In recent years, I have developed a great love for tea. I used to only drink coffee or diet soda, but I had to change my daily beverages because I developed an intolerance to the strong caffeine in coffee. Soda was also beginning to bother my stomach. A colleague suggested green tea as a replacement.

Upon hearing all of the amazing health benefits of tea, I decided to give green tea a try. All tea is pretty good for you. They contain phytochemicals that are able to fight free radical damage, which prevents aging and disease. As well, they are a zero calorie beverage that can also boost your metabolism and fat burning.

In my research, I also stumbled across wu yi tea, which has similar health benefits. I could not seem to find any at the store, so I stuck with my friend’s suggestion.

It did not turn out as planned! The tea had a strange, grassy sort of taste that I just could not get used to. Maybe the green color just made me think of grass. I tried it again and again.

I even began flavoring the tea with sweeteners and cream. Lemon did not work either. And of course, adding all that sugar was not doing much for my once healthy drink.

I had a hard time finding any wu yi tea at the store. There are a few Asian markets around, but they are not very close to the house, so I resorted to the internet where I found a plethora of wu yi tea sources. I finally chose one and gave it a try.

Immediately, I was pleased with the color and aroma. Much more like black tea! Wu yi goes through a bit of oxidation like black tea, but not as much. This lends to a better flavor, yet the nutrients are not stripped.

Yes! No more bitter tea, great flavor, yet all the great nutrients and weight loss boosters!

And oddly enough, even though both wu yi tea and green tea contain caffeine, I do not experience the jittery feeling when I drink it. It does not even bother my sleep if I drink it in the evening. However, if you have been sensitive to caffeine or have regular bouts of insomnia, you probably should not drink any past noon. You will just have to see how it works for you.

Try wu yi tea iced, too. Be sure to let it cool and then pour it over ice. I use an herbal blend along with the wu yi tea. I even make green tea, wu yi tea and blueberry tea together for a great fruity drink on a hot day.

If you are considering making the switch, go ahead and try green tea if you do not mind a rather bitter taste. For me, I will stick with wu yi tea or a blend.

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In fact, wu yi tea is oolong tea. But not all oolong tea is wu yi tea. This may sound a bit confusing. Let’s talk about the various teas and then you will understand.

Camellia sinensis is the plant for which all real teas are harvested. The final product, or variety, depends on how it is processed.

We will start with black tea as it is the most popular tea in the Western world accounting for 75% of tea production. Tea leaves are harvested and left out to wither. Afterwards, they are rolled either by machine (CTC – cut tear curl) or by hand (orthodox) to release more moisture. The CTC method produces rather crushed up leaves while the traditional orthodox method allows the leaves to remain more intact.

Afterwards, the tea leaves are spread out. They are left to oxidize in a damp place and the leaves turn from green to brown. Drying takes place using hot air. Then the tea is divided up in various categories according to the size of the leaf. These will be sold as different “grades” of tea.

In processing green tea, the process is similar expect that there is no oxidation. Instead, the green tea leaves are steamed immediately after being dried to stop any oxidation process. The nutrients are also left more in tact. However, the tea has a sort of grassy taste without the oxidation process.

White tea comes from the “baby” leaves on the Camellia sinensis plant. It can only be harvested a few days in a year when the buds of the plant have yet to fully open. It is then processed similarly to green tea, but because the leaves are so young, the tea has a smoother, more delicate flavor. White tea has only been available for worldwide distribution as it was once reserved only for the Chinese nobility. True white tea remains rather expensive.

Perhaps oolong is the best tea because it is not as pricey as white tea, but it has a great flavor more like black tea. Plus, it retains most of its nutrients and weight loss capabilities like green tea and white tea. Unlike white or green tea, oolong tea is oxidized to some extent, which is what lends to the flavor. However, it still has most of its nutrients and it can be harvested like green or black tea using more mature leaves.

Okay, so why do we call some oolong tea, wu yi tea? Think of it more as a brand name, but perhaps a bit more special. Wu yi tea is oolong tea so named for the chain of mountains where it grows. The Wuyi mountain chain in Northeastern China is home to the Camellia sinensis plant where wu yi tea is harvested.

You can sort of compare the naming to Florida oranges or Washington apples. This northeastern area of China is capable of growing the best tea in the world because of the climate. The soil, cool weather and protection from the mountains produce great tea.

Once only considered for nobility, just like white tea, wu yi has grown in popularity with the world due to its great flavor, nutritional value and weight loss capabilities.

Find out how the stars are dropping pounds safely and effectively with wu yi tea. Go there now and get your own free e-book by signing up to our amazing newsletter jammed with tips on dieting, exercise and wu yi green tea.