Food

Sip on These 5 Oolong Tea Benefits for Your Mind and Body

Discover a registered dietitian's top five oolong tea benefits, backed by scientific research, for boosting the mind and body.

alt
Photo: Stocksy/ Ivan Gener
Updated Dec 18, 2023

Written by 

Emily Laurence

Our editors independently select these products. Making a purchase through our links may earn Well+Good a commission

If black tea and green tea had a baby, it would be a taste and look a little like oolong tea. Slightly grassy with a hint of sweetness, oolong is a bit harder to track down than its cousins Earl Grey, matcha, or English breakfast, but it’s definitely worth going out of your way to find given its impressive health-boosting, stress-reducing benefits.

Experts in This Article

Amy Shapiro

founder and director of Real Nutrition

“It has similar health benefits to black and green tea and is actually made from the same leaves as green tea. The difference is how it’s processed,” explains registered dietitian Amy Shapiro, RD. “Green tea leaves are not allowed to oxidize much and black tea is. Oolong falls somewhere in the middle.” Here, Shapiro spills the tea on oolong’s benefits, plus some of the best ways to drink up.

What are some health-related oolong tea benefits?

1. It can help the body manage stress. According to Shapiro, oolong tea contains L-theanine, an amino acid that’s associated with sleep and relaxation. “This is what is responsible for the relaxing effect oolong tea has,” she says. Scientific research shows that L-theanine stimulates alpha waves in your brain, which are associated with a relaxed, focused state of mind. Of course, oolong also has caffeine, so you’ll feel focused, not sleepy. (So, better as a mid-afternoon pick-me-up than a bedtime drink.)

The good news? If oolong isn’t exactly your cup of tea (pun intended), there are several other L-theanine teas on the market to try. This includes options such as green, black, and matcha teas. All of which are also packed with the stress-reducing benefits of L-theanine.

2. Oolong tea is full of polyphenols. Shapiro also points out that oolong tea is high in polyphenols, which are linked to lowering inflammation and can potentially help protect the body against free radicals and prevent the growth of certain types of cancers and other illnesses.

3. It can help with inflammation. “This is likely because of the high amount of polyphenols and antioxidants,” Shapiro says of this connection. (Basically, the antioxidants in the tea help combat free radical damage.) “Also, because oolong tea can help with maintaining overall health, that in turn can help prevent further damage.”

4. It may be good for brain health. Scientists have found that consuming oolong tea could help prevent cognitive diseases, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, because of its high content of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCGs), a plant compound believed to help reduce inflammation, and L-theanine. “One reason may be due to the caffeine in the tea as caffeine increases neurotransmitter activity in the brain,” Shapiro adds. “Also, the L-theanine reduces anxiety and increases alertness and attention. Finally the antioxidants and polyphenols in the tea also help,” she says.

5. It could help protect against certain cancers. “Oolong tea is abundant in antioxidants much like green and black tea which has also been shown to fight and prevent certain cancers and illnesses in the body, including oral cancer along with lung, esophageal, pancreatic, liver, and colorectal cancers,” Shapiro says. “However, more research is needed on oolong specifically since most of the research is on green and black teas.” To her point, because oolong tea isn’t as popular as black or green, there is less research on it.

How to enjoy oolong tea

Like black or green teas (aka one the best teas for skin), oolong tea can be enjoyed hot or iced; the temperature won’t affect all the amazing health benefits. When making your tea, allow it to steep for a full five minutes to get the maximum potency. Once the leaves have fulfilled their steeping duty, you can place the used tea bags on eyes to help reduce inflammation, for an easy zero-waste hack. The caffeine found in oolong can help depuff the delicate skin around your eyes by helping constrict blood vessels and tightens the skin, this can also potentially help reduce the appearance of dark circles.

advertisement

As mentioned, oolong tea isn’t as popular as some other tea varietals, but if you can’t find it at a locale cafe or tea shop, it’s readily available online. DavidsTea, Bigelow, Twinings, and Art of Tea all have oolong tea as part of their collections, and are just some of our favorites. Bottoms up!

What is the best time to drink oolong tea?

As mentioned earlier, oolong tea contains caffeine that may help you feel focused and energized throughout the day. As such, this jolt of energy may be best suited for morning or afternoon, when you’re looking to get that extra pep in your step. (For context, oolong and green tea contain about the same amounts of caffeine, aka roughly 10 to 60 milligrams per eight-ounce cup.) In other words, a relaxing, sleepytime tea—something along the lines of chamomile, lavender, or other decaffeinated herbal drink—would be a better choice for the evening if unwinding for the night is the goal.

