Disclaimer :- The health benefits mentioned are drawn from existing research found online and are provided for informational purposes only. They are not intended to substitute professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It's essential to consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health regimen based on this content.
You may have heard of oolong tea, but you may not have heard of all the incredible benefits of oolong tea — this delicious little beverage is more than a steamy cuppa; it’s chock-a-block full of all of the good stuff. Basically, oolong tea combines black tea and green tea to give you all the advantages in one humble little beverage. That makes oolong tea benefits, basically same as combined benefits of black tea and green tea — right?
Oolong tea benefits are plentiful, yet oolong is not the most popular tea bag on the market, making up about 2% of tea that is produced and consumed.
But don’t sleep on oolong tea based on its popularity; we think if more people knew about the many health benefits of oolong tea, it might just make its way to the top of the ranks. Here we will discuss what oolong tea is, how it’s made and some of the incredible oolong tea benefits that will have you sipping nothing else.
What is Oolong Tea?
A traditional Chinese tea, the tea is renowned for both the oolong tea benefit, as well as its distinct earthy, floral and fruity taste and sweet aroma. Oolong tea is partially oxidised, making it stand out against the grain, AKA green tea (unoxidised) and black tea (fully oxidised), and instead landing somewhere in the middle. It is made from the camellia sinensis plant, the plant in which all ‘true’ teas originate — and many of the oolong tea benefits and other tea benefits also originate.
So how do the oolong tea benefits come about? In order to make oolong tea, Camellia sinensis leaves are withered, rolled, and partially oxidised through crushing or bruising. The degree of oxidation varies between types of oolong tea, but most fall between 10 and 70%.
Oolong tea can be enjoyed alone or combined with other ingredients to create different blends; due to the many health benefits of oolong tea, it makes for a great addition to any tea blend. Stay tuned as we dive into some of the juicy oolong tea benefits below. We have included eight of our favourite oolong tea benefits.
Benefits of Oolong Tea
With no further ado, here is a list of oolong tea benefits. From heart health to bone strength to brain function, the oolong tea benefits really are endless.
1. May Improve Heart Health
We are starting our list of oolong tea health benefits with a banger — oolong tea may help to improve heart health. The antioxidants found in oolong tea and other teas may help to improve heart health. One study showed that tea drinkers (more than six cups of tea per day) had a significantly lower rate of coronary heart disease than those who didn’t drink tea. How’s that for oolong tea benefits?
Another study delved further into not just tea but rather oolong tea benefits, finding that in a study of over 76,000 Japanese adults, the men that drank 240mL or more of oolong tea every day had a decreased chance of heart disease by 61%.
So, if your heart health is on your mind, adding oolong tea to your morning or evening routine is a good way to reap all the (delicious) oolong tea benefits.
2. May Protect Against Diabetes
Among the many oolong tea benefits, there is some research to show that oolong tea may have a positive effect on diabetes. Generally speaking, all teas have been shown to protect against diabetes; it’s believed that this could be due to the easing of insulin resistance as well as providing a decrease in inflammation. In addition, it has been shown that polyphenols in oolong tea reduce blood sugar levels.
Further research is needed to understand the exact oolong tea benefits when it comes to diabetes. However, with so many other oolong tea benefits, it can’t harm you to add a cup of this fruity goodness to your beverage go-to list.
3. May Improve Brain Function
Next up on our master list of oolong tea benefits, AKA oolong tea magic — oolong tea may help to improve brain function. One study found that a high level of tea consumption could be associated with a decreased risk of cognitive impairment and cognitive decline. It was found that this effect was particularly prevalent for those drinking black and oolong tea.
Plus, there’s another cheeky addition to the oolong tea benefits — caffeine! The caffeine in oolong tea enhances alertness and cognitive function. Caffeine inhibits neural activity by blocking the action of adenosine, a neurotransmitter that causes drowsiness.
While more research is still needed to find the exact oolong tea benefits on brain function, there’s a lot of brain-boosting goodness within oolong that may help improve overall brain function.
4. May Promote Tooth and Bone Strength
Many of the oolong tea benefits stem from the high antioxidant content. So it turns out the high antioxidant content may just lead to stronger teeth and bones. There are several compounds found in oolong tea that may support dental and bone health. First of all, oolong tea is a natural fluoride source, a mineral that helps to strengthen tooth enamel, prevent tooth decay and enhance bone density.
