Green Tea - The Disadvantages

Everyone believes that green tea is one of the healthiest drinks we have. However, if we drink too much of it, it could adversely affect our kidneys. However, it is rare for us to be really badly affected by green tea consumption. It can also damage our livers. However, it should be pointed out that the beverage's health advantages far outweigh its disadvantages, as long as you don't drink excessive amounts of it.

Scientists say that you can safely drink up to ten cups of green tea a day. The problems arise when you take supplements. These may contain up to fifty times the amount of polyphenols than a cup of the tea.

Experiments conducted on rats, mice and dogs have shown that liver poisoning can occur when the animals are given excessive amounts of polyphenols.

Another problem with drinking green tea is that, believe it or not, it contains caffeine. If you have problems with caffeine, avoid green tea as it can result in insomnia, an upset stomach and even nausea and irritability.

If you have to take blood thinners such as coumarin or warfarin, it might be better not to drink it because it contains vitamin K. Ask your doctor if you can drink the beverage and also find out how much is safe for you to drink.

You shouldn't drink green tea and take aspirin either.

During pregnancy it is unwise to take supplements as these are not stringently regulated. The tea itself is fine, it's the extracts and supplements that can cause problems.

The catechins in hot green tea may ward off colds and flu, especially if you have it with lemon and honey rather than using sugar as a sweetener. However, the caffeine found in the drink can inhibit the body's ability to absorb iron. Drinking your tea with fresh lemon juice squeezed into it though, can mitigate the effect of the tea. To combat this possible lack of iron, eat plenty of vitamin C rich foods such as oranges, broccoli, other brassicas and liver.

If you are on a diet, the amount of sweeteners you stir into your cup will add calories to your drink. A cup of green tea without sweetenings has zero calories.

Basically, if you are a healthy person, and consume this beverage in moderation, it should be a health-giving drink. Use common sense and don't drink copious amounts of the stuff.