Is Tea Good or Bad for Your Health?

Questions like – is tea good for health, hardly get clear answers. Most people end the query by saying – it depends.

The short answer is – tea is mostly good for health unless you drink it in certain circumstances.

Now, one of the certain circumstances in which tea is not good for health is when you drink it in excess.

In this article today, we’ll clarify and tell you in which circumstances tea is good for health and which it isn’t. We’ll also share the advantages or disadvantages tea can offer you depending on these circumstances. So, stay tuned till the end.

When (And How) Is Tea Bad For Health?

Tea is good for health, unless:

• You drink it with sugar:

The many properties of tea get reduced when you add sugar to it. Plus, when sugar gets into your bloodstream, it can bring unnecessary jitters and make you more vulnerable to diabetes.

• You drink it with milk:

While milk is healthy on its own, tea becomes acidic if it contains milk. Tea contains powerful antioxidants but adding milk reduces the amount of these antioxidants. Thus, making an otherwise healthful blend, a reason for inflammation and acidity.

• You drink caffeinated tea in the evenings:

Having caffeine in the evening can keep you awake at night. Thus hampering your sleep. If you must have tea in the evenings, the best option would be chamomile or lavender tea. Such herbal teas are highly relaxing and contain zero caffeine.

• You drink more than the recommended amount of caffeinated tea when pregnant:

Caffeine from beverages such as tea may raise your chance of issues during pregnancy. These include problems like miscarriage and poor infant birth weight. That’s why the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists advises against taking more than 200 mg per day.

• You have acid reflux symptoms like heartburn:

Caffeine in tea may relax the sphincter that separates your esophagus and stomach. Thus, allowing acidic stuff in the stomach to flow more easily into the esophagus. This can lead to acid reflux and thus symptoms like heartburn, nausea and may become the root cause of more troublesome issues like GERD.

• You have low hemoglobin – problem with iron absorption:

Tannins, a type of chemical are abundant in tea. Tannins in certain meals can bind to iron, making it inaccessible for absorption in the digestive tract.

• When you drink it in excess:

The definition of excess may vary from person to person. For a pregnant woman, the excess may be more than a cup a day, for an average workaholic adult, it can be more than 3 cups a day.

Tea with a lot of caffeine can make you dizzy. This adverse effect is less prevalent than others, and it usually only happens if you drink more than 6–12 cups (1.4–2.8 liters) of tea. Also, caffeine from tea may cause persistent headaches if consumed regularly.

How Is Tea Good For Health?

1. It improves heart health.

Those who drink tea are less likely to acquire the atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. They also have fewer chances of dying prematurely, according to a study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

2. It is a fantastic alternative to coffee.

Traditional teas contain less than half of the caffeine in coffee, while herbal blends have none. That means tea won’t make you jittery.

3. It improves immunity.

Tea has been found in studies to help immune cells tune-up. Tea can do so thanks to its antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory characteristics. These are the reasons why Ayurvedic practitioners love to use holy basil (tulsi) tea, ginger tea, or turmeric tea to help maintain the immune system. And that too, even after injuries or illnesses.

4. It helps keep digestive health in check.

Because herbal teas are antispasmodic, they can help persons with IBS or similar digestive issues. The anti-inflammatory properties of teas also help keep the digestive system healthy. Its metabolic properties help with the same by aiding the breakdown of food.

5. It helps maintain weight.

During a 2008 research, 60 obese individuals consumed neither green tea or a placebo daily for 12 weeks while on a standardized diet.

Green tea drinkers shed 7.3 pounds (3.3 kg) more weight throughout the study than those who took a placebo.

Green tea can do so thanks to its metabolic properties.

And when you drink caffeinated drinks, you have even more chances of losing weight. All thanks to caffeine’s ability to energize you and break down your fat. Plus, caffeine also helps get rid of water weight.

6. It fights against diabetes.

Green tea catechins may help keep blood sugar in check, lowering the risk of Type 2 diabetes. Teas like spearmint, peppermint, chamomile, and turmeric also help with the same, thanks to the presence of antioxidants in them.

7. It helps you with instant energy.

There’s a reason why morning tea has been a norm since traditional times. The caffeine in tea helps you conquer the groggy mornings. It does so by suppressing the sleep hormone and increasing happiness hormones. Also, the carbs in tea help with instant energy, especially when you take it with sugar.

Wrapping Up

So, is tea good for your health or not?

As mentioned above, there are several benefits of tea, but also many drawbacks in certain circumstances. Depending on your lifestyle, the decision of whether it’s good or bad now lies in your hands.

Comment below if you are in favor or against tea drinking? Don’t forget to mention why.