Chinese people have the habit of drinking tea. Besides the rich aroma of tea, it is a healthy beverage, as recent studies have found that certain components in tea contribute to physical healthcare. Although drinking tea has many benefits, there are also some points to note. Therefore, you should understand how to drink tea wisely.

Catechin is the most important polyphenol component in tea leaves. Research indicates that catechin has multiple effects, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, reducing the risk of heart disease, preventing cancer, lowering blood lipids, reducing body fat formation, antibacterial properties, altering gut microbiota, and eliminating odors. Currently, tea beverages on the market labeled with health food marks primarily cite the physiological functions of catechin.

The content of polyphenols decreases as the degree of fermentation increases. However, studies have also shown that although fermented tea contains less catechin, its effects on lowering blood lipids and delaying oxidation remain significant, suggesting that there may be other antioxidant components yet to be identified.

Although drinking tea has many benefits, the following points should still be noted:

1. Avoid drinking tea immediately after meals.

Because tea tannins reduce iron absorption, drinking tea during or after meals can easily decrease the absorption of dietary iron, potentially by up to 65%.

2. Do not take medicine with tea.

Tea tannins can precipitate with certain medications, affecting their efficacy. For example, iron supplements, fluoroquinolone antibiotics, and tetracycline antibiotics can be adsorbed by tannic acid and alkaloids in tea, reducing their absorption in the body.

3. Avoid brewing with hot water for too long.

Tannins are released more over time, so avoid drinking tea that has been steeped in hot water for too long. This is the reason not to drink overnight tea.

4. Cold-brewed tea.

Those sensitive to caffeine, pregnant women, children, people with heart disease, and ulcer patients are not suitable for drinking tea. However, studies show that tea brewed cold for 12 hours contains only one-third of the caffeine of tea brewed hot for 5 minutes. If you really want to drink tea, try cold-brewed tea, which has less caffeine.

5. Not suitable as a replacement after exercise or fluid loss.

Tea has a diuretic effect and is not suitable for replenishing fluids after exercise or fluid loss.

6. Be cautious of sugar.

Popular tea beverages on the market come with added sugar, half-sugar, or no sugar. Be especially careful when drinking them. Drinking sugary tea beverages increases calorie intake, which is not recommended for people with diabetes, high blood lipids, or those trying to lose weight.

7. Pay attention to creamers and cream balls.

For Western-style milk tea, it is recommended to use low-fat fresh milk instead of creamers or cream balls to avoid excessive calorie intake.

8. Consume in moderation.

According to cancer prevention research, drinking 150 ml of tea daily has health benefits. Currently, certified health food canned tea beverages recommend drinking 650 to 1200 ml to achieve the labeled effects. However, it is best to decide the intake based on individual circumstances. If drinking tea affects sleep or causes discomfort, do not force yourself to drink it.