That said, sleep experts argue that drinking teas rich in L-theanine (and a bit of caffeine) during the day can potentially mean better shuteye come bedtime; the key is simply when you drink it. “Drinking green tea throughout the day—yes, rather than at night—may be helpful for reducing fatigue and increasing sleep quality,” Michael Breus, PhD, a leading sleep specialist known as “The Sleep Doctor” and clinical psychologist, previously shared with Well+Good.

The compound in green (and oolong) tea called L-theanine helps the brain relax by reducing stress-related hormones and neuron excitement. The trick? Consuming the beverage at least a few hours before you hit the hay. If you regularly consume teas with L-theanine, and do it several hours ahead of bedtime, you can still reap its sleep-inducing benefits without the caffeine buzz, the sleep expert explains. In other words, oolong tea benefits include sustained energy during the day, and relaxation perks during the night. A win-win.

Can I drink oolong tea on an empty stomach?

Although sipping oolong tea on an empty stomach is generally safe for most individuals, it can trigger GI-related discomfort for others. “For some individuals, drinking coffee and tea on an empty stomach may cause heartburn, indigestion, or nausea because they may stimulate acid production in the stomach,” registered dietitian nutritionist Keri Gans, RDN, previously shared with Well+Good.

If that’s the case for you, you’ll simply want to pair the drink with food in order to prevent these symptoms from occurring. That said, if you continue to experience any of the aforementioned symptoms despite consuming the drink with food, it’s best to consult a medical professional to ensure there are no additional underlying conditions at play.

Also, it’s important to be mindful that if you’re sensitive to caffeine, then you should be wary of potential tea headaches that can arise due to the caffeine content. If that’s the case you may want to opt for other kinds of herbal tea for energy, like peppermint or ginger, instead of ones that actually contain caffeine. And if you’re simply curious about the health benefits of other teas and want to explore some more options, here’s why hibiscus tea and barley tea can be good for you too.

An herbalist shares an easy herbal tea recipe that can help calm your system for a good night’s rest:

Sign Up for Our Daily Newsletter

Get all the latest in wellness, trends, food, fitness, beauty, and more delivered right to your inbox.

FoodCooking

11 Ingredients to Try If You’re Out of Eggs

Those little protein powerhouses don’t come cheap these days.

Eggs cracked and spilled on a counter
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Published Feb 10, 2025

Written by 

Korin Miller

Most people have a love-hate relationship with eggs right now. The breakfast staple is hard to find at many stores but, even when you manage to track a carton down, the sky-high prices are enough to make even the most devoted egg fan rethink their choices. 

advertisement

Data from the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) shows a clear uptick in prices over time, with wholesale prices (what the store pays egg suppliers) in New York jumping 52 cents to $7.24 per dozen in December alone. In California, a dozen eggs will now set you back almost $9. Exact prices vary by location, but a USDA report from this week shows that egg prices are continuing to rise. With bird flu continuing to swirl in flocks, you can expect those prices to stay up for a while. 

If you like to have your eggs scrambled, boiled, or fried, you may decide to buck up and pay more for a dozen while being mindful of how often you eat them. But if you tend to use eggs in baking, it can be helpful to know there are other options that give you the same taste and texture you’re after without blowing a ton of money. With that in mind, I tapped three dietitians for their advice on the best egg substitutes, plus how to use them so you don’t end up feeling deprived. 

What is the best way to use egg substitutes?

Many substitutes aren’t designed to replace eggs that you’d eat as a main attraction on your plate. Instead, they’re best used in a baking recipe, although each has its own niche. “Eggs in recipes not only add protein and nutrients, but moisture and also act as a binder to hold other ingredients together as they cook or bake,” says Nancy Oliveira, RD, manager of nutrition and wellness services at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “They also help to trap air which causes baked goods to rise and become fluffy.” In order to work, substitutions need to have similar properties, Oliveira says. 

“Before you replace eggs in a recipe, you need to know what they were there for,” Christy Brissette, RD, dietitian and owner of 80 Twenty Nutrition. “Was it to help it rise when baking, to bind it together, or was it adding moisture?” 

If you’re baking something that needs to rise, Brissette suggests adding ½ tsp of baking powder along with your egg-replacing ingredient, if it isn’t already in the recipe. “For baking, mashed banana, applesauce, mashed avocado, puréed pumpkin, pureed sweet potato or silken tofu help bind the ingredients together and add moisture,” she says. Just add ¼ cup to replace one large egg in a recipe. Brissette warns that some of these ingredients can alter the flavor of the final product, so choose your substitutions carefully. 

