Introduction
Pu-erh tea is a Chinese tea native to the Yunnan province in southern
China and has a long history and a firm place in indigenous Chinese tradition.
It is a post fermented tea, in which the ‘raw’ tea leaves undergo microbial
fermentation after the tea leaves have been dried and rolled.
Pu-erh has been known for its health benefits for centuries in Chinese
culture. In recent times, though, modern science is also beginning to discover
the effects of Pu-erh tea on health in general and weight loss in particular.
In this short report we will look at the known benefits of Pu-erh tea,
along with significant studies and their outcomes, with a particular focus on
its potential role in weight loss. We will also discuss the even greater
rewards that may be achieved by combining different teas together under a
concept known as synergy.
The Known Health Benefits of Pu-erh Tea
The tea plant Camellia Sinensis
is native to China, so it is no surprise that various ways of producing and
consuming tea are an integral part of Chinese heritage and culture. Green tea,
white tea, red tea, Oolong tea, as well as Pu-erh tea have been consumed in
China for centuries and are known for their healing and preventative
properties.
Traditionally
Known Effects of Pu-erh
Pu-erh has been traditionally thought to improve digestion and enhance
the functioning of the stomach and spleen. Customarily it has been used to
combat the unpleasant effects of alcohol consumption. It is used in Chinese
traditional medicine to improve blood circulation, eyesight and digestion; and
to keep the body free of toxins and improve immunity. It has particularly been
known in Chinese medicine as possessing properties that help to detoxify blood.
Effects of
Polyphenols
Pu-erh, like other types of tea such as green tea and Oolong tea,
contains a high amount of plant based anti-oxidants known as polyphenols.
Research has shown that these compounds can play a significant role in keeping
the circulatory system healthy, by keeping arteries clearer and prevent the
build-up of plaque.
Pu-erh tea may therefore play a preventative role for cardiovascular
illnesses like stroke, angina and hypertension.
Polyohenols may also have a preventative link to certain types of
cancer. Studies have shown that the anti-oxidants in Pu-erh tea attack harmful
free radicals in the body, which may translate to anti-cancerous and anti-ageing
effects on the body.
Findings from a study conducted in 2006 found that Pu-erh consumption
may protect human fibroblast cells (connective tissue) from oxidative damage.
Cleansing
and De-greasing Effects
Pu-erh has been traditionally used to ‘cleanse’ the body and blood of
toxins and excess fat. Scientific studies conducted in recent times have strong
evidence that this may well be the case. Pu-erh tea has the ability to remove
bad fats from blood, and studies conducted on lab animals have also shown that
Pu-erh may also have a role to play in keeping liver tissue healthy and preventing
it from becoming fatty.
How Might the Tea Aid with weight loss?
Several studies conducted around the world on lab
mice as well as human subjects have found evidence that Pu-erh tea has
significant cholesterol lowering effects. Studies have also shown that Pu-erh
has degreasing properties which help the body remove unwanted and hard to
digest, leftover fats. It is this cleansing ability of Pu-erh that has brought
it to the attention of researchers the world over.
Effects
of Pu-erh on Cholesterol Levels
·
A study conducted at the Wun-Shan Branch Tea
Research and Extension Station, in Taipei, compared the effect of different
teas on the cholesterol levels in lab rats. When extracts of green, black, Oolong,
and cooked Pu-erh tea were fed to rats, it was found that the rats that were
fed Pu-erh tea not only had lower percentages of bad LDL cholesterol than the
other rats, but also had heightened levels of good HDL cholesterol.
·
In a study at the Chinese Kunming Medical College,
consisting of 86 subjects with very high levels of blood cholesterol the
differences in the treatment of patients with Pu-erh tea verses conventional
cholesterol medication were observed. 55 subjects took a regimented amount of
Pu-erh tea three times a day, while the remaining subjects took a cholesterol-lowering
prescription drug known as PCIB. At the end of a two month period, subjects who
took Pu-erh tea showed a 64.29% reduction in blood cholesterol levels, while
the group taking the prescription cholesterol medication showed 66.67%
reduction.
Studies have found Pu-erh tea to contain a chemical called Lovastatin in
small quantities, which has the ability to lower LDL levels in the body.
Lovastatin is a prescription chemical used to control cholesterol. Pu-erh tea
therefore can play a uniquely significant role in lowering bad cholesterol.
Anti-Obesity Effects of
Pu-erh Tea
Studies that have found that Pu-erh tea has a lowering effect on LDL and
triacylglycerol have also shown that Pu-erh
may suppress weight gain and help prevent obesity.
