Pu Erh Tea Health Benefits and Side effects
How do you choose good quality pu erh ? What is health benefits of Puerh tea? Where to buy puerh tea online ? How to brew it ? What types should you choose? Get the answer here !
The Facts About Pu Erh Tea
Pu-erh is a large leaf variety or Dayeh, and is grown and picked throughout the year unlike other teas that require a dormant season. Although dark pu-erh tastes much like black tea, it is not black or oolong, but falls into a category of its own.
Organic Emperor's Puerh Tea
Processing is similar to black tea, with the exception of a couple steps. The tea is picked, processed and partially fired allowing the leaves to retain moisture. The slightly moist tea is then piled. The natural bacterium on the leaves creates a reaction similar to that of a compost pile.
The tea is then aged, in special underground rooms or caves, adding to its unique character. One of the most significant distinctions is that pu-erh tea gets better over time.
These aged teas are prized and can be found in vintages, like wine, some dating back 40 to 50 to 100 years.
How to brew Pu Erh Tea
The two main classifications are green pu erh and dark or oxidized black pu erh,. Dark pu-erh is just that, dark, due to the initial oxidation done before firing, like other black teas.
The dark variety is the easiest to brew; unlike traditional tea preparation you can’t over brew this tea. Prepare pu-erh tea with the hottest water possible and steep for 5-7 minutes or longer if you like. You can wash your tealeaves once or twice to optimize the flavor. No matter what you do it is almost impossible to ruin this tea.
The tuo cha, meaning pressed, is a black pu-erh tea. Tuo cha’s were developed in early China trade because the teas were bulky and hard to transport. Tea was pressed to compact the leaf, reducing the size of the loads for long journeys.
It was early 2000 when white Pu-erh tea entered the mass market. White Pu-erh tea is made entirely from the uppermost tender buds of the tea plant. The highest quality buds are gathered exclusively by hand in the spring. These large, succulent buds are highly valued and only a limited production can be made each year.
There are a couple of things to consider before judging your taste of pu-erh tea.
1. The tea comes in an enormous variety, not just dark or green, but in many types of both categories.
2. Many types smell earthy or even a bit fishy. Don’t be discouraged, the aroma is going to be very different than the actual taste in your cup.
Pu Erh Tea Benefits
* Many published studies have been done showing the enormous health benefits of pu erh tea. The most eye opening of these studies was conducted in France several years ago.
A blind study was conducted with 500 hyperlipidemia patients (individuals with advanced cholesterol conditions, usually controlled with medication). Half of the controlled group consumed 3-4 cups of pu-erh tea daily, while the rest of the participants were given something else. After a 30-day period the results showed that drinking pu-erh on a regular basis could significantly lower cholesterol and further research confirmed that pu-erh was as effective as the most advanced cholesterol lowering medications available.
* The soothing properties, aid digestion and are perfect after heavy or greasy meals.
* More recent studies indicate powerful cholesterol lowering effects, blood cleansing properties and aid significantly in weight loss efforts.
Where to Buy Pu Erh Tea ?
I Bought my puerh tea online at Numi. Numi tea puerh has many types pu erh, including : Aged Puerh Tea Brick, emperor’s puerh black tea, chocolate puerh tea blend, magnolia puerh, mint puerh, puerh mini tuocha green and puerh mini tuocha black.
How do you choose good quality pu erh ? Good Puerh, new or aged, should give you a comfortable sensation in your mouth and a sense of well-being after consumption. The flavor should be clean and brisk without any odd taste or odor. One of the most unique characteristics of quality Puerh is its lingering aftertaste, especially in aged Puerh. For newer raw Puerh, your may find it a bit bitter or grassy when your tongue first comes in contact with the tea. However, the bitterness should quickly dissipate and transform into a subtle sweetness that coats your mouth. If the bitterness lingers, it is likely that the tea is of lower quality. Low quality Puerh is also flat and lacks the body that quality Puerh offers. Additionally, the brew from good quality Puerh should be clean, bright and translucent, not dull or cloudy.
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I’m glad you mentioned Pu-erh tea here because it’s my favorite as “The King of Teas” and I like to talk about it online. Know that there are further health benefits to Pu-erh. It does have more antioxidants than green tea. And also, Pu-erh has probiotics (much like yogurt) to enhance immune system function and make digestion easier, among their other benefits. No other tea can boast all that. Pu-erh is the healthiest of all the true Camellia Sinensis teas. –Teaternity