If you need something to bind your ingredients together, Brissette suggests using ground flax seeds or whole chia seeds. Mix 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds or chia seeds with 3 tablespoons of water and let sit for five minutes. “This will form a gel that you can then add to your wet ingredients,” Brissette says, noting that this hack also adds more fiber to your dish. “These options work well in recipes for quickbreads such as pancakes, muffins, and zucchini bread,” she says. The flavor of this combination is neutral, Oliveira says, and “you get a boost of omega-3 fatty acids, too.”

In recipes like burgers or meatballs, the egg acts to bind the ingredients together so they don't fall apart, Brissette says. “If I don't have eggs on hand, I'll use oats, cooked rice, or breadcrumbs with a bit of water,” she says. “You can also sub in mashed sweet potato or mashed potato or squash to help it bind and add some moisture.” 

Aquafaba—or the liquid that’s left over in a can of chickpeas—is a great option as a binder in baked goods or vegan mayonnaise, per Brissette. “You can even use it to replace egg whites in recipes like meringue and macaroons,” she says. “Just whip it up in a mixer with some cream of tartar for three to five minutes to form stiff peaks.” Aquafaba doesn’t contain a lot of nutrients but it’s easy and many people already have cans sitting around. “It’s great to repurpose the liquid that we would normally toss out,” she adds. 

Overall, using egg swaps in your recipes may take a little trial and error. But, once you find one that works for you, it could end up saving money in the long run—and adding in extra nutrition in the process.

What are the best egg substitutes?

There are a lot of creative hacks for swapping out eggs in a recipe and each has its own special use in cooking. “The best substitute depends on the specific dish being prepared,” says Stephani Johnson, DCN, RDN, professor in the Department of Clinical and Preventive Nutrition Sciences at Rutgers University. 

advertisement

These are some of the biggies to keep in mind—and in your home:

  • Mashed soft fruit, like banana, pumpkin purée, avocado, applesauce, or yogurt
  • Soft tofu
  • Ground flaxseeds or chia seeds mixed with water
  • Vinegar and baking soda
  • Aquafaba, or chickpea liquid
  • Oats and water
  • Cooked rice 
  • Bread crumbs and water
  • Mashed potato or mashed sweet potato
  • Commercial egg replacers (these are usually made from potato and tapioca starch with added leavening agents like baking soda, Johnson says)
  • Mayonnaise (it contains egg, plus provides great moisture for baked goods)

How to get 12+ grams of protein elsewhere

Two eggs deliver about 12 grams of protein. And, if you’re limiting your egg use or skipping it entirely, it’s fair to wonder how else to get in that much protein. “There are many other ways to obtain 12 grams of protein beyond eating two eggs, including plant-based and alternative protein sources,” Johnson says.

Those include:

  • 2 ounces of animal meat, ~14 grams of protein
  • ⅔ cup Greek yogurt, 12 grams of protein
  • 3 tablespoons of peanut butter, 12 grams of protein
  • ½ cup cottage cheese, 13 grams of protein
  • 1 ½ cups of milk, 12 grams of protein

Sign Up for Our Daily Newsletter

Get all the latest in wellness, trends, food, fitness, beauty, and more delivered right to your inbox.

Health

Looking for Brain and Cardio Support? This Surprising Nutrient in Cocoa Can Help, According to an RD

An RD dishes on the benefits of cocoa flavanols for your heart and brain—and shares one simple way to incorporate them into your routine.

alt
Photo: Stocksy/Jovo Jovanovic Belgrade & Well+Good Creative
Published Jan 31, 2025

In Partnership With 

CocoaVia

Written by 

Well+Good Editors

You could call your brain and heart the co-captains, board of directors, command center (you get it) of your body. And yet it’s easy to move through a day, a week, or a year without checking in on either of them.

advertisement

But let’s get real—if the command center of your body isn’t functioning optimally, nothing in your body will be functioning optimally, so proactively supporting your brain and heart is seriously important. Luckily, there’s an easy way to support both using an ingredient you’re probably familiar with: cocoa. Specifically, cocoa flavanols, which are polyphenols found in the cacao plant that are known to promote healthy blood flow.

Quick science lesson: Flavanols are a subset of flavonoids, a group of compounds found in plants (including fruits and vegetables) that help increase your body’s nitric oxide production, which in turn allows your blood vessels to widen. Widened, or dilated, blood vessels function more effectively and help your body’s systems—your heart, your brain, and everything in between—function better, too.

