Pu-erh tea for weight loss: effectiveness, reviews, how to drink

What is puer

Pu-erh is tea that has undergone a special fermentation procedure (with the help of microorganisms). It is also called post-fermented tea. It is this type that the Chinese call black tea, while the black tea familiar to the whole world is actually red.

As for pu-erh, when making it, the leaves are first processed in the same way as for the production of green tea, but the process does not end there. The prepared tea leaf, a kind of semi-finished product, is subjected to fermentation, which can occur either naturally and last for years, or artificially - using special technologies.

The difference in the fermentation method determines the type of pu-erh received: the tea that has been aged naturally is called shen-pu-erh, and with an artificially accelerated process, shu-pu-erh is obtained.

Calorie content of the drink

If we talk about the calorie content of the tea itself, it averages 150 kcal per 100 grams. It is also worth clarifying that 100 grams of pu-erh contains approximately 20 g of protein, 7 g of carbohydrates and 5 g of fat.

The drink itself is significantly less calorie. One cup of pu-erh without adding any other ingredients contains only 2 calories.

What it is

A powerful natural energy drink, the value of which only increases with age. This drink is often compared to good wine: the longer it is aged, the more spectacular and refined the taste will be revealed.

In a very general sense, we can say that this is a tea in which the fermentation processes do not stop, which happens in the production of other varieties. Thus, over time, it not only does not lose its beneficial properties, but, on the contrary, infuses and is filled with energy. The older the pu-erh, the more expensive it is.

There are two varieties of this drink: shu (black, “ready”) and shen (green, “raw”). They are made from the same raw material, grown in Yunnan province in the region of the “Six Famous Tea Mountains”, but after passing through different stages of processing, each of these types acquires its own character.

The historical period VIII-IX became the starting point for the emergence of these varieties. It is known that the first pu-erhs “for sale” appeared in the southern region of Xishuangbanna. From here, tea leaves were exported in caravans to Mongolia and Tibet along a road called the Ancient Tea Road.

Is it true that pu-erh helps you lose weight?

The special method of making pu-erh determines the high content of various elements that actively affect the body. Thus, pu-erh has many beneficial properties, and some of them are actually beneficial for people who want to lose weight.

Benefits of pu-erh for weight loss

Regular consumption of pu-erh can speed up the process of losing weight, since this tea has the following properties:

Removes toxins from the body. Cleansing the body helps improve the performance of all organs, and nutrients will be broken down faster and better absorbed.
Has laxative and diuretic effects. There is no need to worry about diarrhea or a constant urge to urinate, but you will be able to get rid of excess fluid and improve bowel function.
Speeds up metabolism. Fat deposits will be converted into energy faster, and even with a low-calorie diet, the body will be in good shape.
Reduces blood glucose levels. This reduces appetite, therefore, you can get rid of the constant feeling of hunger.

In addition, pu-erh improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system, which helps improve physical endurance and exercise more effectively.

Contraindications for taking the drink

Like any tea, pu-erh should not be drunk if you have an individual intolerance. In addition, contraindications are:

urolithiasis disease;
blood pressure problems;
chronic gastrointestinal diseases;
elevated body temperature.

In addition, tea should not be drunk on an empty stomach, even for healthy people, as it stimulates increased production of gastric juice, and this, in turn, can lead to cramps, pain and heartburn.

How does puer help you lose weight and keep your figure slim?

Pu-erh is a fat-burning Chinese tea with a thousand-year history. Its beneficial properties are widely used in folk medicine, and its taste and aroma are truly admirable. With proper brewing and regular use, the effect of weight loss is manifested against the background of general improvement and toning of the body.

Here are the most important properties for weight loss:

The plant-based caffeine in the composition increases endurance, which affects the effectiveness of training. This component stimulates a surge of adrenaline, increases the frequency of contractions of the heart muscle, which together increases energy consumption.
Pu-erh removes various wastes and toxins, improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and promotes rapid absorption and digestion of food.
A rapid reduction in body volume is achieved by removing excess fluid and maintaining water balance.
Tea reduces appetite and satisfies hunger despite its low calorie content.

What type of pu-erh should you choose to include in your diet?

As already mentioned, there are two types of pu-erh - Shen (fresh, green) and Shu (ready-made, black). They differ from each other in many ways, and although some experts believe that the choice of a specific tea for a diet depends only on taste preferences, in fact it is worth taking a closer look.

Shu-puer

Shu-puer black tea has a more alkaline chemical composition, which normalizes digestion and accelerates the breakdown of fats.

It is recommended to consume it in the morning and evening, since before breakfast, pu-erh will “wake up” the stomach, and after dinner it will help you digest food faster in order to calmly prepare for bed.

Shen puer

Green tea Shen Puer acts somewhat faster than the “quick ripening” Shu Puer. It should be drunk during the day, for example, after lunch, when the body is fully active.

