Pu-erh tea comes from the Chinese province of Yunnan and is named after a city in the south of the province. Teas of this family are highly valued in China, and the secrets of production are not disclosed and are only passed down from generation to generation. We only know that the collected leaves are dried in the sun (this is how puer maocha is obtained), then fermented and pressed with the help of large stones into cakes or bricks. Pu-erh is brewed in the same way as black teas and oolong teas. The water is boiled, then tea leaves are poured with a small amount of water and after 10 seconds the water is drained. This simple process “opens” the leaves. After that, the leaves are poured with plenty of water and the tea is allowed to brew (5 minutes). It is important not to overexpose the tea, otherwise it will be bitter. Depending on the type of pu-erh, the color of brewed tea can be pale yellow, golden, red or dark brown. Some types of pu-erh look like coffee after brewing and have a rich, earthy taste, but they are rejected by tea connoisseurs. It is believed that this is a low quality pu-erh. High quality tea leaves can be brewed multiple times. Tea lovers say that with each subsequent brewing, the taste of tea only wins. Now about the benefits of pu-erh. Because it is an oxidized tea, it contains far fewer antioxidants than white and green teas, but the Chinese are proud of pu-erh and claim that it promotes weight loss, lowers blood cholesterol levels, and is beneficial for the cardiovascular system. Little research has been done on pu-erh to date, so we don’t know exactly how true these claims are. Puerh does indeed help lower cholesterol levels and the risk of cardiovascular disease, according to some studies, but no human studies have been conducted. In China, a 2009 rat study was conducted and found that pu-erh extract decreased levels of “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides and increased levels of “good” cholesterol (HDL) in animals after consuming puerh extract. But we know from other studies that all types of tea reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. So, perhaps, this also applies to pu-erh.
I am a big fan of quality pu-erh. I was lucky enough to taste some of the exquisite varieties of this tea while traveling in China – I was just delighted! Fortunately, now you can buy high-quality pu-erh not only in China! Highly recommend. Andrew Weil, MD : drweil.com : Lakshmi