According to the tradition, the root of Pu-Erh tea came from something improvised, unexpected, since the intention was different, and precisely in it was not the idea of creating this very important plant, which has many benefits and properties for health.
Long ago, the journeys were certainly long and laborious, and there was always a long way to go to reach the Emperor. Not for nothing, and given the laboriousness of the journey, there was one thing which was extremely important to the Chinese, and that was precisely to keep the green tea leaves for a much longer time so that they could retain all their benefits.
This is how many people explain the appearance of the well-known red tea in Eastern societies, although, in the end, the red Pu-Erh tea is just another variety of the green tea, which appears as a result of a somewhat wider process of maturing the leaves. If you also like green tea you can find out more about it in this post about green tea.
The longer the maturation process of red tea, the better its benefits, its healing effects, its properties, and ultimately its delicate flavor.
The wonderful benefits of Pu erh tea
Ideal for slimming diets
We could not talk about Pu Erh tea without clearly referring to its recognized slimming qualities, which is why they have made it a natural drink that cannot be missing from slimming diets.
The University of Yunnan conducted a scientific study which found that its participants, after consuming 4 cups of Pu Erh tea a day for 3 months, had lost weight and reduced body fat. Moreover, they found that those people who had a high rate of obesity managed to lose up to 9 kilos in just one month.
In Europe, too, various scientific studies have been carried out to investigate the alleged slimming properties of Pu Erh tea. At the Saint Antoine hospital in Paris, France, it was found that about 90 percent of the people who consumed this tea usually managed to lose between 3 and 10 kilograms in 30 days.
Useful against LDL cholesterol and triglycerides
Pu Erh tea is extremely useful when we have high levels of fat in our blood. And not only is it suitable when you have high triglycerides, but it also helps to lower high LDL cholesterol levels, while being able to increase HDL cholesterol (also known as good cholesterol).
Improves fat digestion and is digestible
As you probably know, one of the most important functions of the liver is to digest fats, playing a fundamental role both in digestion and in the production of necessary fats.
In this sense, one of the slimming qualities of Pu Erh tea comes precisely from its ability to accelerate the metabolism of the liver, which means that it promotes the rapid elimination of fat, preventing it from accumulating.
In addition, it not only improves the digestion of fats but also helps in the process of digestion, since its substances are capable of stimulating the secretion of the digestive glands, facilitating it.
Other properties of Pu Erh tea
In addition to the benefits indicated in the previous section, this tea also provides the following properties:
It helps to reduce blood glucose, so its consumption is adequate in case of diabetes (as long as it is not in excessive amounts).
It prevents mild depression by acting on the central nervous system and improving mood.
Antibacterial action is useful to protect our bodies against infections.
Useful as a purifier and detoxifier, helping to eliminate toxins.
What is Pu erh tea?
The so-called Pu Erh tea is a variety of tea whose name comes precisely from the region of China where it is traditionally grown and obtained, specifically from the region of Pu’er, which we find in the area of Yunnan.
Although it is very popular in the West and is commonly known as red tea, did you know that it is rather unusual in China? Its consumption is not as widespread as in our country, being more common its production for export than for domestic consumption. This is not the case, for example, with other well-known varieties such as green, black, or white tea.
Not in vain, in China for hundreds of years, its consumption was carried out only by the Chinese nobility, fundamentally because its process of obtaining and fermentation was very expensive. While other teas are made from fresh leaves after they have been picked, in the case of Pu Erh tea the fermentation process is much longer.
This particularity is precisely what gives Pu Erh tea its incredible -and curious- characteristics, since the leaves obtained from the Camellia sinensis variety (known as Sunshine Withering Antirhea Chinensis), are fermented in bamboo barrels for 2 to 60 years, thus allowing its leaves to reach that characteristic copper color that will finally go into the water and turn it into a reddish drink.
In China, it is most common to acquire this variety of tea in compact balls or in what is popularly known there as “tea bricks”, which are piled up and crumbled before preparation.
Where do you get Pu Erh tea?
The place where the species from which red tea is produced is specifically cultivated is called Yunnan, and it is itself an ancient practice that has been carried out since the beginning of the Han dynasty (approximately 200 BC).
This shrub grows in mountainous regions where a temperate climate predominates, and the area where it grows – if I may say so myself – is ideal as it is frost-free.
The process by which red Pu-Erh tea is made is a very different millenary technique to the one used, for example, for the production of any other kind of tea, be it green or white tea.
Although the method is not completely known at this time, it is known that the green leaves are compressed into plates that are allowed to ferment until the bacterial strains act, turning them into a reddish-brown color.
Side effects of Pu Erh tea
We must point out here that there are no side effects to be discussed concerning the red Pu-Erh tea itself, since, for example, in many Eastern countries this healthy drink is drunk daily.
In addition, if we consider the diverse amount of drinks that Western society is accustomed to consuming, we find that, for example, red tea contains a lower amount of theine and, in addition, has several benefits and properties very prominent for the health of people who drink red tea.
It does not produce stomach or digestive problems, and this is possible thanks to the fermentation process to which the tea leaves are subjected, which reduces the number of tannic acids.
However, we must add that its theine content stimulates the central nervous system and causes an increase in blood pressure. This is why it is not suitable for use in cases of high blood pressure or during pregnancy.