Tra O Long only accounts for 2% of world tea production but it is worth it to discover .
A combination of black tea and green tea, O Long tea offers some interesting health benefits.
For example, it can enhance metabolism and reduce stress, helping you feel great every day.
This article explains everything you need to know about O Long tea and its health benefits.
What is Oolong Tea?
Oolong tea is a traditional Chinese tea.
It is made from the leaves of the tree Camellia sinensis , a plant used to make green tea and black tea. The difference is in processing.
Every tea leaf contains certain enzymes that produce a chemical reaction called oxidation. Oxidation is the conversion of green tea leaves into dark black.
Green tea is not oxidized much, but black tea is oxidized until it turns black. O Long tea is between these two types, so it is partially oxidized.
This partial oxidation causes the characteristic color and flavor of O Long tea .
This is O Long tea: 
However, the color of tea leaves may vary depending on the brand, from green to dark brown.
Summary: Oolong tea is a traditional Chinese tea made from tea leaves that are partially oxidized from trees Camellia sinensis.
Nutrients in O Long tea
Similar to black tea and green tea, O Long tea contains lots of vitamins, minerals and useful antioxidants.
A brewed tea cup will contain approximately :
- Fluoride: 5-24% RDI.
- Mangan: 26% RDI.
- Potassium: 1% RDI.
- Sodium: 1% RDI.
- Magie: 1% RDI.
- Niacin: 1% RDI.
- Caffeine: 36 mg.
Some of the main antioxidants in Oolong tea, called tea polyphenols, are and . These are substances that bring many health benefits to it .
Oolong Tea also contains theanine, an amino acid responsible for the relaxing effect of tea .
Summary: In addition to caffeine, O Long tea also contains vitamins, minerals, amino acids and beneficial polyphenol antioxidants.
Oolong tea may help prevent diabetes
Polyphenol antioxidants found in tea are believed to help reduce blood sugar and insulin. They are also thought to increase insulin sensitivity .
Accordingly, some studies show a link between regular tea consumption and strengthening Control blood sugar and reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes .
However, the specific effects of O Long tea in general are not well studied such as green or black tea.
Recent research shows that people who drink 24 oz (720 ml) of O Long tea every day have a 16% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes .
Another study reported that people with diabetes consuming 50 oz (1.5 liters) daily had a 30% reduction in blood sugar by the end of a 30-day study .
Similarly, consuming 33 oz (1 liter) of Oolong tea per day for 30 days reduced blood sugar by an average of 3.3% .
However, not all studies are consistent with those results and even reported a higher risk of diabetes in people taking 16 oz (480 ml) or more per day .
Researchers say pesticide contamination is a possible cause of negative effects in this study, and therefore is not advisable to avoid Oolong tea .
Summary: Polyphenol antioxidants can help maintain blood sugar levels in the normal range and reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. However, the evidence is mixed and needs more research.
Oolong tea can improve cardiovascular health
Some studies in people who drink tea regularly show lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, as well as reduce the risk of heart disease .
In a recent study, people who drank more than 48 oz (1.4 liters) of tea a day had a 51% lower risk of heart disease than those who did not drink tea .
Several studies have also conducted separate research on O Long tea.
A study of more than 76,000 Japanese adults observed that those who drank 8 oz (240 ml) of O Long tea daily or more had a 61% lower risk of heart disease .
Moreover, a study conducted in China showed a 39% lower risk of stroke in people who drank Oolong or green tea daily (480 ml) .
In addition, daily consumption of 4 oz (120 ml) of green tea or Oolong can reduce the risk of high blood pressure by up to 46%. However, not all studies endorse this .
One thing to remember is that Oolong tea contains caffeine, which can cause a slight increase in blood pressure in some people. However, this effect tends to disappear when consumed caffeine regularly .
Furthermore, because the amount of caffeine in an 8 oz (240 ml) glass is only half of that in the cup the coffee so this impact can be considered small.
Summary: Oolong tea can help reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and cause high blood pressure in some people.
Oolong Tea can help you lose weight
Scientists believe that some polyphenols in Oolong tea may increase the metabolic rate and reduce the amount of fat absorbed from your diet .
These polyphenol antioxidants are also thought to activate enzymes that help you use stored fat to make active energy .
One study showed that both concentrated and diluted O Long tea helps participants to burn the total amount calories add 2.9-3.4% per day .
This may be due in part to tea caffeine content, but tea polyphenols may also play an important role. To test this idea, the researchers compared the effects of caffeine alone and the combination of caffeine and tea polyphenols .
Both increase the amount of calories burned by about 4.8%, but only a mixture of tea polyphenols and caffeine increases the ability of participants to burn fat .
This indicates that the fat burning effects of tea are also due to plant compounds in tea, not just caffeine.
However, no research has clarified whether increasing energy consumption and burning fat does weight loss significant in people or not.
Moreover, some participants respond better than others, so the effects may vary between one person and another .
