A Harvard-trained gastroenterologist is sounding the alarm on the potential risks of tea consumption, advising individuals to reassess their tea-drinking habits due to possible negative impacts on gut and liver health.

Tea is a beloved beverage in the UK, with Britons consuming over 100 million cups each day, which equates to an astounding 36 billion cups annually.

The UK Tea & Infusions Association (UKTIA) reports that a whopping 84% of the British population enjoys tea daily. Yet, have you considered the effects this habitual indulgence might have on your body?

Dr. Saurabh Sethi, a gastroenterologist with Harvard credentials, recently took to Instagram to caution his 1.3 million followers about the health risks associated with their tea habits.

“As a board-certified gastroenterologist, here are seven tea habits that could harm your gut and liver,” he announced in his post.

1. Drinking tea on empty stomach

Dr. Sethi’s first piece of advice discourages drinking tea on an empty stomach, recommending that you pair your tea with food to mitigate potential harm.

He went on to explain that drinking tea on an empty stomach will irritate the stomach lining due to its acidity and compounds like caffeine and tannins

This can later lead to acid reflux, nausea, and general discomfort. It can also cause dehydration because tea is a diuretic and may interfere with iron absorption, particularly for those with anemia.

2. Sweetened teas

Next up, Dr Sethi went on to urge people to limit the amount of iced teas or milk teas they drink, due to the high sugar contents.

He told his followers: “Iced teas or milk teas can pack 30 – 40 grams of sugar.”

This means that drinking these kinds of sugary teas on a regular basis can increase the risk of someone getting conditions like non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or diabetes.

3. ‘Detox’ or Slimming teas

For his third point, Dr Sethi revealed that detox teas, or ‘slimming’ teas might not be as good as they are advertised. While they might work for you, the doctor went on to reveal that the ‘slimming’ ingredient in these teas usually is some sort of laxatives.

Drinking these tea ‘laxatives’ too often can lead to overall dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, as well as gut damage.

Because of this, it’s important to never drink more than is adviced, and you should also look up the NHS’ guidelines on laxatives in order to prevent any lasting damages in your body.

4. Overdoing green tea extracts

While drinking green tea is generally known to be a better and healthier alternative compared to your normal black tea, it’s also important not to overdo it.

If you don’t like the taste of green tea, then green tea supplements have become a popular way to still get the benefits of the green tea, such as the antioxidants and polyphenols, without having to drink it.

However, Dr Sethi went on to warn people not to rely on these supplements too much, as they have been linked to a rare, ‘but real’ liver toxicity.

5. Drinking too hot tea

While most of us will pour the boiling water directly from the kettle onto the teabag in our cup, Dr Sethi has urged tea drinkers to wait to drink it until the water has gotten below 65C.

He went on to explain that drinking tea that’s warmer than 65C on a regular basis has been proven to increase the risk of esophageal cancer.

A Chinese study that was published in 2020 showed that regularly drinking tea that was warmer than 65C was significantly linked to Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, a type of cancer that starts in the thin, flat squamous cells lining the esophagus, the tube that connects the throat and stomach

6. Drinking caffinated teas late at night

While different types of tea contains significantly less amounts of caffeine compared to coffee, it’s still important to acknowledge that it’s there.

Because of this, Dr Sethi urged tea drinkers to avoid drinking chai and green teas late at night. He went on to explain that caffeine lingers in our bodies, which can lead to our sleep getting disrupted.

This can later lead to your body not being able to repair itself as well during the night, such as your liver or gut.

7. Drinking too much boba or bubble teas

Finally, Dr Sethi went on to urge people to limit the amount of boba teas or bubble teas they drink due to the amount of sugar and ‘hidden calories’ that they contain.

He went on to explain that the amount of sugar in these drinks, mixed with the starchy boba pearls, which are made from tapioca, lead to hidden calories that you might not be aware that you’re drinking.

This later can lead to insulin resistance and non-alcholoic fatty liver disease. To prevent this, it’s important to look over your life and making sure you’re living an overall healthy lifestyle and eating a healthy diet.