Does black tea increase or decrease blood pressure: reviews from doctors

What substances in black tea affect blood pressure?

There is no doubt about the benefits of tea. To understand what valuable elements this drink contains for the human body, just get acquainted with its composition:

• antioxidants;
• vitamins;
• minerals;
• alkaloids;
• proteins;
• tannins;
• essential oils.

The flavonoids contained in black tea reduce the risk of atherosclerotic changes in blood vessels and prevent hypertensive disorders. Catechins (tannins) promote the release of nitrogen molecules in the human body, thereby having a relaxing effect on the smooth muscles of the walls of blood vessels and normalizing blood pressure.

However, do not forget that black tea infusion contains substances that can temporarily increase blood pressure. For example, caffeine contained in one glass of tea drink can increase the upper blood pressure reading by +15-20 mmHg. This effect lasts no more than 1-1.5 hours. It is also worth noting that drinking more than 1 liter of black tea per day can cause hypertension.

Thus, there is some kind of struggle between opposites - caffeine increases blood pressure, and catechins decrease it.

At the same time, different people may have different body reactions. The fact is that each person has an individual sensitivity of the central and cardiovascular system to these components.

Beneficial and negative properties of tea

Nowadays it is impossible to imagine your life without a cup of hot tea in the morning or a beautiful teapot in some cafe. Statistics show that a person drinks approximately 650 liters. aromatic drink per year. Many people compare it to water because of its mild taste. However, it is not as neutral as it seems at first glance. People ask the question: “Is tea drink good or bad for the human body?” Today, the effect of tea on blood pressure is clearly understood and explainable.

It has been absolutely established that it has the following beneficial properties:

1. Increases performance and helps get rid of nervousness;
2. Tones, gives a boost of energy, improves brain and physical activity;
3. Increases the body's resistance to infections and viruses;
4. Has a calming effect on seasonal depression;
5. Relieves weakness and dizziness;
6. Reduces the risk of developing diseases of the genitourinary system;
7. Prevents the appearance of senile dementia and improves oxygen supply to the brain;
8. Reduces the risk of cancer cell formation;
9. Helps normalize digestion;
10. Prevents inflammation and maintains oral health.

Tea can also cause negative consequences. This occurs with excessive use and the presence of contraindications. Harm may include the following:

1. Negative effects on the nervous system due to caffeine content;
2. The emergence of addiction;
3. The development of diseases of the esophagus due to irritation of the mucous membrane;
4. Problems in the functioning of the cardiovascular system;
5. The likelihood of exhaustion and dehydration increases;
6. Increased blood pressure, rapid heartbeat.

How does black tea affect blood pressure: does it increase or decrease it?

Obviously, due to the presence of invigorating substances in its composition, black tea can significantly increase a person’s blood pressure. Therefore, doctors recommend that hypertensive patients and people who experience surges in blood pressure be careful and listen to their body’s reaction after drinking tea.

Black tea to normalize blood pressure

When consumed wisely, black tea can normalize and even slightly reduce blood pressure. The thing is that it strengthens capillaries and blood vessels, thereby helping the cardiovascular system work smoothly, without failures.

According to scientific research, daily consumption of weak black tea in the amount of 2-3 cups lowers blood pressure by 5-7%. Conversely, if you regularly drink more than 6-8 glasses a day, this can lead to excessive removal of magnesium from the body, which has a bad effect on the condition of blood vessels.

Reference! It should be noted that many Chinese centenarians who live to be a hundred years old, as a rule, drink different types of tea throughout their adult lives and have almost no problems with the cardiovascular system. This happens because they choose the right variety, type of tea, as well as the correct brewing algorithm.

Contraindications to drinking tea for hypertension and hypotension

Remember what types of tea are not recommended to drink if you have problems with blood pressure, as well as if you have other pathologies.

If you have hypertension, you should not drink:

• Black tea;
• Reviver;
• some hot varieties (green, hibiscus);
• oolong is undesirable;
• sweet tea.

For hypotension it is not recommended:

• undesirable white in large quantities;
• concentrated hawthorn;
• cold hibiscus;
• warm green drink.

