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What is the difference between Wu Long, Oolong, and so called Authentic Wu-Long?

This is the most asked question about Wu Long out there, so we think it is important for us to answer it here. The answer is, all three of these are simply names for the same variety of processed tea! Again, they are the name for the same tea. There are companies out there that claim they are the only carriers of Authentic Wu-Long tea, but in actuality, it would be difficult to find someone selling "fake" Wu-Long unless they were actually carrying Green Tea, or Lipton. On the other hand, it is very hard to distinguish the difference between good Wu-Long and lousy Wu-Long. The Chinese have been working on perfecting the art of Wu-Long for millenia and they have produced quite a range of different teas.

The prices of these teas can range from a few dollars a pound to a thousand dollars a pound for the very best and rarest Wu Long.

So what makes the teas different? We have ordered and reviewed each type of tea so you can be informed about the type of tea you buy.

Wu Long tea, like most other teas, comes in a variety of grades. The Wu Longs you find in the Chinese stores packaged as Oolong are most likely made from the lowest grade of tea plant and result in a brew that is dark in color and very bitter in taste. Most of these teas have been sitting on the shelves for an extended period of time. The tea inside these packages quickly decays from the exposure to dry conditions, and many of the health properties of the tea quickly break down.

What about "Authentic" Wu-Long Tea? Most of the other brands of Wu Long tea you will find on the market that claim to be "Authentic" are darker in color, our known as Iron Rusted Wu Long by the Chinese. These are also cheaper and easier to make and distribute, because they are heavily oxidized allowing sellers to preserve the taste (though not the freshness) of the tea for a very long time. Many of these Wu Longs are made from the remnants of the high quality Wu Long, much as processed meats are made from left over factory meat. The tea leaves are ground up and packaged and allowed to get old before then are imported to the US. Thus, these teas may be "Authentic" but they certainly are not fresh, original, or even high in quality despite the outrages prices.

e for it beneficial effects on health for hundreds of years.

There are many documented health effects of tea. Please read on for all the information we could find supporting or denying the claims made by Wu Long tea purveyors.

1) Basics of Tea

2) Wu-Long Tea and Adipose (Fat) Metabolism

3) Wu-Long Tea, Obesity, Diabetes, and Coronary Heart disease

4) Wu-Long Tea's effect on Cholesterol Levels

5) Wu-Long Tea's Antimutagenic and Anticarcinogenic Activity

6) Wu-Long Tea and Dental Health

7) Wu-Long Tea and Tobacco

8) Wu-Long Tea and Nutrition

9) Health Tips and Slimming with Wu-Long

10) How much Tea to Drink

11) Best ways to prepare Tea

12) Who Shouldn't Drink Wu-Long

13) References:

 

* 1. Basics of Tea

Tea comes from the Camellia family and is native to China. When the British went to India, they imported tea from China and eventually developed their own strain of tea. Thus, all tea comes from the same family of plants and all teas are very closely related. The only difference between teas made from the Camellia plant is the degree of oxidation of the tea leaves. Oxidation is also known as fermention. However, no microorganisms are involved in this process. Instead, fermentation refers to the the browning of the leaves as they are bruised and exposed to air. The process if very similar to the browning of an apple when exposed to air.

The grade of Wu-Long depends on the age of the tea plants and the portion of the plant from which the tea leaves are picked. The younger the leaves used for tea, the higher the grade. Higher grades of Wu-Long are picked from the spring buds of the tea plant. Because these buds occur only in the Spring, they considered a rare luxury even higher than the finest white teas.

Wu-Long tea has long been made in China through a special process involving exposure to the air. What this does is spur chemical reactions between substances within tea. This process also gives the different types of tea their distinct flavor and color. Wu-Long tea belongs between green tea and black tea in classification. Because it is neither full oxidized, nor left in its natural state, much skill is required to pick out a properly prepared batch of Wu-Long. Wu-Long tea is truly a craft on par with winemaking.

To oxidize tea, manufactures harvest the tea leaves and hand roll the leaves to bruise them, exposing them to air for a period of time that requires artisan precision and experience. The leaves are then roasted in a pan coated with tea oil in order to lock in the flavor. Then, the leaves are dried and stored in a cool place for distribution.

