Drinking tea has numerous health benefits and there are so many teas to choose from! If you are looking for a way to naturally support weight loss, boost mental alertness and increase antioxidants in your diet, then make your next cup of tea, oolong tea.

What is Oolong Tea?

Oolong tea is made from the leaves, buds and stems of the Camellia sinensis plant, which is the same plant that is used to make black tea and green tea. Oolong tea is partially fermented, whereas black tea is fully fermented and green tea is unfermented. The ancient art of making oolong tea is thought to be over 400 years old and involves various techniques of drying, oxidation and rolling. The degree of oxidation can be between 8-85% and the different processing techniques greatly influence the taste of the tea. This means there are many different kinds of oolong teas with many unique tastes. The trick is to try different oolong teas in order to find the one that is most pleasing to your unique taste buds.

What is Oolong Tea used for?

Thought to be one of the world's most famous teas, oolong tea has a long history of use in Chinese tea ceremonies and with Chinese tea connoisseurs. However in the West, oolong tea is best known as a weight loss aid and preventative for obesity. Dr. Oz has even mentioned it's ability to boost metabolism for up to 2 hours after drinking one cup. Not only is it a great weight loss aid, it also increases mental alertness, balances blood sugar levels, reduces blood pressure, prevents tooth decay and osteoporosis and can improve skin conditions like eczema.

How does Oolong Tea work?

Oolong tea combines the benefits of both black tea and green tea. It contains polyphenols, which are antioxidants commonly found in black teas. Oolong tea also contains flavanols and catechins, which are antioxidants found in green tea that work to improve metabolism, lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, regulate blood sugar and protect against cancer. L-theanine is an amino acid found in both oolong and green tea, which helps you de-stress by calming and focusing your nervous system.

Oolong tea contains 50-60mg of caffeine per cup, which has a significant effect on mental alertness and weight loss. The caffeine in oolong tea boosts your metabolism by increases resting energy expenditure and cellular thermogenesis, meaning it increases the calories you burn at rest.

How do you use it?

You can buy oolong tea as a loose leaf tea or in tea bags. Start your morning with oolong tea to boost your metabolism for 2 hours and to keep you alert and focused for your day. You can drink 1-5 cups daily and it is best to drink it black if you want to promote weight loss and balance your blood sugars. Since oolong tea contains caffeine, use it to replace your regular coffee which is often a source of added calories from cream and sugar. However, don't drink it before bed because it's caffeine content will likely cause insomnia.