Diarrhea is undoubtedly a nightmare and can occur because of a number of reasons. It can be caused by eating something inappropriate or due to an infection.
Whatever it may be, the watery stools can cause a lot of inconvenience.
You even have the risk of getting dehydrated and lose the body’s electrolytes.
Does green tea cause diarrhea?
When you drink green tea in excessive amounts, you are likely to suffer from nausea and loose motion. It may sound rather ironic but that is the truth.
Sometimes you may get loose stools after drinking green tea. The reason why too much of green tea causes undesirable side effects is because of the presence of caffeine in it.
Caffeine stimulates your intestines. They may start drawing more fluid or make your bowels move faster. Removal of more fluid and a shorter time for the bowels to pass can be the reason for loose stools.
Not everyone reacts the same way to caffeine. Some people are way more sensitive when compared to others.
If you are suffering from diarrhea because of green tea, it is best advised that you reduce your tea consumption. As and when your body becomes accustomed to it, you can increase your intake.
Also, make sure that you are not drinking the tea on an empty stomach as you are more likely to suffer from its side effects.
Coming back to green tea as a cure for diarrhea, it is always said that excessive consumption of any medicine is bad regardless of which category it falls into.
Maybe things can get better for you when you start getting used to the caffeine in green tea.
Also, just like how it is always better to stick to the prescribed dosage of every medicine you consume, it is important to limit your consumption of green tea.
How to minimize the risk of getting diarrhea due to green tea?
When you want to minimize the risk of suffering from loose stools, the most logical thing would be to decrease your green tea consumption. Give your body the time to get used to it.
You can also try not to drink the tea on an empty stomach. It is preferable to consume it after a proper meal. The side-effects of caffeine get reduced when your belly is full.
Now, the most frequently asked question is when is it ideal to consume green tea?
Consume green tea between your meals. It is best advised that you should avoid it during the morning hours. It would be ideal to consume green tea post-noon.
What to do when you are suffering from loose stools?
When you have diarrhea, you need to consume more fluids so that you don’t get dehydrated. When it is severe, you should stop drinking green tea and immediately consult a doctor.
Does green tea help control diarrhea?
Green tea was used ages ago as a remedy for diarrhea. And according to a study conducted recently, there is ample evidence about the ability of the tea to control diarrhea to a huge extent.
This effect of green tea is because of the presence of tannins in it. These compounds play the role of an astringent for the mucous membrane of the intestine.
It is, therefore, best advised to consume green tea when you have stomach-related problems like stomachache and diarrhea (for milder cases only).
Though green tea is effective in providing relief from an upset stomach, you should not get carried away thinking that ‘more is good’.
Make sure that you do not drink more than one or two cups a day even when you are consuming it for getting relief from an upset stomach.
The Bottom line
Green tea is widely consumed for good health and has always been a wonderful beverage for controlling diarrhea.
However, on a different note, there are always chances of suffering from diarrhea as a side effect of the caffeine present in green tea. Consuming green tea the right way and within limits is therefore important.