Are there any benefits and drawbacks to regularly drinking iced black tea?
Oct 13, 2022
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Wang Lei
Introduction
In general, regularly drinking iced black tea has benefits such as aiding digestion and promoting saliva production to relieve summer heat, but it may also have drawbacks including irritating the gastrointestinal tract and causing malnutrition. It is recommended to consume more nutrient-rich foods such as milk and eggs, along with fresh vegetables and fruits in daily life, avoid spicy and irritating foods, and engage in appropriate physical exercise to enhance the body's resistance.
Generally speaking, regularly drinking iced black tea has benefits such as aiding digestion and promoting saliva production to relieve summer heat, but it may also have drawbacks including gastrointestinal irritation and nutritional deficiencies. It is recommended to consume more nutrient-rich foods such as milk and eggs, along with fresh vegetables and fruits in daily life, while avoiding spicy and irritating foods. Additionally, appropriate physical exercise can be performed to enhance the body's resistance.
1. Aids digestion: Iced black tea can promote gastric acid secretion, increase appetite, and accelerate food digestion. It also enhances intestinal motility, promotes the elimination of metabolic waste, and has a moistening effect on the intestines that helps relieve constipation.
2. Promotes saliva production and relieves summer heat: Polyphenols, sugars, and amino acids in iced black tea stimulate saliva secretion in the mouth, alleviating dryness of the mouth and tongue. The caffeine in the tea can also help regulate the body's temperature control center, promote heat dissipation, and reduce feelings of heat and irritability.
3. Irritates the gastrointestinal tract: Iced black tea is quite cold, and frequent consumption may cause gastric mucosal spasms, leading to stomach pain. Moreover, the glucose and large amounts of fructose in the tea can overstimulate gastric acid secretion, resulting in excessive stomach acid and symptoms such as acid reflux and belching.
4. Nutritional deficiencies: Additives in iced black tea may interfere with the body's absorption of calcium. Long-term consumption could lead to calcium deficiency, which is detrimental to overall health.
