Many people often drink tea to stay awake, but many people find that they feel thirsty after drinking tea, even though they drank it to quench their thirst. However, most people don’t know why tea makes them thirstier, so why does tea make people thirstier?
The reason why drinking tea makes you thirstier
1.In the process of tea making, there is a high-fire roasting step, which will cause the tea to be dry and hot, leading to an increase in fire and a feeling of thirst when consumed.
2. Tea has a diuretic effect, drinking a lot of tea can cause the body to lose sodium, which is the main reason for thirst. If you continue to drink tea at this time, the diuretic effect of tea will continue to work, and the water in tea is not enough to replace the loss of this water, so you will only feel more thirsty.
3. There are quality issues with tea, as many teas are processed with chemical additives such as dyes and fragrances. These additives can make people thirsty. The poorly made, low-quality tea can also cause dry mouth and throat, as well as a strong discomfort known as “locking the throat”! So, I advise everyone to be careful when buying tea and not to solely focus on cheap prices.
4. The tea water is so hot, which many tea lovers know. After drinking hot tea, there is a dry and sticky feeling in the mouth. Therefore, we suggest that you control the tea water temperature at around 60-70℃ when drinking tea.
The main component in tea that causes thirst
1. Tea contains polyphenolic compounds, which form a water-resistant film on the tongue when you drink it, making the tongue feel dry and bitter. After this film is broken, it turns into the familiar aftertaste, which is also a sign of a good tea.
2. Tea is also water, and it cannot be drunk in large quantities over a short period of time. Drinking large amounts of water can also cause the body to lose a lot of sodium through urine excretion, leading to thirst. A normal person will also experience urinating frequently and feeling thirsty after drinking 1,000 ml of water, which is based on this principle.
What should you do if you feel thirstier and thirstier after drinking tea?
1. Drinking tea can make people thirstier, but it also has other good effects. Therefore, to avoid dehydration and thirst, it is advisable to supplement some water before drinking tea to prevent the body from becoming seriously dehydrated.
2. Choosing the right tea for yourself is also crucial in tea drinking. Some people are suitable for pu’er tea, while others are suitable for maojian tea. Tea lovers need to research and find out which type of tea suits them best. The thirst-inducing effect of the right tea will be much weaker when consumed.
Benefits and Effects of Tea
1.Tea can be stimulating to the stomach, so it’s best not to drink it on an empty stomach. Of course, oolong tea, which is known to help with digestion, is an exception.
2. Tea has a strong stimulating effect on the central nervous system, which can make people feel alert and energized. Therefore, it is not advisable to drink tea before bedtime or at night to avoid insomnia.
3. Tea has a strong detoxifying effect, so it is not advisable to take medicine with tea, as it can lower the effectiveness of the medicine and hinder the treatment of the disease.
Misconceptions about Drinking Tea
Mistake 1: Drinking tea without considering one’s constitution.
There are many types of tea, which can be broadly divided into unfermented tea, semi-fermented tea, and fermented tea. Each type of tea has a different suitable group of people. Drinking tea without considering one’s constitution can lead to some uncomfortable symptoms. For example, green tea contains high levels of tea polyphenols and caffeine, which can be slightly stimulating to the stomach. People with weak stomachs should drink less green tea, especially not on an empty stomach.
Mistake 2: Drinking the same type of tea all year round.
In general, it is now widely believed that green tea is suitable to drink in summer. Because green tea is cold in nature, it is the best at removing fire, with functions such as producing saliva and quenching thirst, digesting food and dissolving phlegm. Red tea, which is warm in nature, is suitable to drink in winter. Its tea nature is sweet and warm, which can nourish the Yang Qi. It also contains rich protein and sugar, which can enhance the ability to resist cold and help digestion and remove grease. In addition, oolong tea is suitable to drink in autumn, as its tea nature is moderate, neither cold nor hot, which helps eliminate the remaining heat in the body and has the functions of moistening the skin, moistening the throat, producing saliva, and clearing the accumulated heat in the body to relieve the autumn dryness. Flower tea (such as jasmine flower tea) is suitable to drink in spring, as it is sweet and cool with fragrant and pungent Qi, which is not only beneficial to dispersing the cold in the body, but also promotes the rising of Yang Qi, making people feel refreshed.
Mistake 3: Reusing Tea for a Day
Many people put a handful of tea leaves into a large teacup in the morning and drink it all day. On one hand, the tea will lose its fragrance if it is brewed too many times; on the other hand, if the tea leaves are soaked in hot water for a long time, the vitamins, tea polyphenols, flavonoids, and other nutrients in the tea will be oxidized and degraded, reducing its effectiveness.
Mistake 4: Old tea is not washed.
Black tea or oolong tea is often aged, especially pu-erh tea cakes, the older they are, the stronger the fragrance. Such tea is usually washed with boiling water for a quick period (10-20 seconds) before the first brew, which can serve as a washing process to remove any potential microorganisms and also heat the tea, allowing the fragrance to release.