uan Yin give it the interesting aromas that Oolong is so well known for. Also, each has their own distinctive taste. Some people say the first time they drank it, the pungent smell actually made them feel tingly.

Caffeine & Oolong Tea

Oolong tea is actually lower in caffeine than some teas. It has only half the amount found in black or green.

How Oolong Tea is Made

The leaves from the tea are picked by farmers who determine whether leaves are mature and ready to pick. The leaves are left to oxidize or wither. Usually during this process the leaves are left outdoors to dry in the sun. Farmers maintain that the sun is a key factor; however they also hope there is wind too. While the leaves oxidize, they become much darker. When they are finished drying they are taken back indoors and constantly rotated at a temperature of about 65F degrees.

The next step is to heat them up to a very hot temperature for about five minutes. Then, quickly, before they cool, the leaves are rolled into mills. Finally they are spread out on a drying machine and dried several times. The process is set up to oxidize the tea just partially which is different from black tea which is oxidized 100 percent. This is what brings Oolong to a golden color as it brews; and helps to release the wonderful fruity smell the tea is so well known for.

Catechins: the secret compound in tea leaves

Catching is a compound found in fresh tea leaves. When raw tea is processed, the number of catechism decreases. White tea is known to have the most catechins; where as green tea is second. Oxidation really doesn’t lead to the decrease of healthy components in tea. It merely trades one antioxidant for another. This is one reason why it is a good idea not to just drink one type of tea, but rather drink a variety of healthy teas to get a range of good antioxidants.

Where to buy Oolong Tea

If you live in a large city, perhaps there is a Chinese community or neighborhood nearby. Oolong tea is easily found in Chinese herb shops, but also in regular grocery stores.

Chinese restaurants usually offer it on their menu; just ask for it the next tine you visit a Chinese restaurant. Also, Oolong is available to everyone, everywhere simply by getting it on the internet. Since the tea is from Taiwan, look for a website that imports their tea right from there and you will be certain it is authentic.

Health Benefits of Oolong Tea

There have been many studies done and they show that Oolong tea can be effective for people suffering from many symptoms including the following:

• Diabetes
• Acne and Eczema
• Allergies
• Infections
• Cavities
• Weight Gain And Obesity
• Reducing The Effects Of Smoking
• Increasing Metabolism
• Helping Digestion
• Reduce Risk Of Heart Disease

Oolong Tea and Weight Loss

Following a study in 2003 researchers in Japan announced that drinking Oolong tea promoted weight loss. Popularity for the tea exploded. Drinking the tea along with regular exercise and eating a healthy diet will certainly help you shed some of your excess weight. Get started by drinking at least one cup of Oolong tea each day.