Here is a mish-mash of
Oolong tea facts for your perusal:
- Produced from the Camellia Sinensis plants (which all tea is)
- Also known as Wu Long tea
- Is between a green and a black tea, due to its mid-range oxidation processing
- China and Taiwan are its two biggest producers
- Other smaller producers include India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Hong Kong
- First discovered in the Fujian province
- Throughout the world, Oolong tea makes up only 2% of tea consumption.
- High quality Oolong tea can be brewed many times, improving with each brew.
Oolong Tea Facts – Harvesting
These are Oolong tea facts directly related to creating Oolong:
- Leaves are plucked and left in the sun to dry and wither
- Leaves are collected in bamboo baskets and tossed to bruise the leaves
- Bruising begins the oxidation process
- Oolong tea oxidation is 10-90%
- Varying oxidation levels affect the characteristics of the tea
- Only skilled artisan know when oxidation is complete
- Pan-frying the leaves stops the oxidation process
- Length of pan-frying time varies depending on the type of Oolong made
- Only skilled artisans know how long to pan-fry the leaves
- Oolong tea leaves are rolled, twisted, or knotted
- Flavors and aromas range from grassy and floral, to dark and woody.
Oolong Tea Facts – Well, Really Just A Legend
A hunter, whose skin was as black as a dragon, had some tea leaves at the bottom of his hunting bag. Having been there for a long time, the tea leaves had oxidized. The browning of the leaves caused a very appealing aroma, and because of this, the tea was named after him – Black Dragon tea. In China, Oolong tea is commonly called Black Dragon tea.
Oolong Tea Facts – Health Benefits
Oolong tea articles list the same health benefits that you see for green and white tea. I’ll list these benefits so that you know what they are, but keep in mind that the studies for preventive health benefits of tea were initially done using green tea.
The minimal oxidation of both white and green teas retains their high levels of antioxidants so beneficial to our health. And Oolong tea, by way of oxidation, reduces the antioxidants inherent in the natural tea leaf. Still, less oxidized Oolong teas most likely hold many of these same benefits:
- Green tea slows the onset of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases
- It raises metabolism and increases fat oxidation, promoting weight-loss (Some new studies have specifically attached this claim to Oolong tea.)
- It reduces the risk of heart diseases and heart attacks
- It inhibits the formation of cancer cells, particularly esophageal cancer (Gets most valuable Oolong tea facts award!)
- It reduces blood cholesterol levels
- It eases the pain of rheumatoid arthritis
- It increases immune systems and fights infection
- It kills bacteria, which causes dental plaque
- It fights the cause of allergies and stems watery eyes, coughing, and sneezing.
I hope you enjoyed these Oolong tea facts!
