by Caitlin Ryan
Well, sort of. Oolong tea is not wu yi tea, but wu yi tea IS oolong tea. Do I have you scratching your head? It is not that complicated. Let's go over tea varieties, and then it will be more clear.
All real tea comes from a plant called Camellia sinensis. Afterwards, the processing dictates the final tea variety.
We will start with black tea as it is the most popular tea in the Western world accounting for 75% of tea production. Tea leaves are harvested and left out to wither. Afterwards, they are rolled either by machine (CTC - cut tear curl) or by hand (orthodox) to release more moisture. The CTC method produces rather crushed up leaves while the traditional orthodox method allows the leaves to remain more intact.
After rolling, the leaves are left in a cool, damp spot, all spread out to oxidize. They go from a greenish color to a browner, amber color. Hot air is used to dry them. The tea is eventually sorted based on the leaf size and divided up into various grades of tea.
Green tea goes through a similar process, however the oxidation step is left out which allows the leaves to remain green. Instead, after the tea is dried, it is steamed to stop the oxidation process. This also helps maintain the integrity of the nutrients in green tea, though black tea also retains some of its nutritional value. Green tea is rather grassy in flavor due to the lack of oxidation.
White tea comes from the "baby" leaves on the Camellia sinensis plant. It can only be harvested a few days in a year when the buds of the plant have yet to fully open. It is then processed similarly to green tea, but because the leaves are so young, the tea has a smoother, more delicate flavor. White tea has only been available for worldwide distribution as it was once reserved only for the Chinese nobility. True white tea remains rather expensive.
Perhaps oolong is the best tea because it is not as pricey as white tea, but it has a great flavor more like black tea. Plus, it retains most of its nutrients and weight loss capabilities like green tea and white tea. Unlike white or green tea, oolong tea is oxidized to some extent, which is what lends to the flavor. However, it still has most of its nutrients and it can be harvested like green or black tea using more mature leaves.
So, what of the naming business? Not all oolong tea is wu yi tea because wu yi tea has to be grown in the Wuyi mountain chain to be called by that name. It is simply oolong tea produced in a particular area that is well suited for growing oolong tea.
You can sort of compare the naming to Florida oranges or Washington apples. This northeastern area of China is capable of growing the best tea in the world because of the climate. The soil, cool weather and protection from the mountains produce great tea.
Just like white tea, wu yi was once only given as a gift to the higher ups in China. Finally, wu yi tea has become quite popular in the Western world. It is widely available on the internet. The popularity is likely due to its great flavor as well as nutritional value.
Discover how celebrities are losing weight safely and effectively with wu yi tea. Go there now and get your own free e-book by signing up to our amazing newsletter jammed with tips on dieting, fitness and wu yi green tea.
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