Most of the world wakes up in the morning with a cup of tea making it the most drinkable beverage after water globally. Here are some important rules to have tea explained by health experts.
Mornings are synonymous with tea. Most of the world wakes up in the morning with a cup of tea making the ‘elixir of life’ most drinkable beverage after water globally. With time, tea options have just multiplied from green tea, yellow tea to a variety of herbal teas. It is not only available in so many flavours but also many varieties that serve different purposes. If black tea helps the urge to munch away, the popular green tea aids in cutting flab. Herbal tea helps improve immunity and fights fever and infections. Drinking tea in moderation has multitude of benefits; it helps boost energy, protects heart health, lowers cholesterol and aid in weight loss. However, having too many cups of tea can reduce nutrient absorption, increase anxiety, affect sleep quality and cause heart burn. It is also important to know the right time to have tea and make sure to not combine it with your main meals. One should also avoid strong tea on empty stomach.
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Here are some important rules to have tea explained by health experts in conversation with HT Digital.
“The tea warms your body and adds health-promoting substances to the diet. However, not many tea drinkers are aware that even tea contains caffeine. Based on how teas are cultivated and processed, the caffeine content in tea varies. Black tea and matcha tea have the highest caffeine levels while green tea has medium levels. Oolong Tea has lower caffeine than others. Herbal tea has zero caffeine,” says Sakshi Lalwani – Delhi-based dietitian, nutritionist, an active lifestyle expert and an independent food consultant.
Can we have tea immediately after meal or team it with breakfast?
“Since tea contains caffeine, which can increase our energy and also supports the digestive system, for most people, their energy tends to be lower after meals and in the morning. Based on that, it makes sense to drink tea right after a meal during the day. Tea contains tannic acid and reacts with the protein and iron content in the food. As a result, it prevents the absorption of these components. So, it is recommended doing so about fifteen to twenty minutes after a meal. However, since many of your favourite teas do contain caffeine, drinking tea usually isn’t recommended after dinner,” says Lalwani.
Shruti Bharadwaj, Senior Clinical Dietician, Narayana Hrudayalaya says one should have tea at least two hours after meal or breakfast.
“It’s alright to take tea in morning or evening but it is good to avoid taking tea in breakfast or with proper meal,” says Bharadwaj.
Priya Palan, Dietitian, Zen Multispeciality Hospital, however, says it’s okay to have tea with breakfast.
“Tea combines tannins and interferes a bit with absorption of food but not to an extent that you cannot have it as part of your breakfast. With iron absorption we always say we can add some vitamin c to enhance the absorption of it. So you can have food in combination which promotes nutrient absorption,” says Palan.
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Can one have tea on empty stomach?
“Tea contains tannins that can cause little of acidity. IF a person has severe acidity, then maybe one should try and avoid having a very strong cup of tea first thing the morning on empty stomach. You can add a little bit more milk to make it less stronger in that case,” says Palan.
Healthy teas
“But if you find yourself longing for a hot cup of tea after your evening meal, try switching to a herbal blend. Herbal teas, such as chamomile, can help you wind down after a long day at work and can even help to promote a better night’s rest,” says Lalwani.
How many cups of tea can one have in a day?
Palan and Bharadwaj say 2-3 cups are good enough in a day.
“Avoid taking tea just before sleep,” says Bharadwaj.
Dos and don’ts while drinking tea explained by Lalwani.
1. Do not over boil the tea for long. Low temperature steeping helps in retaining the tea benefits.
2. Do not add too much milk and sugar. The real essence of tea comes without adding milk and sugar. Even if you want to add milk, add hot milk in the end and turn off the gas after a boil. Do not brew for long.
3. Do not use tea bags. Use loose tea leaves instead.
4. If you want to drink tea at night, drinking it around 8:30 PM is the best time as it’s this time when our digestion is the strongest and we can take that extra boost of caffeine to help in our food metabolism.
5. Drinking tea around 3 pm in the afternoon is very beneficial to human body, as it can increase our immune system and prevent flus and colds.
