Oolong tea has been long known for its health benefits and processing method. However, did you know it had a few possible side effects on different individuals? The caffeine content in Oolong may lead to serious problems.
Oolong tea may not be a widely consumed tea variety but it has a lot of health benefits to offer and therefore worth discussing. This tea from China is derived from the same tea plant Camellia sinensis from which you get black tea, green tea, and white tea as well.
What differentiates oolong tea from the other tea varieties is the oxidation process. While green tea is not oxidized much and black tea is oxidized until its color changes to black, oolong tea is somewhere in between as it is oxidized partially.
It is due to the different processing methods that oolong tea gets its unique color and flavor.
Health benefits of Oolong tea
1. Reduces the risk of heart disease
According to research, it has been found that upon consuming oolong tea the risk of having elevated levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, and LDL or "bad" cholesterol are lower.
Drinking just 1 cup of oolong tea a day can bring down the chances of you suffering from heart disease.
2. Helps in weight loss
Being overweight is a huge problem and can become the reason for developing several health issues. Research has been carried out and it indicates that drinking oolong tea helps individuals lose weight.
The tea also helps in fighting obesity.
3. Improves dental health
Fluoride is an essential element for the upkeep of oral health. Oolong tea is a natural and rich source of fluoride. Consuming it daily can help in the prevention of cavities.
4. Reduces cancer risk
Rich in antioxidants, oolong tea helps in reducing the risk for some cancers such as pancreatic and ovarian. The tea is so effective that can be referred to as a beverage that fights cancer.
You can make it a part of your healthy diet plan and prevent cancer.
5. Helps in the prevention of diabetes
Consuming oolong tea daily is one way of preventing type 2 diabetes. The tea is even beneficial for those who have already developed the disease.
Diabetics have witnessed a decrease in their blood glucose level by drinking this tea regularly for a month.
6.Rich in antioxidants
Antioxidants are generally well known to keep the body healthy. The high levels of antioxidants in oolong tea have a lot of positive effects on the body.
The bioflavonoids in the tea fight aging and reduce the chances of developing various diseases.
7. Fights inflammation in the body
You can stay away from many diseases by reducing chronic inflammation in the body. The antioxidants present in oolong tea help in doing just that!
Consuming oolong tea regularly will fight inflammation in the body.
8. Improves brain health
Consuming oolong tea is known to help cognitive function. The effects are seen upon short term as well as long term consumption of the tea. Oolong tea is capable of slowing down or preventing age-related cognitive decline.
The tea also reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s significantly.
What are the side effects of oolong tea?
As such oolong tea is healthy. The only reason why it can be a cause of concern is that it has caffeine in it. Not every person reacts the same way to caffeine but consuming high quantities of it can lead to certain health problems such as the following:
Young children and expecting mothers should avoid drinking oolong tea.
How does oolong tea taste like?
The taste of oolong tea depends on where it has been grown in spite of the fact that it has been made from the same tea plant (Camellia Sinensis) everywhere.
Based on the geographical location of the tea farm, the weather and soil the flavor profiles keep changing. The oolong tea cultivated in Indonesia will obviously taste different from that has been harvested in Taiwan.
To provide you with a general idea of the flavor of the tea it can be said that the variety which has been oxidized a little has vegetal, nutty and floral notes. The oolong tea that is oxidized more has a fruity, floral and a creamier taste.
Here is how to brew the perfect cup of oolong tea,
You need to use loose leaf tea as it is regarded as the best. For making a 180 ml cup of oolong tea you need to add 2 teaspoons of tea leaves if they are rolled into small balls.
For rolls of wiry strips, you will need to add 1 ¼ - 2 teaspoons of the leaves. In case the leaves are whole or broken, you need to add 1-2 teaspoons of it.
After putting the tea leaves in the cup, you need to heat water in a kettle and ensure that the temperature is between 85–96ºC. If you don’t have a thermometer, you need to boil the water and then allow it to cool down a bit for 2 minutes.
Now pour a small amount of the hot water onto the leaves and drain it away. This way the impurities are removed. After this step, you can fill the teacup with the hot water (180 ml) and allow it to steep for 2-5 minutes.
You can increase or decrease the quantity of oolong tea leaves and the steeping as per your taste.
How is Oolong different from green tea when the benefits seem all the same for both?
The answer lies in the processing method each of the tea goes through. Here is a detailed difference between Oolong tea and green tea.
Is oolong tea good for you or not?
Oolong tea helps in improving dental health, losing weight, enhancing brain health, reducing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Rich in antioxidants, it keeps you healthy.
The tea also fights chronic inflammation in the body. Sounds like quite a beneficial tea and making it a part of your healthy lifestyle will surely yield results.
Now, when you talk about the side effects, there is a possibility of having them only due to the presence of caffeine. The problem arises only when the consumption of tea is in very high quantities.
Therefore, it is important to limit your daily intake of the tea to 2-3 cups. Oolong tea is healthy when consumed within limits.
