Pu-erh Tea

Pu-erh Tea: pronounced "POO-air"

Alice Waters got me thinking about pu-erh tea when she said that it changed her metabolism. She has been drinking it daily for the past two years and she has noticed a significant change. I researched it, ordered several different kinds and have discovered a new wonder drink!

I made pu-erh kombucha and have been trying different brands. To date, my favorite is organic Naked Pu-erh from Art of Tea - it can be steeped multiple times without giving a bitter taste. This makes for perfect kombucha because I can reuse the same tea to make my usual 2 gallons.

For hundreds of years, pu-erh tea has been a traditional Chinese medicine. Pu-erh tea is made from wild old tea trees which are more potent. The leaves are steepened and fermented and this is what gives it a mushroom-y woodsy taste. This particular tea is aged for three years. Pu-erh contains strong Qi (“life energy” or “life force”) that boosts the blood flow and helps the body’s circulation. As a result, this aids the removal of toxins and can cure minor aches and pains.

In doing the research, I found studies which indicate enormous health benefits, including: powerful cholesterol lowering effects, blood cleansing properties and aiding significantly in weight loss efforts. A study in France was conducted with 500 hyperlipidemia patients (individuals with advanced cholesterol conditions usually controlled with medication). After a 30-day period, the results revealed that drinking pu-erh 3 times per day showed significant lower levels of cholesterol. Further research confirmed that pu-erh was as effective as the most advanced cholesterol lowering medications available.

Pu-erh tea possesses all the chemical constituents found in green, white, Oolong and black tea. Pu-erh is made from a broadleaf variety that promotes microbial activity - this results in a tea that is believed to have medicinal benefits, including:  anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory and anti-mutagenic properties, as well as the ability to suppress fatty acid synthesis, which is associated with weight loss and the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

It is thought that pu-erh tea’s unique fermentation may create special enzymes and microbes that offer the body micro-nutrients essential for better health.

I talked to Tyler at Art of Tea and he said this brand is one of the few found organically and that he believes that as research on pu-erh increases, the benefits of pu-erh teas will increase as it is becoming more and more popular.

Photo Credit:  brian.ch