Disclaimer: None of the information in this article constitutes medical advice, and is just the opinion of the writer(s). We recommend that patients follow their doctor’s guidance in regard to tea consumption.

Pu'er tea, also referred to as pu-erh tea, is a fermented tea native to China. It's also the healthiest tea you've never heard of.

But what health benefits has pu'er tea been shown to have? Are there any risks to taking it? How do real users rate and describe its effects? And which retailer has the best pu'er tea?

In this article we'll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze research studies on pu'er tea to document some of its potential health benefits.

We'll also feature real pu'er tea user reviews, and give our pick for the best pu'er tea brand.

Key takeaways:

• Pu'er tea has been shown in multiple clinical trials to improve gut health
• Pu'er tea has been shown in at least one clinical trial to have an anti-obesity effect
• Pique Pu'er Bundle is our top Pu'er tea pick

Proven Health Benefits

       1. Supports Optimal Gut Health

Pu'er tea can support healthy gut bacteria, according to a medical review published in the Food Chemistry journal.

Among other beneficial effects, pu'er tea consumption was shown in this review to have "improved the integrity of the gut barrier" and "reduced the intestinal [inflammation]."

       2. Anti-Obesity Effect

Metabolic syndrome occurs when a patient has multiple comorbidities such as high blood pressure and diabetes.

In patients with metabolic syndrome, those consuming pu'er tea lost weight in a 2011 clinical trial.

The study authors concluded the following: "Pu'er tea demonstrated excellent potential in improving central obesity, adjusting blood lipid, lowering blood sugar, regulating immunity and resisting oxidation."

       3. May Normalize Circadian Rhythm

Circadian rhythm is the body's sleep-wake cycle, which is often negatively impacted in modern societies due to blue light exposure (from devices like phones and laptops which can make it harder to sleep).

Two different clinical trials found pu'er tea to have beneficial effects on the circadian rhythm.

A 2023 animal study found that pu'er tea consumption reduced depressive behaviors due to blue light exposure.

A 2022 clinical trial reported that pu'er tea consumption "restored circadian rhythm disruption" by normalizing tryptophan levels in the brain.

We haven't come across any clinical trials in humans suggesting that pu'er tea causes side effects.

Our Top Pu'er Tea Pick

Pique Pu'er Bundle is our top pu'er tea pick.

It contains both green pu'er tea and black pu'er tea, both traditionally fermented, and both 100% organic with no other ingredients.

We've tried both teas ourselves and like the taste and health effects (the black tea in particular has a slightly tart taste and is rejuvenating).

We also find the bundle to be healthier than either tea in isolation, because as we documented in our article on the healthiest Dunkin drinks, black tea and green tea have different proven health benefits.

We Tried Pu'er Tea Ourselves

As the author of this article, I wanted to try Pu'er tea myself to share my thoughts on its taste and health effects:

I tried Pique Pu'er Tea as a coffee replacement for a week.

The taste is slightly sweet and floral and a significant improvement to the taste of regular black tea in my opinion. I dislike the bitterness of plain black tea.

I don't have gut health or obesity issues so I can't comment on those effects, but this tea did seem to have a favorable effect on my sleep rhythm.

I've always been a night owl and often work late and wake late, which doesn't feel optimally healthy, and which I'm always trying to reverse. When taking this tea, I found myself sleeping and waking an hour or so earlier than usual, which I liked.

It's not as strong or caffeinated as coffee, so I don't plan to make it a full replacement, but I definitely plan to replace my typical black tea with this product for the health and taste benefits.

America's Test Kitchen on Pu'er Tea Tips

A pu'er tea expert shared her thoughts on how to properly brew and taste pu'er tea in a segment on America's Test Kitchen with over 75,000 views:

Conclusion

Pu'er tea may be unfamiliar to most Americans, but it has a number of proven and potential health benefits based on legitimate clinical research.

The research on pu'er tea's support of gut health was the most convincing in our view, but it also may benefit the health of individuals with metabolic syndrome.

Pique Pu'er Bundle is our top pu'er tea pick, because it's certified organic, fermented (as is traditional practice for this type of tea), and contains no unhealthy additives.

Drinking black and green pu'er tea may be healthier than drinking either in isolation, because the different types contain different health benefits.