Do you feel nauseous after drinking green tea? Are you are thinking that there is something wrong with you? You shouldn’t as you are not alone. In spite of drinking green tea regularly, you can have the tendency to throw up.
The main reason why this happens when you drink true teas is because of the presence of tannins. Green tea is also a true tea. It comes from the tea plant Camellia sinensis and therefore it also has tannins in it.
What causes green tea nausea?
It is the tannins in green tea that causes nausea. Tannins are compounds that are part of a larger group called polyphenols. Needless to say, green tea is rich in polyphenols which are responsible for the health benefits the beverage has to offer.
Tannins are present in a number of foods and beverages that are plant-based and tea is one of them. It is due to tannins that tea has a slightly bitter taste and makes your mouth feel dry.
These compounds can cause nausea particularly when you drink green tea on an empty stomach. Another reason for nausea after drinking tea is the temperature of your green tea. We’ll discuss this in detail later on.
Coming back to tannins, though they have health benefits to offer, they can hamper the body’s iron-absorbing ability from foods. Additionally, they affect digestion.
Apart from tea, tannins are present in tree bark, leaves, nuts, spices, seeds, legumes, and fruits. Tannins are found in higher amounts in tea, wine, coffee, and chocolate.
The tannin content in black tea is higher in comparison to other true tea varieties. The thumb rule is that the stronger the tea, the higher the tannin content.
Apart from tannins, the presence of caffeine in green tea is one reason why you feel nauseous after consuming it.
Is green tea good for nausea or can it make you nauseous?
Green tea does have health benefits to offer but it doesn’t help everyone with nausea. A strong brew of it can instead irritate your stomach.
While searching for a tea that eases your nausea, it is better to choose a herbal tea that has no caffeine in it. For treating nausea, you should go in for peppermint and ginger tea.
However, with green tea, if you feel that it is causing nausea, keep the brew light by not steeping it for too long. There are other things too that you need to be careful about but we’ll discuss that later below.
Can green tea help with nausea if you consume it right?
Despite having the feeling of nausea with green tea, if you still want to drink the tea for the health benefits it has to offer for overall health and well-being, make sure you:
1. Brew green tea at the right temperature
Steep the tea leaves for a shorter time period in water that isn’t too hot. Ideally, it should be between 160 to 180 degrees Fahrenheit. By exceeding the upper limit, more tannin gets released into the brew.
Stronger tea will increase the acid in the stomach. It will just not cause nausea but also other digestive issues like acid reflux.
2. Drink green tea within limits
If you feel nauseous by drinking green tea, it is better to reduce the number of cups you drink daily. You can stick to drinking 2-3 cups of tea and see the difference. If there is no nausea, you can make this a habit.
3. Avoid consuming green tea on an empty stomach
Drinking green tea first thing in the morning can be the cause of nausea. Tannins in green tea can make you feel sick when consumed on an empty stomach.
They increase the acidity in the empty stomach that already has high acidity. The right way to drink green tea without feeling nauseous is by drinking green tea after eating a meal or along with a meal.
4. Drink green tea warm
To reduce the chances of feeling nauseous after drinking green tea make sure that you have it warm. Cold green tea can make you feel sick. As per historical data, you should drink green tea while it is hot. It will not be beneficial to health when you drink it cold.
Apart from tannins, the other culprit responsible for nausea is the caffeine present in green tea. When you consume too much of it, there can be certain side-effects like jitters, headache, sleeplessness, and stomach issues that can make a person feel nauseous.
5. Ensure that it is of good quality
Drinking low-quality green tea can result in nausea. Old tea bought at a cheap rate can be a problem for most people. High-quality green tea is vibrant green in color and looks fresh. Make sure you buy your green tea from a well-known brand.
The Final Word
Nausea is an uncomfortable feeling in the belly that makes you feel as if you are about to vomit. Usually, people have nausea when they have a digestive problem, a virus infection, or during pregnancy.
Unpleasant odors also trigger nausea at times. Another possible reason may be gastric problems. For example, I normally feel nauseous when I eat something that may cause heartburn.
Also, it is better to avoid green tea when you iron deficiency, caffeine sensitivity, and pre-existing medical conditions related to the stomach.
Green tea reacts differently on different individuals. Some may feel a drastic change in their health and lifestyle in a good way, while some may come across possible side effects green tea has.
This may be because of a pre-existing medication or caffeine sensitivity.
Overall, whether green tea is good for nausea or bad depends on how and when you drink it. There are individuals who say that green tea help with nausea while some say it causes nausea.
Therefore, for beginners, it is always recommended that you start by drinking 1 cup of green tea daily. And, if it goes well without any health problems, continue with 2 cups a day. You can then gradually increase it to 3 cups but not more than that.
Additionally, by brewing it the right way and having it with meals you can enjoy it without having nausea.