Wu Long Tea

Wu Long tea is not only clear and fragrant as green tea, but also refreshing and has the body of black tea.  Traditionally, like many good Chinese teas, Wu Long tea is grown at altitude, typically between one and three thousand metres above sea level.  Luckily China abounds with mountains so finding suitable habitats for the tea plants (Camellia sinensis) to grow for the production of Wu Long tea is not a problem.  Wu Long tea is nothing more than the leaves of the camellia sinensis that have been processed a certain way.  Wu Long teas are the most difficult of the four types of teas to process.  The many steps involved in processing tea leaves into fine oolong tea from Taiwan is one of the reasons why Taiwan oolong tea is so valued by tea connoisseurs around the world.  Wu Long tea can have varying degrees of oxidation.  The Wu Long tea oxidation process is stopped by pan roasting the leaves.

Wu Long tea is being touted for its health benefits, namely its effects in helping with weight loss.  Oolong tea activates the enzyme in the body that is responsible for dissolving triglycerides, so it stands to reason that regular consumption of Wu Long can be helpful in weight management by enhancing the function of fat metabolism. 

Green Wu Long tea grows in the virgin land of Southern China, rich in Oolong’s unique refreshing aroma, and can have 4 to 6 serving.  Green tea is the variety which keeps the original color of the tea leaves without fermentation during processing. Wu Long tea is most commonly enjoyed in Taiwan and southern China and the tea of choice in many Chinese restaurants.  Oolong tea is mainly produced in China and Taiwan, but other countries like Vietnam and Sri Lanka also produce a small amount of oolong.  Taiwan is an island located off the southeast coast of China and is where the best Wu Long (or wulong) teas come from.

Taiwan Wu Long is considered to be the finest Wu Long in the world.  Wu Long tea from Taiwan is grown from the Camellia Sinensis plant.  One of the first steps in processing Taiwan oolong tea is to toss the leaves in large bamboo baskets.  Wu Long tea grown in Taiwan is almost always consumed by the Taiwanese and very little finds its way to the tea export market. 

Depending upon the length of fermentation, oolong teas can be closer to green teas in terms of color and flavor, or closer to black teas.  Beginners in Wu Long tea should be careful as even though flavor is only mild to medium, the tea could be very strong.  Wu Long tea is half-fermented and thus is relatively thick in flavor.  It is hand-fired in pans to completely halt this process while preserving the fresh, open meadow aroma and flavor within the dried leaf. 

Wu Long tea is being touted for its health benefits, namely its effects in helping with weight loss.  Wu Long tea is semi-fermented and consequently has qualities of both black and green tea.  The best oolong tea is hand-picked during the spring and winter seasons and processed entirely by hand using traditional techniques.  Research conducted in Japan, China and Taiwan report that oolong tea is rich in anti-oxidants such as Theaflavin, Tea Catechin and Tea Polysaccharides.  Polyphenol in Wu Long tea is also effective in reducing triglyceride and removing free radicals.  Polyphenol in Wu Long tea is effective in controlling obesity.