Tea is an indispensable part of modern lifestyle. However, tea should not be consumed carelessly. If certain tea-drinking methods are ignored, it may not only fail to provide benefits but could also lead to adverse health consequences. Let's take a look at the key principles of drinking tea!

Avoid Drinking Too Strong

Strong tea can excessively increase the body's "excitability," adversely affecting the cardiovascular and nervous systems. Individuals with cardiovascular diseases may experience tachycardia or arrhythmia after drinking strong tea, which can lead to recurring symptoms.

Avoid Drinking Before Sleep

This is particularly important for novice tea drinkers. Many people find it difficult to fall asleep after drinking tea before bed, which can severely affect their mental state the next day. Those with neurasthenia or insomnia should be especially cautious.

Avoid Drinking Before Meals

Drinking a small amount of tea before or during a meal is generally fine. However, consuming large amounts or overly strong tea can interfere with the absorption of many macroelements (such as calcium) and trace elements (such as iron and zinc). It is particularly important to note that tea should not be consumed simultaneously with milk or other dairy products. The theophylline and tannic acid in tea can combine with calcium in dairy products to form insoluble calcium salts, which are excreted from the body, significantly reducing the nutritional value of dairy products.

Avoid Drinking After Alcohol

After drinking alcohol, ethanol enters the bloodstream through the gastrointestinal tract, is converted to acetaldehyde in the liver, then to acetic acid, which finally breaks down into carbon dioxide and water for excretion. Drinking tea after alcohol can cause the theophylline in tea to rapidly induce a diuretic effect on the kidneys, promoting the premature entry of undigested acetaldehyde into the kidneys. Acetaldehyde significantly irritates the kidneys and can impair renal function. Therefore, individuals who frequently drink strong tea after alcohol are more prone to kidney diseases. Moreover, ethanol in alcohol strongly stimulates the cardiovascular system, while tea also excites the heart. Combining the two intensifies cardiac stimulation, posing greater risks for individuals with heart conditions.

Avoid Drinking Very New Tea

New tea can irritate the gastric mucosa, causing gastrointestinal discomfort or even worsening existing conditions. From a nutritional perspective, very fresh tea may not contain the best nutrients. New tea refers to leaves picked less than a month ago. These leaves contain substances such as polyphenols, alcohols, and aldehydes, which can adversely affect health if not fully oxidized. Prolonged consumption of new tea may lead to discomforts like diarrhea and bloating.

Avoid Taking Medicine with Tea

Some people, especially avid tea drinkers, may choose to take medicine with tea. However, the tannins in tea can bind with medications, causing precipitation, altering drug properties, hindering absorption, and reducing efficacy. Therefore, medicine should be taken with plain water. This is commonly referred to as "tea counteracting medicine."

Avoid Drinking Overnight Tea

Overnight tea, having been left out for too long, is prone to contamination by pathogenic microorganisms. The complex components in tea also undergo changes over time. Drinking overnight tea can lead to gastrointestinal issues. The old saying "overnight tea causes diarrhea" holds true.

Vary Tea with Seasons

Drink floral tea in spring, green tea in summer, oolong tea in autumn, and black tea in winter. Floral tea in spring helps dispel cold accumulated during winter and promotes the body's yang energy. Green tea, with its bitter and cold nature, is ideal for summer, as it clears heat, relieves summer heat, detoxifies, quenches thirst, and strengthens the heart. Oolong tea, neither cold nor hot, is suitable for autumn to eliminate residual heat and restore bodily fluids. Black tea is most ideal for winter. With its sweet and warm nature and rich protein content, it aids digestion, nourishes the body, and promotes strength.

Drink Tea in Moderation

Although tea contains various vitamins and amino acids and can help with digestion, diuresis, and mild stimulation, it is not advisable to drink excessive amounts, nor is it suitable for everyone. Generally, drinking tea once or twice a day, with 2–3 grams of tea leaves per serving, is appropriate. Individuals with neurasthenia, insomnia, hyperthyroidism, tuberculosis, heart disease, stomach issues, or intestinal ulcers should avoid tea. Breastfeeding and pregnant women, as well as infants and young children, should also refrain from drinking tea.