Bao Zhong Oolong Tea Benefits

Almost all of the world's most famous oolong teas are produced in the Fujian province of China or on Taiwan - the island directly facing Fujian. Pouchong or Bao Zhong Oolong is one of the biggest stars of the Taiwanese oolong scene, and for a good reason.

In this blog post, I will explain:

• what is oolong tea
• what is Bao Zhong oolong tea
• what are the Bao Zhong oolong tea benefits

What is oolong tea

Oolong tea has been around for a bit more than 300 years and thus is a relatively new arrival to the five-thousand year old (!) tea family.

Initially, all the teas were green teas - the tea leaves were left in the Sun to wither and then heated in large woks. The black tea - which is made from the leaves of the same plant, Camellia Sinensis - came later. To produce black tea, the leaves are first withered - like for green tea - and then left in a humid place to oxidize. Once they are fully oxidized, they are heated in large woks or special machines. Oolong tea is the vast family of teas somewhere between black and green - the leaves are withered, then partially oxidized and then the oxidation is stopped by heating.

The oolong teas are generally divided into Fujian oolongs which are more heavily oxidized and Taiwanese oolongs which are less oxidized. As mentioned, pouchong oolong is one of the Taiwanese oolongs. You can refer to this blog article for more information on what is oolong tea.

What is Bao Zhong oolong tea

Bao Zhong oolong is a very unusual oolong tea. If you are new to oolong teas, it might be just the perfect one to start your oolong journey.

This tea is only very lightly oxidized, so much that many people refer to it as a green tea or a green oolong tea. The leaves are rolled into needles rather than pearls like for many other oolong teas.

The Bao Zhong tea is produced around Taipei, the capital of Taiwan at very high altitude. It has an incredibly floral taste, so much that you might think you're drinking a jasmine infusion.

What are the Bao Zhong oolong tea benefits

As oolong teas are between green and black, they are often said to combine the benefits of both.

Bao Zhong oolong tea and caffeine

Green teas are generally high in caffeine - I know for a fact that I can't sleep if I drink green tea in the evening - and black and oolong teas are lower in caffeine. As Bao Zhong oolong is so close to green tea, it has, consequently, more caffeine than other oolongs. This means that on one hand it helps with concentration and is the perfect drink-while-work tea but on the other hand should be avoided in the evening and shouldn't be drunk in large quantities by people with a weak heart or pregnant women.

Bao Zhong oolong tea and polyphenols

Thanks to its proximity to green teas, Bao Zhong oolong is the one with the highest volume of polyphenols.

This is important because of their anti-cancer and anti-cardiovascular diseases properties. They are even said to have anti-aging properties.

Bao Zhong oolong tea and weight loss

All of the oolong and pu erh teas are considered as allies in weight loss efforts. While pu erh tea is an acquired teaste - it tastes of earth and mushrooms and may discourage the faint-hearted! - oolong teas are so pleasant to drink that they are an obvious choice when looking for a weight-loss tea.

 In a nutshell, this tea is really worth trying - both for its subtle taste as for its health and weight loss benefits.