Green, black, white… The aromatic palette of tea has something to delight all taste buds.
If the benefits of this drink are widely acclaimed, excessive consumption carries risks.
What is the limit that should not be exceeded?
Bernard Srour, researcher at the National Research Institute for Agriculture (INRAE) and Nina Cohen-Koubi, nutritionist doctor, enlighten us.
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4 to 5 mugs daily
Notice to drinkers of the beverage: reasonable daily consumption should not exceed 4 to 5 mugs (25 cl cups) of tea, i.e., “400 mg of tea throughout the day, with a teaspoon of tea in each cup,” specifies researcher Bernard Srour, who cites the recommendations of the National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES).
And for good reason, tea contains caffeine (50 mg for a bowl of tea and 80 mg for a cup of coffee), and excessive consumption is likely to cause undesirable effects such as “nervousness, increased heart rate or even redness on the face,” says doctor Nina Cohen-Koubi.
Without forgetting that the tannins contained in the drink can interfere with the iron in the foods consumed and thus limit its absorption by the body.
Ultimately, excessive consumption can cause anemia, or “a drop in hemoglobin levels, the molecules which contain iron and which are responsible for the oxygenation of body tissues,” adds the nutritionist.
To protect yourself from this, it is better to drink your cup away from meals and let it cool before ingestion.
“Consuming hot drinks over 65 degrees can increase the risk of esophageal cancer,” warns Bernard Srour, researcher at Inrae.
Excessive consumption of tea can cause nervousness, increased heart rate or facial flushing.
Dr Nina Cohen-Koubi, nutritionist
A health ally
By respecting these quantities, we can then fully benefit from the health benefits of tea.
The latter contains polyphenols, “antioxidants which neutralize free radicals”, specifies Dr Nina Cohen-Koubi, at the origin of the aging of the body.
Also read: Black, green, white… Which tea to choose for what benefits?
These antioxidants also promote fat metabolism, understand the use of lipids to create energy and therefore help reduce the presence of fatty substances in the body.
Finally, “polyphenols contribute to the maintenance of a healthy intestinal microbiota,” adds the doctor.
To top it off, theanine, a molecule naturally present in tea, acts on mood.
“This substance has a relaxing action,” the doctor informs.
It increases serotonin and dopamine (the so-called hormones of happiness and immediate pleasure) and therefore helps to combat stress.