Now in spring, it is the season when various new teas are about to come on the market, but experts remind people not to be greedy for the new, as drinking new tea can easily lead to stomach bleeding. Why does new tea easily cause stomach problems and result in stomach bleeding?

Don't Be Greedy for "New" Tea, Beware of Stomach Bleeding

Since new tea has just been picked and has a short storage time, it contains relatively high amounts of unoxidized polyphenols, aldehydes, alcohols, and other substances. These substances have a strong irritating effect on the gastrointestinal mucosa. For people who already have relatively poor gastrointestinal function, consuming large amounts of this new tea can easily lead to stomach problems and cause stomach bleeding.

Moreover, the view that "tea leaves are better the fresher they are" is a misunderstanding. Not all teas are better when fresher; Pu'er tea and dark tea improve with age, while the teas that pursue freshness are green teas. However, even green tea does not need to be so fresh as to be drunk immediately after picking.

How to Define New Tea?

How long should freshly picked tea leaves be stored before drinking? From a nutritional perspective, the freshest nutrients are not necessarily the best. So-called new tea refers to tea leaves that have been picked for less than a month. Because these leaves have not been stored for a period of time, some substances that have adverse effects on the body, such as polyphenols, alcohols, and aldehydes, have not been fully oxidized and can harm the body.

Regularly Drinking New Tea Can Easily Cause Stomach Bleeding

Drinking new tea over a long period may lead to uncomfortable reactions such as diarrhea and bloating. Excessively fresh tea is even worse for patients, such as those with gastric acid deficiency or elderly people with chronic gastric ulcers; they are not suitable for drinking new tea. New tea can irritate their gastric mucosa, cause gastrointestinal discomfort, and may even worsen their condition, leading to stomach bleeding.

Therefore, experts remind: don't be greedy for new tea; new tea should not be consumed in large quantities. Generally, new tea bought by consumers should be stored for at least half a month before drinking.