Tea in general is known for having a wide range of potential health benefits. Oolong tea in particular, which is found in China and Southeast Asia, has its own specific range of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that evidence suggests may have a variety of positive effects on your body. This means you may want to add it to your wholesale tea offering.
What is oolong tea?
Part of the tea making process involves oxidising the leaves or exposing them to air. The longer they are exposed, the more the colour, flavour and nutrient content change. Green tea is mostly unoxidised, meaning it still contains many naturally occurring antioxidants such as catechins. Black tea is fully oxidised, which may lose some of the natural nutrients, but then gains different antioxidants known as theaflavins. Oolong is partially oxidised, so it exists somewhere between black and green tea.
1. Heart health
One of the most researched benefits of oolong tea is how its polyphenols can break down what is known as triglycerides, which are a type of fat that can thicken the walls of your arteries. Polyphenols can also reduce cholesterol, which can block blood vessels. Both triglycerides and cholesterol increase your risk of heart attacks, heart disease and strokes, so drinking oolong may reduce these risks.
2. Bood sugar
Polyphenols in both green and black tea have been shown to reduce blood sugar levels and insulin resistance, both of which can contribute to type 2 diabetes in particular. The research into oolong tea specifically is less conclusive, but it may also have some benefits in this area.
3. Brain
There are many components of tea that have been shown to benefit brain function. For example, caffeine can help release dopamine and norepinephrine, which may improve your mood and concentration. The amino acid theanine, which is found in oolong tea, can also boost brain function whilst reducing anxiety. There are further generally calming effects associated with drinking tea. This has led to scientists pursuing promising research into whether tea can help alleviate neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s.
4. Teeth
Fluoride is routinely added to everything from toothpaste to drinking water to help improve the health and bone density of your teeth. The presence of fluoride in oolong tea may reduce your risk of cavities.
5. Other nutrients
This is only a selection of the potential health benefits of oolong tea. There is ongoing research about how it may help protect against cancer, alleviate eczema, or contribute to weight loss, although some of these studies are still in the early stages. As well as the antioxidants that form the bulk of oolong’s benefits, other essential nutrients it contains include manganese, potassium, sodium, magnesium and niacin, all of which have vital roles in the body.
Add oolong to your wholesale tea order
Blue Ocean Tea enables you to purchase large volumes of wholesale tea, including oolong from China, Vietnam and Indonesia, directly from the producers. This means that you have the opportunity to create blends that take advantage of oolong’s many health benefits, and which your customers will be eager to experience.