Drinking tea has been found to have huge health benefits from keeping free radicals at bay to preventing heart diseases. These are just a few reasons why many are into sipping tea these days but as with all types of health drinks, there are downsides to drinking this kind of beverage. The good news is that these side effects are usually found in true teas and not the herbal blends.
The Disadvantages of Tea Drinking
- Complications caused by caffeine. Compared to coffee, the caffeine in tea is not that strong but it still has this compound which can cause jitters, nervousness, insomnia, nausea, and even irregular heartbeat. The amount of caffeine in tea tends to vary depending on the type. For example, oolong tea has moderate amounts while black tea has the most caffeine in it. Although the amount of caffeine in tea is below the recommended amount of caffeine intake per day, there are some people who can experience side effects even if they sip a cup only.
- Problems with iron absorption. Teas are well known for the amount of antioxidants present in them that are linked with numerous health benefits. Unfortunately, flavonoid, which is a type of antioxidant, can bind to the iron found in plant based foods that makes it difficult for the body to absorb this much needed nutrient. The best way to get the most iron in your system is to limit your tea intake in between meals or simply add lemon spritz to your tea drink to counter the effect of flavonoids in iron.
- Too much sugar. Although plain tea doesn’t really contain any calories or sugar for that matter, there are some iced teas in a bottle that are packed with sugar and calories too. A sweetened tea can contain 50 to 90 calories per cup. The sugar found in these bottles doesn’t really have any nutritional value but people tend to drink more than is necessary. The AHA or American Heart Association recommends that men stick to 150 calories from added sugar while women should have 100 calories only.
- Stained teeth. Drinking tea does offer numerous health benefits but you’ll probably think twice about smiling too much because the tint in the tea can actually stain your pearly whites. Sadly, tea does stain like red wine, coffee, and other colored beverages. If you are concerned about the stains on your teeth from the tea that you’ve been drinking, you should make it a habit to brush your teeth after you drink your beverage as well as drink plenty of water to get rid of any staining agents that may linger afterwards.
These are just a few disadvantages that are linked with drinking tea that you should know about especially when you are an avid fan of tea drinks. These shouldn’t stop you from enjoying the health benefits of tea, however, but you need to exercise caution if you don’t want to experience these problems at all.
