The Mystery Of The Oolong Tea
Oolong tea is available from either China or Taiwan, with Taiwan arguably producing the best in oolong tea. Oolong is also pronounced wu-lung which is translated as Black dragon.
What Is Oolong Tea
Oolong tea is processed straight from being picked. The leaves are then left in the sun to give them a wilted look and are then shaken to bruise them, which leaves the juices in the leaves exposed to the air. The leaves are then fired until they are crisp and dry.
The Taste And Color
The tea's have a unique taste, which differs from green and black tea's. The taste will vary depending on the tea, from the nearly-green Pouchong to other tea's that resemble more of a black tea.
Benefits Of Green Tea
Oolong tea has a range of health benefits that are similar to its green tea neighbor.
Oolang Tea For Weight Loss
While the tea does not have the same level of oxidants as green tea, due to the excessive firing of the leaves, it still has many benefits, especially when it comes to losing weight. It is know to burn fat and speed up metabolism more effectively than its green tea counterpart.
Oolong tea has also been known to act as a fat blocker. This means that actually helps the body excrete more fat, in fact sometimes up to double the amounts. It has also been known to act as a fat burner, which means it will keep the weight off.
Just like the green tea, it has been known to aid in digestive problems, strengthening the immune system and the bones, to help prevent diseases such as osteoporosis.
The tea also has the advantages of being great for looking after your teeth and gums. The fluoride in the tea, with actively help to prevent tooth decay and plaque.
How To Brew
For the connoisseur you could always brew the tea in the traditional Chinese way. By purchasing an Oolong teapot which is a small glass teapot, suited for the infusion style of the tea, and the oolong teacups, small teacups suited for the tea.
Like other tea's, only use fresh water which is rich in oxygen. Never used distilled water as this has been purified of its mineral content and will make the tea taste bitter.
Unlike other teas, Oolong tea is more resilient as it has already been processed and fired a number of times. Therefore, you can use water fresh from the boil without worrying about destroying the taste.
Amount Of Tea And Steeping
Oolong tea requires a longer steeping time than most teas between two to five minutes. If your not sure on how long to steep the tea for check with the instructions that come with the tea.
Just like other loose leaf tea, adding milk, cream or sweeteners may ruin the taste, but again this goes down to individual preference.