Before we dive into them, let's have a quick look on what free radicals are. This will give us a better understanding of oolong tea’s role.
Free radicals
Free radicals are a group of atoms with an odd number of electrons, and are formed when oxygen interacts with other molecules. They are basically substances that have become oxidized in the body.
The danger with free radicals is that they are looking to react with other components in our bodies such as DNA. Such reactions can cause many health issues, and in some cases these can be severe.
Everyday events such as stress, staying in the sun too long, the consumption of chemicals in food additives, smoking, and excessive exercise can cause these free radicals to form.
As humans get older, these substances naturally form more increasingly. What does this mean?
When free radicals oxidize the regular lipids in our bodies, they convert them into lipid peroxide which can result in adult diseases like diabetes and arteriosclerosis. They can also form dark spots and wrinkles on the skin.
However the human body has a defense mechanism to control and minimize the effects caused by these radicals. It is called SOD (superoxide dismutase), an enzyme that removes free radicals that are formed in the body, and this is where the health benefits of oolong tea comes into the picture.
The health benefits of oolong tea enhance SOD with its natural polyphenols. Scientists agree that the brew from oolong tea has anti-aging properties.
More Potentially Good News
The health benefits of oolong tea does not stop at anti-aging.
Oolong being a semi-fermented tea proves itself as a fat burner too, even better than its green tea cousin!
Researchers conducted a study that involved people who drunk both green and oolong tea. They have showed that the consumers of oolong tea burned calories twice as fast as those who consumed green tea. Drinking a cup of oolong raised the consumption of energy by 10% compared to the 4% from green tea. Drinking a cup of oolong tea before a meal containing a lot of carbohydrates will reduce the fattening effects.
More health benefits of oolong tea are those that like other teas, increases your immune system. This tea also promotes oral health as well by slowing the build up of plague.
