Drinking Tea is an indispensable part of modern lifestyles, however, it's not something to be taken lightly. Failure to observe certain practices can not only negate any benefits but also have adverse effects on our health.

Let's delve into some of the considerations for Drinking Tea!

Avoid Overly Concentrated Tea

Concentrated tea can excessively elevate the body's “excitement levels,” potentially harming the cardiovascular and nervous systems. For those with heart conditions, drinking strong tea may lead to rapid heartbeat and arrhythmia, exacerbating their condition.

Avoid Drinking Before Bed

This is particularly important for new tea drinkers. Many find it difficult to sleep after drinking tea before bedtime, severely affecting their next day's energy levels. Those with neurasthenia or insomnia should pay extra attention.

Avoid Drinking Before Meals

Drinking a small amount of tea before or during meals is generally fine, but large quantities or very concentrated tea can hinder the absorption of many essential minerals (like calcium) and trace elements (like iron and zinc). It's especially important not to drink tea while consuming dairy products.

Tea alkaloids and tannic acid bind with calcium in dairy products, forming insoluble calcium salts that are expelled from the body, significantly reducing the nutritional value of dairy.

Avoid Drinking After Alcohol

After alcohol consumption, ethanol enters the bloodstream through the gastrointestinal tract and is converted to acetaldehyde in the liver, which is then transformed into acetate and eventually excreted as carbon dioxide and water.

Drinking tea after alcohol can cause the diuretic effect of tea alkaloids to prematurely introduce unmetabolized acetaldehyde into the kidneys.

Acetaldehyde has a significant stimulatory effect on the kidneys, potentially harming kidney function. People who frequently drink strong tea after drinking alcohol are more prone to kidney issues. Moreover, alcohol stimulates the cardiovascular system, as does tea, so the combined effect can be even more harmful to those with heart disease.

Avoid Fresh Tea

Fresh tea can irritate the stomach lining, causing digestive discomfort or exacerbating existing conditions. From a nutritional perspective, very fresh tea may not be optimal in terms of nutrient content.

So-called “new tea” refers to tea harvested less than a month ago. Without sufficient time to rest, these teas contain substances that can negatively impact health, such as polyphenols, alcohols, and aldehydes, which haven't been fully oxidized. Drinking fresh tea regularly might result in digestive issues like diarrhea and bloating. (This does not apply to Green Tea.)

Avoid Taking Medications with Tea

Some people, especially avid tea drinkers, might choose to take medications with tea. However, the tannins in tea can bind with drugs and alter their properties, hindering absorption and reducing efficacy. Therefore, medications should always be taken with plain water. This is commonly referred to as “tea neutralizing medication.”

Avoid Stale Tea

Stale tea, due to its prolonged exposure, can become contaminated by pathogens, and the complex components in the tea change, making it capable of causing gastrointestinal diseases. The old adage “stale tea causes diarrhea” seems to hold true.

Seasonal Considerations

Drink floral tea in spring, green tea in summer, Oolong tea in autumn, and Black Tea in winter. Drinking floral tea in spring helps dispel the cold accumulated over winter and promotes yang energy.

Green tea, being bitter and cool, is ideal for summer, as it can clear heat, eliminate summer heat, detoxify, quench thirst, and strengthen the heart. Oolong tea, neither hot nor cold, is suitable for autumn, helping to dissipate residual heat and restore bodily fluids.

Drinking black tea in winter is most desirable, as it is sweet and warm, rich in proteins, aids digestion, nourishes the body, and strengthens physical constitution.

Moderation in Tea Consumption

Although tea contains various vitamins and amino acids, which help in clearing oils, enhancing neural stimulation, and aiding digestion and urination, it is not necessarily beneficial to drink excessive amounts. Not everyone is suited for tea consumption either.

In general, drinking tea once or twice a day, using about 2-3 grams of tea leaves each time, is appropriate. People with conditions such as neurasthenia, insomnia, hyperthyroidism, tuberculosis, heart disease, gastric ulcers, and intestinal ulcers should avoid drinking tea. Nursing mothers, pregnant women, infants, and young children should also refrain from tea consumption.

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