Are you looking for something caffeinated and nutritional with many other health benefits? Worry no more! Longjing has all that and more. Keep reading to learn all about the phenomenal Longjing tea benefits and how you can help yourself to one!
Longjing tea is a type of green tea that grows near the city of Hangzhou in the Zhejiang Province of China. Commonly known as Dragon Well tea, this tea is yellowish. It is planted around the West Lake mountains and has been popular for centuries for its multiple health benefits.
Longjing tea leaves are green, flat, and spear-shaped, with a light earthy fragrance associated with them. Once the seeds harvest, the fresh leaves are roasted immediately to prevent oxidation and are rich in antioxidants, catechins, and other polyphenolic compounds. In addition, it is infamous as one of the highest quality green teas and is on the expensive side. Although it has high levels of caffeine, however, Longjing tea has excellent nutritional value with the benefits of green tea and provides a plethora of health benefits.Â
There are three types of Longjing tea available: Shi Feng Longjing tea, Mei Jia Wu Longjing tea, and the xi hu Longjing tea, depending on which region of West Lake the harvest comes from. Each has different strength and aroma, with Xi hu Longjing tea the strongest of the three and can be used repeatedly for infusion. Moreover, Shi Feng tea is the strongest in aroma and flavor, and even a little bit of it is enough to make a strong cup of green tea. On the other hand, Mei Jia Wu tea has a brighter green color and gives a more green shade to the tea.Â
Benefits Of Longjing Tea
1. Weight Loss
Drinking Longjing tea can improve metabolism and accelerate the fat-burning process. Theine, inositol, and folic acid in the tea can help you lose weight. Further, the tea polyphenols and Vitamin C lowers bad cholesterol, making you fit and healthy. Plus, it helps increase your energy levels.Â
2. Improves Heart Health
Longjing tea is known to improve heart health by lowering blood pressure. Moreover, it helps keep cholesterol levels in control and reduce the risk of heart attacks by keeping your heart healthy.Â
3. Reduces Stress And Anxiety
Theanine found in Longjing tea helps lower stress levels and is quite calming. It reduces anxiety and enables you to relax. Additionally, it helps to keep you energized and replenished, giving you a positive outlook on things.Â
4. May Prevent Cancer
Another benefit of drinking Longjing tea is that it may lower cancer risk and help fight cancer-causing cells. Drinking the tea will aid in preventing cancer’s reoccurrence and promote healthy well-being.
5. Alternative To Coffee
Rich in caffeine, Longjing tea can act as a substitute for coffee without the harmful effects of overconsumption. Consequently, it can help you in staying active, which will improve your energy levels and boost productivity.Â
6. Oral Health
If you are suffering from bad breath or tooth decay, then drinking Longjing tea can help improve your oral health. It has fluoride, which helps keep the teeth healthy and fight bacteria.
7. Anti-Aging
The antioxidants in Longjing tea help remove free radicals and protect the skin from aging by reducing wrinkles and thereby, delaying the early signs of aging.Â
8. Cure Night Blindness
If you consume longjing tea regularly, it has the potential to cure night blindness and xeroma due to its richness is Vitamin A. However, nothing works overnight and you’ll have to make it a habit to see the results.
9. Eliminates Tiredness
Similar to how coffee reacts with the body, longjing tea promotes energy upon consumption and stimulates the nervous system. As stated above, longjing tea is a healthy substitute to coffee.
10. Deodorizing and Digestion-aid
The tea can inhibit the act of an enzyme and make it easier to break down starch, protein, and fat that helps in the digestion process of the body and prevents indigestion.
How To Make Longjing Tea?
In a cup, take a spoon of dry Longjing tea and add some cold water to the tea and gently mix it. Then, sieve the water to remove dust. Now in a boiling cup of water, add the cleaned leaves. Let it brew for 5-7 minutes until it gets its yellowish-green shade. You can directly consume the tea once it has infused and has a beautiful natural aroma. Moreover, it is up to you to sieve out the tea leaves before drinking or drinking them as is. Longjing tea is naturally sweet, but you can always add a little bit of honey as per your taste.
Precautions
Everything you consume must be in moderation, which includes Longjing tea as well. Drinking too much Longjing tea can cause digestive issues and affect the nervous system. Hence, make sure you reap the benefits of the Longjing tea without affecting your health by avoiding excessive quantities of this natural ingredient. Most importantly, pregnant women should avoid drinking Longjing tea and should not consume anything unusual without prior consultation from a doctor.
Lastly, Longjing is perfect for you if excessive caffeine intake worries you out and want to switch to green tea instead. It has all the benefits of green tea along with other added benefits!
