Your shopping cart is empty!
FREE SHIPPING OVER 35€
WELCOME COUPON €5 "CIAO5"
Many people approach tea for its health benefits, for the variety of existing flavors, or as an alternative to coffee, and it's easy to be captivated by its aromas and consume several cups a day. But is drinking too much tea bad for your health? As with all things, one should never overdo it: tea is good, but in excessive amounts, it could have side effects, precisely due to an overdose of the substances that make this beverage so beneficial. There are also some types of tea whose excessive consumption could result in various issues, especially in individuals with specific needs or conditions: green tea is often thought of as a health elixir, and people tend to consume excessive amounts thinking that the more they drink, the better they will feel, demonizing black tea for its caffeine content. Often, in reality, green tea, if consumed in excess, can have even worse side effects than black tea. So, when is it bad to drink tea, and how much tea can you drink per day? Which teas are harmful? Let's find out together."
Before discussing the possible side effects of tea and how much is good to consume, it is essential to clarify that drinking tea (after all, it is the third most consumed beverage in the world) is good for the mind, muscles, heart, and memory. In the East, since ancient times, populations have been drinking tea for its beneficial effects, and this beverage is still at the center of 'tea ceremonies,' true rituals for the mind and body. According to some studies, tea is good for brain functions, especially due to its L-theanine and catechin contents, it contains antioxidants, useful for fighting free radicals and cellular aging, helps metabolism, and contributes to preventing bacterial infections. Despite the benefits, however, excessive tea consumption is not always a good idea, and often the substances that make it a healthy drink can cause various side effects.
The first point to clarify is that tea generally contains theine, and therefore not only can it be addictive, but excessive consumption of tea in a day can cause what is called 'tea drunkenness'. The caffeine content in tea makes this drink a powerful stimulant, and there are teas in particular with very high levels of theine, the consumption of which, like coffee (some argue that the caffeine in tea actually has worse effects than that of coffee), can facilitate the onset of migraines, cause insomnia and worsen sleep disturbances, as well as increase nervousness, feelings of anxiety, palpitations, and even lead to nausea, stomach pain and vomiting. There are some teas particularly rich in theine, such as green tea, white tea, and some black teas, as well as matcha tea, which is often consumed in large quantities for its beneficial properties. It is often thought that black teas are harmful precisely because of their theine content, and they are avoided, while there is instead a great consumption of green tea: in reality, many black teas have lower theine content than green teas! Find out more in our article on low theine content tea.
As already mentioned, some teas if consumed in excess can be harmful to the stomach, due to their theine content, or because they are more 'raw' teas. The concentration of caffeine in some teas can cause nausea or stomach pains, as it increases the amount of acid involved in the digestion process.
The consumption of green tea is often associated with the prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases, due to the catechin content, although there is not enough epidemiological evidence. On the other hand, tea, due to its caffeine content, can increase blood pressure and accelerate heart rate, putting pressure on the cardiovascular system. It can also stimulate the nervous system and worsen situations of anxiety, nervousness, and stress. Excessive tea consumption is therefore not recommended for individuals with cardiovascular disorders, heart failure, and those suffering from anxiety problems.
Iron is a fundamental mineral for the well-being of the body, essential for the production of hemoglobin, however, foods like tea inhibit its absorption (as well as that of calcium), because they are rich in tannins. Tannins form insoluble complexes with iron that inhibit its assimilation. To reduce the tannins present in tea, it is suggested to reduce the infusion time (although this will also reduce the extraction of beneficial substances, as well as caffeine). A light tea brewed for 4-5 minutes will decrease the concentration of tannins. Tea is often recommended after meals for those individuals with conditions characterized by high iron levels.
During pregnancy, it is preferable to avoid excessive consumption of tea, especially teas like green tea, which due to their caffeine and catechin content could interfere with the effect of folic acid, a very important substance in preventing the development of spina bifida or preventing premature birth. In particular, daily intake of green tea, black tea, and oolong tea during pregnancy is not recommended because the theine could cause disturbances in the child such as increased heart rate or insomnia.
Excessive tea consumption is not recommended for those undergoing drug therapy, as it could interfere with certain medications and compromise their effectiveness. It is always advisable to consult your doctor regarding the consumption of the beverage.
How much green tea can you drink? What is the daily dose of tea? How much tea is too much tea? These are just some of the questions we receive regarding tea consumption throughout the day. Having established that excessive tea consumption, like any other caffeine-containing beverage, is never a good idea, is there a known limit to how much tea you can drink in a day? It is known that the pleasure of a cup of hot tea to accompany the day can be a great source of relaxation and enjoyment, but the caffeine it contains can lead to anxiety, nervousness, increased blood pressure, and accelerated heart rate.
