How does black tea affect blood pressure?
Black tea is rightfully considered the leader among drinks. It is drunk by everyone without exception, men and women all over the world, regardless of age and social status. It's not just a way to quench your thirst. It is part of our culture and traditions.
Daily, regular use of black tea requires complete information about this drink: its composition, basic properties and preparation rules.
Main action
A cup of black tea in the morning gives a charge of vivacity and energy, helps to wake up. Perhaps this explains the popularity of this drink.
It owes this feature to caffeine. This is a psychostimulant that has an exciting effect on the nervous system, causing the body to wake up and work.
At the same time, the agent activates the activity of the cardiovascular system. It speeds up the heart rate and affects vascular tone. Due to this feature, black tea is able to increase blood pressure.
This effect is manifested initially, when the infusion has just entered the body. Further, its adaptogenic properties are revealed, that is, it keeps stable indicators of values. This property of tea is due to the process of fermentation of tea leaves in the process of harvesting them.
One cup of black drink contains 70 mg of caffeine. This is 30 mg less than coffee and 10 mg less than green tea. This fact dispels the myth that black is the strongest of all teas.
In this, it is inferior to green and white drinks, but only slightly.After all, all tea varieties are made from the leaves of the tea tree. The only difference is in processing. Of course, this does not apply to drinks such as hibiscus, mate and herbal teas.
Given that this drink raises blood pressure, it should be taken with caution in case of hypertension. In addition, it contains alkaloids that increase eye pressure.
It has been established that the tea drink retains the hypertensive effect longer than coffee. Particular attention in its use should be given not only to people with consistently high blood pressure, but also to those who are characterized by its sharp drops.
Well, for hypotensive patients, this drink is just a godsend. It will help arterial indicators rise to normal values, while relieving dizziness and eliminating the feeling of weakness.
It would seem that everything is simple, but not quite. The thing is that black tea, in addition to caffeine, contains a substance such as catechin. While caffeine raises blood pressure, catechin lowers it. And our arterial indicators after drinking a Chinese drink will depend on which of the 2 substances the vascular receptors will respond to.
To find out individual susceptibility to the agent, conduct a test:
- 30 minutes after eating, measure blood pressure;
- then drink pure black tea, without sugar, then try to keep calm;
- measure blood pressure again after 15 minutes;
- if the value increased by 10 units, this is not significant, but if it increased by 20 units, this indicates that the tea produced a hypertensive effect;
- repeat the test several times and compare the results.
Considering the outcome of the experiment with your characteristics, draw conclusions. If you are hypertensive and the drink significantly increased your performance, be careful. Use it in doses, under the control of blood pressure.
Other properties and composition of black tea
- In addition to caffeine, which, in addition to increasing vascular tone, enhances concentration and mental activity, improves digestion, black tea contains other beneficial substances.
- Tannin in its composition is an excellent antioxidant, cleansing and rejuvenating our body. It helps fight infections. And it is thanks to him that black tea quenches thirst so well.
- Another property of tannin is the normalization of digestion. It promotes the production of bile and gastric juice, which help food to be digested and evacuated from the stomach in time.
- Catechins also have antioxidant properties, in addition, they also strengthen the vascular walls.
- The vitamin-mineral complex is represented by such vitamins: A, C, E, B1, B2, B6. Among the minerals, fluorine is isolated, which strengthens tooth enamel.
- Black tea drink contains essential oils, theophylline, organic acids. It lowers blood glucose levels, enhances metabolism, and has anti-inflammatory effects.
Rules of use
Since black tea has a hypertensive effect, its use by hypertensive patients requires some restrictions. With high blood pressure, you should refrain from taking it. But, during the period when they stabilize, the drink can be drunk, following some rules.
To reduce the effects of caffeine, resort to the following tricks.
- Before brewing the drink, dry leaves are washed with warm water.
- You can dilute tea with milk - it will have a relaxing effect. This remedy is better to drink at night. This will help you deal with insomnia.
- Drinking should not be too strong; for this, dose the tea leaf correctly.After all, the taste of the drink depends not so much on the amount of tea leaves, but on its quality.
- It is very important to monitor the amount of fluid you drink. If you are hypertensive, then the daily volume should not exceed 1 liter. It takes into account all the liquid that comes in a day, including soups, milk. If your hypertension is of the second degree or higher, consume 1-2 cups of black infusion per day, no more.
- If you are using tea bags, remove the bag from the cup after 1.5-2 minutes.
- Brewed tea is better to drink immediately. The more it brews, the higher the level of caffeine in it.
By following the above recommendations, you will not only keep your blood pressure normal, but also enjoy your favorite taste.
If you are hypotensive, then you should drink a sweet drink, with sugar or honey, you can add lemon. In a situation where your pressure is lowered, you feel a breakdown, such a composition will help get rid of fatigue. It will increase blood circulation, increase vascular tone, and your performance will return to normal.
The following tips will help improve the quality of your drink:
- brew tea in a clay teapot or cup;
- use it after meals to reduce the irritating effect on the walls of the stomach;
- use purified water for brewing;
- if you add dried fruits to tea, this will not only improve its taste, but also increase its medicinal properties;
For a day, a healthy person is recommended to consume 3-4 cups of black tea per day.
Possible harm
A tea drink can have a negative impact if its quantity and strength are abused.
If you overdose caffeinated drink, it is primarily threatened by psychomotor agitation. The heartbeat increases, a feeling of anxiety and nervousness may appear. Sleep is disturbed up to insomnia.Given this, black tea is not recommended for people with mental disorders. It is better to replace it with herbal infusion.
Secondly, too strong tea causes an increased heartbeat and vasospasm, which leads to high pressure surges. This can aggravate the course of hypertension.
It is because of the ability of the drink to activate cardiovascular activity that it is contraindicated in people who have had a heart attack or stroke.
The use of tea in large quantities in diseases of the stomach with increased secretion will cause an exacerbation of the condition. Increased production of gastric juice will further increase acidity.
Abuse of Chinese potion can lead to an imbalance of certain minerals in our body. So, an excessive amount of fluorine, which is contained in tea, slows down the functioning of the thyroid gland and kidneys, and also negatively affects the condition of the bones.
Too much consumption of the drink leaches magnesium from our body, which leads to a disorder of the nervous system.
Do not drink medicines with tea, as some of its components can react with drugs and change their effect.
Black tea is a unique drink whose traditions are fixed by time. On the one hand, it tones and invigorates, and on the other hand, it helps to relax. At first glance, ordinary black tea is actually a source of many active substances. They bring many benefits to the body, but at the same time they can cause harm.
The controlled intake of this drink guarantees you good health and an unforgettable taste of a tea bouquet.
The following video details how black tea affects blood pressure.