It is also worth saying that very young Shen is not recommended to drink on an empty stomach, since the content of active substances in it is too high and can cause nausea.

The video material was filmed at a tea exhibition, where we will taste Shen Puer tea, which is very useful for weight loss.

Getting to know Shen Puer

What is shen puer

Shen Puer is a classic Chinese tea created by post-fermentation, that is, ripening after production. Shen pu-erh ripening occurs due to microbial fermentation, in which the main role is played by molds called Aspergillus acidus. This type of mushroom is not dangerous to humans, but gives the tea leaves a special, unique taste. These microorganisms, by the way, also take part in the formation of the taste of many other foods (such as sake, soy sauce, cheese, baked goods), and in tea their activity changes the chemical structure of existing aromatic compounds and creates new ones that were not in the original leaves .

Shen Pu'er is valued the more highly, the longer it has matured. The minimum period for good tea is ten years.

How is shen puer different from shu puer?

Shen pu'er is pu'er that has been allowed to age naturally. Its ripening occurs solely due to the long work of aspergillus and other microorganisms taking part in fermentation, which occurs after the tea is made.

Shu Puer goes through artificially accelerated fermentation, which allows the tea leaves to be very quickly brought to the state that Sheng takes years to achieve.

History of Shen Puer

About 1,400 years ago, residents of what is now Yunnan Province (southwest China) began exporting tea to Tibet in exchange for horses. Large bundles of loose tea were tied to pack animals and carried across the Himalayas. The journey sometimes lasted longer than a year. After some time, traders realized that if the tea was pressed, then they could take more of it, it would be stored better and sold faster. And buyers began to notice something else: the new pressed tea turned out to be more interesting in taste than the leaf version that preceded it.

Since in China initially all producers sent their leaves down the river to the city of Pu'er, where the tea factories were located, this variety got its name from the name of the locality.

Features of brewing the drink

To brew high-quality pu-erh, you should take soft, clean water and glass or porcelain containers. The water temperature for brewing Shen and Shu pu-erh is different: in the first case it is 80 degrees, in the second – up to 95.

For 150 ml of water you need 3-4 g of tea. Pu-erh needs to be poured into a container, filled with water and drained after 10-15 seconds. This brew is not tea; it is customary to “wash” and “awaken” pu-erh in this way.

The second brew is kept for 1 to 3 minutes, after which the tea can be drunk. It is worth noting that pu-erh can withstand up to 5 brewings without losing its taste and healing properties.

Types of Shen Pu'er

Tea connoisseurs distinguish several types of pu-erh according to two parameters - maturity and shape.

Young or mature?

As with fine wine, the taste of real Sheng Pu'er improves over the years (and the price increases), but many tea drinkers also enjoy the taste of young Pu'er, which has many of the characteristics of green tea. However, aged pu-erh is in great demand, costs more, and is the subject of much historical research. It is sold and collected like fine wine, and some rare varieties can fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Forms of Shen Puer

There are two main ways to package Pu-erh tea - loose and pressed.

Loose pu-erh

Loose Pu-erh is created by mixing leaves from different mountains and regions of Yunnan Province. In turn, it is divided into two types: in one, leaves from bushes are used, in the second - from trees. Because leaf pu-erh has a larger surface area exposed to oxygen, it develops an aged flavor more quickly than compressed tea. This form of pu-erh is popular in restaurants because of the convenience and speed of brewing it.

Without good experience and trusted suppliers, purchasing loose teas is always a bit of a risky proposition: unfortunately, you may end up with a product of poor quality. Unscrupulous traders sometimes mix inferior leaves and sell them at the price of a first-class product. However, this does not mean that any loose pu-erh is necessarily bad, there are many high quality pu-erhs of this shape that age very well and are highly sought after by serious tea drinkers and collectors.

One form of loose pu-erh is a bunch of braids.

Pressed puer

Pressed pu-erh is made in the same way as leaf pu-erh, but with the additional step of compacting the leaves into various shapes, each with a centuries-old history and name. Some forms are characterized by weak compression of the leaves, while others are created using special steam presses (such briquettes are very dense). Moreover, the higher the compression ratio, the slower the aging process.

The most famous forms of pressed pu-erh are bincha (“pancake”) and tocha (“round-shaped tablet”). Less common are molds in the shape of a mushroom or pumpkin, as well as square or rectangular bricks.

How to drink pu-erh tea to lose weight

First of all, pu-erh is drunk warm, not hot.

It is important that this tea is recommended to be consumed only after meals or immediately before meals, as otherwise it may negatively affect the stomach.

In addition, there are two methods of consuming pu-erh for weight loss. In the first case, a cup of tea (200 ml) is drunk about half an hour before meals to reduce appetite. Half an hour after eating, drink another half cup of pu-erh, thereby ending the meal and stimulating digestion.

