Fighting Effects of Aging with Wu Long Tea

All tea comes from the same species of plant Camellia Sinensis. It is in the fermentation process that produces the many wonderfully different tasting and fragrant teas. Wu-Long (also known as oolong, wulong) is a partially fermented tea which is processed between the black and green tea families. The tea leaves are dried in sunlight and allowed to partially oxidize (20-80%) until leaf edges reddens. This gives oolong a a bit more body than Green tea but slightly less body than Black tea.

Wu-long tea has gained much popularity lately because of the many health benefits. People are discovering that besides increasing your body energy, promoting metabolism and controling obesity, Wu-long tea is tasty and never ceases to lose its appeal no matter how often you drink it.

Wu Long tea is rich in biological compounds called 'polyphenols', which make up much the tea's weight composition. These compounds are powerful antioxidants, which have been reported to reverse the effects caused by enviornmental elements as well as internal elements of aging to the body. It truly has natural anti-aging properties.

As we age the effect of stress, pollution, processed food additives etc. take its toll on your body by creating free radicals. These free radicals are responsible for producing many of the visible signs associated with aging such as dark spots and wrinkling of the skin. Drinking Wu long has been proven to reduce and destroy 1/2 the amount of free radicals in the body thus may help reduce the visible signs associated with aging.

Some of the most notorious signs of aging such as dark spots on the skin, wrinkled skin, rough skin and memory loss have been reported to diminish with regular consumption of wu long tea.

The primary polyphenol found in Wu Long tea is called 'Catechin' which makes up about 30%-40% of the teas weight composition. One of the most abundant Polyphenols in Wu Long tea, called EGCG (Epigallocatechin gallete) is about 25-100 times stronger than vitamins C or E. EGCG is reported to destroy free radicals in the body thus naturally defending and reversing the visible signs of aging.

Catechins act as a defense by destroying free radicals (damaging forms of oxygen) in our bodies. These free radicals are responsible for cell damage that cause many ailments and also the visible signs of aging. These free radicals are caused by many things in out enviornment such as pollution, cigarette smoke, eating processed food and taking prescription drugs. Even exposure to sunlight generates free radicals that age the skin, causing roughness and wrinkles. They're everywhere and their damage is unavoidable!

Two other powerful antioxidants unique to wu long tea are theaflavin and thearubigin. These occur in wu long tea as a result of the unique oxidization process performed specifically on loose leaf wu long tea.

One cup of Wu Long tea has about 10-40 mg of polyphenol which is more than a serving of broccoli or spinach, which are considered high in antioxidant.

A study of more than 100 patients with a different kind of eczema (atopic dermatitis) showed that drinking a liter of oolong tea daily could markedly improve inflammation and itching. The researchers speculated that antioxidant polyphenols in tea have anti-allergic properties and calm the overactive immune response. Some people have reported that their eczema improved when they took borage or flax seed oil orally. These dietary supplements are high in omega-3 fatty acids which also have anti-inflammatory activity.

There are several delicious varieties of wu long tea. The health benefits that come with drinking wu long tea which 'defend against the visible signs of aging' are about the same with all types and varieties of wu long teas. Experiment! Typically 2 oz. of loose tea will yield 28-30 cups as a rule.