What Are the Health Benefits of Pu'erh Tea?

Pu'erh tea has numerous health benefits.

In addition to being tasty and refreshing, pu'erh tea (also spelled pu-erh or pu'er) has a number of health benefits. This special tea is picked from specific strains of tea plants and uniquely processed. The tea is dried, formed into cakes and bricks, then left to age so it can ferment like a fine wine or cheese. This method of preparation has been documented as far back as 780 AD. Pu'er tea is reputed to be extremely healthy, and science has begun to back up some of these claims.

Benefits in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Traditional Chinese medicine classifies pu'er tea as being rich in qi, or life force. This makes it good for circulation, toxin removal from the blood and relief of minor aches and pains. It is further classified as a "hot" food, which helps treat conditions that are caused by too much "cold" in the body, such as stomach ailments and problems of the spleen. Pu'er is often served after large meals, especially those consisting of fatty foods, as the tea is believed to help the body digest and cleanse itself of fats.

Cholesterol

Perhaps related to this fat-cleansing idea, pu'er tea is reputed to help lower cholesterol. A 2006 study conducted by Chun-Te Chiang, Meng-Shi Weng, et al. at the College of Medicine of the National Taiwan University in Taipei, Taiwan, showed a significant lowering of cholesterol and triglyceride levels in rats fed pu'er tea leaves. Pu'er is reputed to aid in weight loss, which has also been substantiated in rats in this study. A second study from the College of Medicine of the National Taiwan University by Tzong-Der Way, Hui-Yi Lin, et. al. confirmed these findings.

Antioxidants

Pu'er tea is high in antioxidants. Antioxidants are substances that inhibit cell oxidation, a process that can lead to cell damage. Reducing cell oxidation is often considered to be a protection against cancer. The Taiwanese studies support the idea that substances in pu'er tea can reduce enzymes connected with the growth of cancer cells.

References

• Pu'erh Cha: Pu'erh Tea Health Benefits
• Ingenta Connect: Pu'er Tea Supplementation Suppresses Fatty Acid Synthase Expression
• Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry: Pu-erh Tea Study