Earl Grey tea is a blended tea with a distinctive flavour and aroma derived from the addition of bergamot orange oil.
Earl grey was traditionally a black tea, however today the term is also applied to green teas, including white tea and oolong, and tisanes, such as rooibos, that contain oil of bergamot.
Toxicology warning of Earl Grey Teas
In one study, oil of bergamot the distinctive flavour of Earl Grey has been linked to certain phototoxic effects (due to the chemical bergaptene) and blocking the absorption of potassium in the intestines.
Finsterer J (2002). "Earl Grey tea intoxication". Lancet 359 (9316): 1484. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(02)08436-2
Bergamot is also a source of bergamottin which, along with the chemically related compound 6’,7’-dihydroxybergamottin, is believed to be responsible for the grapefruit juice effect in which the consumption of the juice affects the metabolism of a variety of pharmaceutical drugs.
David G. Bailey, J. Malcolm, O. Arnold, J. David Spence (1998). "Grapefruit juice-drug interactions". Br J Clin Pharmacol 46
History of Earl Grey
The Earl Grey blend is named after the 2nd Earl Grey, British Prime Minister in the 1830s, who reputedly received a gift, probably a diplomatic perquisite, of tea flavoured with bergamot oil, taken from bergamot, a citrus fruit typical of southern Italy.
The legend usually involves a grateful Chinese mandarin whose son was rescued from drowning by one of Lord Grey's men, although this blend of tea was first made from fermented black Indian and Ceylon teas. As green tea is much more popular in China than black tea, it seems somewhat unlikely that they would have had a recipe for what we now call Earl Grey to bestow on visitors, though over the years many other varieties of tea have been used. In addition, Lord Grey never set foot in China. Another version of the legend has the son of an Indian raja being rescued from a tiger by one of Grey's servants.
Jacksons of Piccadilly claim that it was they who originated Earl Grey's Tea, Lord Grey having given the recipe to Robert Jackson & Co. partner George Charlton in 1830, according to Jacksons the original recipe has been in constant production and has never left their hands. Theirs has been based on China tea since the beginning.
Because of Earl Grey's aroma and Twining's distinctive packaging in England with Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, the tea is sometimes called "Old Stinky".
There are many studies that show a possible link with drinking black tea or green tea and cancer prevention.
It is difficult to know what is science and what is hope.
This article by the
http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/pressreleases/tea
Tea and Cancer Prevention: Fact Sheet
Key Points
* The antioxidants found in tea--called catechins--may selectively inhibit the growth of cancer (see Question 1).
* In laboratory studies using animals, catechins scavenged oxidants before cell damage occurred, reduced the number and size of tumors, and inhibited the growth of cancer cells (see Question 3).
* However, human studies have proven more contradictory, perhaps due to such factors as variances in diet, environments, and populations (see Question 4).
* NCI researchers are investigating the therapeutic and preventive use of tea catechins against a variety of cancers (see Question 5).
Tea drinking is an ancient tradition dating back 5,000 years in China and India. Long regarded in those cultures as an aid to good health,
researchers now are studying tea for possible use in the prevention and treatment of a variety of cancers. Investigators are especially interested in the antioxidants-called catechins-found in tea. Despite promising early research in the laboratory, however, studies involving humans so far have been inconclusive.
1. What are antioxidants?
The human body constantly produces unstable molecules called oxidants, also commonly referred to as free radicals. To become stable, oxidants steal electrons from other molecules and, in the process, damage cell proteins and genetic material. This damage may leave the cell vulnerable to cancer. Antioxidants are substances that allow the human body to scavenge and seize oxidants. Like other antioxidants, the catechins found in tea selectively inhibit specific enzyme activities that lead to cancer. They may also target and repair DNA aberrations caused by oxidants (1).
2. What is the level of antioxidants found in tea?
All varieties of tea come from the leaves of a single evergreen plant, Camellia sinensis. All tea leaves are picked, rolled, dried, and heated. With the additional process of allowing the leaves to ferment and oxidize, black tea is produced. Possibly because it is less processed, green tea contains higher levels of antioxidants than black tea.
Although tea is consumed in a variety of ways and varies in its chemical makeup, one study showed steeping either green or black tea for about five minutes released over 80 percent of its catechins. Instant iced tea, on the other hand, contains negligible amounts of catechins (1).
