Chinese tea is world-renowned and deeply loved by people at home and abroad. However, some people should not drink tea during special periods, such as women during their menstrual period, pregnant women, and new mothers. Who else should not drink tea? Let's find out!
Periods When Women Should Not Drink Tea
1. During Menstruation
Because menstrual blood depletes a significant amount of iron from the body, women should focus on supplementing with iron-rich vegetables and fruits during this time, such as spinach, grapes, and apples. However, if one is accustomed to drinking tea after meals, the tannic acid in the tea, which can be as high as 50%, can hinder the intestinal mucosa's absorption of iron. This significantly reduces the absorption of iron and can easily lead to precipitation with iron from food or iron supplements in the digestive tract.
2. During Pregnancy
Strong tea contains caffeine concentrations as high as 10%, which can increase a pregnant woman's frequency of urination and heartbeat, as well as加重 the burden on her heart and kidneys. It may even lead to pregnancy-induced toxemia. Therefore, it is best to minimize tea consumption.
3. Before Childbirth
Drinking too much strong tea before delivery can cause the caffeine to have a stimulating effect, leading to insomnia. If a pregnant woman lacks sufficient sleep before giving birth, it may result in exhaustion during delivery and could even lead to dystocia, which is a serious situation.
4. After Giving Birth for Mothers Who Plan to Breastfeed
If a mother drinks a large amount of tea during this period, the high concentration of tannic acid in the tea can be absorbed by the mucous membranes, affecting the blood circulation of the mammary glands and inhibiting milk secretion, leading to insufficient breast milk. After the mother drinks tea, the caffeine can pass into the breast milk and indirectly affect the infant, which is detrimental to the baby's health.
5. Women in Menopause
In addition to dizziness and general fatigue, some women may experience a rapid heartbeat, irritability, and poor sleep quality. Drinking too much tea can exacerbate these symptoms. Therefore, women who enjoy tea and are going through these special stages should moderate their intake to avoid harming their health.