Pu Erh Tea
Pu Erh tea is the only fermented tea. Pu Erh tea is made from the tea plant Camellia sinensis, just like green tea, white tea, black tea, and oolong tea. Pu Erh tea is exclusively grown in the Chinese province of Yunnan in the Pu Erh County, from which it gets its name.
Do you want to take advantage of the health benefits of this delicious tea? Check out the benefits of Pu Erh tea.
Pu Erh Tea Flavor:
Pu Erh tea is available in green and black varieties and has a mild flavor. The leaves have a subtle sweet aroma, and the brewed leaves appear reddish-brown, like autumn leaves falling from the trees. Pu Erh can look darker than black teas and have a fuller taste. Pu Erh tea contains caffeine and is often consumed in the morning or early afternoon to boost energy levels.
Pu Erh Tea Fermentation:
Pu Erh tea is naturally fermented. It has been valued in traditional Asian tea recipes for centuries because of its high concentration of polyphenols, catechins, and flavonoids. This tea leaf improves over time and develops a mild taste the longer it matures. Some of the rarest and most expensive Pu Erh teas have been aging for more than 70 years.
The tea leaves undergo a fermentation process using green Yunnan tea leaves and a humid environment. This fermentation process allows the development of beneficial bacteria and fungi, which affect the health properties of the tea. After the tea leaves have aged and fermented, they are either compressed into bricks or sold as loose-leaf tea.
8 Health Benefits of Pu Erh Tea:
1) Pu-erh Tea Boosts Energy
Thanks to the caffeine in Pu-erh tea, drinking a cup a day can help increase your energy levels and focus. Each 320 ml cup of Pu-erh tea contains about 60 to 70 mg of caffeine compared to 105 mg in a cup of coffee. This makes Pu-erh tea a good choice for people who get too jittery from just one cup of coffee.
Caffeine can help improve mental focus and give you an extra boost of mental energy. Pu-erh tea helps you relax and refocus.
2) Pu-erh tea is good for the heart
By drinking a cup of Pu-erh tea per day, you can reduce the risk of heart disease while enjoying a delicious, soothing beverage. Pu-erh tea helps prevent heart disease because it contributes to the formation of lovastatin, which lowers high cholesterol levels. A Chinese study shows that Pu-erh tea helps lower bad cholesterol, also known as LDL cholesterol, and prevents diseases caused by obesity.
Rats that were given Pu-erh tea showed lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which are commonly associated with obesity. At the same time, Pu-erh tea increased good cholesterol, known as HDL cholesterol. Higher HDL cholesterol levels were associated with a lower risk of heart disease.
3) Pu-erh tea cleanses the body of toxins
By supplying more oxygen to the brain, Pu-erh tea can help combat headaches and migraines and reduce free radicals that can cause serious diseases. In Chinese medicine, Pu-erh tea is used to support the spleen and stomach in filtering toxins throughout the body.
4) Pu-Erh Tea Protects Bone Health
Animal studies have shown that the polyphenols in Pu-Erh tea help develop higher bone mass and greater bone strength. These polyphenols are antioxidants with anti-inflammatory properties that help minimize pain and discomfort.contains simple sugars and microorganisms that help the spleen purify the blood and eliminate free radicals. Drink Pu-erh tea daily to achieve a consistent effect and systematically cleanse the body.
5) Pu-erh tea prevents cancer
Studies have shown that the consistent consumption of Pu-erh tea can fight cancer and prevent the growth of new cancer cells. A study from Kunming University of Science and Technology has shown that nutrients from Pu-erh tea can attack tumor cells with minimal side effects.
A second study showed that Pu-Erh tea has the ability to prevent the growth of cancer cells. Scientists believe that the oxidized tea polyphenols are the reason for using Pu-Erh tea to prevent or treat certain types of cancer.
These polyphenols capture free radicals and stop the formation of mutated cells, which are a precursor to cancer.
6) Pu Erh Tea Helps with Weight Loss
Pu-Erh tea improves digestion and can thus help prevent constipation and diarrhea. The antioxidants and polyphenols in Pu-Erh teas support digestion and fat breakdown.
Studies have shown that Pu-Erh tea can help with weight loss when combined with a healthy diet and exercise. Pu-Erh tea suppresses fatty acid synthesis and can help the body stop producing more fat. You can eat a high-fat diet, drink Pu-Erh tea, and lose weight.
Pu-Erh tea stimulates the body to produce the hormones adrenaline and noradrenaline, which reduce fat stores. Drink a cup of Pu-Erh tea once or twice a day to become slim and healthy.
7) Pu Erh Tea Reduces Stress
Although Pu-Erh tea contains caffeine, this does not mean it will make you nervous. In fact, Pu-Erh tea can help reduce stress, and its anti-inflammatory properties contribute to relaxation. Pu-Erh tea contains GABA and theanine, which have mood-enhancing effects and thus reduce stress.
9) Pu Erh Tea Promotes Health
Since Pu-Erh tea is rich in antioxidants and vitamin C, drinking a cup of this infusion daily can help prevent illnesses such as colds and flu. Pu-Erh tea is fermented, which means it contains higher concentrations of these antioxidants than non-fermented teas.
Pu-Erh Tea Preparation:
Pu-Erh tea is traditionally brewed at higher temperatures than other true teas. Therefore, be sure to use water at 100° C for brewing.
You can choose the Western method and use a large teapot, or opt for the traditional Asian method and brew with a small lidded pot.
When brewing using the Asian method, you get a Pu Erh tea with a fuller taste and aroma than when using larger amounts of water.
Step 1: Prepare your tea leaves
Pu-Erh tea can be purchased as loose leaf tea or in solid forms such as bricks, cakes, and balls. If your Pu-Erh tea is loose leaf, simply prepare it like any other loose leaf tea. Pu Erh tea comes in the form of a brick, cake, or ball.
Break off small amounts depending on how many cups you want to make. Generally, you should use 1-5 grams of Pu-Erh tea leaves per 150 ml of water.
Step 2: Rinse the Tea Leaves
Start by rinsing the tea with hot water. To do this, place the tea in your teapot or container and add just enough water to cover the leaves. Pour the water out immediately. Rinsing the Pu-Erh tea leaves allows the leaves to open up and results in a smoother taste.
Step 3: Steeping Times
If you use the Asian method, the Pu-Erh tea should steep for 3 to 4 minutes before consumption. The tea leaves are steeped in increments of 10 seconds each. For example, the first steeping time is 10 seconds, while the second steeping time is 20 seconds. Typically, Western-style brewed Pu-Erh tea yields two to three servings, whereas the Asian method produces six to eight.
Pu-Erh Tea Enjoyment
Since environmental factors and the fermentation process can influence the taste of this tea, it can exhibit fruity, earthy, musky, and smoky flavors. The rich, smooth texture makes drinking Pu Erh tea a pleasure, and the health benefits are an added bonus. Brew a delicious cup of Pu Erh tea, enjoy the full-bodied flavors, and reap positive health benefits.