Acid in tea is upsetting my stomach

[JuliaR]

After visiting the only tea garden in the USA, Charleston Tea Plantation (outside of Charleston, SC), I'm trying to kick coffee and intake more tea. So far, I'm loving the results, but I have one problem.

When drinking tea first thing in the morning, it makes my stomach upset. I've conducted my own mini-research on the topic and know that it's the acid in the tea that is upsetting my stomach. One option I was reading was to add a little bit of milk to the tea. I don't really like that options, and I'm wondering if anyone else has any good suggestions.

Thanks!

[blujay]

Hey Julia,

I'm not sure which acids you are referring to in the tea, but I'm not aware of tea being very acidic...

Also, what kind of upset stomach are you experiencing? pain, nausea, gas, tightness, reflux...?

It could possibly be the tannins (the bitter component) found in Green tea (any tea), they have been known to cause some digestive complaints or even more to those who are sensitive to them. The way to avoid a good amount of the tannins while still getting the beneficial compound from the tea is to do a low temperature steep.  This is achieved by steeping the tea in water below 170F for no more than 4 minutes, I'm sure you can find much info online how to make tea in the traditional style.

It could also depend on the kind of tea that you are using, if its not organic it may contain pesticides, fungicides, etc...which you can't remove or wash off like you can a fruit grown in the same way...So stick with organic. Use the whole leaf, loose (usually found in bulk sections)not the individual packets, as the paper/material used can also contain irritating chemicals...

It could also just be the effect of green tea that you are experiencing, its bitter, so it has an astringent and stimulating effect on the gastric system. Which could point to some liver/stomach/intestinal issues. Try just some warm water in place of green tea to see if you experience the same effect, it could just be something as simple as a digestive system "waking up". Then another morning, try a little lemon juice in warm water to see if it really is an acidic issue. (usually acid helps digestion, it shouldn't irritate, but feel warming)

Also, if you are deficient in iron then you may want to limit the amount of green tea you have, because the tannins can bind with iron in the gut and prevent absorption (which could also be causing some digestive disruptions). These effects can be greatly limited by lightly brewing, adding lemon, and sipping slowly, away from meals, and adding mint to your brew. Or even better just make mint tea with some lemon, its more soothing/relaxing and also has alot of antioxidants like green tea.

Have you tried Yerba Mate, if you are looking for the energy boost in the morning...

I just returned from Peru and I'm now a firm believer in the power of Coca tea, its better than all the teas combined! So if you can find that, get it.


A lot to consider,
Jay