In the second case, tea is drunk instead of food, for example, instead of dinner, since breakfast and lunch cannot be skipped. However, with this option, you should drink it at least 2 hours before bedtime so as not to cause insomnia.

Daily norm

To achieve results, you should drink up to 3 cups of pu-erh per day, otherwise post-fermented tea may cause unwanted side effects.

Is it possible to add milk, sugar, honey?

Of course, in order to lose weight, you should not add sugar to pu-erh. The same applies to honey, as it reduces the beneficial properties of tea. Sometimes milk can be added to the drink. For this you will need:

8 g shu puer;
0.5 liters of milk (fat content 1-2.5%).

The tea is poured with hot milk and infused for 15-20 minutes.

Pu'er with milk

If you are a sophisticated pu-erh lover, or you are tired of its taste, try brewing pu-erh with milk. This recipe will not only open up a new taste for you, but will be beneficial and will also warm you up wonderfully:

Bring the milk to a boil.
At this time, you can rinse the tea with boiling water to prepare it for brewing.
As soon as we notice the first signs of boiling, immerse the tea leaves in milk and heat over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring.
Let it brew and cool.

The result is a very well-warming and satisfying drink.

Reviews from experts

Nutritionists confirm the drink’s ability to influence the process of losing weight, but warn that its effectiveness is exaggerated.

Nadezhda Vorontsova, nutritionist, St. Petersburg: Many people believe that pu-erh can burn fat. In fact, it has the same effect as that observed when drinking regular black or green tea - it invigorates and tones. Pu-erh can only be called an auxiliary remedy, since you fill your stomach with tea. Perhaps it will help you switch from cravings to other foods or increase endurance during sports, but all these are just additional properties that will not help in any way if you do not take weight loss seriously.

Beneficial properties of tea for weight loss

There are several types. Any product is suitable for weight loss, the main thing is that it is a high-quality original product. Compare different types of flavors to find the right variety. There are 2 main types - shu (quickly aged) and shen (young, fermented) - they differ in the method of fermentation, smell and shades of taste.

Both varieties are filling and invigorating, so you don’t have to serve them with sweets or other snacks. But the taste of young tea is a little more delicate and less tart than artificially aged tea.

Sometimes tea can be served in a special form - “xiaotou”, in the form of small medals or coins for one-time brewing. It may also include natural aromatic additives: rose petals, lotus petals and other aromatic plants.

Sometimes you can find it in the form of a resin: the concentrated form for dissolving in a teapot has the appearance of a pearl.

Beneficial properties of tea:

promotes good absorption of fatty foods,
nourishing and nutritious, relieves hunger - this is the main factor in using pu-erh tea for weight loss,
contains few calories,
normalizes metabolism,
removes toxins and toxic substances from the body, neutralizes the effects of harmful substances,
does not irritate the gastric mucosa,
removes stagnant fluid from the body, maintains water balance,
improves immunity, helps fight infections,
reduces blood sugar and excess cholesterol levels,
does not contain artificial components,
invigorates and tones, reduces drowsiness,
serves for the prevention of cancer,
improves the functioning of the heart and blood vessels, prevents the development of heart attack, apoplexy and thrombophlebitis.

Reviews of those losing weight

For informational purposes, here are a few reviews left by visitors to our site through the comment form.

Review from Natalya: I’m losing weight, and my friends recommended Pu-erh tea to me. It is useful in that it removes various toxins and excess fluid from the body, and thereby helps to reduce weight. I can say that it really invigorates well, and therefore you shouldn’t drink it in the evenings, otherwise you won’t fall asleep.

This tea certainly has a strange taste, I don't think everyone will like it. Tart, slightly bitter, smells of something incomprehensible, seaweed or something. Plus I drink it without sugar. I don’t know if it helps you lose weight, as everyone says about it. Of course, you need to eat right and exercise, then you will see results.

Review from Anna: On the Internet I came across a description of a miracle tea with an interesting name - Pu-erh, which promotes weight loss. I bought it to try. It is important that when brewing it, you need to fill it with boiling water and drain the first water in order to wash away this terrible smell of earth and dampness from it. Imagine my surprise when I received amazing black tea! Very tasty, aromatic, and I actually lost a couple of pounds in a month.

Pu-erh tea for weight loss: reviews

Of course, it’s better to see once (in our case, try) than to hear a hundred times. Therefore, today hudeem-bez-problem.ru presents to your attention the opinions of those who have used pu-erh tea for weight loss: reviews of those who have already tried it are the same other people’s experience from which, they say, smart people learn.

