Oolong tea is believed to have originated in the Wuyi Mountains along the western border of Fujian province, and has been exported from there since the eighteenth century. These mountains are noted for their ninety-nine grotesque cliffs and thirty-six peaks, all of which are said to be covered with green tea bushes.

Though oolong tea is now also manufactured elsewhere, this area is still one of the biggest producers. Wu-yi Yen (Wuyi Yan, Wuyi Cliffs) tea is a large general category for several kinds of oolong. They are easy to recognize from the appearance of the leaves during infusion. The stout, crinkled leaves, when immersed in water, become bright green in the center and slowly turn red around the edges, the result of their partial fermentation.

There is a proverb in Chinese
A daily cup of tea or more, keeps you out of the pharmacy.

Oolong Teas are Good For:

• Digestion
• Anti-bacterial
• Heart (Oolong and pu-erh for cholesterol)
• Slimming
• Longevity/anti-ageing properties

1. Slimming Effect

The Chinese claim that tea can actually help reduce the amount of fat in the tissues. Oolong tea seems to get the most publicity here, although any tea can have some benefits. Chinese sources cite numerous cases of people who have lost weight while regularly drinking two or three cups of oolong a day. Oolong mixed with other herbal ingredients is the basis for number of teas marketed especially for slimming. One is a well known tea, which contains oolong and 15 other ingredients. A Chinese ad for Slimming Tea claims that drinking it for three months can help you drop up to 15 pounds off your weight.

2. Oolong against Cholesterol

Studies in several countries have found that many kinds of tea seem to have some effect in reducing cholesterol in blood fats, though oolong seems to get the best results. Triglycerides and cholesterol are the two important fat substances in the bloodstream. These are essential for many things, but cholesterol also builds up on the wall of the arteries, causing them to narrow and restrict blood flow, a condition known as atherosclerosis.

3. Helps prevent heart disease

Research indicates that tea may work against heart attacks, strokes, and thrombosis. Tea benefits the health in several ways. Firstly, it acts as gentle stimulant to the heart and circulatory system. Secondly, it strengthens and keeps the blood vessel walls soft. There is also evidence that the phenols in tea inhibit the absorption of cholesterol in the digestive tract, which could help decrease the cholesterol in the bloodstream. Last but not least, it may decrease the blood's tendency to form thrombi, or unwanted clots. Often several of these functions operate together against stroke or heart attack. Strokes and thrombosis often occur because the blood vessels have lost their elasticity. Rutin has long been prescribed to keep these walls soft.

4. Fights tooth decay

Tea is a great aid in the battle against tooth decay. It contains Polyphenols which tend to reduce the formation of plaque. However, it also contains fluoride which strengthens tooth enamel.

5. Tea against cancer

Considerable research is being carried out on the role of tea drinking in preventing cancer. Out of 25 papers related to health presented at the Hangzhou Symposium, seven reported on research on cancer and tumors. Stomach cancer, the number one cause of death in Japan, is at its lowest rate in Shizuoka prefecture along the coast southwest of Tokyo. One explanation is that Shizuoka is a tea-growing district and its inhabitants drink large amounts of green tea.

Tea has some effect against cancer because it inhibits the formation or action of cancer-causing substances. Tea may block the action of nitrosamines which can cause cancer, said Dr. Han Chi, an associate professor at the Institute of Nutrition and Food Hygiene under the Chinese Academy of Preventative Medicine. In a test of 145 types of tea, she and her colleagues rated green tea highest, with a blocking rate of 90 percent. Brick, Jasmine, oolong, and black tea followed in that order.

Another way tea may help fight cancer is through preventing cell mutation. The antioxidation actions of the polyphenols in green tea inhibit mutation of the DNA in healthy cells, which can cause them to become cancer cells.

6. Longevity and Ageing

Long ago in China, tea was an ingredient in immortality potions favored by the Taoists. Still today, perhaps as an echo of those beliefs, claims are made that tea drinking helps one to live to a ripe old age. While it is no magic fountain of youth, some of its benefits can be said to contribute to longevity (stimulation of bodily functions, strengthening the immune system, reducing the chance of heart disease and improving stomach functions). The fluoride in tea can strengthen bones and help ward off osteoporosis in the same way that is strengthens dental enamel.

How To Enjoy The Finest Cup of Oolong Tea ...

You can use small cloth tea bags and simply pour two or three tea spoons of the leaves inside the tea bag, twist the bag and place it in the cup. Alternatively if you do not use this type of tea bag, simply add the leaves to the cup and let them settle in the bottom; this is “The Chinese way”. With the latter, not only do you enjoy the taste and aroma of the tea, but you also get to see the wonderful display of the leaves and how they “blossom” when they come in contact with the water.

The Water :

An important role in making a nice cup of tea is the quality of water. The quality of water will affect the way the tea leaves dissolve in and therefore the quality of the tea. Lu Yu said “spring water was best, followed by river water, and then well water”. The amount of minerals in the water seems to have been an important consideration. However, for most people nowadays the problem is that it’s practically impossible to find such “natural” water that is unpolluted. As for tap water, that is often highly chlorinated. The best option therefore is one of the various types of bottled spring water, now available almost everywhere.

Instructions on how to prepare a nice cup of tea:

1. Use fresh cold water. If you are using tap water, let the cold tap run for awhile first to avoid flat-tasting water. Never make tea with water from the hot tap.
2. While the water is heating, get the tea things ready. (We suggest using a Gongfu porcelain/mud cup to make Oolong tea). A small pot is preferable to a large one, as the amount of boiling water used in a large one may “stew” the leaves and results in flat-tasting tea.
3. Warm the Gongfu cups by rinsing them with hot water.
4. Just before the water in the kettle boils, empty the cups and add tea.
5. A necessary step before adding boiling water to tea is called “rinsing the tea leaves.” It is mandatory in making oolong tea , but can improve any type of tea except broken black tea. After the tea leaves have been added to the pot, pour in a little boiling water and drain off immediately.
6. Finally, pour boiling water (100 degrees) into the pot to the desired level and cover. The British tend to keep the pot warm with a padded tea cosy, but the Chinese avoid this practice, feeling that it causes the leaves to stew, making them bitter and putting the chemical elements out of balance.
7. Let the tea stand. The best tea is made by infusing for a short time rather than steeping for a longer period. 3 to 5 minutes is recommended, with the shorter time preferred. Very fine tea needs an extremely short time.
8. Rinse cups with hot water.
9. Never use cream. The tannin causes cream to curdle. Milk is sometimes used with oolong.
10. Before pouring, stir the tea or shake the pot and then let the leaves settle, pour into cups through a tea strainer. If lemon and sugar are used with tea, put the sugar in first so it can dissolve well.
11. Strain off any tea left in the pot/cup into another warmed pot/cup, and cover it. Don’t let the tea stand with the leaves in for too long.
12. The second infusion. Many people say the second infusion is the best.

Oolong Teas regions of China: Northern Fujian, Taiwan