Most people don’t realize this, but green tea side effects are just as important to know as its benefits. Many population studies documenting the health benefits of drinking green tea are based in Asia, where people typically drink 3 cups of freshly brewed green tea a day.
The problems can arise when we drink too much of it. The United Kingdom Tea Council recommends a maximum of 6 cups of tea a day. Lets touch on a few reasons why.
1] People with sensitive stomachs need to be careful because the alkaline nature of tea doesn’t always mix well with the acids produced by the stomach. This can cause indigestion. It has been suggested that tea should be had between meals, not with them.
2] The caffeine in green tea is about half that of a cup of coffee. Too much caffeine can cause insomnia, headaches, irritability and even irregular heart beats.
3] Green tea reduces the absorption of nonheme iron which is the kind you get from plant foods. The other type of iron is heme iron and is found in meat and fish. Having your tea between meals can help here too.
Iron is sometimes classified as a trace mineral because we have so little of it in our bodies. However, it is vitally important in helping get oxygen to our cells. If there is not enough iron then there are not enough red blood cells and we will suffer from iron-deficiency anemia or iron poor blood. Symptoms include being tired, pale and short of breath.
Iron poor blood is the number one nutritional deficiency in the world. It also affects 1 out of 10 American women and children. In addition to tea, iron-deficiency anemia can be aggravated by a lack of vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin C, niacin and pantothenic acid.
The solution is not necessarily to stop drinking green tea.
a] Drink your tea just after brewing; letting it sit will cause the numerous ingredients that are good for you to lose potency. In addition, green tea has amino acids in it, which if stored after brewing, will assist bacteria to breed.
b] Consume your tea between meals; this will reduce the side effects of indigestion and iron deficiency.
c] Try cooking your vegetables in cast iron cookware. This tip alone will dramatically improve your iron absorption rate.
Something else to consider is a vitamin/nutrient supplement that has green tea extract in it. The tablets should also use an enteric coating. If taken during a meal the coating will help to keep the extract from negatively interacting with your stomach acids or the nonheme iron. You will also balance out any nutrient deficiencies in other areas.