Table of contents:
- Effects of green tea on health
- For maximum benefits, drink green tea in moderation
- What happens if you drink green tea too often?
- 1. Excess caffeine
- 2. Impaired absorption of iron
- 3. Excess calories
- 4. Medical complications
Apart from its distinctive taste, green tea is widely preferred because it has many important benefits. However, according to recent research, drinking too much green tea actually poses a health risk. In the study, the researchers revealed how excess green tea could interfere with the reproductive function of fruit flies as well as the development of their offspring. So what is the impact of drinking green tea mostly on humans? Here comes the review.
Effects of green tea on health
Green tea comes from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. Green tea is one of the least processed forms of tea and thus maintains a fairly high content of antioxidants and polyphenols. These two properties are known to be very beneficial for health.
Various previous studies have shown that green tea can help you lose weight, reduce cholesterol, and protect the body from several diseases. Including cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer's disease.
For maximum benefits, drink green tea in moderation
A recent study conducted at the University of California looked at the effects of green tea on fruit fly larvae. Fruit flies are often used to study human disease because they share 75 percent similarity with the genes that cause disease in humans.
Researchers found that exposure to 10 milligrams of green tea led to slower development of fly larvae. In addition, there was a drastic decrease in the number and size of the offspring. In addition, the researchers also found that exposure to 10 milligrams of green tea caused deformities in the reproductive organs of fruit flies, including testicular and ovarian atrophy.
Although the study doesn't explain how green tea might affect the development and reproduction of fruit flies, researchers suspect that high doses of green tea can trigger apoptosis, or excessive cell death, leading to the disorder.
What happens if you drink green tea too often?
1. Excess caffeine
Green tea is a drink that contains caffeine which can cause side effects such as palpitations, upset stomach, restlessness, anxiety, insomnia, and tremors. The amount of caffeine content varies from product to product. However, green tea contains an average of 30 milligrams of caffeine in each brewed bag.
If you drink green tea very often, you are likely to become dependent on caffeine. So when you don't drink caffeine-containing tea, you will experience caffeine withdrawal symptoms which are characterized by drowsiness, dizziness, headaches, and easily provoked emotions.
2. Impaired absorption of iron
Tea contains antioxidants called flavonoids. This content can provide a protective effect from free radicals that can cause damage to cells in the body. However, flavonoids can bind to iron, so that iron cannot be absorbed by the body.
Drinking green tea at mealtime or afterwards can reduce iron absorption by about 70 percent. Therefore, you should not drink green tea with meals or for several hours afterward.
3. Excess calories
Green tea is healthy, but if you don't consume it wisely, you could end up with excess calories. For example, if you drink green tea in bottles or cans that have been added with sugar and sweeteners. Of course, sugar and sweeteners contain calories.
Calorie intake that is more than the calories you burn will cause an increase in body fat, which can lead to conditions such as obesity and diabetes mellitus (diabetes).
4. Medical complications
Although green tea is safe, drinking green tea can mostly worsen medical conditions for some people. For example, people with anxiety disorders may become increasingly anxious and people with diarrhea may experience more severe digestive system disorders.
Green tea is also POSSIBLY UNSAFE in people with anemia, glaucoma, heart disease, and bleeding disorders. If you have this medical condition, you should consult with your doctor about the limits on the amount of green tea consumption that is still relatively safe for you.
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