That’s why registered dietitian Amy Shapiro, MS, RD, says incorporating cocoa flavanols into your routine is a simple way to boost your body’s overall functioning. But before you take free rein to eat as much chocolate as you want for the sake of your health, know that it would take a lot of brownies to fully reap the brain and cardio benefits of cocoa flavanols—and Shapiro cautions the unhealthy levels of sugars and fats associated with this kind of consumption (and direct heat from baking removes health benefits of flavanols). Instead, “a flavanol supplement would provide a concentrated, sugar-free [serving] of these compounds, making it a more effective way to support brain and heart health,*” she says.

CocoaVia™ capsules and powders are made with Cocoapro™, a cocoa flavanol extract that’s 24 times more concentrated than cocoa powder. These high-quality supplements are formulated specifically to help sustain long-term brain and heart health with virtually no effort, since you can take them in capsule form or stir them into your favorite beverage.†*

Plus, you can get 20 percent off all CocoaVia Cardio and Memory products (excluding the Cardio Stick Packs) with code WG2025. What better way to start giving your co-captains some love?

The brain benefits of cocoa flavanols

Incorporating a cocoa flavanol supplement into your daily lineup can help support your cognitive health by improving blood flow and neuron functioning†, Shapiro says. “Enhanced blood flow to the brain [may] support memory, focus, and overall cognitive function. By [supporting] neurons, flavanols also help preserve and maintain brain health as we age, improving overall quality of life.”

CocoaVia Memory+ is formulated with 750 milligrams of cocoa flavanols—which studies suggest is the clinically proven serving for improving three types of memory (including word recall, spatial memory, and long-term memory) in as few as eight to 12 weeks. CocoaVia Memory & Focus combines the flavanols with lutein, a carotenoid nutrient that Shapiro says is best known for its impact on eye health, but also has major cognitive benefits.†

Bonus: Memory & Focus is formulated with 50 milligrams of naturally occurring caffeine (or about one half the amount in a cup of coffee) to give you a little energy boost alongside all that brain support.

The cardio benefits of cocoa flavanols

As for your heart? “Cocoa flavanols support cardiovascular health by improving blood vessel elasticity…and enhancing blood flow—effects that are crucial for [retaining] healthy blood pressure…and promoting overall circulation, which benefits the entire body,” Shapiro says.

And the science supports her insights. From 2015 to 2020, Brigham and Women’s Hospital conducted The Cocoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study, or COSMOS. More than 20 thousand participants opted into the five-year study, which investigated the long-term impact of flavanols on health—and showed that participants who received 500 milligrams of cocoa flavanols daily, in accordance with the study protocol, had a 39-percent reduction in deaths from cardiovascular disease compared to those in the placebo group.

advertisement

CocoaVia’s heart health support comes in the form of capsules and powder, taken daily. If powder’s your preference, stir a scoop (or a stick pack) into hot water or coffee for an easy upgrade to your morning mug, or get fancy with a batch of chocolatey overnight oats for breakfast, protein energy balls for the mid-afternoon slump, or black bean dip for your next taco night.

There’s never a bad time to offer your body’s board of directors a little extra support—so snag these heart and brain supplements* while they’re 20 percent off, and celebrate your new routine with a steamy cup of cocoa.

Shop CocoaVia™ Supplements

*Always talk to your doctor about adding supplements to your routine.

† This statement has not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Hey wellness seeker! Friendly reminder that—like all of wellness—the supplements you take are personal. Well+Good always recommends checking in with your health-care provider before adding a new supplement to your routine.

Sign Up for Our Daily Newsletter

Get all the latest in wellness, trends, food, fitness, beauty, and more delivered right to your inbox.

All Stories

Health

Men Can Get Breast Cancer, Too—but We Don’t Talk About It Enough

Everyone, regardless of gender, needs to be aware about their breast health.

by Korin Miller
on Feb 11
Doctor doing an ultrasound on man's chest in an examination room.
byWalmart

Yes, Your Dog Can Totally Be Your Valentine—Here Are 9 Pet-Perfect Finds from Walmart

by Helen Sidebotham
on Feb 11
pet finds at walmart for valentine's day
Health

I Finally Completed Dry January After Years of Trying—and This Is The Reason Why I’ll Do It Again

See you again in 2026!

by Byron Mobley II
on Feb 10
man in a white shirt and multicolored collared shirt drinking water from a plastic bottle
Health

Trying to “Go” but Can’t? Here Are 6 Types of Constipation That Could Be the Culprit

Plus, some natural remedies for a smoother move.

by Sarah Glinski, RD
on Feb 10
person in a white floral shirt sitting on the toilet in their bathroom with their bedroom in the background while looking at their phone to search the types of constipation
Beauty

7 of the Best Nail Looks From New York Fashion Week

From gold chrome to studded tips.

by Aimee Simeon
on Feb 10
model at fashion week with short gold nails