Black Tea Benefits & Side Effects

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Black tea is the world’s second most popular drink after water. There are several types of tea: leaf, granular, in bags and brick tea. Tea can be flavored, such as Bergamot Tea. Black tea contains: caffeine, glucuronic and lactic acid, catechins, fluoride, potassium, manganese, adenine, tannin, guanine, purines, gallic esters and xanthine.
Let’s discuss Black tea’s benefits, as well as, the side effects that can be caused by excessive consumption.

Health Benefits Of Black Tea

• A cup of hot black tea will help you to warm up quickly and strengthen the immune system when you are cold, wet and shivering.
• Thanks to the caffeine in it, tea is energizing which increases efficiency. Moreover, studies have shown that the stimulating effect of tea on our body is longer than the similar effect of coffee.
• Due to catechins, which are antioxidants, black tea strengthens blood vessels and thanks to tannin, it increases the resistance of the body to various infections. Black tea is probably unparalleled in its amount of vitamin P (tea catechins).
• Tea is rich in vitamins – it contains vitamin B1, carotene (provitamin A) and B3 (nicotinic acid).
• Doctors claim that black tea is a great prophylactic against diabetes.
• Moderate, not strong black tea, has a positive effect on the normal functioning of the kidneys.
• Tea contains fluoride, which is essential for the good health of our teeth. Moreover, scientists have proven that its daily dose is contained in just two cups of black tea – which is about 1.5 mg.
• Black tea improves mood, protects against stress, raises blood pressure and neutralizes free radicals.

Black Tea Side Effects And Contraindications

• Drinking black tea in large doses can lead to digestive problems, varicose veins, insomnia and palpitations. It excites the nervous system
• Strong tea is contraindicated in cases of gastritis and gastric ulcers; both occur against a backdrop of increased acidity.
• Black tea is contraindicated for patients during recovery from acute cardiovascular disorders, for example, after the attacks of cardiac asthma or paroxysmal tachycardia.
• Older people should be aware that overloading the body with fluid and caffeine is undesirable for the cardiovascular system.

How To Make Tea

• A porcelain teapot is best suited for brewing tea. Making tea in a metal kettle is not recommended as it causes the taste of the tea to change.
• To brew tea properly, rinse the teapot with boiling water and then add tea leaves.
• Add one teaspoon of dry tea for every cup of water plus one teaspoon for the teapot, regardless of its size. This is the norm for a healthy person.
• Add boiling water to 2/3 of the teapot, leave for 4-5 minutes and then add more boiling water.
• Tea wouldn’t taste better if you were to put the teapot on the fire or covered it with a towel – Doing these may even cause tea to quickly loses its flavor and aroma.
• The most delicious tea is freshly brewed, so do not refill the teapot several times.
• Black tea should be drunk separately from the main meal, so never wash down your food or medicines with black tea.
• It’s very beneficial and delicious to drink black tea according to British rules, namely with cream or milk. Please note: such tea is a great tonic in dystrophy, polyneuritis and nervous exhaustion.
• Tea is amazingly hygroscopic; that is, it absorbs moisture easily and is very sensitive to different smells. Therefore, it is better to keep it in a special porcelain or earthenware caddy or a glass jar tightly closed (no plastic!).
• Drink only freshly brewed tea…the oxidation of its aromatic components: phenol, lipids and essential oils, begins after 20 minutes.
• A daily dose of black tea should be no more than 3-4 cups