What are the health benefits of Lapsang Souchong tea?
Introduction
Lapsang Souchong tea, also known as “the smoky tea” or “Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong,” is native to the Wuyi Mountains of the Fujian Province, China.
It is one of the oldest kinds of tea in the world. Legend claims that the smoking process which manufactured this Lapsang Souchong tea was discovered by accident.
The tea is noted for its rich flavors and aromas that include woodsmoke, pine resin, hints of dried longan (a tropical tree species which produces edible fruit), smoked paprika, and the evocation of peated whiskey.
The smoky tea is distinct from other types of tea, as the leaves are traditionally smoke-dried over pinewood fires, conveying a special flavor of smoky pine.
How It’s Made
#1 The leaves are first withered over fires of cypress or pine wood.
#2 After pan-frying and rolling, the leaves are pressed into wooden barrels and covered with cloth to ferment until they give off a pleasant fragrance.
#3 Then, the leaves are fired again and rolled into taut strips.
#4 After, the leaves are placed in baskets and hung on wooden racks over smoking pine fires to absorb the characteristic pine flavor.
Health Benefits Of Lapsang Souchong Tea
Bone Health
According to research, the phytochemicals in this tea, especially flavonoids (a diverse group of phytonutrients), may protect against bone loss. This is good news for women over age 50 years since they have a higher risk of osteoporosis.
Tip – when it comes to drinking tea, you need to be careful of its fluoride (a toxic mineral that accumulates in the joints and bones, negatively affecting bone density) content. Therefore, when brewing the tea, only use clean water, free of added fluoride.
Cardiovascular Disease
Studies suggest this aromatic tea may lower triglycerides and LDL (bad) cholesterol, two types of fats that may be responsible for the tea’s association with a significantly reduced risk of death from stroke and heart disease.
Moreover, thearubigins and theaflavin in the tea can work with the human body to neutralize the damage done by free radicals, that in turn reduces the risk of conditions like strokes or cardiovascular disease.
Weight Loss
Several studies have established that the caffeine and flavonoids in this tea can help improve insulin activity, increase fat oxidation, and elevate the metabolic rate.
Furthermore, caffeine is a well-known central nervous system stimulant that has been found to improve exercise performance and aid fat burning in many studies.
Tips – the tea is calorie-free if you don’t add milk or a sweetener such as honey or sugar. Drinking 2 cups of tea throughout the day should be enough for supplementing weight loss.
Boosts The Immune System
It is also a good source of L-theanine, an amino acid that may help in the production of germ-fighting compounds in the T lymphocyte (a type of white blood cell).
Side Effects
1 cup of Lapsang Souchong tea has 54 milligrams of caffeine.
Caffeine itself is a stimulant with some positive and negative effects. In small doses, caffeine is linked with increased alertness, an improvement in sporting performance, and reduced fatigue. Also, it may potentially lift an individual’s mood.
Drinking more than four cups of tea a day is ill-advised since this may lead to certain health complications connected with excess caffeine intake.
Overdoing caffeine has been shown to irritate your digestive tract, causing stomach aches, and may worsen ulcer symptoms as caffeine increases the production of stomach acid.
The following effects may be experienced minutes after consuming caffeine:
- hand tremors;
- lack of concentration;
- increased blood pressure;
- higher body temperature;
- dizziness;
- stomach pain;
- headache;
- faster breathing;
- needing to urinate more often;
- nervousness;
- irritability;
- increased anxiety;
- excitability;
- restlessness;
- feeling more alert.
Like many other drugs, it is possible to build up a tolerance to caffeine. Over time, to function effectively, you may become psychologically and physically dependent on caffeine.
Tip – if you want to reduce the caffeine content of this tea, when brewing the tea, you should not leave the leaves in for too long in the water, and the water should not be too hot. However, if you want a highly caffeinated cup of tea, dip the leaves in water for a long time, and the water should be very hot.
Recipe
#1 Bring cold water to a rolling boil.
#2 Place 1 tsp of tea for every 225 ml of fluid volume in the teapot.
#3 Pour the boiling water into the teapot.
#4 Cover and let steep for five minutes.
#5 Serve with or without sugar (honey) and/or milk.
Tip – for the best flavor, avoid overboiling and use fresh water whenever possible.
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Substitute
White
White tea is high in antioxidants and is the perfect replacement if you do not have or do not enjoy Lapsang Souchong tea. This tea features young processed leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant.
Due to this, white tea retains a high amount of antioxidants. According to research, white tea blocks DNA mutations as well as it may prevent precancerous colon tumors.
Oolong
Oolong tea is a fruity, fresh tea that has many amazing benefits as it aids in weight loss, helps to boost metabolism, treating heart diseases, and controls type 2 diabetes mellitus. Also, drinking 2 cups per day can help relieve itchy skin rashes.
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Green
Green tea is comprised of tea leaves picked from the evergreen shrub Camellia sinensis. It is high in antioxidants and has long been hailed as a healing and energizing agent.
The catechins and polyphenols in green tea are said to decrease the risks of cancer by helping the immune system in fighting cancer cells in the human body, according to the American Cancer Society.
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Black
It is a type of tea that is more oxidized than green, oolong, and white teas. The amount of caffeine in black tea is also higher than in other types of tea.
Worldwide, black tea is one of the most beloved beverages or drinks, and almost 80 percent of humans consume it.
Research has established that tea helps to reduce colon cancer, heart disease, and cavities. Additionally, it balances the hormone levels, which fends off emotional stress.
Sources https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16248572 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278691517301709 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/7517202_Flavor_Characteristics_of_ https://academic.oup.com/advances/article/4/2/129/4591621