Blue oolong tea, properties, contraindications, and varieties

The blue tea is aromatic and delicious, with benefits much milder than other varieties. It is a type of Camellia sinensis with properties and contraindications halfway between black and green tea. The maturity and oxidation state make it have a bluish color, hence its name, and it can be combined with other natural products like lemon, seaweed, honey.

Blue tea properties

Known as oolong tea, it is a traditional Chinese drink. Recognized and consumed worldwide. Its flavor is characteristic due to the semi-oxidized leaves used for infusion, and it is more similar to green tea than to black tea. The scent it releases is delicate and has a lower concentration of caffeine.

It is a restorative drink for the organism. It can be served warm or cold.

Depending on whether the variety is cultivated in Mount Wuyi, Taiwan, or other areas, it can be bought as wulong blue tea, served for infusions, its dry leaves presented long or in small rolled balls.

• Antioxidants
• Tonifying for the central nervous system.
• Energizing
• Restorative for minerals.

Contraindications and side effects

• Anxiety.
• Nervousness.
• Insomnia.
• Depression.
• Lack of iron or iron deficiency anemia.
• Do not administer to children.

In principle, anyone can drink a cup of tea, but it is important to keep in mind that it is a stimulating drink, so if you are prone to nervousness or have trouble sleeping, it may increase the adverse effects.

People suffering from anxiety crises, due to the altered state of the nervous system, should avoid consumption. The contraindications of blue tea are few, but they should be taken into account. If you have never tried it, add half the dose and never drink more than one cup a day. If you notice restlessness, you may need to stop drinking it.

Most individuals do not experience side effects from the tea, but to know for sure, you must try it yourself.

Differences with other types of tea

The main difference is its oxidation state. Once the Camellia sinensis leaves are harvested, they are left to dry halfway through the process. In contrast, green tea does not undergo this process, and black tea does it completely. So, the differences of blue oolong tea are:

• Oxidation state.
• Color of the infusion, which is blue.
• Flavor.
• Amount of antioxidants.
• It has little caffeine, less than other varieties.
• You can buy it in whole leaves.

As you can see, blue tea has many properties that make it special and different, and within the so-called “blue” or “oolong”, there are several classes or varieties that we describe below.

Varieties of blue tea

Oolong tea

In some places, it is called semi-fermented tea, although its true property is being semi-oxidized. You can buy it as blue or green-blue tea.

The name, as we mentioned, derives from the color it leaves in hot water when introduced, and the properties of blue oolong tea are similar to those of red tea.

The Oolong tea is the same as blue tea. That is, its definition is identical. Depending on the harvest point, the oxidation time, the roasting process, and the way the leaf is rolled, it will receive one name or another. Some tea brands specialize in folding the leaves in a way to give them more consistency and preserve the aromas when you open the package and add a spoonful to the infusion. Others, in contrast, roll the dry tea leaves into cylinders, elongated.

Wulong

This variety takes on a characteristic color after drying. For this, a slow and complex process is necessary, which is why the price of wulong blue tea is high.

To obtain its different properties, it is necessary to harvest the mature leaves, but without being too old or too young.

Once harvested, the leaves are dried for 4 hours to preserve their organoleptic qualities. From this point, slow oxidation begins, which will stop at the desired point according to the species or tea brand.

Chinese

This is the traditional variety consumed in China. Nowadays, there are few differences, as you can buy it anywhere in the world. The ease of transportation and commercialization makes the best varieties of blue tea available worldwide.

Calling it Chinese, oolong, or other types improves its appearance and sales format, but beyond that, it is the same type of blue tea. However, make sure to buy it from a specialized store, like an herbal shop, to ensure it is of good quality.

Oxidation of blue tea

• Chinese blue tea 10 to 20% oxidation.
• Formosa 60 to 70% oxidative process.

The Chinese blue tea is much younger and has greenish hues. Both the aroma and flavor are soft and more floral. Formosa tea is darker, with a brownish hue. When prepared in water, it turns it darker, giving wood notes.

Finally, and as a key point, after the first airing and semi-oxidation, blue tea undergoes roasting, which is subjecting it to strong, intense heat for a very short time.

This process halts further oxidation by killing the enzymes responsible for it, leaving only the rolling of the leaves in the desired shape and letting them dry until their final stage, which is for sale.

How to prepare it

You just need to heat water and add a prepared tea bag into the water or, in an infuser, add one or two teaspoons. Then you can add sugar, honey, or a natural sweetener for diabetics. But the water temperature is essential to avoid ruining the properties and benefits, so let’s look at the steps so you know how to prepare blue tea:

1. Heat water in a pot until it reaches 75 degrees Celsius.
2. Add one teaspoon of tea for a cup.
3. Let it steep for 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Fill the cup or glass.
5. Add sweetener to taste.
6. Stir.

You’ve finished preparing the tea. Remember, if it’s two cups instead of one, you should add two teaspoons, and so on. This point is important because if there’s more liquid, the flavor and properties will be diluted, and you may notice a lower intensity.

Optionally, instead of adding sugar, it’s much healthier to include a little natural honey. This way, you not only add a sweet taste and reduce the bitterness but also improve the experience by including vitamins from honey and all its active principles.

Also, at this point, you can add a splash of lemon to lose weight to give it a special touch and stimulate and boost the immune system.

Tea water temperature

Although there are no defined degrees Celsius, these are quite broad. The water temperature should be between:

• Blue between 60 º and 90 º Celsius.
• White between 70 º and 80 º.
• Black 95 º.
• Red 95 º.
• Green 80 º.

Remember, these values are approximate, and it’s best to experiment to find the optimal temperature and enjoy the best blue tea at home.

The hotter the tea water, the more tannins—substances that stain—it will release, but after a certain point, it will destroy properties, so never bring the water to a boil.

Serving tea in a teapot

You can heat the water in another container, such as a pot on the stove, in the microwave, or in a professional kettle. Once it’s hot, do the following:

1. Add a little hot liquid.
2. Swirl it a bit to release any residue.
3. Discard the resulting water with any possible residue or impurities.
4. Add the desired amount of tea.
5. Pour the water and let it steep.

How much caffeine does blue tea have

If you tend to get nervous, it’s better to moderate the amount of tea you drink each day or opt for rooibos. Despite having less caffeine than other teas like matcha tea, blue oolong tea still contains stimulants, so it may not sit well with you.

Below we indicate the caffeine content of blue tea and other varieties per cup:

• White tea between 1 and 5 mg.
• Green tea from 5 to 10 mg.
• Blue tea between 15 and 20 mg.
• Red tea from 20 to 30 mg.
• Black tea between 30 and 50 mg.

If you’re looking for tea with less caffeine, the best choice is white tea. It is the mildest, and on the opposite side, black tea is very stimulating and may cause agitation and nervousness. People who cannot drink coffee should also avoid black tea.

In contrast, blue oolong tea is in the middle as it has less caffeine, approximately in the middle of all tea varieties, although this also depends on the oxidation and maturation degree.