All over the world, people are beginning to realize the benefits of drinking tea, specifically, green tea. More and more studies are proving that green tea has many beneficial health benefits and that regular intake of this tea can actually improve a person’s over-all health. (You also have a wide variety of teas to choose from.) But drinking tea is not as straight-forward as you think. There are some things that need to be followed in order to gain the maximum benefits of drinking tea.
1. Let it cool.
Tea should be taken at a certain temperature – ideally between 56 to 62 degrees Celsius. Drink tea that is too hot and it could have some bad effects on your digestive system. Drink it too cold and it becomes – as some herbalists call it – ‘damp’. In this condition, tea is said to attract phlegm.
2. Throw away old tea.
Tea should be taken ‘fresh’. Drink the tea a little after you’ve brewed it. You will notice that when tea is left out for a long time, the color gradually darkens and it also loses it fragrant aroma. This is because the tea begins to oxidize, which is not a good thing as oxidation removes the good things that make tea a healthy beverage. This is why you should never drink tea that has been left overnight. Stale tea not only loses its nutrients, tea that has been left long enough will begin attracting bacteria.
3. Use that kitchen timer.
Over-brewing tea is not a good idea because it can actually change the chemical composition of the infusion. Tea that has been over-brewed can actually be harmful.
4. Watch that caffeine.
There is a common misconception among many people that getting the most concentrated dose of anything is better because the concoction is more packed with the good things that make it healthy. It may be true with some things but not with tea. A strongly brewed tea will have far more caffeine and polyphenols. Caffeine, as we all know, is a strong stimulant and getting too much of it can cause insomnia and even heart palpitations. Polyphenols, on the other hand, can stimulate the stomach to produce a lot of gastric acids that can result in a stomach upset.
5. Don’t mix your drinks.
You should not drink tea with alcohol. This combination can be harmful to the kidney’s and the excretory system. This a known cause of constipation and homeopaths say that it can even cause problems to the sexual organs – and no one wants that.
6. Don’t overdo it.
Too much of a good thing can be harmful, that’s why you shouldn’t drink too much tea. According to the United Kingdom Tea Council, a person should only drink about six cups of tea a day. Drinking a lot of green tea can result in the body becoming intolerant of caffeine. It can also result in a minerals overdose.
7. Wait after popping a pill.
Avoid drinking tea along with your medication if you are sick or suffering from fever. Tea can interact with the active ingredients in the medicines and reduce the efficacy of the medicine. If you are drinking tea when you are sick, make sure to just drink two hours after you have taken your medication.
8. Eat something first.
Homeopaths also warn people not to drink tea on an empty stomach. They claim that it would invite ‘coldness’ to enter the body , which affects the respiratory system, specifically the lungs. It also affects the stomach.