Benefits of Oolong Tea

Oolong Tea

Tea is one of the most popular healthy beverages that people around the world have been consuming for years. Although oolong tea is lesser-known than black tea or green tea, it also contains a hefty load of health benefits. If you’re here to know the benefits of oolong tea, let’s have a journey!

This article explains everything you need to know oolong tea, honestly. From what oolong tea is to how it affects you, you’ll end up knowing everything it.

So, let’s just talk oolong tea.

What is Exactly Oolong Tea?

In the simplest words, oolong is a semi-oxidized tea that’s originated from China. Though all of the true tea is made from the leaves, stems, and buds from a plant named Camellia sinensis, the differences are in their processing and harvesting.

And, the term we have used in the first place ‘semi-oxidized’, let us explain what it means. Tea leaves have individual types of enzymes that produce oxidation (a chemical reaction). The oxidation process is responsible for turning the green tea leaves into deep black color.

Green tea doesn’t go through a full oxidation process whereas black tea goes through the oxidation process until it gets the deep black color. And, oolong tea remains in the middle of those two types, meaning oolong tea undergoes a partial oxidation.

This special, partial oxidation is the reason for oolong tea’s characteristic taste and color. If you ask what the color of oolong tea is, well, it depends on the brands. Different brands come in different colors that range from light green to dark brown.

And, you’ll find various types of oolong tea. However, the most popular one originates from a region of China named Fujian.

Nutritional Value of Oolong Tea

Oolong tea has appealing nutritional values. The same as green and black tea, it also contains several helpful antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. But tea also varies in the types and amounts of antioxidants.

For example, green tea contains a high amount of catechins (one of the different classes of antioxidants). On the other hand, Thearubigins and  Theaflavins are two antioxidants highly found in black tea.

Regarding the amount of these antioxidants, oolong tea holds the middle position. However, the highlighted antioxidants remaining in oolong tea are polyphenols, thearubigins, theaflavins, and EGCG. And, these antioxidants are responsible for oolong tea’s amazing health benefits.

Both green tea and oolong tea have the same amount of caffeine, around 10 to 60 milligrams per 8-ounce cup.

Now, let’s get to know what are the nutrition facts of one cup of brewed tea:

Also, oolong tea is rich in an amino acid called theanine that is the main reason for oolong tea’s relaxing effect.

10 Benefits of Oolong Tea

Once you know the nutritional value of oolong tea, let’s get to know the reasons why people love drinking oolong tea, what magical health benefits this tea provides.

1. It Improves Your Heart Health

Oolong tea keeps the engine of your body well, the antioxidants in the tea improves your heart health if you consume oolong tea regularly. Studies show that people who drink tea regularly have reduced cholesterol levels and blood pressure. Consequently, they are at less risk of having heart diseases.

If you only believe in facts- a recent study shows that people who consumed more than 1.4 liters of tea a day, had a comparatively 51% less risk to have heart disease than non-tea-drinkers.

According to another study, people who consumed more than 240ml of oolong tea, come with a 61% lesser risk of heart disease.

A point mentioned here, the caffeine in oolong tea can raise blood pressure (slightly) in you or me. However, this effect will fade away by consuming caffeine regularly.

2. It Helps You Lose Weight

When you drink a cup of unsweetened brewed tea, you drink a zero-calorie beverage because it has no fat, protein, or carbohydrate. And, scientists say that the polyphenols in oolong tea causes burn fat as they raise your metabolism- the process continues up to 2 hours after you drink it.

What science works here is, the antioxidant polyphenol is able to block the fat builder enzymes.

So, the thing is, if you do not load your cup of tea with artificial sweetener like refined sugar, you can lose weight with oolong tea for sure.

But, what if you’re a sweet tea lover? Well, you can use a little amount of maple syrup, stevia, raw honey, or agave syrup instead. These are widely used for the replacement of sugar as they come with a low glycemic index.

3. It may Improve Gut Health

Oolong tea boosts your digestive health as well as your gut microbiome’s health.

For being slightly antiseptic, oolong tea hinders the harmful bacteria’s growth in your gut. Consequently, it helps the digestive tract like a champ.

And, according to a study, polyphenols in this tea regulates our intestinal flora as well as generates certain fatty acids that are crucial to the well-being of our intestinal health.

