If you are looking for a tea that helps to support the heart and overall health conditions, then you should try authentic Pu-Erh whole leaf tea. This tea is made from special leaves that originate in the Yunnan Province of China.
History of Pu-Erh Tea
Those in the Chinese culture have used this brew for the last 2,000 years to treat various health concerns. The leaf has been traced as far back as the Han Dynasty. It is a prized leaf that undergoes an involved process for harvesting.
What is Pu-Erh tea made from?
Pu-Erh tea is made from the leaves of da ye or broad leaf tea. These leaves are a variety of an old wild tea tree. Once the leaves are picked, they undergo a delicate process. In the end of the maturation of the tea leaves, Maocha is created.
What does Maocha mean?
Essentially, Maocho can be translated to: raw tea. The leaves are ready to be prepared for the next step of the aging process.
What happens after the leaves reach the Maocho part of the process?
Once Maocho is reached, it is packaged in a way that it can be stored to complete the aging process. Some choose to press the leaves into tea cakes in order to complete the maturation stage. The cakes may be labeled raw or green Pu-Erh tea.
To ripen the leave, an additional process is required involving allowing the leaves to sit for 30 to 40 days. The leaves are then turned, splashed with water, covered, and allowed to finish the fermentation process. After the leaves are dried, they are pressed into tea cakes at this point.
Health Benefits of Drinking Pu-Erh Tea
Over the centuries, the Chinese have used this tea to keep “internal dampness” at bay. This is a Chinese medical term used to describe the buildup of internal energy. This happens when the spleen is not working properly to convert energy into the body that it receives from the stomach. A person with this condition would drink the tea in order to invigorate the spleen’s activity and ability to process what it receives from the stomach.
Others choose to drink the tea as a way of detoxing their system. Over the course of time, toxins build up in the body and the body needs support to help remove excess waste. Some people will experience weight loss on account of drinking this tea. No doubt, due to the fact that they are detoxing their body.
Can this tea reduce cholesterol?
Many people are looking for ways in which to reduce the bad cholesterol in their bodies. Recently, researchers have studied whether Pu-Erh tea can help to reduce these levels.
Multiple studies have shown that this tea can, in fact, help to reduce high cholesterol. Also, it has shown to increase the good cholesterol levels in the blood. People who have heart disease need the LDL-C (bad cholesterol) reduced and the HDL-C (good cholesterol) increased.
With this tea’s two-fold abilities, someone who is dealing with heart problems should consider drinking it on a regular basis. It would be a great addition to a heart healthy diet.
Is all Pu-Erh tea the same?
Just because the tea’s packaging has a legitimate looking label, it does not mean you are getting true Pu-Erh tea. There are many counterfeits on the market. The process that is required to get the leaves to the stage of being ready to brew is an intense one. Many manufacturers will produce cheaper, inauthentic, and poor quality versions of the tea.
You will know that the tea is more authentic based on price. The older the tea leaves, the more expensive the price will become. Some cakes have been known to sell for thousands of dollars. Also, you should look at the ingredients list. If you see fluorine on the list, then you should not purchase it – this is unsafe.
Find a reputable Pu-Erh tea dealer before you make your purchase. Read the reviews from those that have purchased before. It is important that you do your research before buying Pu-Erh tea. Otherwise, you will have wasted your money, and not receive the health benefits of the leaf.