How Often Should You Drink Wulong Tea?

Wulong Tea, originally spelled as oolong tea, is a semi-fermented tea long grown and cultivated in China. In a Japanese study published in The Journal of Medical Investigation in August, 2003, women who drank wulong tea had raised metabolisms and burned more fat than when they drank either green tea or water. As a result, wulong tea has been promoted in the West as a magic weight-loss drink. Wulong tea does have weight-loss properties, but it also has a host of other health benefits which makes regular drinking of wulong tea a smart addition to any diet.

Origins

• Wulong or oolong tea comes from the same plant that all teas do, the camellia sinensis. What makes the difference between oolong, black, green or white tea is how the leaves are processed. Oolong leaves are wilted in the sun for a short time, shaken in order to bruise the leaves, and then dried. This results in a semi-fermented tea that is different than unfermented teas such as green tea. Oolong has been grown in various parts of China for centuries, but is especially known and cultivated in Fujian province, thought to be the place where oolong was first grown. Fujian province even currently maintains an official oolong tea website.

Health Benefits

• Regular drinking of oolong tea brings a large number of health benefits. Weight loss is the most well-known, but oolong tea is not simply a diet drink. Oolong tea also limits the absorption of carbohydrates, which not only aids in weight loss but can also decrease blood pressure and insulin sensitivity. Oolong tea can help you develop healthier skin and teeth and make your immune system stronger. It contains a large amount of antioxidants and can reduce build up of toxins in the body. Drinking even one cup of oolong any time of the day will help you gain these health benefits and increase your metabolism, but drinking oolong before meals, especially lunch and dinner, will best enable weight loss.

Considerations

• Oolong tea contains caffeine, although it has less caffeine than other teas, such as green tea. Limit your consumption if you are trying to cut back on caffeine or you're sensitive or allergic to it. Also, if you do begin drinking oolong tea but begin experiencing feelings of restlessness, irritability and the inability to sleep, you may want to reduce or stop drinking the tea.