I’d like to introduce you to a tea that you may not have heard of, but is the hottest thing in the health-and-good-skin neighbourhood –
OOLONG TEA.
What’s so great about it? Well, if you’re kefirising to deal with a skin condition, this tea is a must-consume bevvie for you. Recent science shows that eczema patients can benefit from drinking 3 cups of oolong tea throughout the day. The beneficial results were seen in less than a week in these patients, who showed remarkable improvement in their skin. And these results were found to be lasting as well: in a 2001 study, 54% of test subjects were found the show positive, long-lasting results in terms of skin conditions after 6 months of daily intake of oolong tea. 1
Why does it work?
Scientists believe that the polyphenols in oolong tea work as anti-allergenic compounds, relieving irritation and and chronic skin problems.
How is it different from regular tea?
The secret to oolong is that its health benefits are basically doubled, because during processing, its leaves are only partially oxidised. It is a semi-green fermented tea, but the fermentation process is halted as soon as the tea leaves start to change their colour.
So it’s got the “best of both” – the combined beneficial qualities of black tea and green tea. According to the Tea Association of the United States, oolong might well be the most beneficial tea in the world! ; 0
Want to source Oolong Tea? Here’s the kind I use: SHANN RECOMMENDS
Oolong tea can help with weight loss
It is commonly believed that daily consumption of oolong tea can reduce obesity, because the polyphenol compound found in oolong tea is very effective in controlling the metabolism of fat in the body. Studies showed that weight loss was achieved with the introduction of polyphenols, even when a high-sugar and high-fat diet was consumed. (|Note – the goats say sternly -this is not an excuse to eat badly while you’re kefirising! ; )
And that’s not all…
Here are some other things oolong tea can do for you:
- Reduce the risk of cancer, atherosclerosis, stroke, rheumatoid neurodegeneration and diabetes by removing free radicals in the body. Any antioxidant characteristic of food or drink is beneficial, but polyphenols are particularly powerful antioxidants in oolong tea.
- Promote healthy bones. The antioxidants present in oolong tea protect teeth against decay, strengthen the bone structure, prevent osteoporosis and promote normal, healthy growth of the human body. A number of studies analysed the long term effects of drinking tea, particularly on bone mineral density (BMD), showed that people who consistently drank black or oolong tea for more than 10 years were tremendously less likely to lose their bone mineral density over that span of time. It is thought that some of the components in tea actually stimulate the retention of minerals from other food that we consume.
- Control diabetes. Oolong tea is used as an herbal brew for treating type-2 diabetic disorders and as an addition to other supplementary drugs for treating that disease. It regulates the amount of blood sugar and insulin that is in the bloodstream at any one time, so the dangerous dips and spikes in blood sugar that can be so disastrous for diabetic patients was reduced. A 2003 study showed that when combined with regular hyperglycemic drugs, oolong tea further balanced the blood sugar levels and prevented the sudden drops in almost all of the test subjects. 2
- Help manage stress. Studies show that ingesting oolong tea can reduce stress levels by 10 to 18 %, due to the natural polyphenols it contains. Since stress is one of the main things that damages the microbiome and then maps onto your skin, causing eczema, psoriasis, rosacea and acne, this is an important benefit if you’re kefirising!
- Improve mental performance and alertness. It’s got caffeine, so helps to give you that extra boost you may need to get you through the day.
How does it taste?
Good news – it’s nice! Oolong tea is fragrant with a fruity flavor and a pleasant aroma. You can put a slice of lemon in it, or if you like it classic British style, you can add goats milk and a bit of 100% pure stevia.
A few words of caution
Do be careful – this is a caffeinated beverage! Caffeine treats many people differently, but some of the side effects of excess caffeine are headaches, anxiety, sleeplessness, diarrhoea, heartburn, irregular heartbeat, and confusion. Too much caffeine can also exacerbate diabetes, heart conditions, anxiety, irritable bowel syndrome, and high blood pressure. So the goats encourage you to proceed sensibly, and drink three cups of oolong tea per day. Enjoy!
