Can tea be harmful? True or not?

The benefits of tea are undeniable, it has been proven by all kinds of studies and the person had enough time to make sure of this. In most cultures, tea was initially positioned as a medicine, as a remedy for “seven ailments,” and only later it was discovered that tea can bring not only benefits, but also pleasure.

In China, tea has been drunk for more than 5000 years, and all this colossal period, wise Asians extol the virtues of this healing drink. Tea is credited with the ability to prolong life, fight cancer, strengthen the body and clarify thoughts. Tea relieves fatigue, has antiseptic and antimicrobial properties, strengthens the walls of blood vessels, removes toxins from the body - the list of utilities can be continued.

Against the background of the many advantages of tea, it is quite difficult to single out any negative effects on tea, but as they say, any coin has a downside.

The harm of tea

Yesterday's tea

It’s not in vain that the wise Chinese say that yesterday’s tea is like rattlesnake poison. Even if you did everything right and separated the tea leaf from the finished infusion. Tea contains a fairly large amount of protein and sugars, which makes it an ideal breeding ground for the development of bacteria. In addition, tea, standing for a day, loses most of the vitamins and other beneficial elements.

If your yesterday’s tea has not deteriorated, it can still be used, but only as an external remedy. Black tea is suitable for washing the eyes or rinsing the mouth, green tea is an excellent anti-aging facial toner (not in vain because the use of green tea is so common in cosmetology).

Tea with medicines

The Chinese claim that tea destroys medicine. And it is quite justified. The tannins contained in tea, splitting, form tannin, from which many drugs precipitate and are poorly absorbed.

Although this feature of tea can hardly be attributed to harmful properties. There is no harm in this case from tea, just the effect of drugs is reduced. So do not drink tea tablets!

Tea on an empty stomach

Tea, especially green and Shen Puer, increases the acidity of the stomach and causes appetite. If you feel even a slight hunger - do not provoke the stomach to secrete even more gastric juice, this can cause heartburn and other unpleasant sensations.

Tea immediately after eating

Despite the earlier tradition of drinking plenty of lunch with tea, we advise you to refrain from drinking tea immediately after eating. The tannins contained in tea can lead to the hardening of protein and iron, which impairs their absorption. Let the body absorb dinner and prepare for tea - wait 20-30 minutes.

In general, real tea is not combined with food. Tea drinking is an action separate from eating.

Too hot tea

I do not want to upset lovers of burning tea, but such a drink can burn the mucous membrane of the mouth, which will prevent it from fully enjoying its taste. In addition, you risk burning your throat, esophagus and stomach. The optimum temperature of tea is 60 degrees. If you brewed black tea with boiling water, leave it in a cup for 5-7 minutes, it will have time to reach a comfortable temperature.

Ice tea

The fashion for iced tea came to us from America. The danger of iced tea, like any other too cold drink, is that you can catch a sore throat. Since in this article we are talking about the possible harm of Chinese tea made from the leaves of Caméllia sinénsis (Chinese camellia), the risk of harming yourself with iced Chinese tea is negligible, since this method of preparation is not typical for Chinese tea.

Too much tea

“Everything is poison, everything is medicine; both determine the dose ”- the famous phrase of Paracelsus, the great reformer of medical science and practice. Excessive consumption of tea increases the load on the heart and kidneys, and can lead to frequent urination, overexcitation, and heart palpitations.

You should drink 4-5 cups of 250-300 ml per day if you are used to making tea in the usual European way. And it’s better to drink tea more often, but little by little, and always freshly brewed.

Kettles with a button are perfect for this.

Too little tea :-)

A deficiency in the diet of your favorite drink can lead to irritability, lethargy, apathy and even depression! Do not deny yourself the pleasure! :-)

Joking as a joke, but you must be aware that everything is good in moderation. Tea is undoubtedly useful, but you should not drink more than 1.5 liters of the finished drink per day.

I would also like to write about some categories of people who should be especially careful about the amount of tea consumed.

It is better for nursing mothers and pregnant women to refrain from tightly brewed black or green tea. Excess caffeine in breast milk can cause anxiety in the baby. An increased daily dose of caffeine can put additional stress on the heart and kidneys, which can increase the likelihood of developing toxicosis.

People with stomach problems should better refrain from green tea, because, as described above, it increases acidthe stomach. A moderate amount of shu puer, on the contrary, will be beneficial, since puer has the ability to envelop the intestinal walls and promotes digestion.

Patients with atherosclerosis and hypertension additional stimulation of the nervous system is also undesirable. When the cerebral cortex becomes agitated, the vessels narrow, which is harmful for patients with atherosclerosis and can lead to the formation of blood clots.

Summary

Tea is a wonderful healing drink, perhaps the healthiest and most popular drink on the planet. Millions of people enjoy drinking it daily and feel its beneficial effects. Tea can harm only certain categories of people with special health conditions, and then in the case of inadequate brewing and excessive quantities.

Also do not forget that different varieties of tea have completely different characteristics and effects on the body. Choose tea that will bring maximum benefit and pleasure to you.

Drink real tea and be healthy!

*Note. This article contains general information and does not in any way replace the qualified opinion of medical professionals.