En Shi Yu Lu (恩施玉露, Ēn Shī Yù Lù) is a kind of Chinese green tea. It is native to the Enshi City of Hubei Province. Yu Lu means “jade dew”. En Shi Yu Lu is a kind of selenium-rich green tea and is a national geographical indication product of China.
In 1965, En Shi Yu Lu was selected as one of the top 10 famous Chinese tea, but now it is not. In 2008, it was selected as the first historical tea in Hubei Province.
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History of En Shi Yu Lu
During the Qing Dynasty (1636-1912), a tea merchant created the predecessor of En Shi Yu Lu, which was called “Yu Lv” meaning “jade green”. Later, people changed its name to a better one “Yu Lu” because of its beautiful appearance.
In 1938, another tea merchant improved Enshi Yulu to make it higher quality. Later, Enshi Yulu was sold to many cities in China. In 1973, it began to be exported to Japan at Guangzhou Commodity Fair.
In recent decades, the Enshi municipal government has strengthened brand promotion and protection, which makes En Shi Yu Lu develop rapidly.
In 2007, the government approved the implementation of geographical indication product protection for “En Shi Yu Lu”.
In 2014, the traditional production technique of “En Shi Yu Lu” was included in the “National Intangible Cultural Heritage List”.
In 2018, En Shi Yu Lu was the designated tea for the state affairs of China and India held in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, which makes En Shi Yu Lu more famous.
Characteristics of En Shi Yu Lu
Enshi City has undulating mountains, interlaced rivers, beautiful scenery, and rich natural resources, especially selenium resources. It is the selenium capital of the world. The soil is rich in selenium. Selenium-rich tea is originated here. En Shi Yu Lu is the representative of Enshi selenium-rich tea.
In the processing En Shi Yu Lu, Zheng Qing (Steaming) is used, which is an ancient traditional technology that can deactivate the enzymes of the fresh leaves. Most of the green teas are made with Chao Qing (Stir-frying) and Hong Qing (Baking).
The shape of the finished En Shi Yu Lu is thin and regular like pine needles. Its color is jade green. Its surface is covered with white hairs, which is called “Bai Hao”, a good signal of a high-quality tea.
After brewing, its tea liquid is clear and green and has a fresh fragrance. It tastes fresh and has a sweet aftertaste.
En Shi Yu Lu belongs to green tea. It should be made with 80℃-85℃ water.
Benefits of En Shi Yu Lu
En Shi Yu Lu is rich in selenium. The selenium content of it is much higher than that of other green teas. Selenium has a strong anti-aging function and can effectively inhibit the growth of the tumor.
Researches show that the antioxidant capacity of 30ml of En Shi Yu Lu is equivalent to 225ml of red wine, 7 cups of orange juice, or 600g of apples. Besides, En Shi Yu Lu is also rich in amino acids, vitamins, trace elements, tea polyphenols, etc.
Benefits of En Shi Yu Lu:
- Detox
- Diuretic
- Weight loss
- Anti-aging
- Anti-cancer
- Antibacterial
- Lower blood sugar
- Lower blood lipids
- Inhibit the cardiovascular disease