Why You Shouldn't Start Your Day With A Cup of Tea

Drinking bed tea, first thing in the morning, is a common practice in most Indian households. Many of us are compulsive tea drinkers and love to start our day with a piping hot cup. Not only does tea make a wonderful beverage to enjoy with a group of friends, serve as a welcome drink to guests or accompany us when we want to be left with our thoughts, but it also offers several health benefits like the antioxidants in black tea or  the catechins that can boost your immunity and your metabolism. However, is it really a good idea to kick start your morning with tea? Take notes!

Starting you day with tea may not be as good as you may have thought. The 'bed tea' culture can affect your health in more ways than one. Celebrity Nutritionist & Food Guru Pooja Makhija clears the air, "Never start your day with caffeine - be it coffee or tea. Caffeine should not be the first thing that you give your body on an empty stomach. You need to line your stomach with some solids before you take caffeine else it may trigger the stomach acids and wreck havoc with your digestion through the day. Pick up that glass of fresh juice or even better a bowl of fruits or simply sip some warm water to kick-start your system." Keeping her advice in mind, we've rounded up five reasons why it is best to avoid tea as the first thing you have in the morning.

1. Disrupts your metabolic activity

Drinking tea right in the morning may disrupt your metabolic system due to imbalance of acidic and alkaline substances in the stomach which can interfere with the regular metabolic activity of the body and keep you troubled through the day.

_{Bed tea creates an imbalance between acidic and alkaline substances in the stomach.} 

2. Dehydrates your body

According to Lokendra Tomar, Weight Loss and Wellness Coach, "Tea is diuretic i n nature which means that it removes the water from our body. Our body is already dehydrated due to eight hours of sleep and intake of water or food, tea only adds to that state of dehydration. Excessive dehydration will eventually cause an imbalance in minerals leading to muscle cramps." 

_{Tea is diuretic in nature and so causes dehydration.} 

3. Erodes oral health

When you consume tea early morning, the bacteria in your mouth will breakdown the sugar which leads to increased acid levels in the mouth and this can cause erosion of the enamel in your teeth. It may even cause gingivitis due to excessive bacteria build up.

_{Tea can cause erosion of enamel because of the presence of sugar.} 

4. The caffeine kick hits back

Caffeine is known to give you an instant energy boost. However, giving your body a strong dose of caffeine on an empty stomach may have side effects that include nausea, dizziness and other unpleasant sensations. It is best to have tea or coffee after eating something.

_{Caffeine intake on an empty stomach is harmful.} 

5. Leads to bloating

Due to the presence of milk in the tea, many people may feel bloated majorly because of the high lactose content in the milk that can affect your gut when it is empty. This can lead to gas and constipation. 

Milk in the tea may cause bloating. 

Start your morning with healthy substitutes

According to Lokendra Tomar, we should consume alkaline drinks in the morning like buttermilk, or lukewarm water with a pinch of Himalayan pink salt. You can even start your day with lime water or methi water to reboot your system after long hours of rest. A few drops of coconut vinegar or apple cider vinegar with water, plain coconut water, raw honey and aloe vera juice are also good options. These drinks are far better and healthier than consuming a hot cup of tea right in the morning on an empty stomach. Celebrity Nutritionist Pooja Makhija suggests that the ideal time to have tea is mid-morning after having your breakfast. This is when your metabolic activity starts functioning properly and a cup of tea or any other beverage may get digested easily.