Black tea brew: Health boost or hidden risks for some?
Alongside coffee and water, black tea is one of the most popular beverages. Although it has many beneficial properties, it's worth remembering that not everyone can drink it. These individuals should be cautious.
It's no surprise that the drink enjoys such popularity. Alongside its distinctive taste, which has many fans, tea also has health-promoting properties. This variety is rich in vitamins and minerals. It contains vitamins A, C, E, B, zinc, fluoride, potassium, and selenium.
Caffeine, but from tea
Black tea also has mild stimulating properties due to its theine content, a chemical compound structurally identical to caffeine. It not only enhances thinking processes and improves mood. According to experts, it can support the treatment of Alzheimer's. Interestingly, theine relaxes the smooth muscles of the bronchi and supports the cardiovascular system.
Theine, the same substance that acts supportively on the cardiovascular system in tea, can have negative effects on people with low iron levels in the blood, such as those with anaemia. Drinking tea may limit iron absorption from meals. It should also be avoided by individuals dealing with reflux and peptic ulcer disease. Tea can exacerbate symptoms.
Who should stop drinking black tea?
In addition to vitamins and minerals, tea contains oxalates, which form insoluble salts and can negatively affect the kidneys. That's why individuals with kidney diseases, including kidney stones, should be cautious with tea.
For nervous individuals who have trouble with sleep and concentration, tea is not the best solution. Why? Again, it's the theine which stimulates and may lead to headaches, anxiety, restlessness, or rapid breathing. Additionally, those with high blood pressure, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers should be careful. Excessive tea consumption may also lead to the accumulation of substances in the body that can be harmful in larger amounts, such as aluminium or fluoride.