 

* 2. Wu-Long Tea and Fat Metabolism

Wu-Long tea is widely known by scientists to increase metabolism and fat burning. Some studies suggest that it burns fat better than green tea by 157%. Studies have shown repeatedly that drinking Wu-Long increases energy expenditure. According to an Article titled Energy Expenditure of US Men and Japanese Women Consumer Oolong Tea by researchers at the Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, ARS, USDA, in Beltsville, MD; and the Department of Nutrition, University of Tokushima, and Research Center, Suntory LTD., in Japan, Wu-Long energy expenditure, or the total calories metabolized by the body in a given day increased, on average, 3.8%. In women, a similar study showed that their body metabolism, as measured by a breath calorimeter, was higher in oolong tea rather than green tea. The scientists conclude that drinking Wu-Long displays statistically significant effects on the Energy Expenditure of Human subjects. They further state that drinking Wu-Long tea daily may also be useful for control of diabetes mellitus.

In another article in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry (2001) Wu-Long was also found to block fat absorption as well as fat storage in the liver and hears of rats who consumed sucrose rich diets. However, in this case, Green Tea was actually found to be more effective than Wu-Long, leading to the conclusion that a mixture of Green and Wu-Long may have the maximal health benefits we all look for.

* 3. Wu-Long Tea, Obesity, Diabetes, and Coronary Heart disease

Wu-Long alone does however have unique effects against obesity and cardiovascular disease. An article in Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice 65 (2004) by researchers in Japan showed that Wu-Long tea increased Adiponectin levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and coronary artery diesase. While water consuming groups showed no changes in adiponectin levels, a protein that is lowered in those with morose obesity, Coronary Artery disease, and Diabetes Mellitus, those who consumed Wu-Long tea showed a significant difference in blood levels of adiponectin.

* 4. Wu-Long Tea's effect on Cholesterol Levels

Wu-Long has also been shown to help balance levels of LDL and triglyceride levels by moderating the effects of LDL, a pernicuous cholesterol carried by low-density lioprotein. In a study by lead scientist H. Itakura of the Suntory Resaerch Center, Osaka japan, as well as H. Itakura of the National Institute of Health and Nutrition, Tokyo Japan, subjects who dranked Wu-Long tea twice a day for 8 weeks had lower total cholesterol and triglyceride levels while HDL (good Cholesterol) levels were unaffected. Oxidation of LDL is believed to contribute to the development of atherosclerosis (Frei 1995). The scientists conclude that Wu-Long "signficantly reduces LDL oxidation, total cholesterol and triglyceride and may be beneficial in the prevention of coronary heart disease.

In another Study in Pharmacological Research, Vol. 35, No. 6, 1997 titled Hypocholesterolemic Effects of Chinese Tea , Yang and Koo, found that all Chinese teas including Jasmine, Green, Iron Buddha, and Pu erh all contributed to a lessening of liver weight due to fat deposits. Thus, a mixture of various Chinese teas may give a beneficial boost to liver health as well as heart health. If you'd like to sample other chinese teas please let us know!

* 5. Wu-Long Tea's Antimutagenic and Anticarcinogenic Activity

In a study by Y. Kuroda, and Y. Hara in Mutation Research 436 (1999), the authors state that the "polyphenols in tea have a strong radical scavenging and reducing activity...that capture and detoxify radicals of various promotors of carcinogensis and radicals produced in the process of exposure o radiation and light." Tea polyphenols as inactivate enzyme and virus activity and thus, may modulate the efficacy of viruses in producing cancerous by-products. Cathechins are in afar higher concentration in green teas and less oxidized teas such as Wu-Long than in Black teas. The Japanese Cancer Association as well as the Ministry of Health and Welfare repored that death rate from cancer in both females and males in Shizuoka Prefecture was much lower than the mean for all of Japan. In additional, greater intake of a partially fermented tea, such as Wu-Long was correlated with a lower risk of lung cancer in women. As little as 1-4 metric cups a day led to significant results, though the best results were obtained from women who drank 10 cups or more. Similar results were found for men.

In female rats, Weisburger et al. reported that the volume of mammary tumors in female rates were decreased by 1.25% when the rats drank 2% tea beginning 1 week before carcinogen administration. The authors conclude by highlighting the effects of tea in the suppression of a rise in blood pressure and the reduction of blood glucose. Tea polyphenos also have an antibacterial effect against food borne bacterial was well as dental caries caused by bacteria.

