Why does sweet tea hurt my stomach

The most popular varieties are green, black, and oolong — all of which are made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant 1. Tea has been used for its healing properties in Traditional medicine for centuries. Moreover, modern research suggests that plant compounds in tea may play a role in reducing your risk of chronic conditions, such as cancer, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease 1. Though moderate tea consumption is a very healthy choice for most people, exceeding 3—4 cups — ml per day could have some negative side effects.

Tea is a rich source of a class of compounds called tannins. Tannins can bind to iron in certain foods, rendering it unavailable for absorption in your digestive tract 2. Iron deficiency is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies in the world, and if you have low iron levels, excessive tea intake may exacerbate your condition.

Research suggests that tea tannins are more likely to hinder the absorption of iron from plant sources than from animal-based foods.

Thus, if you follow a strict vegan or vegetarian diet, you may want to pay extra close attention to how much tea you consume 2. That said, limiting your intake to 3 or fewer cups ml per day is likely a safe range for most people 2. If you have low iron but still enjoy drinking tea, consider having it between meals as an extra precaution. If you have low iron, drink tea between meals.

Tea leaves naturally contain caffeine. Overconsuming caffeine from tea, or any other source, may contribute to feelings of anxiety , stress, and restlessness 3. An average cup ml of tea contains about 11—61 mg of caffeine, depending on the variety and brewing method 4 , 5. Black teas tend to contain more caffeine than green and white varieties, and the longer you steep your tea, the higher its caffeine content 5.

Research suggests that caffeine doses under mg per day are unlikely to cause significant anxiety in most people.

Still, some people are more sensitive to the effects of caffeine than others and may need to limit their intake further 3. If you notice your tea habit is making you feel jittery or nervous, it could be a sign you have had too much and may want to cut back to reduce symptoms.

You may also consider opting for caffeine-free herbal teas. Overconsuming caffeine from tea may cause anxiety and restlessness. If you notice these symptoms, reduce your tea intake or try substituting with caffeine-free herbal teas. Because tea naturally contains caffeine , excessive intake may disrupt your sleep cycle.

Some research suggests that caffeine may inhibit melatonin production, resulting in poor sleep quality 6. Inadequate sleep is linked to a variety of mental issues, including fatigue, impaired memory, and reduced attention span.

Some studies have found that even just mg of caffeine consumed 6 or more hours before bedtime could negatively affect sleep quality , whereas other studies have observed no significant effect 6. Certain compounds in tea may cause nausea , especially when consumed in large quantities or on an empty stomach.

Tannins in tea leaves are responsible for the bitter, dry taste of tea. The astringent nature of tannins can also irritate digestive tissue, potentially leading to uncomfortable symptoms, such as nausea or stomach ache 8. More sensitive individuals may experience these symptoms after drinking as few as 1—2 cups — ml of tea, whereas others may be able to drink more than 5 cups 1.

If you notice any of these symptoms after drinking tea , you may want to consider reducing the total amount you drink at any one time. You can also try adding a splash of milk or having some food with your tea. As explained by WebMD , catechins are flavonoids — substances found in plants with strong antioxidant and disease-fighting properties. It's cheap and easy to make iced tea at home , so brew your own if you want to reap all the health benefits when you drink iced tea every day. When it comes to the health benefits of iced tea, researchers usually focus on black tea.

But one type of herbal tea may actually be more helpful when it comes to losing weight. A study published in the journal Frontiers in Physiology found that drinking herbal tea made from yerba mate, a plant native to South America via Healthline , encouraged fat oxidation.

Kathryn Schwab, a health and wellness researcher at Tons of Goodness , explained, "[Fat cells] are in a constant state of turnover, meaning that fat is continuously entering or exiting the cell Fatty acids released into the bloodstream can then be burned oxidized for energy. When fat is oxidized, this results in weight loss. If you're one of the If you're worried about aging, you're not alone.

