™ Oolong teas are rapidly gaining popularity in the Western world. And, among oolong teas, those created in Taiwan, referred to as Formosa oolong teas, are some of the most delicious. If you havent tried Formosa oolong tea, youre in for a real treat. Oolong teas originated in China. Oolong literally means black dragon. However, the tea is often referred to as Wulong tea, a name that originated with the person believed to have created this tea. Wu Liang was a Chinese tea gardener, who, according to Chinese legend, was busy collecting and processing tea leaves when he spotted a river deer. He stopped to kill and prepare the deer and it interrupted his tea processing for the day, and he forgot to dry out the leaves. He remembered the tea a day later. By this time it had begun to change color, and Wu Liang was afraid it had gone bad, but decided to finish drying it anyway. After completing the drying process, he made himself a cup and found that he had created a very flavorful and aromatic tea. This was the birth of oolong tea. Oolong tea falls somewhere between black and green tea. It is fermented, but for a shorter period of time than black tea. Depending upon the length of fermentation, oolong teas can be closer to green teas in terms of color and flavor, or closer to black teas. In addition, oolong teas are traditionally made from the larger leaves of the tea plant. These are the leaves that grow further down the tea plant rather than the top leaves. Formosa oolong teas are those produced in Taiwan, rather than in China. Next to China, Taiwan produces the largest quantity of oolong tea in the world. Formosa 메리트카지노 oolong teas fall into two categories, depending upon how long theyre fermented. True Formosa oolongs, like Chinese oolong teas, are fermented until about 30% of the tea leaves are red, leaving about 70% of the leaves green. Formosa Pouchong oolong teas are closer to green tea. The leaves are fermented until just about 15% are red, leaving them 85% green. To make Formosa oolong and pouchong teas, the leaves are plucked early in the day and then withered in the sun. Then the leaves are bruised lightly to cause the fermentation process to begin. Tea artisans will carefully watch the tea during the fermentation process, often shaking or tumbling the leaves regularly, until the leaves have fermented the required length of time and have reached the appropriate proportion of green and red leaves. It is ending the fermentation process at precisely the right time that makes a perfect oolong or pouchong tea. Next, the leaves are dried, often using charcoal before they are graded according to the quality and sent for packaging. Imperial Formosa oolong teas are considered the most sophisticated tea flavors in the world. It brews to a golden color and produces a very crisp liquor. Its an incredibly flavorful tea, often with significant notes of orange and nut flavors and sometimes with a very woody and sweet finish that lingers on the tongue. Imperial Formosa oolong tea is a fairly rare tea. It may be more difficult to find and may be a bit more expensive. However, it is a true connoisseurs tea and will likely be one of the most exceptionally flavored teas youve ever experienced. You may find that each time you taste Imperial Formosa oolong tea you discover a slightly new and different nuance to the flavor. Oolong teas of all varieties are also very healthy. Tea leaves naturally contain a high level of anti-oxidants. Fermentation changes these anti-oxidants, and the degree of the fermentation affects the amount of anti-oxidant changes. Because oolong teas are only partially fermented they retain a high level of anti-oxidants in their most natural state. In particular, oolong teas have a very high level of polyphenols, which are some of the most potent anti-oxidants and are particularly effective at preventing heart disease and many forms of cancer. In recent years, scientists have performed a great deal of research on the positive health benefits of drinking tea and feel confident that being a lifelong tea drinker can help you live a longer and healthier life, protecting you from many serious illnesses. Oolong tea can also be an effective weight loss supplement. The combination of the caffeine and anti-oxidants in oolong tea have been shown to speed up the metabolism and promote the oxidation of fat. And, research has shown that the caffeine in tea doesnt appear to raise heart rate or cause jitters the way many other caffeinated beverages can. So, tea is safely consumed by most people who are normally caffeine sensitive. Formosa oolong teas are some of the most delicious and satisfying of all teas. For the experienced tea drinker, oolongs can add a new dimension to a favorite beverage. And for the novice tea drinker, oolong provides a sophisticated introduction to the world of tea. Experience Imperial Formosa oolong for yourself. Youre sure to be delighted with this fragrant and flavorful tea.