General contraindications to tea consumption for high and low blood pressure:

• allergic reaction to herbs;
• hypersensitivity to tea leaf components (in particular, tea caffeine);
• It is undesirable to drink just before bedtime, as insomnia is possible;
• some pathologies of the visual apparatus, in which intraocular pressure increases;
• sudden changes in blood pressure;
• gastritis;
• ulcerative lesions of the gastrointestinal tract.

If you like to have tea parties with your favorite type of tea, but due to high or low blood pressure it is impossible to do this, be sure to use our tips. Each person has characteristics of the body and the course of the disease, so applying general recommendations specifically to oneself without consulting a specialist is strictly prohibited.

How to brew and drink black tea correctly to avoid pressure surges

Black tea can both increase and decrease blood pressure. The effect provided directly depends on a number of factors:

• state of human health;
• brewing strength;
• selected variety;
• time of day for tea drinking;
• amount of tea drunk;
• interval between servings.

Brew black tea according to the package directions and your healthcare professional's instructions. In this case, health problems will not arise.

Brewing time and degree

If you brew the tea weakly, you can rest assured that such a drink will lower your blood pressure rather than vice versa. At the same time, the invigorating effect will not be so pronounced. An important factor is also the brewing time, which depends on the selected type of tea. The optimal infusion period is 10-17 minutes.

When preparing a tea drink, it is important to preserve the taste and beneficial properties as much as possible. To do this you need:

• filter the water;
• heat it to a temperature of 85-90 degrees;
• prepare a porcelain, ceramic or glass teapot, pour boiling water over it;
• pour dry tea leaves at the rate of 1 teaspoon per glass of water;
• fill with prepared water;
• cover the kettle with thick cotton or woolen cloth;
• let it brew for 10 -17 minutes.

After preparation, it is recommended not to let the tea overheat and immediately start drinking tea. If you are afraid of an increase in blood pressure, then do not pour yourself a too strong drink, dilute it with boiled water.

In this video we will talk about how to properly brew black tea if you have high blood pressure and what is the best way to drink it with to avoid blood pressure spikes.

Temperature: drink hot or chilled

Undoubtedly, black tea is one of those drinks that is usually drunk hot. However, it is useful to know that the higher the temperature of the tea drunk, the greater the likelihood of a jump in blood pressure. The reason is the fact that hot drinks briefly but significantly dilate blood vessels. Blood flow increases, pressure rises.

Doctors recommend that people suffering from hypertension drink tea exclusively warm or chilled. At the same time, you need to monitor your well-being and, if everything is in order, the next tea party can be made a little hotter.

Adding milk

Hypertensive patients who fear for their well-being should know that adding milk weakens the tonic and invigorating effect of black tea on a person. Milk reduces the effect of alkaloids and caffeine on the central nervous and cardiovascular systems; on the contrary, the drink relaxes and lowers blood pressure. There is an interesting article on our website that reveals all the secrets and nuances of making tea with milk. We recommend reading it.

Can I drink it with sugar?

Excess sugar destroys the vitamin B contained in black tea and minimizes the positive effects on the body. In addition, the glucose contained in sugar, combined with the invigorating properties of tea, can significantly increase blood pressure readings.

This effect can be useful for hypotensive people; people with high blood pressure should not add sugar directly to the cup. Drinking tea with a spoonful of honey or jam or confiture will be more beneficial.

Daily norm

Black tea for hypertension is not a contraindication. But there are some recommendations for the “tea ceremony” for hypertensive patients.

Doctors do not advise abusing black tea if malfunctions and surges in blood pressure have already begun to occur. The recommended daily intake for such people is 3-4 cups of weak tea without added sugar.

Is it possible to drink strong tea?

Some may assume that strong tea will have twice as many positive effects on the hypotensive body if its concentration is increased. In fact, this is a big misconception. A strong drink is not the norm, which is why it cannot bring anything positive to the human body. A large amount of caffeine can cause up to two times more damage to blood vessels, which will lose their elasticity and will not function fully.

With a strong concentration of tea, blood pressure can increase to levels that lead a person from hypotension to a radically different state - hypertension. For the body, such changes are maximum stress, during which the functioning of some organs and systems will be in question. To prevent a person from encountering such manifestations and aggravating the situation, the drink should be taken in the optimal dosage, brewing the leaves for 4-5 minutes.

