Green tea has been one of the oldest herbals taken by humans for the health benefits. It got more popular and familiar when researchers showed amazing results of green tea on some severe health issues like cancer, heart diseases, nervous system and most importantly on the fatness. As the obesity is risking many lives all over the world green tea has been found really effective to lose the unwanted weight. Drinking two to three cups of green tea is good for a day but using it in excess can cause some side effects too with certain health issues like stomach upset, anxiety, bleeding disorder, diabetes etc.
None of the green tea lovers would believe that their favorite drink has some side effects too. And the reason to consider it harmless for health is its herbal origin but the reality is it has some side effects. Here we are going to share with you some side effects of the green tea that researchers have shown so that you can be extra careful and safe with the intake of your daily green tea doses.
1 Stomach Upset:
Green tea should always be consumed before or after meal because it is believed that green tea produce acidic effects on empty stomach causing stomach ache, nausea and constipation. And if you are fasting then green tea can intoxicate your body so you must be aware of this fat The compound tennis present in the green tea is responsible for the acidic reaction and it can be controlled in two ways.
- Add some sugar or milk to the green tea to reduce the acidic factor in it.
- And cool down the water for green tea as extremely hot water can cause heartburn or stomach upset.
2 Loss of iron
Iron is vital for our body’s strength and we get it through food and supplements. But one should know that the green tea can create iron deficiency in body. Yes it sounds strange but it’s the fact as the tennis present in the green tea obstructs the consumption of iron from the food or from the supplements. If you squeeze a lemon in your green tea or add vitamin c rich foods in your meals then this problem can be solved.
3 Risks for Pregnancy and Feeding Women
Some medical researchers have warned the pregnant ladies to decrease the green tea intake as it can lead to miscarriage and some other health risks to the mother and the baby. Even the feeding mothers should not take exceed from the limit when consuming green tea as the caffeine can get mixed with the breast milk and create heath dangers for the new born. It would be more than good if ladies abandon green tea at these delicate stages of their lives.
4 Insomnia and Dizziness
Whenever we feel sleepy and lazy we have a cup of coffee as it makes us fully active and energetic. This is because of the caffeine present in the coffee causing several health issues. Even your green tea contains some amount of caffeine in it which can cause insomnia by blocking the sleep inducing cells in brain. Caffeine also slows down the blood flow to brain and you can feel dizzy because of it.
5 Vomiting, Heartburn and Diarrhea
Caffeine in the green tea is the root cause of most of the side effects. Having laxative effects on the digestive systems a high level of green tea consumption can cause diarrhea. And effecting the movements of food pipe caffeine can cause vomiting too and the discomfort can further lead to heartburn.
6 Live Diseases
One of the great benefits of the green tea is that it is antioxidant for the body and that is because of catechins present in it. But taking green tea in excess is linked up to slow metabolizing of the food due to the catechins. And this situation and further lead you to jaundice, hepatitis or to the liver failure in severe cases.
7 Osteoporosis
The health and strength of the bones depend on the calcium. The deficiency of the calcium causes weakening of bones or osteoporosis. The studies have shown that the over doses of the green tea produce excess of the calcium that is flushed out of the urine and thus risking the health of bones. But not to worry as you can repair the damage of calcium loss (due to caffeine) through the supplements. Try to take only two to three cups of green tea a day to reduce the intake of caffeine.
8 High Blood Pressure and Blood Sugar Level
You might notice an increase in your blood pressure and sugar level if you are a patient of hypertension and diabetes and taking green tea. So you need to extra careful or consult your doctors before switching to green tea.
9 Interaction with Medication
If you are on any type of medication you are warned not to use green tea without consulting your doctor first. You should immediately stop drinking green tea if you are using Warfain( blood thinning Drug). The vitamin k present in the green tea can kill the benefits of the warfain. So is you must refrain yourself from green tea consumption If you are aspirin medication as it can increase the risk of bleeding in you.
Precautions
- Never drink too hot green tea. Let it cool down a bit when freshly made so that it does not damage your digestive system.
- The excess of the green tea is the main cause of the side effects so never take more than 3 to 4 cups a day. A daily amount of green tea should be between 240-320 mg so use 8 ounces for one cup.
- Avoid green tea if you are on some kind of medication as it has been noticed that the side effects show up when interfered with medication.
- Always use fresh green tea leaves as its benefits and properties diminish with time.
After reading all the above side effects you must be fearing to take a green tea cup but the information is all for your good. Just keep in mind the precautions and take controlled quantity of the green tea to enjoy your favorite drink safely.