Why is it harmful to drink tea that has been boiled for a long time?
Starting the day with a sip of sweet tea is a common practice in South Asian countries including Nepal and India. Drinking tea is very common in these countries. There are also different ways of making tea according to geography and climate. Every person makes tea according to his taste and enjoys it.
According to an article published in Navbharat Times, every house in India makes a lot of milk tea. The same applies to Nepal. Most people follow this one method of making tea, steeping the tea leaves in water and boiling them for a long time.
Many people think that if tea is boiled for a long time, its taste will be sweet. Some people also boil milk and tea leaves together. But many people do not know that boiling tea for a long time is harmful to health.
According to Indian nutritionist Shikha Aggarwal Sharma, there are many benefits of properly brewing tea. Drinking properly brewed tea helps to increase immunity, reduce weight, and control blood sugar levels. But since tea leaves contain caffeine, boiling them for a long time is harmful, says nutritionist Agarwal.
Risk of cancer
According to experts, tannins are abundant in tea. It is a group of polyphenolic biomolecules, which are found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, wine and tea. Tannin is a molecule that is abundant in tea and coffee. It binds together protein, cellulose, starch and minerals. As a result, the body becomes deficient in iron. Boiling tea for more than four minutes increases the amount of tannin, which inhibits iron absorption. In addition, if the tea is boiled too much, the nutrients in the tea will also decrease. Tea cooked in this way increases acidity in the body. If you drink too much of this tea, it also causes the risk of cancer.
Nutrients are low
Nutrients and minerals are found in tea leaves. It contains flavonoids, catechins, polyphenols, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, zinc, calcium and fluoride. According to experts, boiling tea for a long time reduces the nutrients found in tea leaves and milk. Vitamin B12 and C found in it are also low.
Inhibits iron absorption
According to experts, if the tea is boiled for a long time, the tannin content in it is reduced. This element is found in some fruits, vegetables and nuts. Boiling tea for a long time will hinder the absorption of iron. Which can reduce the amount of blood in the body.
Stomach problems
Boiling tea leaves and milk for a long time destroys the protein found in milk. Because of this, due to problems in digesting milk, stomach ache, acidity problem, flatulence, gas filling may occur. After boiling the tea with milk for a long time, it will smell bitter even after drinking it.
Too much boiling of tea leaves and milk together is harmful
At high temperature, a chemical reaction takes place with milk's lactose protein. If you drink it in excess, it will produce harmful substances in the body. If these two are mixed and boiled for a long time, a substance called acrylamide can be formed in milk. It is high in carbohydrates. Acrylamide can also cause cancer.
So what is the right way to make tea?
According to experts, boiling tea leaves in high-temperature water for two minutes increases the amount of polyphenols found in them. Boiling more than this will make the quality of the tea worse.
There is no benefit to over-boiling, it makes the tea taste bitter. To increase the taste and benefits of tea, it is important to follow the right method of making tea.
The right way to make tea
– Boil a pan of water and again turn off the gas (any means of fire).
- Put a teaspoon of tea leaves in it and cover it for three to four minutes.
- Now add a little milk and sugar according to your taste and enjoy the tea.