A survey found that 28 percent of women under 25, 42 percent of women aged 25 to 34, and 54 percent of women between the ages of 35 and 44 worried "regularly" about how they're aging, as reported by the New York Post. Fortunately, believe it or not, the fountain of youth might actually be a pitcher of iced tea! Yes, if you drink iced tea every day, you may be doing your skin a favor. When it comes to the physical signs of aging, collagen plays an important role.

That's because collagen, a protein found throughout the body, provides structure to our skin in addition to performing many other important functions , as explained by Healthline. As we age, our body's ability to create new collagen decreases, leading to saggy, wrinkled skin via HuffPost. But, as nutritionist Lisa Richards told The List , "It's been shown that dietary polyphenols, like those found in iced tea, can stimulate the production of collagen in the body.

According to a Gallup poll , 44 percent of Americans feel stressed in day-to-day life "frequently," while another 35 percent feel stressed "sometimes. Does that sound like you? If so, registered dietitian Trista Best believes a refreshing glass of iced tea might actually help you relax.

She explained to The List , "The hormone cortisol, the stress hormone, is known to increase stress Iced tea is able to naturally lower cortisol production in the body and subsequently reduce anxiety. Andrew Steptoe and colleagues at University College London and published in Psychopharmacology came to the same conclusion, although the researchers only examined black tea's stress-busting properties. Getting your stress levels under control is important. According to the Mayo Clinic , stress can cause a number of unpleasant symptoms that negatively effect your physical and psychological health.

These include headaches, chest and muscle pain, sleep problems and fatigue, stomach upset, and changes in sex drive. So why not try to drink iced tea every day? Chris Norris at Sleep Standards , the answer is yes. He told The List, "Unsweetened iced tea contains flavonoids that play a vital role in protecting the heart from a number of diseases and keeps your heart healthy and in good shape.

What you may not realize is that heart disease is actually an umbrella term for a number of different conditions, as noted by Medical News Today. These include coronary artery disease, congenital heart disease, arrhythmia, congestive heart failure, and heart attack. While some forms of heart disease are caused by structural or physiological problems issues the flavonoids in iced tea can't do anything about , other forms, including coronary artery disease , are closely linked to inflammation and atherosclerosis.

So, if you drink iced tea every day, you could be helping your heart. If you enjoy your daily iced tea on the sweeter side, you may be getting more sugar than you realize. Many pre-bottled iced teas contain a significant amount of sugar. In its guidelines via Ages , the World Health Organization WHO suggested that adults should consume no more than ten teaspoons of added sugar a day and that keeping it to under five would be ideal.

So even one serving of a sweetened iced tea could put you dangerously close to, or even over, that limit, making the decision to drink iced tea every day — sweetened iced tea, that is — not the best choice. The WHO points out that its recommendations are based on research linking sugar to a number of health concerns.

According to the American Diabetes Association , more than Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, directly causing or contributing to the deaths of more than , people in If you're one of the 20 percent of women with iron deficiency, you may want to think twice before deciding to drink iced tea every day. Naturopathic doctor Jo Nell Shaw told The List, "Black, green, and rooibos tea have a high level of tannins, which can be healthy unless a person has iron absorption issues.

The tannins bind to iron and can increase the risk of anemia. According to the Iron Disorders Institute , iron deficiency is the "most common nutritional deficiency" in the world. It can lead to anemia low red blood cell count , which can cause fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness, headaches, and weakness.

Iron deficiency can be caused by inadequate iron intake, increased demand for example, during pregnancy , blood loss such as heavy periods , and difficulty absorbing iron. Tea, like wine, contains tannin, and consuming it, especially on an empty stomach, can lead you to feel nauseated.

Why is tannin in tea to begin with? So, whenever any type of tea is brewed for longer than two minutes, the tannin from the tea leaves will seep into the brew. The stronger the tea, the more tannin there will be. If you prefer less tannin in your tea to avoid feeling sick, brew it at a lower heat for less time. You can also try adding milk to tea ; milk binds the tannin, lowering its nausea-inducing capabilities.

Or do like the Brits, and serve your tea with biscuits.