Black tea for diarrhea
introduction
Often times, diarrhea is caused by bacteria or viruses. They usually go away on their own within a few days. There are numerous home remedies available to relieve symptoms.
Black tea is a well-known home remedy for gastrointestinal diseases, including diarrhea. In addition, it is also used for other health problems.
Does black tea help with diarrhea?
Black tea is known as a home remedy for diarrhea and gastrointestinal disorders. Black tea contains tannins. These should have a calming effect on the intestines. They are also slightly antibacterial and pain reliever. They are also said to have anti-inflammatory effects. Tannins react with the protein on the upper layers of tissue, causing them to compact. A kind of protective membrane is created over the irritated mucous membrane. By compressing the irritated intestinal mucosa, less water is released and the stool is thickened. This is where the pain-relieving, constipating and calming effect of black tea is based. This effect also works when black tea is used externally on the skin.
There are rumors that black tea is supposed to have a dehydrating effect, which would be counterproductive in the event of diarrhea. This dehydrating effect has not been confirmed in scientific studies. Simply by absorbing liquid, e.g. in the form of black tea, the loss of fluids in diarrhea can be counteracted.
In a few cases, diarrhea can also hide a worse cause that cannot be cured simply by using tried and tested home remedies, but requires treatment by a doctor. If the diarrhea lasts longer than three days and the symptoms do not improve, a doctor should be consulted for evaluation - even if the diarrhea occurs regularly. A doctor should also be clarified if the diarrhea has blood or other symptoms occur. You should also be very careful with young children, as they cannot compensate for the water loss caused by diarrhea as easily as adults.
Find out all about the topic here: Diarrhea.
How Much Black Tea Should I Drink?
The body loses a lot of fluid when you have diarrhea. This can make small children dry out. It is therefore important to drink a lot - more than usual. Due to the caffeine content, other liquids should be taken in addition to black tea.
Chamomile tea is also highly recommended for gastrointestinal diseases. In addition to the water, the body also loses a lot of electrolytes. Therefore, care should be taken to ensure that these are sufficiently recorded - e.g. in the form of a vegetable broth or food supplement.
Find out more about the topic here: Home remedies to treat diarrhea.
How long does the tea have to brew?
Since the tannins are crucial for the effectiveness of black tea, it is important that the tea steeps long enough so that the tannins can migrate into the hot water. For therapeutic purposes, the tea should be steeped for at least 3 minutes so that the tannins can dissolve.
If the black tea brews for a shorter period of time, the tea primarily has a stimulating effect due to the caffeine released. After eight to 15 minutes of steeping, almost all of the tannins have dissolved. Of course, the tea then tastes a little bitterer than usual. Due to the long brewing time, the caffeine combines with the tannins. These can be absorbed more poorly by the body, which is why the caffeine hardly has any effect.
Can i sweeten the tea?
After the recommended brewing time, the black tea tastes more bitter than usual. For some - especially children - it is then no longer drinkable. This can be counteracted by sweetening. Nothing speaks against sweetness in moderation. However, large amounts of sugar are not healthy. In young children, however, a little sugar won't do any harm to make up for the loss of minerals.
Sweetener is under discussion to have a laxative effect. The laxative effect is created by sugar substitutes, which are often combined with sweeteners. These have a laxative effect in large quantities. This risk does not exist in small quantities.
How often should I take the black tea?
Particularly with young children, one should be careful with black tea because of the caffeine content. Chamomile tea is a good alternative here.
If medication is taken, it should not be taken at the same time as black tea. Because the black tea can worsen the absorption of drugs. There should be an interval of more than two hours to ensure adequate intake.
How long do I have to take the black tea?
The tea should be taken over the period of time that the symptoms are present. Then it can be drunk a little more. Since the diarrhea should subside within a few days, the tea only needs to be drunk for a few days.
However, one should not drink excessive amounts of black tea for a long period of time. The tannins contained in black tea lead to a reduced absorption of micronutrients such as of iron. For example, if there is a large intake of black tea over a long period of time, deficiency symptoms can occur.
