It is always fascinating to research different types of tea. Although there are several types of tea in the world, we will only be focusing on two: Matcha tea and Oolong tea. For quick reference, Oolong tea and Macha tea come from the camellia sinensis plant, but their distinct flavors and flavor profiles are different. They are the best choices for anyone who wants to explore some of the world’s top teas.
What Is Macha Tea?
Macha tea is a type of green tea that has several award-winning health benefits. Macha tea is the perfect solution to heart disease, weight gain, and many other ailments that plague people. Macha tea is one of the world’s best herbal teas because it has a large concentration of antioxidants. And what makes it so popular among tea lovers is that it is easy to include in your daily diet.
It is a very popular tea variety. You can find Macha tea in tea stores, coffee shops, and health stores. Its products are so vast and advanced that they come in matcha shots, teas, desserts, and lattes.
During my research on this tea, I found that the nutrient profile that Macha tea has is due to its grooming. Matcha green tea is grown under unique conditions. If you want to obtain the Matcha tea leaf flavor profile, you have to grow the camellia sinensis plant in shade. The best producers of this tea use this method to derive the tea’s lovely flavor profile.
The lack of direct sunlight increases the production of chlorophyll in the tea. This deviation from regular Camellia sinensis tea plant cultivation is entirely responsible for the distinctive taste Matcha tea has. But chlorophyll is not the only difference with Matcha tea. The tea can also give you great boosts of amino acids because it has a high amino acid profile. If you have seen Matcha tea before, you will notice that it has a dark green look to it. The darker shade comes from the presence of these chemical deviations. However, the peculiarities of Matcha tea do not end with its planting and growing alone. If you want to create this tea yourself, you also have to take note of how you harvest the tea leaves.
The best producers of Matcha tea harvest the leaves and pick out the veins and stems. When they are done with that, they proceed to grind the leaves into a fine powder. That powder is what you get in the tea bags you purchase.
What Makes It Different?
Although Matcha tea is a green tea, it has one of the highest caffeine contents of all green teas. Hence, if you are caffeine-sensitive, you may want to change the way you drink Matcha tea. But it is not all bad news: Matcha tea has some of the most promising antioxidant levels. The level of antioxidants in Matcha tea is typical of green teas. Thus, if you are already into green tea, this will not make much of a difference to you. But I bet you have not seen the quality of health benefits Matcha tea offers in any other green tea.
If you are curious about the health benefits that are so new to the green tea category, keep reading.
Several scientific studies have proven that Matcha tea offers a variety of health benefits that help protect your liver, aid weight loss, and even alleviate several heart diseases. But for better context and to help you understand why Matcha tea is so good for you, we will be picking off one major health benefit at a time. Hence, below are the health benefits you stand to enjoy from Matcha tea leaves:
High Antioxidants
Matcha tea has a high level of catechins. Catechins are a type of plant compound that is a natural antioxidant. Antioxidants are so important because they perform some beneficial tasks in your body. Antioxidants are responsible for neutralizing free radicals in your body. If you have high antioxidant levels in your body, it reduces the chances of free radicals damaging your blood cells.
Although you cannot get the most catechin content from Matcha tea during harvest, it offers far more catechin than any other tea when you dissolve it in water.
Free radicals are notorious for attacking blood and organ cells and causing aging. Hence, if you want to curb the effects of aging, you need to consume a type of tea that is high in antioxidants. There’s no need to go far because Matcha Tea can provide what you need. Additionally, antioxidants also help reduce your risk of developing chronic diseases.
Protect Your Liver
Your liver is one of the most vital organs in your body. And as such, you have to take adequate care of it. Unfortunately, we do not pay as much attention to our liver as we do to our eyes, heart, and stomach. But it does not have to be that way, especially if you drink Matcha tea. You can give yourself top-notch liver care if you drink a cup of Matcha tea daily.
If you did not know before, your liver is essential to flushing out toxins from your body. But the liver’s functions do not end there. Your liver is also crucial for metabolizing drugs and processing nutrients. So you see, your liver is essential to maintaining overall good health.
