An Introduction to Oolong Tea

Over the last few years green tea has become very popular and is available in most stores and cafés. It is also used in all kinds of products such as shampoo, face cream, candles and many other daily items. Oolong tea is produced from the same plant, which is called Camellia Sinensis. The difference is that Oolong is a semi-fermented brew whereas green tea is unfermented.

The fermentation process is carried out by a skilled worker who can ferment the tea to many different levels to create different varieties. The leaves are stimulated until the oxidization process reaches the desired level and then cooked to finish the process.

The leaves are further processed after the fermentation to enhance the smell, texture and the flavor. This is done by rolling and rubbing the tea. The grade (and price) of a particular oolong tea depend on a number of factors including the season the leaves were picked, the type of tea plant, the skill in processing the leaves, and the location of the tea plantation. The best quality oolong tea comes from high-altitude tea plantations.

The history of oolong tells us that it was first produced in Fujian province in China. Although fine oolong tea is still produced in this area, there are also many inferior teas that come from Fujian. The oolong tea of choice for many tea connoisseurs is Taiwanese - also known as Formosan Oolong.

One of the reasons that green tea has become so popular is because of the many health benefits which can be obtained by regular drinking. These benefits are no less in oolong and are retained even after the tea is processed. Some of the health benefits of regular oolong tea consumption include increasing metabolism and enhancing digestion. These two benefits make oolong tea an ideal weight-loss aid.

If you are interested in trying some oolong it is recommended to find a quality supplier. There are many sellers on the Internet who can supply good tea and many who can supply not so good tea. The stuff in the local Chinese store tends to be of very low quality and not worth buying. Look for a specialist tea merchant and try a few different ones to find the best quality.

Some of the more popular varieties include Ali Shan Four Season, Wu Ling and Shan Ling Xi. Be adventurous and try a few varieties. I can tell you that a good oolong is really a great tea so if you are not impressed with what you buy then shop around for another merchant because the good stuff is out there.

This article is courtesy of Tea Genius - Information about Tea