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™ Green tea is fast becoming one of the hottest ways to look after your health. More and more research is surfacing that suggests that drinking green tea may be one of the simplest things you can do to live a longer and healthier life. Green tea is special because of the way that its processed. Though it comes from the same plant as black tea, it is produced in an entirely different way. During processing, black tea is allowed to oxidize, or ferment. Green tea however, is simply dried and then steamed or fired to prevent the oxidation process from occurring. It sounds like a simple difference, but it causes some very powerful differences between the two types of tea. The fermentation process that happens to black tea converts the natural anti-oxidants in tea to other compounds. So, while black tea is a healthy beverage, it is not as healthy as green tea, whose anti-oxidants are left in their natural state. In fact, green tea contains EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), one of the most powerful anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants play an important role in protecting our health. The anti-oxidants created by our bodies and those derived from our diet help to neutralize free radicals. Free radicals are oxygen containing molecules that are created as a by product of converting the food we eat into energy. Left unchecked, these free radicals damage our cells and DNA, leading to aging and disease. A diet rich in anti-oxidants keeps these free radicals under control. To ensure that you get your daily dose of anti-oxidants its important to eat a diet thats full of plant products, like fruits, vegetables and green tea. Research has shown that drinking green tea is especially helpful at reducing your risk of disease. Some of the most positive research includes the following findings: Long term tea drinkers tend to have a lower body weight and lower percentage of body fat. Green tea has been shown to be effective at preventing many forms of cancer, including breast cancer, colon cancer and lung cancer. In addition, some studies have shown that chemotherapy is more effective when the patient is on a regimen of green tea along with their chemotherapy. Green tea has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease by helping to lower cholesterol and reduce your chances of a blood clot. Green tea has been shown to be an effective weight loss supplement. The anti-oxidants in green tea combined with the caffeine have been shown to speed up the metabolism and promote the oxidation of fat. It has been suggested that green tea may be helpful in preventing Alzheimers disease. Green tea may be helpful in regulating insulin, so it may be a natural way to help prevent diabetes. So, as you can see, there are many health reasons for drinking green tea. Most of us in the Western world have grown up on black tea, and may find the flavor of traditional green teas somewhat grassy in comparison. If you find that green tea simply doesnt taste as good to you as black tea, try drinking a green tea blend. When blended with other flavors, green tea can taste quite different 메리트카지노 than it does on its own. There are a wide variety of green tea blends out there. Its important to choose the best quality of loose green tea, whether youre choosing a blend or a single tea. Many tea companies will use lesser quality tea leaves when theyre blending the tea with other flavors, because they believe the difference in quality will not be as noticeable. So, be certain that you choose your blended green tea from a reputable tea company to ensure that you get only the finest quality. If youre interested in choosing a green tea blend, here are some very good and very popular ones to try. Moroccan Mint Moroccan mint green tea is one of the most popular blends. This is a blend of one or more kinds of mint flavoring with a green tea base. The flavor is light and refreshing and makes a great glass of iced tea as well as hot tea. Jasmine Green Tea Another popular choice in green tea blends, this green tea is scented with the petals of jasmine. Youll also find Jasmine green tea mixed with vanilla, which makes the tea more flavorful. The combination of the scents of jasmine and vanilla make this jasmine green tea one of the most fragrant you can find. Vanilla Mint Green Tea This is a refreshing green tea blend that will appeal to any tea drinker. Tea artisans mix high quality green tea with mint leaves and pieces of vanilla bean. These two flavors are pleasing to any palate. This makes a great iced tea for the summer as well as an aromatic and flavorful hot tea. These are just a few of the many blends of green tea available. Experiment with the varieties available to find the ones that you like best. For maximum benefit to your health, experts recommend that you drink at least three cups of green tea each day. So, lift your cup of green tea and drink to the delicious flavor and to your health! |
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