Hello tea lovers, this season we all have among our goals to be healthier, detoxify our body and why not, lose those kilos, before the December holidays.
So today I bring you the perfect way to achieve this, how? by drinking pu erh.
Pu erh is a special tea whose history dates back centuries. It is originally from China, in the Yunnan region. It originated when tea was transported on the backs of mules and horses, for which it was pressed. This tea was kept in cellars or caves for a minimum of 5 years so that it would naturally acquire fungi and yeasts.
Nowadays we can find pu erh aged in the traditional way or “accelerated” which is when it is inoculated with said fungi and yeasts.
As you know, tea is rich in flavonoids, catechins and theaflavins, which are antioxidants that help prevent cells from aging so quickly. It has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, which help prevent many diseases. It also helps normalize blood sugar levels.
Specifically, pu erh has been found to reduce the synthesis of fatty acids, in other words, it helps you not to store fat. It is related to the biochemical process of lipogenesis (creation of fat by the liver) and pu erh somehow prevents this. On the other hand, the theine it contains causes us to secrete epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine, hormones that are known to accelerate the mobilization of fatty acids stored in fat cells, as well as helping to more easily access those fat reserves when you need it, in other words, you burn fat when you need it, for example when exercising.
Pu erh has been clinically proven to improve the levels of an enzyme called lipase in cells, which is used to better digest fats and prevent fat from accumulating in our viscera. It also increases the secretion of digestive glands. On the other hand, the fungi and yeasts present in this aged tea improve your intestinal flora and help you reduce inflammation, cleanse the digestive tract and help you process food better. All of this makes pu erh help you lose weight.
It also has a relaxing effect as it increases blood circulation in the brain and lowers blood pressure slightly, which causes our heart rate to decrease.
It helps you detoxify (from toxins, chemicals, alcohol and medications) as it helps your liver (our body's chemical laboratory) function better. In Chinese medicine, pu erh is considered to open the meridians, warm the stomach and spleen and cleanse the blood thanks to its microorganisms and the simple sugars it contains due to fermentation.
Even washing your hair with a pu erh infusion helps reduce oily scalp!
I recommend drinking 3 cups of pu erh a day, you can drink one on an empty stomach, and the others after your meals, or before eating. See how you feel best and make it part of your daily routine.
Olivia Medina de Jönsson
Tea Master, EURO TEA
