GABA Oolong 佳葉龍茶

▮ Product: GABA Oolong
▮ Origin: Taiwan
▮ Cultivar: Qingxin Oolong

▮ About GABA Tea

GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid) is a type of amino acid naturally present in small amounts in tea leaves.

In the 1980s, Japanese researcher Dr. Tsushida Tojiro and his team discovered that when fresh tea leaves are kept under oxygen-deprived conditions, some of their glutamate is converted into GABA, resulting in a significant accumulation of GABA. This discovery later led to the development of what is now known as GABA tea.

GABA tea is produced by introducing an oxygen-deprived stage during processing to encourage the accumulation of GABA. It is therefore not a specific type of tea: green, oolong, and black teas can all be made using the GABA process.

Generally, GABA tea is expected to contain at least 150 mg of GABA per 100 g of dried tea leaves.

GABA is an important inhibitory neurotransmitter in the human body and is involved in regulating neural activity, with roles related to relaxation, stress response, and blood pressure regulation. However, current research suggests that orally consumed GABA does not readily cross the blood-brain barrier and therefore may not act directly on the brain. Some studies have proposed possible indirect pathways involving GABA receptors in the gut, the gut–brain axis, and the peripheral nervous system.

Other studies have observed improvements in certain stress- and anxiety-related measures following GABA consumption, although its actual effects and underlying mechanisms remain inconclusive.

▮ About This GABA Oolong

This tea is made from Taiwanese Qingxin Oolong. After indoor withering, the fresh leaves undergo approximately 10 hours of oxygen-deprived vacuum treatment, followed by around 1.5 hours of agitation. This cycle is repeated three times before the leaves continue through the subsequent stages of oolong processing, including pan-firing, and are finally roasted.

More importantly, we chose this tea because it is a well-crafted oolong in its own right. Despite undergoing the GABA process, it retains the distinctive character of Qingxin Oolong rather than being dominated by the typical flavours associated with GABA processing.

The leaves are harvested during the early-summer period between Mangzhong (Grain in Ear) and the Summer Solstice, when tea green leafhoppers are particularly active. Some of the leaves are bitten by the leafhoppers, which, together with the subsequent processing, may contribute to the tea’s honeyed and ripe-fruit character.

The finished tea offers honeyed and ripe-fruit aromas with warm roasted notes. The liquor is sweet, smooth, full-bodied yet gentle, with low bitterness and astringency and a lingering mouthwatering finish.

▮ 茶品：GABA 烏龍茶／佳葉龍茶
▮ 產地：台灣
▮ 品種：青心烏龍

▮ 關於 GABA 茶

GABA（γ-胺基丁酸）是胺基酸的一種，茶葉本身便含有少量 GABA。
1980 年代，日本研究人員津志田藤二郎等發現，茶鮮葉在缺氧環境下，會將部分麩胺酸（Glutamate）轉化並累積為較高含量的 γ-胺基丁酸（GABA），其後逐漸發展成今天所稱的 GABA Tea／佳葉龍茶。

所謂 GABA 茶，是在製作過程中經過缺氧處理，促使 GABA 大量累積。因此，GABA 茶並非特定的茶類；綠茶、烏龍茶、紅茶等，都可以製成 GABA 茶。一般來說，每100g 乾茶的 GABA 含量需達到150 mg 或以上，才會被稱為 GABA 茶。

GABA 是人體重要的抑制性神經傳導物質，參與調節神經興奮，與放鬆、壓力調節及血壓調控等生理作用有關。不過，現有研究認為，口服 GABA 難以通過血腦屏障，因此未必能直接進入大腦並發揮作用。

部分研究提出，攝取的 GABA 可能透過腸道中的 GABA 受體、腸腦軸及周邊神經系統間接產生影響；亦有研究觀察到，攝取 GABA 後，參與者的壓力及焦慮相關指標有所改善，但其實際作用機制與效果仍未有定論。

▮ 這款 GABA 烏龍

這款茶以台灣青心烏龍製作。室內萎凋後，茶菁進行約 10 小時真空缺氧處理，再攪拌約 1.5 小時，整個程序反覆三次，其後再進行炒菁等烏龍茶製作工序，最後加以烘焙。

我們選擇它，更重要的是它本身是一款工藝優良的烏龍茶。經過 GABA 製程後，既呈現出 GABA 茶獨特的風味，同時仍保留青心烏龍本身的品種特色，而不是只剩下強烈的 GABA 製程味。

而茶菁採自芒種至夏至前後的夏季時節，正值小綠葉蟬較活躍的季節，部分茶菁受到小綠葉蟬刺吸，配合後續工藝，為香氣帶來蜜甜與熟果調性的可能。

因此，成茶帶有蜜香、熟果香與溫暖的烘焙氣息，滋味甜純順滑，茶湯飽滿而柔和，久浸也不苦澀，飲後生津。