Pu-erh tea is often promoted as assisting in lowering
cholesterol. Some studies have supported this use, and some have
suggested that it can improve the heart. It is also reputed as a
"diet" tea since there is evidence that it may change the body's
metabolism, and/or help the body to digest fat and saturated
oils.
Pur-erh tea, especially Sheng (raw) Pu-erh, can be aged, often
for as long as 15 years.
Although there is evidence supprting the use of Pu-erh to lower
cholesterol, there is also evidence that other teas, such as green
tea, may have this effect as well, and it has not been exhaustively
established that Pu-erh is uniformly healthier than other teas.