6 side-effects of green tea you should know about

November 18, 2014

Green tea originated in China and is well known as the world’s healthiest drink. Unsweetened, brewed green tea contains zero calories making it the world’s most sought after drink. Its health benefits range from weight loss to preventing cancers and heart diseases and is now gaining popularity in the west as well.

Green tea is a less processed tea made from Camellia sinensis leaves which are dried and not oxidised, unlike other kinds of teas. Due to lesser processing, green tea is rich in antioxidants called polyphenols which have a wide range health benefits. With a large number of benefits, green tea also has many less talked about side effects. Here are a few things you should considered while drinking green tea:

Can cause anemia

The catechins present in green tea decreases the absorption of iron from food which may eventually lead to anemia. Drinking green tea along with meals should be avoided as your body might not be able to utilise all the nutrients from the food you eat. But, if you like to drink green tea along with your meals, you should eat foods rich in iron and vitamin C as they help they help in preventing anemia.

Can affect the developing foetus during pregnancy and a newborn during lactation

More than 2 cups of green tea should be avoided if you are a pregnant woman or a lactating mother. This amount of tea contains around 200 mg of caffeine and consuming more than this amount has shown to increase the risk of miscarriages. Caffeine also passes through breast milk and can affect a nursing infant.

Can cause irritation when consumed while fasting or on an empty stomach

The number of times you drink green tea should be limited to two to three times a day. It should also not be consumed on an empty stomach as the tannins in the tea increase stomach acids causing a number of side effects like constipation, vomiting and nausea.

Interacts with various drugs

Green tea is known to interact with many drugs and a few possible combinations should be avoided. Stimulant drugs which hasten the functioning of the nervous system should not be consumed along with green tea. The caffeine in green tea speeds up the working of the nervous system and can cause severe effects like dizziness, increased blood pressure and increased heart rate.

Its caffeine content causes many illnesses

Usually caffeine is associated with coffee, but one cup of green tea contains around 24 to 45 mg of caffeine.The caffeine content of green tea might be less as compared to its other counterparts, but drinking green tea up to four to five times a day can cause a variety of illnesses like:

Anxiety
Diabetes
Diarrhea
Constipation
Insomnia
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Irregular heart beat
Heart burn
Tremors

Can cause osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a condition that causes the weakening of your bones due to calcium deficiency. Green tea inhibits the utilization of calcium by the body to strengthen your bones; and instead of using the calcium available in your blood your body flushes it out, making you more prone to osteoporosis. It is usually advised to limit your green tea intake to 300 mg per day.

All these side effects don’t take away the various health benefits green tea has. Everything in limited and monitored quantities can be beneficial and excessive use should be avoided.

Source: The Health Site
Published: 17 Nov 2014

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