Ten Things to Avoid When Drinking Tea

Recently there has been a lot of interest in drinking tea. Many studies are attributing the lower incidence of cancer and longer life of people in China and Japan to tea drinking. It is believed that the antioxidants present in tea help in lowering cholesterol levels, improving cardiovascular health and lowering susceptibility to cancer. However there are some things that you should avoid to reap all these benefits. The following are the 10 things to avoid when drinking tea.

1. You should never drink tea on an empty stomach. The Chinese believe that it cools the stomach and spleen inviting digestive disorders.

2. You should not drink tea if it is cold. The Chinese believe that cold tea helps in the accumulation of phlegm in the respiratory tract.

3. You should also avoid drinking tea while it is scalding hot. The Chinese believe that extremely hot tea causes unwanted changes in the digestive system. The temperature of the tea should not exceed 135°F. Regularly drinking tea, which is above 145°F, increases the risk of stomach disorders.

4. Insomnia and headaches can be caused by the caffeine and tannins present in tea. Therefore avoid drinking tea that is too strong.

5. It can be harmful to boil the tea leaves more than 3 times. It has been observed that the first boiling will extract about 50% of the nutrients. The second boiling extracts 30 % and the third only 10%. Any further boiling only extracts more harmful substances than good.

6. It has also been found that boiling tea for too long only reduces its nutritive value. On boiling for too long, the aroma and clarity of the tea as well its nutritive value get reduced. This happens due to the spontaneous oxidation of the essential oils and polyphenyles

7. If you are in the habit of drinking tea just after a meal then stop. This can lead to indigestion as the digestive system is slowed down and it disturbs the functioning of the organs involved in the digestive process. Therefore it is prudent to wait for half an hour after a meal and then have tea and enjoy its goodness.

8. On the other hand drinking tea just before a meal is also not advisable. This will make the food tasteless or change its taste. It also slows down the digestive system temporarily. However you can drink tea half an hour before the meal or earlier without any problems.

9. Drinking tea that had been prepared the day before can be harmful. Tea loses its nutrients and encourages bacteria growth if it is left for around 24 hours. However a day old tea is recommended for external medicinal use in traditional Chinese medicine. The old tea is quite rich in fluorine and acids and helps to prevent bleeding. A gargle of day old tea is useful in the relieving oral inflammations and bleeding gums. Just make sure that the tea is not spoilt and doesn't have a bad smell. It is also useful in topical applications in case of eczema, injuries of the skin and ulcers.

10. Never use tea to wash down your medicine. This may reduce the effectiveness of the medicine.