Lower Cholesterol: The Health Benefits of Pu-erh Tea

It seems like everyone has something to say about the great health benefits of green tea, but green tea isn't the only superstar in the world of Asian teas. Pu-erh tea (also labeled as Puer tea) has been the subject of many health studies over the past few years. The result? Scientists and tea -lovers alike say that Pu-erh tea might be a winner for those wanting to lower high cholesterol.

Pu-erh tea is a "large leaf" Chinese tea known for its aging process. Though it might not be as sought after in the United States, well-aged Pu-erh can be an expensive luxury in other countries. The older the leaf, the higher its value; however, to get great benefits from Pu-erh, there's no reason for a tea novice to shell out the cash for the more expensive brands.

For hundreds of years, Pu-erh tea has had a place in the practice of traditional Chinese medicine. It is most often drunk at meal times to aid in digestion and blood circulation, but Pu-erh has also been used to treat a number of other conditions throughout the years. Pu-erh tea has even been marketed as a weight loss aid more recently. While studies have not been able to significantly prove that Pu-erh aids in weight loss, rats given a Pu-erh diet have been subject to weight loss. More significant, however, has been the reduced cholesterol levels discovered in these studies.

In a 2005 comparative study between Pu-erh, green, black, and oolong tea by the Tea Research and Extension Station in Taipei, Taiwan, it was found that, while all four of the teas proved beneficial in combating cholesterol in some way, Pu-erh tea was the only tea that significantly lowered triglyceride levels and lowered total cholesterol. Another study at Kunming Medical College in China found that Pu-erh tea provided nearly the same result as a common cholesterol prescription drug, lowering the level of blood cholesterol in human subjects with high cholesterol by a whopping 64.29%.

If you're suffering from high cholesterol, Pu-erh could be the natural medicine you've been looking for, as well as a refreshing way to relax. Pu-erh tea is available in bricks, cakes, loose, or in tea bags for your convenience, and it's also available in a number of different herbal mixes. My personal favorite is the Cantonese inspired bagged Pu-erh tea with chrysanthemum leaves. A floral mix adds a light, heavenly scent to an evening cup of hot tea.

Try Pu-erh tea, if you haven't already. It offers most of the same health benefits of other teas, but, for those watching their cholesterol, it might prove the best choice.

Shop for Pu-erh tea at http://www.pu-erhtea.com/ or at a number of health food and tea shops online.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15656692?ordinalpos=19&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

http://www.naturalnews.com/026747_Pu-erh_blood_health.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pu-erh_tea