How Many Cups of Tea is Appropriate Per Day?
Tea is a drink that can be enjoyed in various everyday situations, like during and after meals, or when taking a break. Nevertheless, it can be difficult for tea-lovers to stick to just one or two cups per day because there are lots of different types of tea with diverse health benefits. So then, could somebody really drink too much tea? Let's find out.
The Health Benefits of Tea Drinking
Drinking tea has been linked with a number of health benefits, including lower risk of heart disease, cancer, and stroke. Tea is also a good source of antioxidants and can help improve cognitive function. In fact, some studies have shown that drinking tea can actually help reduce stress levels and promote relaxation.
Tea is rich in catechins and theanine, which are said to help suppress spikes in blood pressure and prevent high blood pressure. In addition, tea is packed with antioxidants like catechin and vitamin E, which can help reduce inflammation and improve immunity. Here are some of the other reported health benefits of drinking tea:
- University of Shizuoka published a study in an international scientific journal on the effects green tea has reducing symptoms of dementia.
- A recent study conducted by Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine found that drinking tea may lower the risk of cerebral infarction.
- Consuming tea may help decrease your chances of developing type II diabetes, according to a recent study. The research was conducted as a prospective cohort study in Japan and published in JACC.
How many cups of tea per day should you drink to enjoy these benefits?
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Health Canada, most adults should consume no more than 400 mg of caffeine per day—and that's just for them. One cup of green tea contains about 40mgs of caffeine, so limiting yourself to 10 cups a day would be ideal if you're consuming other sources of caffeine as well.
Here are a few other ingredients to be wary of when consuming copious amounts of green tea, such as Catechin and Oxalic acid. Water might seem like an innocuous addition, but it can actually cause problems if you drink too much at once. When water inundates your system, it dilutes your sodium levels and leaves you feeling unwell. If you're drinking tea for the health benefits, try sipping on it throughout the day instead of chugging all at once.
While tea is generally a healthy drink, it's important to moderate your intake. Drinking too much tea can have negative consequences on your health.
Genmaicha (Brown Rice tea)
If you want to reduce your intake of caffeine or catechins, Genmaicha is a healthier alternative to regular green tea. While 100mL of green tea contains 20mg of caffeine and 70mg of catechins, 100mL of Genmaicha only has 10mg of each. Additionally, there are no problems associated with regularly drinking sencha as long as you don't consume too much at once; however, genmaicha can be said to be better for you overall.
Although there are health benefits to consuming tea, please don't drink more than 10 cups a day. It's essential to select lower-caffeine teas like Genmaicha so you can still experience all the advantages tea provides without harming your health in any way.