As the saying goes, the seven daily necessities are "firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and tea". Although tea is listed last, many people cannot do without it. In recent years, scholars both domestically and internationally have paid close attention to the relationship between tea drinking and human health. But can uremia patients also drink tea?

It is now known that tea leaves contain over 350 chemical substances, such as tannic acid, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B, etc. Drinking tea can supplement some essential trace elements for the human body and has preventive effects against certain diseases. Studies have shown that drinking tea can reduce blood viscosity, prevent thrombosis, decrease capillary permeability and fragility, lower serum cholesterol, increase high-density lipoprotein, prevent cardiovascular diseases, and have anti-aging and immunity-boosting effects. Drinking more tea can be stimulating, with benefits such as strengthening the heart, promoting diuresis, astringency, sterilization, and anti-inflammation. Long-term tea drinking can eliminate fatigue and enhance memory.

Uremia is the most severe stage of renal failure. At this stage, in addition to water and electrolyte metabolism disorders and acid-base imbalance, the massive retention of metabolic products in the body leads to extensive systemic toxic symptoms affecting the digestive tract, heart, lungs, nerves, muscles, skin, blood, etc., seriously threatening the patient's health and life. Nephrology experts point out that at this time, uremia patients not only need to actively cooperate with treatment but also pay special attention to daily life healthcare aspects such as diet.

However, tea contains caffeine. Approximately one cup of tea contains 30% to 50% of the caffeine found in a cup of coffee, and large amounts of strong tea contain even more caffeine. It has been proven that caffeine can cause mutations in normal human cells, potentially leading to cancer. Moreover, excessive consumption of strong tea overstimulates the human nervous system, increases the burden on the heart and kidneys, promotes gastrin secretion, induces peptic ulcers, and tannic acid easily binds with iron, reducing the absorption of iron, an essential factor for hematopoiesis. This is very unfavorable for the recovery of uremia patients. Therefore, in summary, uremia patients can drink tea, but they must do so in moderation and should not drink strong tea.

What should uremia patients pay attention to in their diet?

Since the kidneys of uremia patients are severely damaged and cannot function properly, what dietary precautions should they take? Experts remind uremia patients that they need to limit protein intake, but not prohibit it entirely. Some patients, due to abdominal distension and poor appetite, coupled with the concept of "limiting protein intake," almost completely avoid meat, eggs, and milk, consuming only porridge and vegetables, leading to insufficient caloric intake. Over time, this can result in malnutrition. In fact, uremia patients, especially those who are emaciated, should appropriately increase oils and starches in their diet to provide the body with sufficient calories and reduce the breakdown of body protein.