Wu Yi tea, pronounced “woo yee,” is essentially oolong tea that is grown in a particular region of China, specifically Mount Wuyi in the Fujiyan Province. Mount Wuyi is now a world heritage site, certified in 1999 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Many types of teas, no fewer than 22, are grown in Fujiyan Province. These teas may or may not be true Wu Yi teas. About 80 percent of the teas grown in the area are oolong teas, the rest are green and black.
True Wu Yi tea is of very high cost and very high quality if it is actually grown in the Fujiyan region. Da Hong Pao is considered one of the most important of the Wu Yi teas, as there is a legend that the mother of a Ming Dynasty emperor was cured of illness by drinking this tea. Three of the four original bushes are said to still be in use for Da Hong Pao Wu Yi tea today.
Benefits of Wu Yi Tea
Wu Yi has been marketed as a fat burner. A study conducted by the University of Geneva and published in 1999 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed a reduction in body mass among a test group that drank one serving of oolong tea each day. Very little other research has been conducted to prove the fat burning properties of oolong tea and none are known to have been conducted on Wu Yi tea itself.
Polyphenols, molecules present in Wu Yi tea, are anti-oxidants, known to help with metabolism and DNA damage. While Wu Yi tea does contain them, polyphenols are present in all types of tea. The action of polyphenols is likely where the claims of fat burning come from for this tea. Oolong teas, of which Wu Yi tea is a type, do contain the highest concentration of polyphenols of any type of tea.
The Truth About Wu Yi Tea
While there are no known scientific studies on Wu Yi itself, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence, especially on the Internet. Several websites cite people who rave about the weight they have lost while drinking Wu Yi tea. It is unclear if these are real claims or if there is some sort of marketing going on. Contrary to the claims on many websites, Oprah Winfrey and Rachel Ray have NOT endorsed this product, nor has there been any mention of either celebrity using the product, other than Oprah’s mentioning that she drinks tea to curb hunger pangs.
Wu Yi can be either green tea or oolong tea depending on how it is processed and the type of plant it comes from. Both processing types confer plenty of other health benefits besides weight loss. Da Hong Pao is an oolong tea, while Wu Yi Jin Mei is green tea. Oolong tea is oxidized, and the oxidation process is what is thought to be important in breakdown of fat. Wu Yi tea is also marketed as wulong tea and wu long tea, a combination of Wu Yi and oolong.
Bottom Line: Does Wu Yi tea help with weight loss?
The truth is there is no scientific evidence that it does. It does seem to be worth a try as there are no side effects other than caffeine content. Excess caffeine can cause sleep disturbances and sometimes heart arrhythmias, but these are unlikely if tea is consumed in moderation. Wu Yi tea may help with weight loss, or it may not, but there does not seem to be much harm in trying it out for yourself.
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