* 6. Wu-Long Tea and Dental Health

In a study by the Institute for Natural Resources, Tea was found to contain naturally occuring Flourine which helps to prevent tooth decay. However, black tea was found to have overly high levels of fluorine that could lead to fluorosis, while green teas and oolongs did not exhibit the same effects. Thus Wu-Long not only prevents tooth decay through its anti-microbial roperties, but does so at a moderate rate that does not cause pernicuous damage to our bodies in the process.

* 7. Wu-Long Tea and Tobacco

In a study by the American Health Foundation published in Food and Chemical Toxicology 40 (2002) Tea was found to have chemopreventive effects through its antioxidants, detoxifying enzymes, and effects on cellular growth and natural cellular death (apoptosis) the opposite of cancerous cell growth.

Tea has been found to kill Helicobacter pylori which causes ulcers and stomach cancer as well as inhibiting the effects of tobacco use in the oral cavity, esophagus, and lung. They conclude that the use of "a widely available, tasty, inexpensive everate, tea, has displayed valuable preventitive properties in chronic human diseases."

In addition, tea is a natural bronchodilator and anti-inflammatory for the lung tissue, allowing otherwise struggling cells to recover. Its effects on the lungs have already been noted in a previous section.

* 8. Wu-Long Tea and Nutrition

The effects of Wu-Long are in addition to the effects of green tea. Wu-Long tea is filled with vitamin C, Theanine, Polyphenols and enzymes that help break down foods so they are more efficiently metabolized.

Tea contains Pattasium, Phosphorus, Calcium, Bagnesium, Manganese, Selenium, Copper and Flourine among minerals found in tea. In addition, it contains Car0tin and Lutein, other powerful anti-oxidants found in carrots. Its Vitamin content includes A, B1, B2, C, E K, P U Pantothenic Acid, Folic Acid, and Niacinamide. Tea also contains detoxifying alkaloids such as Theine, Theophyline, Theobromine, and calming amino acid Theanine. All this makes tea powerful for bone health, heart health and a natural anti-carcingoen. It is almost like wearing internal sunblock.

What this means is that your body goes after fat stored in your adipose tissue rather than glucose derived from your muscles. Since the muscles are a major engine of calory metabolism, normal diets actually cause your metabolism to slow because your body breaks down your muscle tissue for energy.

 

* 9. Health Tips and Slimming with Wu-Long

All weight-loss programs are not the same. Those that focus only on either nutrition or exercise alone, without the combination of the two, are considered by health professionals to be unbalanced and possibly unhealthy. You can integrate the following tips into whatever weight-loss program you are following or plan to follow.
Remember to always consult your physician before changing any regimen your body is not used to, such as introducing strength-training, cardiovascular exercise, or changes in diet into your life.

* 10. How Much Tea to Drink

Tea in general is the safest and most widely consumed beverage in the world. You can drink as much as eight cups of tea a day for those who aren't sensitive to caffeine. in fact studies have shown that you need to drink at least three cups of tea a day to enjoy the benefits of tea. However, to avoid a caffeine crash, you should always spread out the number of cups of tea you drink each day. Spread out your tea drinking to one pot of tea per meal. Each pot contains 3-5 cups. This way you can gauge yourself and enjoy your day as you drink your tea.

In addition, it is a common misconception that you can lose weight and stay healthy simply by avoiding meals! This is the worst thing you can do to your body and you shoudl avoid this at all costs. The number of calories you burn depends on your base metabolism rate, and your goal should be to raise this. Since muscle's base metabolism is much higher than any other type of cell in the body, you should focus on building muscles, rather than cutting food. Eat foods high in protein in order to do this, and drink Wu Long in order to keep you metabolism high. If you are caffeine sensitive or have heart disease, you should drink much less tea, and no more than 3 cups a day.

 

* 11. How Best to Prepare your Tea

The best way to prepare your tea is to bring you water to a boil in a tea kettle. Then let the water sit for about three minutes so the temperature is just below boiling. A this point you may pour the tea and mix the teabag with a spoon for another minute until the color of teh tea reaches a medium green. If teh color becomes dark brown it means either you used too much tea or your tea has gone bad and is old. Look at your tea leaves by opening your teabag or looking at the tea leaves. The leaves in the teabags should not be black or brown, but rather a fresh green or dark green color. If your leaves are not green, most likely you have purchased tea that is of lower grade and lower potency. This is because dark tea leaves have been fermented for some time and have lost their nutritional value. Return the tea immediately and look for a new purveyor!

