Facts on Oolong Caffeinated Tea
Oolong tea is a style of tea that originated about 400 years ago in China. There are several famed varieties, including the one grown at Mount Wuyi in Fujian province. Oolong refers to the method of production and the length of fermentation rather than a specific type of plant. The flavor of oolong tea varies, depending on production method, and some versions, like jasmine-scented oolong, are lighter in flavor, whereas others are more full bodied. Oolong tea also comes in different forms, including curled leaves, pearl shapes and "gunpowder." All teas are naturally caffeinated, with some styles having more caffeine than others, depending on the production method. Does this Spark an idea?
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Oolong Production
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Traditionally, tea leaves are picked on a clear day in units consisting of one bud and two leaves per unit. The leaves are left in the sun for a short time and placed in baskets and shaken; this expresses the juices and initiates fermentation. The process of fermentation causes the leaves to darken from green to reddish and then to black. Oolong tea is considered a semi-fermented tea, which means the leaves are only allowed to ferment for a short time. With oolong teas, fermentation is stopped when the leaves are about 30 percent red and 70 percent green, though this may vary by region and producer. In general, fermentation lasts two hours for Chinese oolongs and longer for Taiwanese oolongs. After rolling, the leaves are rubbed to create the desired shape and texture. The leaves are then dried over a charcoal fire, which also stops the fermentation process. Dried leaves are then graded by a tea master and packaged for export.
Oolong Preparation
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Oolong tea can be brewed like any other tea, using hot water and a brewing vessel. Generally, if brewing a large quantity, it's best to put the leaves in an infuser and place the infuser in the water, removing it when brewing is done. Removing the leaves prevents the tea from becoming bitter. If a stronger brew is desired, it's better to use more tea rather than a longer steeping time. Because oolong tea is partially fermented, it can be infused multiple times and keep the same strength, another good reason to use an infuser. The same batch of leaves can be used several times over and the infuser can be stored in the refrigerator and warmed before brewing.
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"Gong-fu Cha"
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There is a traditional method of brewing oolong called "gong-fu cha." Gong-fu cha uses three pots, one for heating water, one for brewing and one for serving. The serving pot is very small and the tea is served in thimble-sized cups. In the gong-fu cha method, water is boiled in the heating pot and the pot is set aside on a warmer. The clay brewing pot is filled with hot water and hot water is poured on the sides to prep the pot. The brewing pot is then drained and tea is measured into the pot. The brewing pot is filled with hot or warm water a second time and then emptied to wash the tea. After the wash, boiling water is poured over the tea leaves--filling the brewing pot to the top. The lid is then placed on the brewing pot and hot water is poured over the entire pot. The leaves are allowed to steep for one to two minutes. The tea then is poured into the serving pot and is ready to drink. Oolong tea can be infused several times, so the same brewing pot can make six to eight serving pots of tea.
Wulong Tea
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Oolong is also marketed as a rare and exotic weight-loss tea under the name wulong. The tea is neither rare nor does it have properties beyond those of any other tea. All tea comes from the same plant (camellia sinensis); it's the production and fermentation process that determines the type of tea produced. Green and oolong teas are both partially fermented, while white teas are unfermented and black teas are completely fermented. Different levels of fermentation create different chemical changes in the tea leaves and caffeine levels, which is why white tea has almost no caffeine, while black tea has a lot. The fermentation process also results in different levels of antioxidants and polyphenols--elements that contribute to cardiovascular health, healthy cholesterol levels and weight loss. But the differences are slight and all tea has similar benefits.
Tea and Weight Loss
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There have been several studies exploring the the link between tea and weight loss, and some have been contradictory. In a study in the January 1999 issue of the International Journal of Obesity titled "Anti-obesity action of oolong tea," mice fed a high-fat diet with oolong tea lost fat, but it was determined that the tea's caffeine content was more a factor than any properties specific to the tea. A study posted in the December 1999 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed, however, that the polyphenol content in tea (specifically epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG) is a larger contributing factor in weight loss than caffeine content alone.
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