4. Oolong Tea Prevents Diabetes

According to some studies, the antioxidants of tea can reduce blood sugar as well as insulin levels.

Moreover, they help to raise up your sensitivity towards insulin. More specifically, if you consume 3 or even more cups of tea in a day, you’re less likely to have type 2 diabetes.

And, if you are already suffering from type 2 diabetes, drinking oolong tea regularly may decrease your blood sugar level up to 30%.

5. It Fight Against Certain Cancers

Researchers believe that the antioxidants, in the main EGCG, can stop cell mutations that may cause cancer in your body.

If you’re not satisfied until you see a fact- according to a study, people who drink tea carry a 15% lower risk of having oral cancer.

According to other reviews, oolong tea protects against skin, lung, ovarian, and pancreatic cancer. Also, the polyphenols can stop tumor cell multiplication as well as can promote the malignant cells to die.

6. It Makes Your Teeth and Bones Stronger

The antioxidant fluoride in oolong tea prevents your teeth from dental cavities. Fluoride replaces phosphorus and calcium that your teeth lose over the period and helps stop enamel loss as well as tooth decay.

One fun- is, this fluoride mineral is sometimes added to mouthwash, toothpaste, and even to drinking water for the cavities preventing purposes. And, here, in oolong tea, you’re getting this naturally.

According to research, people who have been used to drinking oolong, green, or black tea regularly over a period of 10 years ended up having 2% higher bone mineral density.

7. It may Improve Your Skin Health

Although you may see the improvement after 2 or more weeks, it’s proven by research that drinking oolong tea regularly can relieve eczema. More clearly, you can get fully rid of the inflammation and itching (that is caused by eczema) with the help of drinking oolong tea.

Moreover, oolong tea is famous for fighting free radicals, so it also can decrease the allergic reactions caused by eczema/atopic dermatitis. Not only these, the antioxidants of oolong tea makes your skin more radiant and remove age spots and wrinkles.

Furthermore, the polyphenols in this tea protect your skin against the damage of ultraviolet rays from the sun.

8. Oolong Tea Causes Healthy Hair

For being rich in several antioxidants, this tea can solve your hair loss problem. Not only this, but you’ll get even shinier and thicker hair as a result. Oolong softens as well as adds gloss to your hair.

9. It Provides Stronger Immune System

Drinking a cup of oolong tea regularly even gives you a stronger immune system. The anti-cancer properties of oolong maintain a healthier immune system.

Flavonoids is an antioxidant found in oolong tea that can stop cellular damage.

Studies show that people who drink oolong tea contain a higher number of anti-bacterial proteins in their body which is an indication of a stronger immune system.

10. Drinking Oolong Tea is Relaxing

In case, you tend to be anxious throughout the day, oolong tea can be a great option for you. In oolong tea, an amino acid called theanine is present that aids you to relax. Moreover, theanine regulates the function of the human brain without causing tiredness.

Also, theanine works great for those who need to stay focused and calm down. Research shows that people who consumed theanine (100mg) went through fewer errors than people who took a medication.

Theanine increases the excretion of dopamine and serotonin that improves your emotions and moods, helps you sleep better, and regulates the cortisol production of your body.

How Much Oolong Tea Should You Drink a Day?

Since oolong tea contains a fair amount of caffeine, it’s important to drink it in moderation. We recommend you have 2 cups of freshly-made oolong tea per day. Try to drink one cup of tea in the morning and one in the afternoon. Following this strategy is not going to affect your sleep.

Now, you may ask ‘what’s the problem of consuming much caffeine?’. Well, you may end up having a number of side effects such as irregular heartbeat, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety, and inflammation.

Also, consuming too much oolong may reduce the effectiveness of the medicine you take as well as make your stomach upset.

And, if you’re in the pregnancy or breastfeeding phase or having any other serious health condition that may get affected by consuming caffeine, you must consult with your doctor before drinking it.

Frequently Asked Questions of Oolong Tea

Conclusion

And, this is it. Now, you know the amazing benefits of oolong tea. You can make a cup of mouth-watering oolong tea such as oolong lemonade tea, peach oolong tea, etc, and start your day with eternal freshness.

However, do not drink it excessively because everything works perfectly in moderation. Keep things on track by keeping in mind what we’ve instructed.

Good luck!