While Tea is supposed to quench thirst, some tea enthusiasts report feeling increasingly thirsty and experiencing a dry throat after drinking it. Is this due to the tea or the person drinking it?

Dryness or Astringency

After Drinking Tea, one may experience a sensation of dryness in the mouth, similar to eating a banana that isn't fully ripe, leaving the tongue dry and slightly numb.

Some people describe this as a dry feeling, but a more accurate term would be astringency.

The astringent substances in tea

are mainly polyphenols, aldehydes, and iron, with catechins being particularly significant. Lipid-type catechins have a stronger bitter and astringent taste, and their content in young shoots and leaves is much higher than in older leaves.

Generally, teas made from young buds and first or second leaves will have a more pronounced bitterness and astringency compared to those made from buds and third or fourth leaves. In other words, Green Tea has a more noticeable astringency, while ripe Pu'er and aged white tea have less.

Drinking too quickly

Some people drink tea in large gulps, unaware that this method can lead to a short-term decrease in the osmotic pressure inside and outside the body's cells due to the intake of large amounts of water. This dilutes the blood and disrupts electrolyte balance.

In response, the body will expel water from its cells, temporarily increasing intracellular osmotic pressure and causing thirst.

Drinking too hot

Drinking tea that is too hot can scald the mouth, producing a sensation of dryness. This is similar to the feeling experienced when drinking overly hot water.

Drinking excessively hot beverages not only damages the mucous membranes of the mouth, throat, and esophagus but can also contribute to oral cancer and esophageal tumors over time due to long-term exposure to high temperatures.

Drinking less than excreting

The diuretic effect of tea is primarily due to purine compounds such as caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline found in tea infusions.

These components stimulate gastrointestinal reactions and renal vasodilation, increasing glomerular filtration rate and resulting in greater diuresis compared to simply drinking water.

The water consumed is not adequately absorbed by the body and is quickly expelled through urine, leading to increased thirst. If this happens, pause your Tea drinking and take a few sips of water instead.

The tea is still in its fire-retreating phase

This is one of the most common reasons for feeling thirsty after drinking tea. Rock tea undergoes a roasting process, and if the tea has just been roasted and the fire has not yet subsided, drinking it can easily lead to heatiness, making the tongue and throat very dry and creating a sensation of dryness.

This dryness is very similar to thirst and is often mistaken for it. Freshly processed green tea and newly pressed raw Pu'er also require a period to retreat from the heat before they are suitable for consumption. The duration of this period varies among different teas, with heavily roasted teas generally requiring a longer period.

Tea quality issues

Some teas may have problems during production, such as high-temperature baking, improper drying, or improper stacking.

Tea cakes, tuocha, and brick teas have a certain thickness, and during the drying process, the water may not evaporate evenly both inside and out. The exterior might be very dry while the interior retains a lot of moisture. During subsequent storage, the tea cake may mold, causing it to become brittle or crack.

Improper storage can also cause tea products to spoil and mold, or rapid oxidation in a high-temperature, high-humidity, non-ventilated environment. Drinking such tea can result in a sensation of dryness, difficulty swallowing, tightness, and itching in the throat, akin to having one's throat “locked.”

brewing too concentrated

For those with a lighter palate, using too much tea can result in an overly concentrated infusion. The high concentration of substances in the tea can make the beverage taste bitter and astringent, creating a “locked throat” sensation.

For green tea and raw Pu'er, which are rich in polyphenols, a highly concentrated infusion will have a more pronounced dryness and astringency. If you find yourself getting increasingly thirsty while drinking tea, consider whether any of the above factors apply. Another possibility is that you have pre-existing conditions like pharyngitis, in which case it may be best to wait until you recover before drinking tea again.