*12. Who Shouldn't Drink Wu Long Tea?

If you are pregnant, have heart disease, or have diabetes, you should consult your doctor before drinking Wu Long tea. Though this tea has been shown to help prevent diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease, it is still advisable for you to make sure there are no other problems that may arise with your condition if you drink Wu Long.

20 LBS IN 20 DAYS??

A common claim for weight – loss products, including some Wu Long vendors, is for the body to lose “20 lbs in_______ (some random short period of time, such as 20 days, or 2 weeks, etc.). The reality is that no one can lose so much fat in so little time and at the same time keep their body healthy. If they do lose that weight at all, very much of it is water-weight, and/or muscle; that person would be very dehydrated which causes weakness and makes one more prone to disease and injury from losing muscle mass, and possibly bone mass in conjunction with the dehydration.

In addition, to lose weight that rapidly has been proven to be the cause of rapidly re-gaining that weight, if not more, because of the damage done to muscle as well as metabolism. Starving oneself and taking unnatural and dangerous diet supplements to the point of unnaturally rapid weight loss [meaning more than 2 pounds per week] ironically tricks the body into starvation mode. This means that the body will slow down its metabolism in order to store fat, and NOT use it as an energy source, because it is being fed so little and not often. It thinks “I have to rely on the fat I already have to function, because I don’t know when my next fuel will be coming.”

So what IS a reality-check in the rate of weight-loss (specifically fat-loss)? People who steadily lose weight at a consistent and safe rate, are the most likely to lose fat as well as keep it off. This means 1/2 a pound per week for some, or up to 2 pounds pre week for others. It may even vary between those rates for many. But any faster and you are only doing your body damage.

A good way to gauge healthy weight-loss is not by weight alone, but by your BMI [Body Mass Index. Click here to use our BMI Calculator.] This is the percentage of your body weight that is made up of fat. This is much more accurate than weight alone, because there are several factors that could be making you weigh a certain weight, aside from fat.

Water weight makes the body fluctuate from .5 up to about 5 or 6 pounds throughout the day. What you eat, when you eat it, what activities you are doing and for what intensity – these are all factors that can make a 130 pound female weight 136 at different points throughout the day. Dehydration is also a factor – that same female could weigh 127 at other points throughout the day.

So what to do about putting a finger on your “real” weight? Change your perspective. Don’t focus on ONE single number- focus on a range, say, a couple numbers that differ between 3-5 pounds of each other. I.e. a person does not weigh 140, period. He or she more likely weighs between 138 – 142. People’s weights fluctuate all the time, all day. There is absolutely no way to be one single weight at all times.

Another factor is muscle mass. Muscle weighs 3 times as much as fat, so two 130 pound women, of the same height and, for argument’s sake, same every other physical factor, might look drastically different, if one woman’s BMI is 26 and the other’s is 20. The one with a BMI of 20 will look more lean, strong, and toned than the one with a BMI of 26. This is because of the 130 pounds, 26 percent of that is fat for one. So more of her body composition is made up of fat than muscle, despite them weighing the same.

This is also why it is important to keep to a strength–training regimen in order to keep and tone muscles as you lose fat. Ideally, you would want to actually be gaining muscle, while simultaneously losing fat. This does not mean “melting fat into muscle” – there is no such thing. Muscle and fat are made up of two different types of cells and tisssues. They cannot turn into one another (its like trying to turn skin into bone – not going to happen).

Muscle also raises your metabolism, just by being muscle and not any other tissue in the body. This is because it takes more energy for the body to sustain muscle, while fat just sits there and doesn’t require any energy to sustain. So by simply having more muscle, your base metabolic rate [BMR] is raised. This is where Wu Long comes in:

Let’s say you are doing everything on the right track: Consistent cardio to burn fat, consistent weight-training to build muscle (to raise your metabolism), but you still are struggling to lose weight, or you want to lose it faster than say, 1/2 pound per week. Wu Long tea not only will raise your metabolism in addition to all that exercise, it will suppress your appetite so that you can maintain and stick to your diet (which should not be too restrictive! Click here for our nutrition and diet tips!) Look to the side bar for more on Wu Long and its weight-loss properties, and stay healthy!