Saturday, February 28, 2009

Is Oolong a Secret Age-Fighting Weapon?

By Caitlin Ryan

Have you ever noticed how Asian women seem to have gorgeous, youthful skin well into their latter years? Do you not wish you knew their secrets? I know one! Would you like to know about oolong tea?

There are a plethora of reasons behind their youthful appearance. They tend to live more cleanly than we do in the Western world consuming cleaner diets and being exposed to less environmental toxins.

Though we should all eat plenty of veggies, fruits, lean proteins and whole greens, we can fight some of the environmental damage (industrial chemicals, car exhaust etc.) to our skin through oolong tea. The oolong tea that many Asian women drink can fight premature aging, repair damage and create more youthful skin!

All tea is from a plant called Camellia Sinensis. The difference among different teas is due to when the leaves are harvested and the fermentation process that they undergo afterwards.

Black tea is highly fermented (crushed and oxidized). Green tea is not fermented. White tea is green tea that is picked earlier. Oolong has a unique background and it is semi-fermented.

A man named Wu Liang is behind oolong tea. He was picking tea leaves to make green tea when he a deer came out from the trees. He left the tealeaves to hunt the deer.

A few days later, Wu Liang returned and found that his tea leaves had darkened (oxidized) in the sun. Not wanting to waste the leaves, he prepared them for tea regardless of the oxidation that had taken place. To his amazement, the tea tasted much better than the grassy, green tea he previously made.

The most beneficial teas to fight premature aging and restore a more youthful appearance are oolong, green and white teas. Oolong tea has the nicest flavor; so many people enjoy it over other tea varietals. Tea contains phytochemicals (antioxidants) that are highly beneficial to your overall health because they can fight aging and repair damage.

UV rays, chemicals and pollutants amongst others produce free radicals in our bodies. These are the source of premature aging because of the effect they have at the cellular level.

They destroy cellular membranes and alter genetic material. As we age, it becomes more and more difficult to fight free radicals and repair the damage. As well, we stop regenerating cells as much as we did when we were younger.

Not only does this process affect our overall health, but it also damages our skin. We wind up with wrinkles and sagging skin. Our skin becomes more fragile.

As mentioned oolong tea contains strong antioxidants. When free radicals damage cells, the process is called oxidation. ANTIoxidants fight this process. They can also repair the damage done AND they are important components of cellular regeneration. This is why drinking oolong tea regularly can improve the health of your skin and restores a more vibrant, healthy appearance to your skin!

Moderately priced and wonderful in flavor, oolong tea is one of the best! - 16650

About the Author: