5 common mistakes when brewing tea that can harm your health 0 21

On cold winter evenings, there is nothing better than coming home and brewing a cup of tea. Doctors claim that this drink is quite beneficial for health. Depending on the variety, tea can warm, refresh, soothe, or, on the contrary, invigorate.

However, to ensure that tea drinking brings only benefits to your body, it is important to know a few rules for its preparation. Otherwise, tea can acquire harmful properties, notes Doctorpiter.

Tea promotes longevity

Regular consumption of tea can help you extend your life. This conclusion was made by specialists from the National Institutes of Health in the USA.

In the course of the study, they analyzed data from nearly 500,000 people, of whom 85% regularly drank tea. Among them, 29% consumed two to three cups a day, 26% — four to five cups, and 12% — six to seven cups.

The scientists observed the participants for 11 years. During this period, about 30,000 people passed away.

After analyzing the data, it was found that black tea reduces the risk of sudden death. Those who drank one cup a day had a 5% lower likelihood of premature death. The most noticeable effect was observed in those who consumed two to three cups a day: in this group, the risk of death decreased by 9-13%.

The authors of the study recorded a connection between tea consumption and a reduced likelihood of developing a number of dangerous diseases, such as cancer, stroke, respiratory diseases, and cardiovascular pathologies.

How tea can become harmful

However, not every tea will be so beneficial, writes WeChat. Here are some mistakes that can turn a healthy drink into poison for your body.

1. Brewing tea too strong

Undoubtedly, strong black tea is great for boosting energy. However, if overdone, the polyphenols in such a drink can bind with iron ions, making it difficult to absorb this mineral. Additionally, too strong tea contains a lot of caffeine and theophylline, which can cause insomnia and headaches. There is also evidence that strongly brewed tea can negatively affect bone tissue.

2. Brewing tea for too long

The longer you steep tea, the fewer nutrients remain in the leaves. Moreover, prolonged brewing creates conditions for bacterial growth.

3. Using water that is too hot

No matter how cold you feel, do not overheat the water. The fact is that any drink that is too hot (above 65 degrees) is considered carcinogenic.

4. Not discarding moldy tea

Do not skimp on your health and do not leave spoiled products in the kitchen. Moldy tea contains penicillium and aspergillus fungi. Consuming such tea can lead to dizziness, diarrhea, and, in severe cases, organ necrosis.

5. Adding sugar to tea

Sugar is rightly called the "sweet death" — its excessive consumption is dangerous. Since sugar is added to almost all products, even non-sweet ones, we are already getting too much sugar. Doctors remind us that our bodies can get enough energy without sugar and a hypercaloric diet. Therefore, every spoonful of sugar in tea is already an extra burden.