Oolong tea is a traditional Chinese tea. It's made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, the same plant used to make green tea and black tea. The difference is in how the tea is processed. All tea leaves contain certain enzymes, which produce a chemical reaction called oxidation. Oxidation is what turns the green tea leaves into a deep black color.
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5. Health Benefits of Oolong Tea
With so many health benefits, the inclusion of this tea in a balanced diet is generally a great idea. Let€™s have a look at the incredible benefits of oolong tea:
1. Helps in Weight Loss
The polyphenolic compound found in oolong tea is may be positively linked to controlling the metabolism of fat in the body and reducing obesity. In a 2009 study published in The Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine, 102 overweight or obese people who drank four cups of oolong tea (the brew from four 2 gram tea bags) lost weight. Twenty-two percent lost more than 3 kg (between 6-7 lbs) of weight. Moreover, all participants show a remarkable decrease in their total cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
2. Controls Type-2 Diabetes
Oolong tea is used as an herbal brew for managing type-2 diabetic disorders and as an addition to other supplementary drugs for treating the disease. It may help regulate the amount of blood sugar and insulin in the bloodstream, so the dangerous dips and spikes in blood sugar can be reduced. Dr. Beverly Clevidence, the research leader at the USDA-funded Food Components and Health Laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland, in her study reveals that when combined with regular hyperglycemic drugs, oolong tea further balanced the blood sugar levels and prevented sudden drops in almost all of the test subjects.
3. Removes Harmful Free Radicals
The polyphenolic compound in oolong tea functions as an antioxidant and is therefore contributory in the removal of free radicals from our body. A study in 2002 journal Nutrition establishes that tea phenols help in scavenging free radicals.
Therefore, consuming daily doses of oolong tea may help people against the potential harm that these free-moving cells often pose to the body, including cancer, atherosclerosis, stroke, rheumatoid arthritis, neurodegeneration, and diabetes.
4. Improves Mental Alertness
Health benefits of oolong tea include improved mental alertness. Regular intake of caffeine-rich oolong tea may help in improving mental performance and maintaining alertness throughout the day.
5. Anticancer Potential
There is a well-known link between tea drinking and a lower risk of getting skin cancer. Moreover, the polyphenolic compound in oolong tea promotes apoptosis in the case of cancerous cell growth in the stomach.
This polyphenolic extract also acts as a chemo-preventive instrument against the development of other cancers as well. The compounds stifle the activation of carcinogenic cells, prevent the formation of N-nitroso compounds, and trap genotoxic agents before they can become effective."