3. What are the laboratory findings?
In the laboratory, studies have shown tea catechins act as powerful inhibitors of cancer growth in several ways: They scavenge oxidants before cell injuries occur, reduce the incidence and size of chemically induced tumors, and inhibit the growth of tumor cells. In studies of liver, skin and stomach cancer, chemically induced tumors were shown to decrease in size in mice that were fed green and black tea (1, 2).
4. What are the results of human studies?
Although tea has long been identified as an antioxidant in the laboratory, study results involving humans have been contradictory. Some epidemiological studies comparing tea drinkers to non-tea drinkers support the claim that drinking tea prevents cancer; others do not. Dietary, environmental, and population differences may account for these inconsistencies.
Two studies in China, where green tea is a mainstay of the diet, resulted in promising findings. One study involving over 18,000 men found tea drinkers were about half as likely to develop stomach or esophageal cancer as men who drank little tea, even after adjusting for smoking and other health and diet factors (3). A second study at the Beijing Dental Hospital found consuming 3 grams of tea a day, or about 2 cups, along with the application of a tea extract reduced the size and proliferation of leukoplakia, a precancerous oral plaque (1).
However, a study in the Netherlands did not support these findings. It investigated the link between black tea consumption and the subsequent risk of stomach, colorectal, lung, and breast cancers among 58,279 men and 62,573 women ages 55 to 69. The study took into account such factors as smoking and overall diet. It found no link between tea consumption and protection against cancer (4).
5. Is NCI evaluating tea?
National Cancer Institute (NCI) researchers are also investigating the therapeutic use of green tea. One recently completed but unpublished NCI trial studied the antitumor effect of green tea among prostate cancer patients. The 42 patients drank 6 grams of green tea, or about 4 cups, daily for four months. However, only one patient experienced a short-lived improvement, and nearly 70 percent of the group experienced unpleasant side effects such as nausea and diarrhea. The study concluded drinking green tea has limited antitumor benefit for prostate cancer patients (5).
Other ongoing NCI studies are testing green tea as a preventive agent against skin cancer. For example, one is investigating the protective effects of a pill form of green tea against sun-induced skin damage while another explores the topical application of green tea in shrinking precancerous skin changes. For more information about NCI-sponsored studies on green tea, go to http://www.cancer.gov/clinical_trials/.
References:
(1) Dufresne CJ, Farnworth ER. A review of latest research findings on the health promotion properties of tea. J. Nutri Biochem 2001; 12 (7): 404-421.
(2) Hakim IA, Harris RB. Joint effects of citrus peel use and black tea intake on risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin. BMC Derm 2001; 1 (3).
(3) Sun CL, Yuan JM, Lee MJ, Yang CS, Gao YT, Ross RK, Yu MC. Urinary tea polyphenols in relation to gastric and esophageal cancers: a prospective study of men in shanghai, china. Carcin 2002; 23 (9): 1497-1503.
(4) Goldbohm RA, Hertog MG, Brants HA, van Poppel G, van den Brandt PA. Consumption of black tea and cancer risk: a prospective cohort study. JNCI 1996; 88 2): 93-100.
(5) Phase II Study of Green Tea Extract in Patients with Androgen-Independent Metastic Prostate Cancer. Protocol Ids: NCCTG-N9951. NCI Clinical Trials
http://www.cancer.gov/clinical_trials/.
Oolong Tea is known as the "champagne of teas".This special Chinese tea is a type of mix of the best of black and green teas. Oolong Tea is partially fermented giving it a delicate taste and aroma comparable to that of fresh fruit or flowers. Strange then that Oolong Tea is the least sold variety of all the popular categories of the tea, contributing to less than 3% of the world's tea consumption.
I found a item on wikipedia on Oolong ( Wu-long teas same thing)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Oolong (disambiguation). Oolong tea
Rolled Oolong tea leaves
Traditional Chinese: 烏龍茶
Simplified Chinese: 乌龙茶
Hokkien POJ: O·-liông tê
Literal meaning: black dragon tea
Transliterations
Mandarin
- Hanyu Pinyin: wū lóng chá
Min
- Hokkien POJ: O·-liông tê
Yue (Cantonese)
- Jyutping: wu1 long2 caa4
Oolong (Chinese: 烏龍 or 乌龙→ wūlóng) is a traditional Chinese tea (Camellia sinensis) somewhere between green and black in oxidation. It ranges from 10% to 70% oxidation.