On top of that, oolong contains polyphenols, which contain anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Finally — a number of minerals found in oolong tea are beneficial for bone health, including magnesium, manganese, and calcium.
When it comes to looking after your teeth and bones — the oolong tea benefits cannot be overlooked. So, get sipping and take care of your chompers and bones.
5. May Help to Relieve Eczema
Next up on the benefits of oolong tea — relieving eczema. There are some studies that suggest that oolong tea may help to relieve eczema. People with eczema may benefit from oolong tea's high polyphenol content, which is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory plant compound. Eczema is a skin condition that is thought to have been caused by an excessive immune response, making the compounds in oolong tea perfect for helping relieve the redness, itchiness and inflammation.
So, if you are looking for a holistic approach to relieving eczema, why not try the oolong tea benefits for yourself?
6. May Aid with Weight Management
Next up for oolong tea benefits — weight management. It is believed that oolong tea may be able to help with weight management by boosting our metabolism. The caffeine and antioxidants contained within oolong tea work together to increase energy expenditure and fat oxidation; in turn, this could lead to burning more calories and aiding general weight management.
While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to losing weight, the benefits of oolong tea are a beneficial addition to any healthy lifestyle. So, pop on the kettle and treat yourself to a tea that treats you right back.
7. May Help Protect Against Certain Cancers
A very important one on our list of the best benefits of oolong tea — cancer fighting properties. Black, green, and oolong tea are thought to contain antioxidants that can prevent cancerous cell mutations. It’s believed that the polyphenols found in tea might help to limit the rate of cancer cell division. Most of the research conducted on tea and its impact on cancer cells involved black tea or green tea. Because oolong tea is a tea that falls between black and green tea and has a lot of similar properties to both, it is assumed that oolong tea benefits will be similar to those of black and green tea. However, this is not conclusive, and more research needs to be done to fully understand the benefits of oolong tea on cancer cells. With the mighty list of oolong tea benefits, we think it’s worth adding this humble little tea into your sippin’ routine regardless.
8. May Reduce Menstrual Pain
Ladies — you heard that correctly; one of the benefits of oolong tea is helping you during that time of the month. A study conducted with both green tea and oolong tea showed that the tea-drinking could be associated with a less painful period. This relieving benefit may stem from oolong’s anti-inflammatory properties in combination with the gentle muscle relaxant properties. It also so happens that caffeine is a natural pain reliever, which can help out during mild menstrual pain. So, we are ending our list of oolong tea benefits with some practical advice — give oolong a chance.
Conclusion
That’s a wrap on our top favourite oolong tea health benefits. With so many fantastic benefits of oolong tea, it only makes sense to add this little cup of goodness to your tea-drinking regime.
If you are looking to reap all of the benefits of oolong tea in style, invest in the best with our tea temples. Typical tea bags have been crushed, chopped, and squished so that by the time it gets to you, most of the flavour has been lost. It's just not how we do things - our spacious tea temples allow you to get the most out of your tea bags. In addition, our tea temples are made of plant starch, so they can be disposed of in your council's food waste bin!
FAQs on Oolong Tea Benefits
Q. What does Oolong tea do for your body?
A. There are a whole lot of health benefits of oolong tea due to how stacked full of antioxidants and other healthy compounds it is. Some of the positive effects include boosting metabolism, supporting digestion, supporting bone health, brain function and immune function. That’s a whole lot of oolong tea health benefits for one delicious mug.
Q. Does Oolong tea make you sleepy?
A. Usually not, as oolong tea is caffeinated, it will usually have a mild energising effect. If you are looking to count on some of the benefits of oolong tea, we wouldn’t recommend counting on oolong tea for a before-bed soothing beverage.
Q. Does Oolong tea burn belly fat?
A. There is some initial evidence to suggest that there are compounds in oolong tea that support your metabolism and may support weight loss. However, there are no studies as of yet to specifically say that oolong tea, on its lonesome, can burn belly fat. With so many health benefits of oolong tea on the list, it can’t hurt to add oolong tea to your routine.
Q. Is Oolong tea good for the skin?
A. Yes, among the many health benefits of oolong tea, oolong tea is good for the skin. Oolong tea is packed full of antioxidants that may provide benefits for overall skin health. There are also some studies that suggest the compounds found within oolong tea may help to protect the skin from free radicals and UV radiation. So, add glowing skin to the long list of oolong tea benefits.
