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Why not learn more about Oolong, so you know what you're buying!
Whilst still related to and based upon the original camellia sinensis tea plant, Oolong tea is a whole different dimension of tea! Typically described as being somewhere between green tea and black tea, Oolong has a flavour, aroma and complexity all of its own.
Oolong is a high quality tea that is very likely to impress if you've never tried it. The taste and "mouthfeel" (experience on your palate) is really something special and unique, almost like a fine wine or other premium food/drink. This is especially the case with our most premium Taiwan Oolong teas
Origins and Most Famous High Quality Varieties
With its origins in the Wuyi mountains along the western border of Fujian province in China, Oolong today is still grown in Fujian province but also in Taiwan. Whilst Fujian Oolongs such as Tikuanyin (Iron Goddess of Mercy) are well known and popular amongst mainland Chinese, it is Taiwanese Oolong that is by far the most famous and loved by tea connoisseurs all over the world. Here at LUPICIA, we offer you a range of different Oolongs from both China and Taiwan, including some of the most high quality Taiwanese teas grown at high altitudes such as Dong Ding, Mt Ali and Four Seasons Ming Jian, some of which are naturally organic oolong teas.
High Mountain Oolong Tea
The oolong tea plant is often grown by tea farmers in China and Taiwan, usually at high altitudes, such as the varieties mentioned above, which is why it is often referred to as "high mountain oolong tea".
How Oolong Tea is Made
Oolong tea is produced through a unique process that involves controlled oxidation. Only the finest tips of the tea plant are harvested, and the leaves are subjected to a meticulous process of withering and rolling. This process imparts a full-bodied flavour, unique aroma, and potentially higher levels of health-beneficial compounds compared to other types of tea. The controlled oxidation may also contribute to the preservation of antioxidants and other bioactive substances, enhancing the overall health benefits of Oolong tea (see "Health Benefits of Oolong" below).
As the tea leaves are processed, they gradually darken until they reach the desired color, flavor, and aroma of the experienced Oolong master. The leaves are then twisted or rolled to lock in the optimal level of semi-oxidation. These small, hardened balls are left to fully dry, further developing their unique flavour and aroma profile. Once dried, the Oolong tea leaves are ready for packaging or may be stored and matured to enhance their flavour, aroma and overall quality even further.
The resulting dried tea leaves, whether twisted or rolled, can be infused multiple times. The true loose-leaf form of Oolong is revealed after two or three infusions as the tea leaves unfurl and open up. Some of the very highest quality Oolongs can be infused up to eight or nine times, usually in small "gong fu yixing" tea pots, yielding a generous amount of full bodied tea from a single relatively small serving.
Oolong Tea Bags
Oolong tea in its high quality loose leaf form is also available packaged in tea bags, also from this website. The tea is of the exact same quality and can therefore similarly be infused multiple times.
Here at LUPICIA, as well as offering a wide range of pure oolongs, we are renowned for our unique flavoured oolong teas, including Momo (Peach), Muscat, Passionfruit and Mango flavoured Oolongs.
Oolong tea, renowned for its exceptional taste and aroma, also offers a multitude of health benefits. With a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine, Oolong is particularly revered in Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, and Japan, where it has been consumed for centuries for both its distinctively superior taste as well as its well-established health properties.
In recent years, Western scientific research has increasingly focused on Oolong tea and its close cousin, Japanese green tea, uncovering a surprisingly wide range of health benefits. Let's delve deeper into the modern scientific research that has revealed the remarkable health advantages of this exquisite and unique type of tea.
Oolong tea, a unique variant of green tea, is rich in beneficial compounds, including catechins and polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). (1) These compounds possess potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, contributing to a multitude of health benefits. Scientific research suggests that Oolong tea can help boost mood and mental clarity (2), promote weight management (3), reduce heart disease and stroke (4), potentially slow aging (1), decrease the risk of neurodegenerative diseases (5), and even prevent cancer (6).