So how much tea should you drink in a day? The answer is...it depends! It depends on the tea: there are conflicting opinions on this matter, and some studies suggest that you can even drink up to ten cups of tea a day. In reality, it would be preferable to refer to the caffeine content in the tea you are drinking: the Ministry of Health recommends, for an adult, sticking to single doses of caffeine up to 200 mg, or 3 mg per kg of weight, except in the evening. Single doses of 100 mg of caffeine in the evening can indeed affect the body. EFSA, according to the Ministry of Health's report, states that consuming caffeine up to 400 mg per day, distributed throughout the day, does not pose problems or contraindications for healthy adult individuals. Based on these quantities, you could therefore comfortably consume several cups of tea a day, given that the content of tea generally varies from 15 to 70 mg per cup. This does not mean that there are some exceptions of teas that contain more!
To consume teas with lower theine content and be able to drink more cups of tea a day, we recommend drinking second infusion tea, as in the first one the leaves will have released much of their theine. It is also necessary to understand your resistance to theine, starting by drinking a few cups a day, in small doses, of leaves left to infuse for short periods. Read our guide on preparing the perfect cup of tea!
As a general rule, it is therefore good not to overdo it with tea, and to stay within the recommended doses, also listening to your body and its reactions to the drink. But what is the best time to drink tea? The caffeine (or theine) content in tea is one of the main culprits of the side effects related to its intake, making tea an exciting and stimulating beverage. It is therefore good to avoid, in case of insomnia, consuming tea in the evening or late afternoon, but to drink tea in the morning or early afternoon. Among the contraindications of drinking too much tea is also the reduction of iron absorption, caused by antioxidants: to mitigate this effect, it is recommended to drink tea away from meals, especially highly antioxidant teas like green tea.
This rule is not universal: in the East, such as in China and Japan, where tea has been consumed regularly for years, and prepared according to traditional methods that allow for a perfect infusion, tea is often drunk to accompany meals, or shortly after the meal, like coffee. In reality, when to drink tea depends mainly on the type of tea chosen: there are stronger teas like Darjeeling tea or Pu Erh suitable to be drunk in the morning, to provide an energy boost and accompany substantial breakfasts, teas rich in theine that are best consumed on a full stomach, lighter teas like some green teas that aid in digestion, and therefore should be consumed after meals.
Many people start drinking green tea for its health benefits, and also for the myths surrounding its properties: green tea is an excellent ally for the body, antioxidant and beneficial for cardiovascular health, but excessive consumption does not necessarily help the body, on the contrary. Many prefer green tea believing it has less caffeine: in reality, there are green teas with significantly higher theine content compared to black or white tea, so even drinking green tea could lead to excessive caffeine intake in the body, equal to or even higher than other teas. It is recommended to never exceed the recommended doses of 5 cups of green tea per day, and also in this case to listen to the needs of your body and how it metabolizes it. Among the main contraindications of green tea, it is important to remember that green tea reduces iron absorption, being rich in flavonoids, with antioxidant power. To mitigate this effect, it is preferable to drink green tea away from meals. Green tea also contains fluoride, useful for the health of nails and bones, but in excessive amounts in the body it can cause various pathologies affecting the skeletal system.
Matcha tea, often appreciated for its beneficial properties due to its antioxidant content, effects on digestion, and vitamin content, however, it is a tea with a very high caffeine and polyphenol content, and drinking too much of it can result in palpitations, accelerated heart rate, and have negative interactions with any medications.
During the summer and particularly hot days, many tend to prefer the consumption of iced tea, which for many becomes a real addiction thanks to the relief and refreshing power. However, excessive consumption of iced tea can have significant health risks: it is only a few years ago the diagnosis of permanent dialysis of an American caused by the daily consumption of four liters of iced tea. The main cause is mainly attributed to the oxalate content, needle-shaped crystal compounds present especially in black tea, which once ingested bind to minerals and form salts that prevent absorption, and therefore reduce the minerals available to the body, leading to various pathologies. When oxalates bind to calcium, they also accumulate in the urinary tract and cause kidney stones. But how much iced tea can you drink then? A few glasses of iced tea a day are unlikely to cause such problems, but as with any food or drink, be careful not to overdo it: a consumption of 500 mg of oxalates per day is perfectly normal, to be balanced among the various foods and drinks in your diet.
Tea bags are industrial products, often made with low-quality ingredients, leftovers of powder and broken tea leaves, waste from loose teas: but besides the dubious quality, is bagged tea bad for your health?
The low quality significantly affects the infusion: the small particles and powder are devoid of most of the essential oils and nutrients that make tea a beneficial drink for the body, also in the bags the leaves do not fully open, but when prepared they release more tannins, making bagged tea a more bitter infusion. Tea also has predetermined storage times, while tea bags remain on supermarket shelves for months.
