Tea (Camellia sinensis): Pu-erh Tea
Pu-erh tea, called bo nay tea in Cantonese, is a style of aged tea that is difficult to classify. Most pu-erhs are fully oxidized/fermented teas (like black teas) which then undergo post-fermentation. However, there are also green/raw (unfermented) pu-erh teas, as well as aged versions of the green/raw pu-erh varieties.
Pu-erh tea originated in the Yunnan province of China and most Pu-erh is still produced there; a few other regions have produced very small quantities of the tea.
Unlike most teas which are usually sold loose, Pu-erh is commonly sold both in loose and compressed forms. Pu-erh is compressed into different shapes, including bricks and a common form called tuo cha, which means bowl-shaped.
Health Benefits of Pu-erh Tea:
Pu-erh tea is often touted for its cholesterol-lowering properties. Experimental studies on rats have verified that it does lower cholesterol, by inhibiting the synthesis of cholesterol.[1][2] However, the chemicals, polyphenols, that inhibit cholesterol synthesis, GCG, EGCG, and other catechins[1], are not limited to Pu-erh tea, but also occur in most types of tea, and are not necessarily highest in pu-erh. Similar results have been found for green tea.[3] Pu-erh also has also been found to have antimutagenic and antimicrobial activity.[4]References:
1. Chi-Hua Lua, Lucy Sun Hwang, Polyphenol contents of Pu-Erh teas ... inhibit cholesterol biosynthesis ..., Food Chemistry, Vol. 111, No. 1, (Nov. 1, 2008), pp. 67-71.
2. Chiang, Chun-Te et al., Pu-erh Tea Supplementation Suppresses..., Oncology Research Featuring Preclinical and Clinical Cancer Therapeutics'', Vol. 16, No. 3, (2006), pp. 119-128(10).
3. C.A. Bursill, M. Abbey, P.D. Roach, A green tea extract lowers plasma cholesterol ..., Atherosclerosis. 2007 Jul;193(1):86-93.
4. She-Ching Wu et al., Antimutagenic and antimicrobial activities of pu-erh tea, LWT - Food Science and Technology, Vol. 40, No. 3, (Apr. 2007), pp. 506-512.
Examples of this style of tea: (31 including sub-styles - hide)
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