Recently I finally tried pu-erh tea. What can I say? The peculiar taste and aroma of “raw foliage”
is not for everyone. However, both the smell and taste become less if the tea is allowed to sit. As for the weight loss effect, in a relatively short time of drinking this tea I felt lightness throughout my body; If the scales confirm my feelings, I will recommend it to all my friends and acquaintances. Natalia.
I drank pu-erh, ate everything - the weight was still there. Well, at least I haven’t gained weight! Maybe this is the effect? Masha.
I lost seven kilos with the help of pu-erh tea. Of course, not just tea. At the same time, I went jogging and limited my carbohydrate intake. However, previously these measures on their own did not help me, and only in combination with tea
did I achieve the effect. Tatiana.
I drank pu-erh to lose weight for a whole month, 2 times a day: in the morning and during the day (if you drink it in the evening, then it’s difficult to fall asleep). Yes, the taste is unusual, even disgusting, but I'm used to it. Yes, it's invigorating. But I still didn’t manage to lose even a kilogram. And if you change your diet to pu-erh, what will happen to the tea?! Elle.
For me, pu-erh is a real salvation when I need to cheer myself up: it tones up better than coffee,
and it improves my overall well-being. And on top of that, it helps you lose weight - proven! Olga.

We hope that with our help you were able to decide whether pu-erh is suitable for you for weight loss.

Of course, only you yourself can give the final answer to this question. And we wish you to achieve the results you dream of!

Author - Alexandra Shepitko, portal about weight loss WE LOSE WEIGHT without problems!

Types and varieties of pu-erh

Getting acquainted with pu-erh should begin with studying its classification. Initially, the product is divided into three types:

Green tea (Shen). It turns out the classic way. These are large greenish-brown leaves. The tea prepared from them turns out golden-red. The drink smells faintly of smoke, apples and dried fruits.
Black tea (Shu). It turns out in an accelerated way. The leaves are small, brown-black or with a golden tint. The smell is sharp, earthy, slightly bitter. The finished infusion can turn from red and brown to black.
White puerh. It looks like a green variety of tea, but the leaves are covered with a white coating. The drink has a specific smell of meadow herbs and honey.

Interesting fact! In ancient times, the birth of a girl in a wealthy Chinese family was accompanied by the creation of tea preparations. They reached the desired state by the time it was time for her to get married. Puer was considered a sign of wealth and was included in the dowry.

Pu-erh is further divided into subspecies based on the type of raw material (type and size of leaves) and stages of fermentation. The main thing to know here is that the best tea is considered to be aged for 20 years.

Pu-erh has a dark green color and cannot be cheap.

Types of pressed pu-erh

Lovers of unique tea understand that the beneficial properties of pu-erh do not depend on the province in which it is produced. Despite this, they try to consume the same type of product, because each of them allows them to obtain a drink that is unique in taste and aroma:

Bin cha (flatbread or puck). For their production, raw materials from the largest and oldest trees are used. The weight of the cakes is acceptable in the range from 100 g to 5 kg. Tocha (nest or bowl). In this case, the serving size should not exceed 3 kg, although the minimum weight can be any.
Juan cha (parallelepiped or brick). The simplest type of product for which there are no special requirements.
Fan cha (cube). Its weight rarely exceeds several hundred grams. There should be an imprint of a hieroglyph on the surface of one of the faces.
Jin cha (mushroom). Puerh from Tibet. Quite rare and very high quality tea.
Jin gua (pumpkin). There should be longitudinal depressions on the surface. Initially, the variety was used only by representatives of Chinese royal families. Any deviation from these rules should alert you. If the shape of the product does not correspond to the declared one or there is a strong discrepancy in weight, most likely the pu-erh is not real or the technology was violated during its production.

Reviews

Anatoly: I bought a small pu-erh cake in Tibet, where I went on an excursion. It was there that I learned how to brew it correctly and understand the taste. It is impossible to buy the correct shen from us, everything is fake. But I liked the one I bought at home. Firstly, it is great invigorating. If you have no strength at all, want to sleep, and so on, then 2 cups are enough to get back on your feet. Secondly, it lifts your spirits and makes you want to do something... A very positive product.

Marina: I ordered tea from an online store. I was assured that this was genuine Chinese puer. I tried it, it tasted kind of earthy, tart, cloudy infusion, in general, some kind of gruel. I expected miracles, but what I got...

Inessa: This is a traditional Chinese product, for us it is nothing more than exotic, therefore we cannot always understand and appreciate its taste. The question is what is offered to us on the market, because we don’t know what real pu-erh should taste like. I prefer regular black Ceylon tea, I at least understand something about it, and I found a brand that suits me a long time ago.

Maxim: Pressed tea is a special drink. If you drink it constantly, you really feel a surge of strength and energy. I drink 1 liter a day, I manage to sleep for a maximum of 4 hours and at the same time I feel normal and my performance level is at the level. I think that this is the merit of pu-erh.