Oolong tea has benefits that can help you be healthier. Every person knows that drinking tea is good for our health both mentally and physically. Over the world in some countries drinking tea is a tradition. In some countries like England, people are throwing tea parties. In Asian culture, there are special rituals and ways for preparation. As you know, all over the world, especially in Asian countries like Japan and China, there is a rich variety of black and green teas. Let’s pay attention to a specific one – oolong tea and its benefits.

Oolong tea is a traditional Chinese tea

It is made from the leaves of Camellia sinensis which is part of the flowering plant family Theaceae. Their leaves and leaf buds are in use in tea production. Camellia sinensis is the same plant from which green and black teas are making of. The difference comes from the way its leaves are processed. They are sun-dried and slightly bruised to create partial oxidation.

Oolong tea is semi-oxidized and contains a variety of antioxidants, including many that are found in black and green teas. However, some oolong teas may be nearly fully oxidized, which makes them close to black tea, others are green and light. The difference between it and the green tea is that oolong can contain full branches with buds and leaves. Flavor ranges from cinnamon to light flora tones, caramel notes, milky flavor, ripe fruit and many more.

Oolong tea is high in polyphenols and antioxidants - nutrients, which protect our cells from damage. All teas have high levels of them, offering a lot of health benefits. Also, there are researches that prove that the nutrients in oolong tea have far more powerful antimutagenic and antioxidant effects than the others.

What do studies say?

There is even a study done by scientists in Japan, who revealed that certain bioactive compounds found in black, green, and oolong teas have remarkable antiviral activities against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative pathogen of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The study is currently available on the preprint server.

Other health benefits from drinking oolong tea:

It has a positive effect on your immune system. Oolong tea is rich in sodium, manganese, potassium, magnesium, and niacin (vitamin B3). And that’s not all – antioxidant flavonoids found in the tea protect the cells from damage. It is good to know that people who drink that tea produce high levels of anti-bacterial proteins. They are indicating a strong immune response when fighting infections.

Metabolism-boosting is another benefit and it can help with weight loss. If you drink a cup of oolong tea, after two hours it helps your body to burn fat faster than normal, by increasing your metabolism. The polyphenols in the tea's contents are able to block fat-building enzymes. Keep in mind that in order to achieve that – it is best to avoid sweetening it with sugar or artificial sweeteners. Instead of that use raw honey or maple syrup. The best is to drink it clean.

Oolong tea protects you from diabetes as the polyphenols in it reduce insulin resistance and lower blood sugar levels. Also, consuming this beverage protects your heart as it lowers cholesterol levels. As it is semi-oxidized, oolong tea produces polyphenol molecules. That molecule is able to activate the enzyme lipase, which dissolves body fats and triglycerides (a type of fat in your body).

Thanks to the caffeine content – the tea revitalizes your mental activity, focus, and performance. Still, be careful with it in case you are sensitive to caffeine. Do not consume more than one lightly steeped cup a day. Or reduce the intake to a few times a week.

Last but not least – improves your skin condition as it combats free radicals thanks to the antioxidants in it. Drinking oolong can slow down the aging process, which makes it a great anti-aging tool.