WU YI Tea: The Rise to Fame
Wu Yi tea’s rise to fame has been tremendous. You can see it in almost all ads or links online and if you search for it in almost every search engine you will find so many links on the web. It has been touted that “A cup of wu yi tea a day keeps the fat away!” Wu Yi (Wu-Yi or Wuyi) are all the same type of oolong tea that has been advertised as the dieter’s tea because it has been publicized to promote weight loss due to its fat burning property.
What is Wu Yi Tea?
Wu Yi tea got its name from the area where it was found and is still being grown and harvested, in Mount Wuyi Shan in the Fujian Province in China. Wu Yi tea comes from the same family as Oolong and Wu long tea and it is sometimes called WuYi Long tea.
Just like any other tea, the quality of Wu Yi tea depends on the process of curing and fermentation of the tea leaves. Being a variety of oolong tea, Wu Yi tea is semi fermented and is a cross between green tea and black tea. The tea is one of the most fragrant varieties of tea and has the same fresh flavor of green tea without the hint of bitterness and the rich aroma of black tea. Production of Wu Yi tea is complex and goes through so many stages:
- Wilting under the sun right after picking
- Shaking in baskets to slightly damage the withered leaves so that oils and other compounds are released
- Drying of the leaves until they turn reddish
- Heating or firing to stop oxidation (semi-fermentation) to bring out its unique qualities
- Grading by tea masters
Wu Yi tea looks like twisted balls after fermentation and may have a variety of colors depending on the fermentation time. The time when the leaves were plucked, the way they were handle and the quality of the leaves used to make the tea are some of the criteria tea masters look for when grading the tea. It is said that tea leaves harvested during summer are the strongest and stable, thus producing teas of the highest quality, making Wu Yi Tea on of the more expensive teas.
Wu Yi Tea’s Rise to Fame
There have been a lot of buzz about Wu Yi tea and surprisingly it has been talked about because it was said to have been endorsed at several websites and one of the hypes is that it was talked about at Oprah and 60 Minutes. What has gained the consumers attention with regards to Wu Yi?
All the talk about wu yi tea was because of its natural slimming properties and fat burning capability aside from the many beneficial effects on various health conditions. As one of the Oolong variety, wu yi also contains the high concentration of polyphenol, a chemical ingredient that activates the breakdown of fats by stimulating the enzymes that dissolve triglycerides (fatty substances) in the body which in turn increases the metabolism thus controlling obesity, which is common in all oolong teas.
Aside from its weight loss properties, Wu Yi tea has also been proven to have medicinal properties to help, boost or cure certain health conditions or diseases. Here are some of the benefits attributed to consistently drinking Wu Yi tea:
- Enhancing the immune system
- Nourishing the skin and lessening skin conditions such as acne, eczema and even psoriasis
- Boosting energy levels
- Increasing metabolism
- Lowering blood pressure and cholesterol
- Protecting the body from cardiovascular disease
- Protecting the mouth from tooth decay and gingivitis
- Reducing the risk of certain cancers
- Reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes
- Reducing signs of aging and fewer wrinkles
With all these benefits plus its weight loss property, Wu Yi tea has risen to fame in recent years. Although it is one of the expensive teas around, still its fame may be attributed to its affordability because you are buying a tea with quality. Added to this is that wu yi tea is easy to use, there are no pills to take, no creams to buy and no surgery to risk. Its appeal may also be attributed to the fact that drinking tea is a safe way to maintain your body and focus on your health.