In Chinese tea culture, semi-oxidized oolong teas are collectively grouped as qīngchá (Chinese: 青茶; literally "blue-green tea"). Oolong has a taste more akin to green tea than to black tea: it lacks the rosy, sweet aroma of black tea but it likewise does not have the stridently grassy vegetal notes that typify green tea. It is commonly brewed to be strong, with the bitterness leaving a sweet aftertaste. Several subvarieties of oolong, including those produced in the Wuyi Mountains of northern Fujian and in the central mountains of Taiwan, are among the most famous Chinese teas.
Oolong tea leaves are processed in two different ways. Some teas are rolled into long curly leaves, while some are pressed into a ball-like form similar to gunpowder tea. The former method of processing is the older of the two.
* 1 Etymology
* 2 Processing of Oolong
* 3 Classification and grade
* 4 Varieties of Oolong Tea
o 4.1 Wǔyí cliff tea (武夷岩茶 Wǔyí yán chá) from Fújiàn province
o 4.2 Fújiàn province
o 4.3 Guangdong province
o 4.4 Taiwan
o 4.5 Other oolong teas
* 5 Brewing
Etymology
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The name oolong tea comes into the English language from the Chinese name (traditional Chinese: 烏龍茶), which is pronounced as O·-liông tê in the Min Nan spoken variant. The Chinese name means "black dragon tea". There are three widely accepted explanations on how this Chinese name came about.
According to the "tribute tea" theory, oolong tea was a direct descendant of Dragon-Phoenix Tea Cake tribute tea. Oolong tea replaced it when loose tea came into fashion. Since it was dark, long and curly, it was called the Black Dragon tea.
According to the "Wuyi" theory, oolong tea first existed in Wuyi Mountain. This is evidenced by Qing dynasty poems such as Wuyi Tea Song (Wuyi Chage) and Tea Tale (Chashuo). It was said that oolong tea was named after the part of Wuyi mountain it was originally produced.
According to the "Anxi" theory, oolong tea had its origin in the Anxi oolong tea plant. A man named Sulong, Wulong or Wuliang discovered it.
Another tale tells of a man named Wu Liang (later corrupted to Wu Long, or Oolong) who discovered oolong tea by accident when he was distracted by a deer after a hard day's tea-picking, and by the time he remembered about the tea it had already started to oxidize.
Processing of Oolong
Oolong tea undergoes a few delicate processes in order to produce the unique aroma and taste. Typical Oolong tea is processed according to the following steps:
1. Wilting (萎凋; wěidiāo): Sun dry or air dry to remove moisture partly.
2. Cooling: Cool off in shaded area.
3. Yaoqing (摇青; yáoqīng): Gently tossing leaves to bruise the edge of leaves to create more contacting surface for oxidation.
4. Cooling and Yaoqing are repeated multiple times.
5. Shaqing (杀青; shāqīng): The procedure is to stop oxidation with high heat. Premium leaves are usually stir fried in a large pan over high heat, large productions are done by machine.
6. Rouqing (揉青; róuqīng): The tea leaves are rolled into strands or nuggets before dehydration.
7. Roasting: Roasting with low heat to dehydrate tea leaves, this step can be repeated with temperature variations to produce flavors of choice.
8. Grading
9. Packaging
Classification and grade
Tea connoisseurs classify the tea by its aroma (often floral or fruity), taste and aftertaste (often melony). Oolongs comes in either roasted (炭焙) or light (密香 or 清香). While most oolongs can be consumed immediately postproduction, like pu-erh tea, many oolong can benefit from long aging with regular light roasting with a low charcoal fire (烘培, pinyin:hōngpeì, literally: bake cultivation or 焙火, pinyin:peìhǔo, dry roasting by fire). Before roasting, Oolong tea leaves are rolled and bruised to break open cell walls and stimulate enzymatic activity. The process of roasting removes unwanted odours from the tea and reduces any sour or astringent tastes; in addition, the process is believed to make the oolong tea more gentle on the stomach.
Varieties of Oolong Tea
Wǔyí cliff tea (武夷岩茶 Wǔyí yán chá) from Fújiàn province
Wuyi Huang Guan Yin tea leaves
Wuyi Qi Lan Oolong tea leaves
The most famous and expensive Oolong teas are made here but the production is still usually accredited as organic. A lot of Shuǐ Xiān is grown elsewhere in Fujian. Some of the better known cliff teas are:
Dà Hóng Páo (大红袍)
Big Red Robe in Chinese, a highly prized tea and a Si Da Ming Cong (四大名樅, literally: The Four Great Bushes). This tea is also one of the two Oolongs that make it to the list of Chinese famous teas.