Does blood pressure depend on the quality and type of black tea?

Black tea is made from fully fermented leaves of the tea bush. All over the world it is usually divided into high-grade, medium-grade and low-grade.

High-grade black tea is made exclusively from fresh leaves and tips. These types of tea are the most healthy, aromatic and expensive. Premium black tea can normalize human blood pressure due to its high content of catechins and flavonoids.

Medium grades of tea are made from cut and broken leaves remaining after the production of whole-leaf tea. These varieties brew quickly and are distinguished by their rich color and delicate aroma. This tea will not cause significant fluctuations in blood pressure if you drink it not too strong.

Low-grade tea is obtained from the waste remaining after the production of the described varieties. This type is the strongest of all and has a very tart taste, as well as a dark color. It is usually produced in granules or bags.

It should be borne in mind that the lower the grade of tea, the more unpredictable the health consequences may be.

The infusion of low-grade tea turns out to be very strong and can significantly improve the tonogram readings. In addition, it contains much less nutrients. If there is instability in blood pressure towards an increase, it is better to opt for a higher quality product and consume it in moderation. As they say, less is more.

We've sorted out the effect of black tea on blood pressure, but what about the second most popular drink - green tea? After all, it is also capable of lowering and increasing a person’s blood pressure. For informational purposes, we recommend reading an article about how green tea affects a person’s blood pressure, in which cases it increases and in which it decreases.

Contraindications and restrictions on use

Tea is a biologically active substance that can affect the human body, therefore, when taking it, adverse reactions are possible and there are contraindications.

Contraindications

1. Gastritis with high acidity.
2. Peptic ulcer disease.
3. Severe forms of hypertension.
4. Edema syndrome.

If you have the above diseases, you need to limit your tea drinking.

Restrictions

Restrictions on drinking strong brewed tea include:

1. 
   Pregnancy.

2. Children's age up to 12 years.
3. Moderate to mild hypertension.
4. Insomnia.

During pregnancy, a woman’s body experiences enormous changes, so during this period it is necessary to be especially attentive to what a woman eats and drinks. In some situations, doctors limit a woman's water load. You should pay close attention to these recommendations, so you should also limit your tea intake.

This drink has a strong effect on the body of a growing child, so I recommend giving children weak tea, no more than 1-2 cups per day. A good replacement for classic tea for children would be herbal infusions: chamomile, mint, rosehip.

You should not take medications with tea!

Reviews from fans of black tea about its effect on blood pressure

Review from Sergei, 56 years old, Yekaterinburg: As a resident of the Ural region, I, of course, really love tea. In our area they drink it a lot, hot and brewed strong. They often drink just to keep warm. With my hypertension, I, of course, knew that black tea was not entirely good for me, but I did not even suspect how harmful it was. The medications that the doctor prescribed for me did not help much, and I had to constantly increase the dosage of the medications.

My cardiologist once advised me to reconsider my tea drinking preferences. I thought about it. I tried replacing my favorite black with herbal decoctions. I add honey to a hot drink, not sugar. The result was not long in coming. The pressure began to more or less equalize, and I began to feel better. The doctor even reduced the dosage of medications. Sometimes I allow myself a cup of hot, weak tea when I’m very cold at work.

Review from Tatyana Vladimirovna, 43 years old, Leninogorsk: I was recently diagnosed with hypertension. I began to read a lot of information about this and consult with doctors. I was surprised to learn that classic black tea can greatly affect blood pressure levels. I tried drinking less black and more green, and when I really want it, I dilute it with milk and boiling water. After that, I began to notice that there were fewer pressure surges and I felt better. But I don’t like sugar in tea and never put it in it.

From all of the above, we can draw a logical conclusion that black tea will be beneficial for hypertensive patients only if certain precautions are taken. People who have high blood pressure readings should drink black tea not too often, warm and diluted with milk.

At low pressure

If you have hypotension, there is no need to limit your tea intake. It is best to brew a drink consisting of the top leaves and buds. It has the highest content of caffeine and taurine. Do not drink bagged teas, as during their processing all beneficial substances are lost.

Hypotensive patients are also advised to drink tea with sugar. As we said above, such a drink has a stronger effect on blood pressure, increasing it for a longer time.