Improves Brain Function
Have you been noticing a degradation in your brain’s processing power lately? Give Matcha tea a try. Studies suggest that Matcha tea has some amazing compounds that stimulate your brain’s functions. You will notice improvements in your attention to detail, reaction time, and memory capacity if you consume Matcha tea before you venture off into the day.
What Is Oolong Tea?
Are you stuck between green and black tea? Oolong tea is one of the most unique tea types on the face of the earth. Oolong tea is famous for its ability to present the best of green and black teas on a silver platter. You do not have to venture too far into green tea to enjoy its benefits and flavor. Likewise, with black tea, you can drink oolong tea with a black tea profile.
And as you would expect, its dual nature has the ability to house the benefits of both green and black tea. People who drink Oolong tea can enjoy the best of both tea profiles.
Although Oolong tea only contributes 2% of the world’s tea production, it is worth considering. Are you getting interested in Oolong tea? This section will feed your appetite. Hence, keep reading if you want to understand in depth why you should start drinking Oolong tea.
Oolong tea might be a traditional tea, but it has become one of the most widely consumed teas in the world. It also comes from the Camellia sinensis plant, just like Matcha green tea. However, the difference is in the production.
Matcha tea is grown in shade, away from sunlight, while Oolong tea leaves are allowed to feel the sun. Additionally, Oolong tea is processed differently. Oolong tea is a partially oxidized tea. Hence, tea makers expose Oolong tea slightly to the air. The length of the oxidation process determines the color of the Oolong tea.
The Difference With Others
If you want an Oolong tea with the embodiment of a green tea color and flavor profile, do not allow it to oxidize for too long. However, if you want your Oolong tea to come out with a rich, earthy flavor, you should allow it to oxidize for a little longer. However, do note that if you allow it to oxidize too long, you will not have an Oolong but a purebred black tea.
You must be wondering how Oolong tea is able to have the characteristics of both green and black teas. In a nutshell, it is due to its unique oxidation level. Green teas are produced from tea leaves that are freshly harvested and have gone through little to no oxidation at all. When you expose the tea leaves to the air, they wilt and start to undergo oxidation. At this level, it is now an Oolong tea. But when oxidation is complete, the product you have is pure black tea. The best tea producers around the world bruise their tea leaves to improve oxidation.
Health Benefits of Oolong Tea
Are you still having doubts about Oolong tea’s potency levels? Here are a few reasons why you should consider Oolong tea:
Nutrients
Oolong tea has several nutrients that your body can absorb when you consume it. Much like green and black tea, Oolong tea contains several minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants that are important for your overall body health. By just drinking a cup of Oolong tea, you can increase the amount of calcium, potassium, and magnesium circulating in your body.
Oolong tea also has a significant caffeine content. However, the caffeine content in Oolong tea is slightly lower than green tea and much lower than coffee. Additionally, Oolong tea has also been proven to have therapeutic effects when consumed.
Diabetes
Oolong tea has a track record of helping drinkers fight against diabetes and complications from diabetes. Oolong tea can have such an effect because it reduces your body’s insulin resistance. In addition, it also decreases inflammation, among other health benefits.
Heart Health
Oolong tea contains several antioxidants that help consumers fight against chronic diseases and improve heart health. Studies suggest that tea drinkers are less likely to have problems with their blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Many studies suggest that the more you drink Oolong tea, the less you develop heart disease. However, you should note that Oolong has a high caffeine level. Hence, I suggest that if you are caffeine sensitive, you limit your Oolong tea.
Conclusion: Matcha or Oolong?
It is very difficult to pick a clear winner between Oolong tea and Matcha tea. Probably because they have many similar benefits and characteristics. Additionally, they are both produced from the same plant. However, they have different flavor profiles and production processes. Hence, we will have to leave the decision-making to you, the reader. You can choose to go for Wuyi Mountain Oolong teas or stick with Matcha tea.