Tea not healthy for all

People who should avoid tea

1. Anyone predisposed to heartburn and stomach ulcers. Tea can aggravate these conditions.

2. Anyone taking medication. Tea can interfere and interact with certain medications, and should be avoided for up to two hours after taking any medication.

3. Anyone sensitive to caffeine. If you are restless, irritable or prone to sleeping problems, tea can worsen your symptoms. Be especially careful if you have liver disease, as blood levels of caffeine can build up fast.

4. Anyone with a sensitive stomach. The caffeine in tea leaves may give people stomach cramps. Moreover, tea itself is a potent stimulant of gastric acid. Spike your tea with some milk and sugar to inhibit the release of gastric acid.

5. Anyone with an iron deficiency. Tea is known as a “negative calories” beverage. Not only does it contain virtually no calories, it also blocks the absorption of certain nutrients. Green tea extract reduces the absorption of non-heme iron by 25 percent.

6. Anyone with premenstrual syndrome. Studies have found that green tea can cause the body’s estrogen levels to crash.

7. Young children. If you have young kids, it’s best if they don’t drink tea. The caffeine in tea can be too stimulating for young children, and the tannins may block the absorption of proteins and fats in children.

8. Anyone with a Vitamin B deficiency. Tea reduces the absorption of Vitamin B.

9. Anyone taking tea extract tablets. Some people prefer consuming tea tablets to brewing hot tea. That is fine, but there is a risk of overdose.

10. When you have or are prone to forming kidney stones. Kidney stones are mineral deposits made up of calcium, uric acid or the amino acid cysteine. At least three quarters of kidney stones are composed of calcium combined with phosphate or oxalic acid. Green tea is rich in oxalic acid.

11. Anyone using weight loss teas. While green tea is considered safe for long-term consumption, slimming and weight loss teas tend to be laced with laxative herbs such as senna leaf and rhubarb root. They can be dangerous when consumed in large quantities.