·
A study conducted at
the Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine,
National Taiwan University, Taipei, on lab rats, found that the rats
supplemented with Pu-erh tea showed hypolipidemic and anti-obesity effects. The
active compounds in the tea that were found to be responsible for the anti-obesity
effect were caffeine, an anti-oxidant known as catechin, and theanine.
·
In another study conducted at the Yunnan Agricultural
University, the anti-obesity effects of Pu-erh tea consumption on rats with
high fat diet induced obesity were observed. It was found that Pu-erh tea
significantly lowered the overall body weight, as well as reduced fatty
deposits in the body. Pu-erh tea was also seen to reduce cholesterol levels,
particularly LDL and triglycerides concentrations. It was not seen to affect
good cholesterol (HDL) levels.
·
In a French study
conducted at the ARMA Medical Research Association, Dr. Tran Dai-Sy and his
team found that out of 350 study subjects, 299 subjects
successfully achieved weight loss with a regular diet supplemented by a cup of
Pu-erh tea per day. The extent of the weight loss was a staggering 5-10 pounds
per subject over a span of two months.
The anti-oxidant
polyphenols in Pu-erh tea help boost metabolism, which increases the rate of
fat oxidation, which effectively helps burn calories. At the same time, Pu-erh
tea also has unique properties that help activate the stomach and spleen and
improve digestion.
While a healthy spleen
absorbs nutrients from the food, and gets rid of excess fluids, an unhealthy
spleen accumulates fluids, which, in the course of time, turn to fat. Pu-erh
helps stimulate and tone the spleen and stomach and keeps them cleansed and
efficient.
Pu-erh tea may possess
another unique property in that it may help suppress appetite by creating a
feeling of fullness. This has important implications for weight loss and
preventing obesity.
·
Studies have shown
that Oolong tea, green tea and white tea also have properties that make them
effective on weight loss. Being derived from the same tea plant, all these teas
have the same basic make up and certain common properties.
·
However, each tea also has its own unique
strengths, as findings from various international studies have
illustrated.
·
For instance, while Oolong
tea may have a strong impact on fat oxidation, Pu-erh tea is particularly
effective in tackling tough and hard to digest fats in the body. By keeping the
digestive system healthy it also prevents excess fluids from turning into fatty
deposits.
·
Maximum weight loss
effect could therefore be achieved by taking these teas in combination with
each other, and using the properties of each tea in synergy to take full
advantage of their weight loss and health effects. This can be done by
consuming the teas in a blend that is designed to maximize their weight loss
properties, or in the form of a health supplement (even a convenient tablet)
consisting of the correct blend of extracts.
Side Effects of Pu-erh Tea
Pu-erh tea is a natural substance, and there are no known side effects
of consuming the tea in sensible amounts. However, it is important to note that
Pu-erh tea does contain caffeine, albeit in relatively small quantities.
Therefore, all the contra indications that apply to caffeine consumption do
also apply to Pu-erh tea.
If taken in moderation, Pu-erh tea either as a brew or its extract is
safe and has no known side effects.
Summary
Pu-erh tea is a Chinese tea traditionally produced in the southwestern
Chinese province of Yunnan. Pu-erh has been consumed for several centuries, and
is known to have a number of beneficial properties. It is particularly known to
help the body get rid of toxins, clean the blood and help get rid of hard to
digest fats.
Recent scientific studies in the effects of Pu-erh tea on health have
found evidence to support many of these claims.
Pu-erh is rich in anti-oxidants called polyphenols which have many
beneficial health effects. Like other
herbal teas such as green tea and Oolong tea, Pu-erh is known to improve
circulation and maintain cardio vascular health. Some studies have also found a
preventative and suppressive link between these anti-oxidants and cancer tumors.
Several key studies have found that there is a strong link between Pu-erh
consumption and the lowering of bad LDL cholesterol. Some studies have also
found that Pu-erh consumption can increase good HDL cholesterol levels.
Pu-erh can have anti-weight-gain effects as it speeds up metabolism and
increases fat oxidation, while also improving the functioning of the stomach
and spleen, which helps the body get rid of excess fluids. It is also known to
suppress appetite.
Pu-erh tea when taken in combination with other beneficial teas like Oolong
tea and green tea can help maximize the weight loss effects of these different
teas. Their unique properties can work together in synergy to enhance their
effect and get maximum benefits.
Pu-erh tea is known in Chinese medicine to
promote the health of the stomach and spleen and get rid of dampness from the
body. It is also known to keep the mind alert and agile and promoting sound
health by boosting immunity.
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