EGCG (also known as Catechins/Polyphenols)
Oolong is naturally highly fortified with compounds known as catechins or polyphenols. The most abundant and important of these is epigallocatechin gallate, commonly referred to as EGCG:
EGCG - the most abundant catechin in tea - is a polyphenol [or phenol] ... with potential to affect human health and disease. Source: Wikipedia
A landmark scientific study published in 2011 offers compelling support for this:
Compared with black tea, green [and oolong] tea is particularly rich in catechins [phenols] that include EGCG. EGCG is the most active and abundant compound in green [and oolong] tea representing approximately 43% of the total phenols [and] possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. (1)
Scapagnini et al., (2011)
Oolong tea's anti-inflammatory properties offer a potential natural alternative to conventional anti-inflammatory medications. Its antioxidant compounds can help counteract the harmful effects of free radicals, which are associated with various health conditions and diseases.
Oolong's Positive Effects on Mood, Cognition and Brain Function
A comprehensive 2017 publication (2) reviewed and analysed over twenty well known scientific studies on green/oolong tea. It focused on the bioactive compound EGCG (see above) and specifically its effects on neuro-psychological functions, cognition, and brain activity. In summary, it concluded that the all the studies were well-researched and provided consistent evidence that green tea / oolong tea has a positive effect on:
psychopathological symptoms (e.g. reduction of anxiety), cognition (e.g. benefits in memory and attention) and brain function (e.g. activation of working memory seen in functional MRI). (2)
(Mancini et al., 2017)
Oolong Tea for Weight Loss
Oolong tea's natural appeal lies in its delightful taste, enjoyed without the need for added sugars or sweeteners. This simple yet significant factor can contribute to weight loss efforts, especially when compared to the common practice of adding sugary or high-fat additives to other teas like black tea or sweet green tea based drinks.
In addition to its natural appeal, Oolong tea has been shown in scientific studies to contribute to weight loss. A notable Japanese study from 1999 (3) examined the effects of Oolong tea consumption on weight loss when combined with a high-fat diet
Oolong tea prevented the obesity and fatty liver induced by a high-fat diet (3)
(Han L-K et al., 1999)
Reduce Heart Disease & Stroke Risk with Oolong
Epidemiological data suggests that .... green [and oolong] tea may reduce the risk of both coronary heart disease and stroke by between 10 and 20%. (4)
Bohn et al., (2012)
Oolong's Potential Anti-Aging Properties
Many of the ... beneficial effects of green [and oolong] tea on age-related diseases have been linked to its EGCG content. (1)
Scapagnini et al., (2011)
Help Prevent Dementia and other Neuro-Degenerative Diseases with Oolong
How can oolong tea help prevent the development of dementia and other neuro-degenerative diseases?
In a 2012 study, scientists from Newcastle University in the UK investigated how EGCGs (found in high levels in Oolong tea) might help people with brain diseases. They looked at how EGCGs interact with a brain enzyme called acetylcholinesterase, important for memory. Their results were very positive and the authors advised:
the full potential of digestion of green [and oolong] tea and its metabolites ... may indicate that some sections of society could potentially benefit more from drinking green [and oolong] tea as a strategy to prevent the development of dementia [and other neuro-degenerative diseases]. (5)
(Okello et al., 2012)
Help Prevent Cancer thanks to EGCG in Oolong
For the past two decades, we and others have been investigating the potential cancer preventive ... effects of green [and oolong] tea. It has become clear that much of these effects are mediated by its most abundant catechin, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Large amount of encouraging data [has] emerged making clear that green [and oolong] tea is a nature's gift molecule endowed with anticancer effects. Clinical trials ... especially in prostate cancer patients have yielded encouraging results. (6)
(Khan et al., 2008)
The findings of this well-known and respected study found that Oolong (and green) tea, naturally high in EGCG, can potentially prevent cancer cell invasion as well as reduce or prevent metastasis (the spread of cancer cells).
Summary
Oolong tea, renowned for its exceptional taste and aroma, offers a delightful tea-drinking experience that rivals even the finest green teas. Beyond its sensory appeal, Oolong provides a multitude of health benefits, often surpassing the benefits associated with green tea.
Oolong is a semi-oxidised green tea that locks in very high levels of catechins, antioxidants and polyphenols (in particular EGCG) that have proven medical benefits as clearly detailed and referenced on this page. While further research is needed to fully explore its full potential, Oolong tea's combination of taste and health benefits makes it a truly remarkable beverage.
References
