Why Go For Organic Oolong Tea?
Welcome back to another one of our articles on our growing, but very modest, website about Oolong Tea. Last month we looked at some of the health issues people need to be aware of with any tea consumption. Carrying on from this today we want to go into some more about why trying Oolong Tea from organic sources might be worth considering.
Some Tea History
Often referred to as the “blue-green” tea, Oolong tea is actually a mixture of black and green tea. Oolong tea is manufactured from the Camellia sinensis shrub, just like the tea by the same name with the major difference being in the processing method used.
While green tea is not fermented and black tea is completely fermented, Oolong tea, on the other hand, is semi-fermented. Usually, the leaves are harvested when it has reached partial photosynthesis, that is 20-75%. Due to this, Oolong tea leaves have richer, but darker flavor if to be compared to green tea. For people who frequent China or any Chinese restaurants, Oolong tea is the most popular tea served with meals.
These days, tea fanatics have become curious about the many Oolong varieties. A lot of these people revealed that more than the taste, it is the fragrance that most of the time gives the tea a unique appeal. Different varieties offer different tastes, although most of it giveaway a bittersweet taste in the beginning and melon-like in the end. The fragrance of the tea is attributed to the fact that the tea leaves are harvested during the time when its essential oils are the strongest and abundant. A few others enjoy the tea due to its unique roasting process which leaves a gentle feeling to the stomach.
In Ancient China, Oolong tea was considered a traditional cure for digestive problems and even headaches. The health benefits of black and green tea in contemporary medicine are primarily because of its antioxidant components which have proven itself in fighting cancer cells and reducing aging effects. Moreover, Oolong is also used to improve thinking skills and sharpen mental alertness, prevent heart disease, osteoporosis and tooth decay. There are people who make use of the tea against atherosclerosis, diabetes, obesity, skin allergies and hypertension.
Are there Organic Oolong tea?
There are, and it contains more beneficial components than all other tea kinds and preparations. Generally, organic Oolong taste better than inorganics because they are cultivated in a natural manner with the absence of commercial aids. Its produce provides a wide array of benefits not only for tea lovers, but also for the environment.
Through exerting effort in making organic Oolong, the well-being of the farmers and everyone else involved in the propagation are kept in optimum balance. The sustainable and natural practices, like those that are implemented in organic farming, provides the next generation a chance of experiencing an authentic-tasting, more natural tea.
What does organic mean?
The word “Organic” is a collective term that describes how a product is cultivated and processed. Organic agricultural products are free of genetic modifications, synthetic hormones, antibiotics, chemicals and the use of sewage sludge fertilizer. Also, it is minimally processed with the absence of irradiation, preservatives and artificial ingredients. All of these methods maintain the products’ integrity, promote biodiversity and preserve ecological harmony.
Generally, organic products are more abundant in nutrients because the cultivation involved healthy and natural soil only. In inorganic farming, farmed products are treated with pesticides, which most of the time is associated with risks such as asthma and cancer. Aside from these health risks, pesticides can also disrupt the natural balance of the soil; therefore, can cause environmental stress.
When you buy organic Oolong, you are actually reducing your chance of taking in harmful chemicals while also promoting environmental well-being.