Shuǐ Jīn Guī (水金亀)
Golden Water Turtle in Chinese, a Si Da Ming Cong.
Tiě Luó Hàn (鉄羅漢)
Iron Arhat in Chinese, a Si Da Ming Cong tea
Bái Jī Guān (白鸡冠)
White Cockscomb in Chinese, a Si Da Ming Cong tea. A light tea with light, yellowish leaves.
Ròu Guì (肉桂)
Cinnamon in Chinese, a dark tea with a spicy aroma.
Shuǐ Xiān (水仙)
Water Sprite in Chinese, a very dark tea, often grown elsewhere.
Fújiàn province
Tiě Guān Yīn
Tiě Guān Yīn or Ti Kuan Yin (鐵觀音)
Iron Guanyin in Chinese, this is a tea from Anxi in South Fujian. It is very famous, in fact a 'Chinese famous tea' and very popular.
Guangdong province
Dān Cōng (单丛)
A family of stripe-style oolong teas from Guangdong Province. The doppelganger of teas, Dancong teas are noted for their ability to naturally imitate the flavors and fragrances of various flowers and fruits, such as orange blossom, orchid, grapefruit, almond, ginger flower, etc.
As the name implies, Dancong ("single bush") teas are clonal or single-bush productions.
Taiwan
Tea cultivation only began in Taiwan in the mid 19th century. Since then, many of the teas which are grown in Fujian province have also been grown in Taiwan. Since the 1970s the tea industry in Taiwan has grown at a rapid rate, in line with the rest of Taiwan's economy. Due to high domestic demand and a strong tea culture, the majority of Taiwanese tea is bought and consumed by the Taiwanese.
As the weather in Taiwan is highly variable, quality of tea may differ from season to season. Although the island is not particularly large, it is geographically varied, with high, steep mountains rising quickly from low-lying coastal plains. The different weather patterns, temperatures, altitudes and soil ultimately result in differences in appearance, aroma and flavour of the tea grown in Taiwan. In some mountainous areas, teas have been cultivated at ever higher elevations to produce a unique sweet taste that fetches a premium price.
Dòng Dǐng (凍頂)
The name means Frozen Summit or Ice Peak. Dong Ding is a mountain in Nantou County, Central Taiwan. This is a tightly rolled tea with a light, distinctive fragrance.
Dong Fang Mei Ren (東方美人茶)
The name means Oriental (Eastern) Beauty. Also known as Bai Hao Oolong. This tea is tippy (the leaves frequently have white or golden tips), with natural fruity aromas, a bright red appearance and a sweet taste.
Alishan (阿里山茶)
Grown in the Alishan area of Chiayi County, this tea has large rolled leaves that have a purple-green appearance when dry. It is grown at an elevation of 1000 to 1400 metres. There is only a short period during the growing season when the sun is strong, which results in a sweeter and less astringent brew. It produces a golden yellow tea which has a unique fruity aroma.
Lishan
Grown in the north-central region of Taiwan this tea is very similar in appearance to Alishan teas but is often considered to be one of the best teas from Taiwan. It is grown at an elevation of above 1000 metres with Dayuling, Lishan, and Fusou being the best well know regions and teas of Lishan.
Pouchong (包種茶)
Also romanized as Baozhong, the lightest and most floral Oolong[citation needed], with unrolled leaves of a light green to brown color. Originally grown in Fujian it is now widely cultivated and produced in Pinglin Township near Taipei, Taiwan.
Other oolong teas
* Darjeeling Oolong: Darjeeling tea made according to Chinese methods.
* Vietnamese Oolong
* Thai Oolong
* African Oolong: made in Malawi and in Kenya
Brewing
A small tea pot brewing charcoal fire oolong
Generally, 2.25 grams of tea per 170 grams of water, or about two teaspoons of oolong tea per cup, should be used. Oolong teas should be prepared with 180°F to 190°F (82°C-87°C) water (not boiling) and steeped 3-4 minutes. High quality oolong can be brewed multiple times from the same leaves, and unlike green tea it improves with reuse. It is common to brew the same leaves three to five times, the third steeping usually being the best.
An additional widely used method of brewing oolongs in Taiwan and China is called gongfucha. This method utilizes a small brewing vessel, such as a gaiwan or Yizing clay pot, with a large amount of tea to water ratio. Multiple short steeps of 20 seconds to 1 minute are done and are often served in small tasting cups about the size of a thimble.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oolong
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