Prettywood Tea Journal

Well known are black, oolong, and green tea, even white tea is becoming more and more popular in the West today, but there is another true tea that deserves some sumptuous recognition - pu erh tea.  Stumbled upon in China in the days of tea caravans that winded throughout  Asia, pu erh is processed in the same way as green tea - picked, withered, heated, and rolled, but it is then exposed to humidity and time, yielding a fermented tea.  It is known as a vitality tea in China, and has been treated as an elixir for well over one thousand years. 

Pu erh is made from the leaves of the same camellia sinensis plant, although it generally comes from broad-leafed varieties from older, and sometimes wild tea plants.  It is said that these leaves have a higher and more-developed nutritional content, adding to the healing and restorative qualities of pu erh tea.  Being fermented, pu erh carries similar beneficial bacteria to fermented foods such as yogurt and kefir.  Therefore, pu erh has the same powerful antioxidants as other true teas, the polyphenols, catechins, and flavonoids, but it also has the beneficial probiotics from fermentation. 

Pu erh tea is reputed to promote longevity, help with digestion, weight loss, eye health, and heart health.  It has been proven in studies to lower cholesterol levels.  It also has been shown to help the body break down waste and fatty build-ups, helping the body to eliminate fat and other toxins.  Pu erh is often served after greasy or rich meals to help settle the stomach. 

Excerpt from the Examiner.com

Puer, pu’er , or pu-erh tea is special tea that originates from south part of China in the province of Yunnan. It’s picked from the old wild Camellia sinensis assamica, the broad leafed variety of the tea plant. The new growth of this variety is covered in fine white hair, much like the buds of white tea. The end bud, or pekoe, is slightly larger than that of other varieties.

These trees grow fewer each year because farmers are cutting their old trees into bushes to make the leaves easier to pick. A shorter plant obviously produces fewer leaves available for harvesting. Consequently, leaves from other mountains are often mixed with the wild tree leaves. Much of the puer tea sold in the United States is type.

Puer tea is typically, but not always, aged and compressed. It’s prized for its flavor and its healing qualities.

Excerpt from the Examiner.com