You can read more about this article Green tea and weight loss . Most also apply to O Long tea.
Summary: The combination of caffeine and polyphenol in Oolong tea can help increase calories and fat burned every day. This can then help speed up weight loss.
Oolong Tea can improve brain function
In fact, some components of tea may benefit brain function.
For beginners, caffeine may increase the release of norepinephrine and dopamine. These two neurotransmitters are thought to benefit the mood, concentration and function of the brain .
Further research shows an amino acid in tea can also help increase concentration and reduce anxiety (44).
A recent study found that tea containing both caffeine and theanine increased alertness and concentrated in the first 1-2 hours after use .
Tea polyphenols are also thought to have a relaxing effect, especially two hours after drinking .
Few studies have examined O Long tea separately, but one study found that people who drank tea regularly reduced the risk of brain function by more than 64%. This effect is especially strong for people who drink black tea and O Long regularly .
Another study involved frequent drinking of green tea, black tea or O Long to enhance cognitive ability, memory, executive functions and speed of information processing .
Although not all studies have found a positive effect of Oolong tea on brain function, no negative effects were found .
Summary: The tea's caffeine, antioxidant and theanine content have beneficial effects on brain function and mood.
Can protect against some cancers
Scientists believe that antioxidants found in black tea, green tea and O Long tea can help prevent cancer cell mutations in the body .
Tea polyphenols may also reduce the rate of cancer cell division .
Moreover, an article reported that people who drink tea regularly may have a 15% lower risk of oral cancer .
Other reports show similar protective effects on esophageal, lung, pancreatic, liver and colorectal cancer .
However, most studies show that tea has a small or no effect on breast, ovarian and uterine cancers .
In addition, most research in this area focuses on the impact of green or black tea, in which green tea has the strongest impact.
Because O Long tea falls between green tea and black tea, similar benefits can be expected. However, we still need to study more about O Long tea itself.
Summary: Similar to green tea and black tea, O Long tea may work against cancer.
Oolong Tea increases teeth and bones
One study found that people who drank black tea, green tea or O Long tea daily for 10 years had an overall bone mineral density greater than 2% .
Research in 680 postmenopausal Chinese women found that people who drink O Long tea often had 4.5-4.9% higher bone density than those who did not drink tea .
In addition, some other recent reports show similar positive effects of tea on bone mineral density .
Higher bone mineral density may reduce the risk of fractures. However, the direct relationship between O Long tea and fracture has not been studied.
Finally, the study linked tea consumption with reduced dental plaque. Oolong tea is also a rich source of fluoride, which can help increase tooth enamel .
Summary: Oolong tea can help increase bone mineral density. It can also strengthen tooth enamel and reduce dental plaque formation.
Oolong tea can help treat eczema
Tea polyphenols may also help reduce eczema.
One study asked 118 patients with severe eczema to drink 33 oz (1 liter) of Oolong tea daily, in addition to maintaining normal treatment.
Eczema symptoms improved as early as 1-2 weeks in the study. After 1 month of combined treatment, 63% of patients had improvement.
Moreover, improvements still occur in 54% of patients in the next 5 months .
Summary: Polyphenol antioxidants in Oolong tea may help reduce the symptoms of eczema, and this improvement may last for a long time.
Safety and side effects
Oolong Tea has been consumed for centuries and is often considered safe. However, it contains caffeine.
When consumed too much, caffeine can lead to anxiety, headache, insomnia, irregular heartbeat and sometimes high blood pressure .
In addition, excessive consumption of polyphenol antioxidants can make them act as antioxidants, which are not good for your health. Excessive consumption can occur when using polyphenol supplements, but this is not simply due to drinking tea .
Flavonoids in tea can also combine with iron found in plant foods, reducing absorption from the digestive system to 15-67% .
People with low iron levels should avoid drinking tea with meals and consider consuming vitamin C-rich foods to help increase iron absorption .
Both USDA and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) all claim that daily consumption of 400 mg of caffeine is safe. This amounts to 48-80 oz (1.4-2.4 liters) of Oolong tea per day .
If an average cup is 8 oz (240 ml), you can drink a total of 6-10 cups of Oolong tea every day and still not considered to consume too much caffeine.
However, pregnant women should only drink at most 200 mg of caffeine, about 3-5 cups of Oolong tea every day .
Remember that coffee, soda, energy-rich drinks and chocolate Also contains caffeine. So, if you are trying to reduce your caffeine consumption, be sure to include these foods.
Summary: Drinking up to 10 cups of Oolong tea every day is often considered safe for most people.
Main message
Oolong tea may not be as well known as green tea or black tea, but it has similar health benefits, including good for the heart, brain, bones and dental health.
In addition, it can increase metabolism, reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and protect against certain types of cancer.
Finally, O Long tea is an extremely healthy and flavorful supplement for your lifestyle. Just try it and you won't be disappointed.
