Cleaning Out My Pantry: Oolong Tea & Daily Food/Exercise Logs

I am a little behind on my posts, but have no fear, I have been keeping track of my exercising and eating, and also have some good info for you :)

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Today I am going to talk about Oolong Tea. One of my wonderful co-workers got me started on Oolong and I wanted to pass on the great benefits of it!

Oolong tea is one of the most popular teas in China. It is made from the leaves, buds, and stems of the Camellia sinensis plant. The same plant that is used to make black tea and green tea. The difference is in how it's processed. Oolong tea is partially fermented, black tea is fully fermented, and green tea is unfermented. (Read about fermenting here)

Oolong tea's claimed benefits are:

reducing cholesterol levels
heart health (heart disease prevention)
treatment of digestive disorders
boosting the immune system
formation of strong bones
prevent cancer
prevent tooth decay
prevent osteoporosis

It is also used to sharpen thinking skills and improve mental alertness and some people use oolong tea to treat obesity, diabetes, “hardening of the arteries” (atherosclerosis), and skin allergies such as eczema.

From Dr. Oz on Oolong Tea:

For Weight Loss: Oolong tea boosts metabolism, helping you burn fat faster. It's unique catechin (an antioxidant) and caffeine combination ignites your body’s fat-burning furnace and raises your metabolism for up to 2 hours after drinking it. Oolong tea also contains polyphenols that help block fat-building enzymes. Studies have shown that drinking oolong tea has led to sustained weight loss and a smaller waist size. Be careful not to overload your tea with sugar, which will negate the benefits.

What I like about Oolong: I have never been a big tea drinker without adding sweeteners or something to it, but Oolong has the health benefits of black tea but the smoothness of green tea. I can drink it without adding anything to it. But if you need a little something, just add a little pure honey! I like to drink mine with my morning or afternoon snack, or anytime I am having a food craving!
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Now on to the boring stuff.......

Tuesday, Feb. 4th Food Log
(Breakfast: Shake w/ hard boiled egg. Lunch: Protein Shake.)