A very good remedy for low blood pressure can be tea with the addition of rose hips, St. John's wort, rosea radiola, and yarrow. Mix black tea leaves with a tablespoon of any of the above ingredients and pour boiling water over it, let it brew for 30 minutes. Enjoy your tea!

With high blood pressure

Hypertensive patients should adhere to the following rules:

• drink no more than 3 cups per day;
• choose good varieties;
• brew a weak drink.

By following these simple recommendations, even with high blood pressure, you can indulge in your favorite drink.

Remember, if you have edema syndrome or a tendency to it, you should limit your tea intake!

In order to reduce the amount of caffeine, milk is added to tea. And to enhance hypotensive activity - some herbs: motherwort, mint, hawthorn. It is also useful to drink tea with delicious chokeberry jam, which also reduces blood pressure.

Daily norm

Any product, even the most healthy one, should be consumed in moderation. Tea infusion is no exception. 2 cups of tea a day after breakfast and lunch will help combat pressure surges. An overdose can lead to uncontrolled surges. At the same time, they can be either downward or upward. It is difficult to bring uncontrolled changes in pressure back to normal. Therefore, in some cases, it is worth limiting yourself to one cup of a weak drink in the morning (for example, for hypertensive patients).

Daily intake of black tea

Some features of tea decoction

• An infused drink can harm the body. It increases the content of alkaloids and purines, which is not entirely beneficial for hypertensive patients.
• Do not take the tablets with tea infusion.
• For lovers of sweet tea, it is important to follow the sugar limit - no more than a couple of teaspoons per 200 g of drink.
• You should not drink the decoction with food. Ideally, gastroenterologists advise drinking a tea drink half an hour after a meal.

A decoction of tea, including milk or cream added to a cup, is an immuno-strengthening “medicine” for polyneuritis, dystrophy and depletion of the nervous system.

Properties of the drink

Just one cup of tea has great potential. So, after a night's sleep, it helps to bring the body back to normal much faster, waking up the brain completely and restoring its functionality. After a hard day at work, a tonic drink relieves nervous tension and fatigue, and normalizes blood pressure. The “Klondike” of useful substances owes all this simply to the presence of caffeine in its composition.

Ascorbic and nicotinic acids strengthen the walls of blood vessels and make them more elastic. B-vitamins and magnesium stabilize the functioning of a set of nervous structures. Antioxidants stimulate the performance of the heart muscle, remove toxins and half-life products and rejuvenate the body as a whole, helping to restore damaged cells

Tea decoction and its effects on the body

There is a false point of view that black loose leaf tea is the strongest among all available varieties of drink. Many people are mistaken in thinking that this drink raises blood pressure and maintains the level of blood resistance at a certain level for a long time.

The gorgeous variety of tea drinks (white, green and black varieties) were originally made from the leaves of just one tea tree. With the development of tea culture in the east, here and in the west, the number of plant species increased to approximately three hundred.

Mate, hibiscus, herbal and herbal teas are actually decoctions, since the structure of their composition does not include the foliage of the tea itself. This means that comparing their qualities and characteristics with the potential of types of natural tea drink is meaningless.

When producing black tea, the leaves of the tea tree undergo fermentation (self-fermentation due to their own molecules) so that the future drink has the color and richness that we are used to seeing. Many people think that this type of processing of raw materials increases their caffeine levels, and are mistaken in the belief that green tea contains less of a psychostimulant. On the contrary, during the process of self-fermentation, the amount of alkaloid may decrease, since the entire process occurs in air.

Please note: according to the results of experiments and research conducted by tea producing companies, we can safely say that the “black god of drinks” has less psychosimulator in its structure than other types of tea.

How is this indicator measured and what is it?

For older people, as well as for middle-aged people, blood pressure monitoring has become the norm. Timely detected fluctuations in these indicators help to cope with complications. As a result, people can normalize their own condition and prevent difficult situations. But this is only possible with regular blood pressure monitoring.

Although currently a device that measures blood pressure is available in every home, not everyone knows how to correctly diagnose it. There are some rules:

• measure blood pressure three times a day and determine the average value;
• 30 minutes before measuring indicators, do not do anything that can change blood pressure;
• take measurements in a sitting position;
• Blood pressure should be measured on both arms and the larger value recorded.