Are you someone who wakes up grumpy and remains like that till they sip on a piping hot tea! Well, it is rightly said ‘tea is an emotion’ as it instantly uplifts the mood and gives your body the much needed energy to kick start the day. But do you know this morning ritual can silently ruin your digestive health? Read on to find out…



What’s wrong with drinking tea?



Tea is one of the most loved beverages around the world and there are more than 3000 varieties of tea. But do you know why health experts vouch for avoiding tea on an empty stomach? Well, the answer to this may depend on the type of tea and the method of preparation.



In India most people kick start their day with either black tea or masala tea made with milk, which no doubt tastes heavenly, but also triggers digestive ailments like ulcers, bloating, discomfort to name a few. Here are some of the common reasons why you must avoid sipping on tea on an empty stomach.



Triggers heartburn



Drinking high caffeine based drinks on an empty stomach can lead to heartburn, bloating, pain and increase ulcer pains. This is because the acids in tea/caffeine based drinks interfere with the digestive acids in the stomach and lead to bloating and acid reflux.



Affects metabolism



The first drink in the morning helps in flushing out bacteria, but drinking high amounts of caffeine and milk in the morning can affect the flushing out of bacteria from the mouth to the gut, which affects digestion and metabolism. This practice not only affects digestion, metabolism, but also leads to poor gut health.



Impacts absorption of nutrients



Drinking tea on an empty stomach may affect the body's development as the presence of Tannins in tea can interfere with the absorption of iron and other essential nutrients from food.



Dehydration



Sipping tea on an empty stomach may leave you dehydrated. This is because tea is diuretic, which causes frequent urination and if the body doesn't get enough liquids this may lead to severe dehydration.