Turn on the TV, connect to the internet, listen to the radio and you’re sure to hear some sort of advertisement promoting the benefits of Oolong tea and weight loss. What exactly are the facts behind the fad, though?
It all comes down to metabolism and drinking tea speeds up the body’s metabolism by about 4%. This means that a person consuming oolong tea on a regular basis could possibly lose around 8 pounds per year. Now, this is icing on the cake if you’re already into oolong tea, like I am!
Bottom line: it certainly can’t hurt to incorporate a cup of Oolong tea into your daily routine! Figuring out where to start is often difficult, though, as there are dozens of different types of Oolong tea. Tasting the many different types is a lot of fun and allows one to experience the complexity of this type of tea. Oolong is around 40% oxidized which places this tea between the smooth flavors of black tea and the strong, vegetal flavors of green tea.
I’ve given a brief description of a few of my all time favorite Oolong teas. Most tea shops (or online tea retailers) will carry these types of teas. I don’t really drink them for weight loss, but just for enjoyment and mere taste instead. If I shed a few pounds here or there…that’s just another great benefit of being an avid tea drinker!
Ti Quan Yin (Iron Goddess of Mercy) – This was the first oolong that I tried and it could be a great starting point for others who may be new to this type of tea. The photo in this post is Ti Quan Yin. It is a greener oolong and it’s very delicate and somewhat grassy. Ti Quan Yin is good for multiple infusions and each infusion produces a slightly different taste. Ti Quan Yin is an awesome base for Oolong tea blends. Mix some dried fruits with your Ti Quan Yin and get to infusing!
Da Hong Pao (Big Red Robe) – This is the highest quality of all Oolong teas. It has been used in ancient times as the drink of Chinese royalty. Only the finest tea estates are able to produce this quality of tea and it is still a very sought after oolong. Big Red Robe is a blacker rather than greener oolong tea. It has an earthy, malty, almost nutty taste and aroma and is far less vegetal than it’s greener oolong cousins. Like Ti Quan Yin, Big Red Robe is also good for multiple infusions.
Jasmine Oolong – This is a basic oolong tea scented (or infused) with jasmine flowers. When I first heard of this, I thought it would be very odd. The floral, orchid aromas from the Jasmine flowers work well with the slightly vegetal and grassy notes of the Oolong. When brewed correctly, this is a very delicate blended tea that works well as a relaxing bedtime tea (I’m not that sensitive to caffeine so it really doesn’t affect me). Here’s a word of caution about a Jasmine Oolong, though — it will taste like perfume if brewed at the wrong (too high) temperature or steeped for too long.
