Tea lovers rejoice! You may be improving your health and wellbeing with each sip. Tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant which you’ve probably consumed in the form of white tea, green tea, oolong tea, black tea, or pu-erh (or pu’er) tea. Some herbal teas (also referred to as tisanes) have health benefits too, but that’s a subject for another time.
Oolong tea is primarily grown in Taiwan (Formosa) or the Fujian province of China. Its production involves brief exposure to sunlight for oxidation, more so than green tea but less so than black tea. As with green and black teas, much variation exists within the oolong category.
The truth about fluoride in tea (and water) is a topic too important to ignore. Tea consumption used to be something I would limit solely based on daily caffeine intake. Nowadays, I take fluoride content into consideration as well.
Bao Zhong (also referred to as Pouchong) in an oolong tea that undergoes very light oxidation. Of the oolongs I’ve tried so far, this is my favorite.
This equable brand-name tea from the same folks who bring us Chinese Restaurant Tea has been my afternoon beverage of choice (and circumstance) for the last three days. Thirteen more afternoons and the pack of 16 will be depleted.
There’s nothing fancy here, just a mild oolong with a roasted, earthy aroma and semi-sweet taste. I’ve discovered that I prefer this type of oolong — the darker variety that has undergone more oxidation and roasting — to the lighter variety which is closer to green tea. I suppose that’s how it goes when you start from a black tea point of view.
| Aroma: | Roasted wood, earthy |
|---|---|
| Body: | Medium |
| Flavor: | Mild and slightly sweet; a little like unsweetened chocolate |
| Color: | Brown |
