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Is it OK to drink tea every day?

Posted by CTH Blog 03/08/2021 14:03:33 Healthy Tea 0 Comments

Love to boast about how much tea you are drinking every day? What if someone told you that all that tea will make you sick one day? There’s nothing worse for a passionate tea drinker to hear than words–cut down on that tea. Tea is healthy, indeed, as many studies confirmed over the last few decades. But can it also be bad for you? Is it actually OK to drink tea every day? Let’s find out.

What is tea?

Tea is a drink made by infusing tea leaves in boiling water. By definition, tea leaves come only from Camellia sinensis tea plant. All other drinks made from different herbs, spices, or fruits are called infusions. All real teas come from the same plant, Camellia sinensis. There are some exceptions though, such as Camellia taliensis growing in Yunnan and used for making some exceptional teas, or the more rare and naturally caffeine free Camellia philophylla. But most importantly, all of them belong to the same botanical family and are used for making what we call–real teas.

What is the chemical composition of tea?

People drink tea for various reasons. Some enjoy the flavor, some want to cut down on sugar, and other are drinking it for potential health benefits it may provide. All real teas contain antioxidants, caffeine, chlorophyl, L-theanine and other amino acids such as asparagine. They also contain different levels of vitamins and minerals and other compounds. Some compounds in tea, such as EGCG and L-theanine, are abundant only in tea plant.

Tea plant is a living organism. When tea is growing, it will naturally soak other compounds too, very much like we are doing when we are eating and drinking. When you brew your tea, it releases all the good compounds into water. However, it can release the bad ones too. That’s why opting for organic tea is always a better choice. It means the tea leaves you are brewing didn’t grow up soaking up harmful chemical, pesticides, fertilizers or other chemicals.

And here’s the interesting part. Many great compounds in tea may offer remarkable benefits. But when taken in excessive amounts, they may cause some serious side effects too.

There are 6 different tea types–white, yellow, green, oolong, black and dark. The content of antioxidants, caffeine and amino acids in each type will be different, but they may all provide similar health benefits.

So is it OK to drink tea every day?

Yes, it’s perfectly fine to drink tea every day. In fact, studies suggest you should drink tea daily if you want to enjoy the potential benefits. However, don’t overdo it. Some sources suggest anything above 15 grams of dry tea leaves is too much. Other say 3-5 cups are perfectly safe and even advisable. However, the exact amount will depend on the type of tea and the way you brew it. Drinking 15 grams of low caffeine tea is not the same as drinking 15 grams of high caffeine tea.

For example, studies show that daily drinking, and even drinking more cups a day may provide more benefits than just an occasional cup. A study in Japan showed that those who drank 10 cups of green tea a day had a highly reduced risk of developing some cancers[1]. Keep in mind though, tea cups in Japan are smaller than standard Western mugs. Another study showed that drinking one or two cups of green or oolong tea a day may significantly decrease the risk of ischemic stroke, more than just an occasional cup of tea[2].

How to know how much is right for you? If you are not used to drinking tea, start with one cup every few days or one cup a day. Learn how to make tea properly so you can enjoy the best possible flavor and extract the most nutrients from tea leaves. Every tea will be different. In fact, not only are they all different, but it’s impossible to know the exact amounts of caffeine and antioxidants in each tea. If you feel you are experiencing side effects, stop drinking it and consult your doctor. If you have serious health problems, always consult a doctor before adding new tea to your diet.

is it OK to drink tea every day Photo by Drew Jemmett

When even 1 cup could be too much?

1. Caffeine sensitivity

If you are sensitive to caffeine, avoid drinking real tea. They all contain caffeine. Some of them, such as gyokuro, may give you a really strong energy boost, stronger than many black teas.

2. Unknow source

If you don’t know the source of your tea, it’s better to avoid it. Not only you won’t know which fertilizers and chemicals were used, but you won’t know how it was stored and processed as well. Drinking teas from unknown sources daily may cause more damage than good.

3. Strange pu’er

If your pu’er smells bad, it probably is bad. Pu’er may be even dangerous if bought from dubious sources because it contains different fungi and bacteria.

4. Herbal teas

With some herbal teas, it may be better to take an occasional break. For example, to benefit from valerian root tea, take it daily for at least 2 weeks [3], but avoid taking it long term. Studies suggest you may even experience withdrawal symptoms once you stop drinking them [4].

5. Drug interactions

Both real and herbal teas may interact with some medication. Even green tea may interfere with some medications, for example cardiovascular drugs such as statins, [5] and may cause side effects. Next, if you are taking EGCg or caffeine supplements, avoid teas rich in EGCg or high in caffeine because it’s possible to overdose on both. Still, if you have to choose between a supplement and real tea, organic real tea is always a healthier (and tastier!) option.

6. Sugar overdose

If you drink tea with sugar, daily drinking may cause more harm than good–of course, depending on how much sugar you are adding to your cup. Organic specialty teas are best served with no condiments. Adding only 1 teaspoon of sugar into your tea, twice a day would be equal to 8-10 grams of sugar. Recommended daily sugar intake limit is 24 grams for women and 36 grams for men [6]. Without sugar, tea is almost calorie free. Besides, sugar may destroy all those delicate chocolate, muscatel, floral or ripe plum notes.

Are you drinking tea daily? Let us know your experiences in the comments below, and how much tea you are drinking per day.

Disclaimer: This article does not replace a professional medical advice.