Oolong Tea and Weight Loss

Oolong tea is a popular type of tea that falls about halfway between being a “green” tea and being a “black” tea. All teas come from the Camellia Sinensis plant, and are green when the leaves are first harvested. The key to oolong tea’s beneficial properties lies in how it is processed. Once plucked oolong tealeaves are allowed to partially oxidize and are not broken intentionally thereby allowing them to remain intact.

The word on the street is that oolong tea is even better then green tea in battling the bulge. Celebrity figures swear by its consumption, but how does one know what is hype and what is truth? Retailers will often tell a customer anything to sway them to purchase a product from their store, so their accounts are unreliable, and celebrities try a new diet every week, so long term effects of any of their methods are never known. Supposedly, the curing process that is responsible for oolong tea’s flavor and health properties inhibits the amount of antioxidants in the tea once brewed, but that instead there is an increase in polymerized polyphenols that are reported to have a fat burning and fat blocking quality.

Studies still have yet to determine long-term effects, but as far as most experts know, in combination with a healthy diet and lifestyle adding oolong tea may help you lose weight. Any ‘diets’ that advertise oolong tea as all you need for a weight loss program are false. Aside from supposed properties, all teas are calorie and fat free, so replacing two beverages a day with oolong tea will lead to eventual weight loss simply by cutting out other beverages that are loaded with empty calories out of your diet. Tea and medical experts recommend only two cups of oolong tea a day no matter if your goal is weight loss or just a healthy diet.

Selecting your oolong tea for weight loss or any other goal is simple. Loose leaves are best, but prepackaged bag teas are better than nothing. You can pick up bagged teas at your local grocery store for a reasonable price (around 4-5 dollars), or try a health food store for a better chance at finding lose leaf teas. Make sure you get what you’re paying for; no tea is worth thirty dollars or more, or will make you lose twenty pounds in a month. In addition, to receive the maximum effect from your oolong tea by using the leaves or bag three times per portion. Make your first cup of tea, and then pour it out. Make the tea again using the same bag or leaves; the tea is more potent and flavorful on the second and third uses, after which you can discard the leaves or bag you’ve been using.

While oolong tea is not just for weight loss it has been found to have properties that will help further weight loss goals when used in moderation and combined with a healthy diet and exercise.

Tags: oolong tea, weight loss, wu long tea