Pu-erh Tea is a Chinese Cholesterol Remedy and Overall Health Tonic

Saturday, August 01, 2009 by: Zephyr Faegen

For over 2000 years, a special tea that originates from the Yunnan Province of China has been coveted for its preventative and curative properties. This tea is known as Pu-erh. The tea's cultivation can be traced as far back as the Han Dynasty (202 BCE-220 CE) and was made from the leaves of da ye or broad leaf tea. The leaves of this variety of old wild tea tree when picked, are taken and put through a process of delicate maturation.

Pu-erh Tea has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for generations to inhibit "internal dampness" (a term used in Chinese medicine to describe a build up of internal energy due to the splee's inability to transform energy that it receives from the stomach) and to invigorate the activity of the spleen and stomach. Other traditional uses include the removal of toxins from the body, curing dysentery, weight loss, improving eyesight, promoting blood circulation and reviving those who have over indulged in alcohol.

More recently, researchers have taken interest in Pu-erh tea for its ability to reduce cholesterol, lower blood pressure, protect connective tissue, and its ability to attack free radicals within the body. In multiple studies done in several countries, pu-erh tea has shown significant success in reducing blood cholesterol. One study done at the Wun-Shan Branch Tea Research and Extension Station in Taipei, Taiwan compared the effects of green, black, oolong, and cooked/black pu-erh teas on cholesterol in rats. The study showed the rats fed the cooked pu-erh tea leaves had an increase of HDL-C (good cholesterol) and a decrease in LDL-C (bad cholesterol) where the rats given the other teas had varying decreases in both types. This means that with pu-erh tea you get the best of both worlds, an increase in the cholesterol that you do want and a decrease of the cholesterol that you don`t.

Pu-erh Tea is truly a wonder tonic but one must be careful when shopping for this sought-after tea. There are many knock-offs and fake pu-erh teas out there, and the older the tea, the more expensive it is. Sometimes tea cakes can sell for thousands of dollars. Another concern is for the quality of the tea leaf itself. Many of the cheaper teas can contain fluorine which, when ingested over a period of time, can lead to fluorosis or fluoride poisoning. When you are looking for a good pu-erh tea make sure that you are dealing with a reputable tea house or seller, make sure that the tea is from the Yunnan province of China, and make sure that the packaging states that the Tea was cultivated from wild da ye or broad leaf tea trees. This may be a difficult task because most pu-erh teas today are cultivated from multiple trees and from different areas. In the end it's really the fermentation process that gives pu-erh its distinctive taste and curative properties but if you're a tea purist, good luck hunting down a true aged Pu-erh tea; it's difficult and you might just pay an arm and a leg.

 

 

 

 

 

That could be true.  But here at The CURIOSITY Shop we have authentic Chinese Pu-Erh at reasonable rates:

   Golden Pu-Erh     2.25 / ounce

   Xantou Mandarin Black Pu-Erh     6.00 / ounce

   Chinese Organic Pu-Erh     3.00 /ounce

   Pu-Erh Tao Cha (Bird's Nest)     14.00 / nest

 

 

 PU-ERH  PRIMER

It is characterized by its reddish brown tea leaf colour, deep red infusion-colour, special aroma and rich flavour. Making pu'er tea:

1) Temperature of water: 100°C (boiling)

2) The proportion of tea to water is 1:50

3) Water: pure water or spring water

4) Over-boiled water may reduce the oxygen, which will influence the activation(and flavour) of the tea

5) Steps:

   a) Preparation: prepare the utensils and the pu`er tea

     i) Warm and clear the utensil: pour boiled water into the utensil

     ii) Place the pu`er tea into the utensil

   b) Wetting: pour the boiled water into the tea pot

   c) Steeping: steep the tea for a reasonable timed

An amazing loose leaf Pu-erh our Golden Pu-Erh is aged for 5 years deep in the mountain caves of Yunnan China. As with wine Pu-Erh tends to get more valuable as it ages and Pu-Erh that is 5 years or older is more rare and therefore more highly prized. This delicate tea boasts a hint of mustiness with elemental notes. So next time you're in the store why not try some and see for yourself.