Is Green Tea Good Or Bad For Kidneys
Have you ever paused and thought about two bean-shaped organs in your body called the kidneys? They are important organs and help in removing the waste from the body in the form of urine.
The kidneys filter blood and send it back to the heart along with helping in maintaining the bodys fluid balance.
Not just that, they also regulate minerals and filter them away from the blood and get rid of toxins. Other important roles played by the kidneys include the assistance in the production of red blood cells, the regulation of BP along with the promotion of bone health.
Such important organs obviously deserve to be taken care of. And, if it can be easily done by adding green tea to your diet, wouldnt you be happy?
Final Verdict Is Green Tea Good Or Bad For Your Kidneys
As already discussed, scientific research has established that green tea helps in preventing kidney stones from forming a larger shape. This allows them to easily pass through the urinary tract.
Apart from that, EGCG in green tea helps prevent chronic kidney disease. This implies that green tea is definitely good for the kidneys.
Drinking Too Much Iced Tea Causes Man’s Kidney Failure
Doctors traced an Arkansas man’s kidney failure to an unusual cause — his habit of drinking a gallon of iced tea each day.
They ruled out several potential causes before stumbling on a reason for the 56-year-old man’s kidney problems. He said he drank about 16 8-ounce cups of iced tea every day. Black tea has a chemical known to cause kidney stones or even kidney failure in excessive amounts.
“It was the only reasonable explanation,” said Dr. Umbar Ghaffar of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock. She and two other doctors describe the case in Thursday’s New England Journal of Medicine.
The unidentified man went to the hospital last May with nausea, weakness, fatigue and body aches. Doctors determined his kidneys were badly clogged and inflamed by the food chemical called oxalate. The man is on dialysis, perhaps for the rest of his life, Ghaffar said.
Besides black tea, oxalate is found in spinach, rhubarb, nuts, wheat bran and chocolate. In rare cases, too much oxalate can lead to kidney trouble, but often there’s also a contributing intestinal problem. That didn’t seem to be the case for the Arkansas man, and he had no family or personal history of kidney disease.
At 16 cups of iced black tea each day, he was taking in three to 10 times more oxalate than the average American, Ghaffar and her colleagues reported.
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If You Drink Iced Tea Every Day It Could Lead To Kidney Stones
When it comes to iced tea and calcium, there’s more bad news. As health educator Shana Robinson explained to The List, ” black tea contains oxalate. When consumed in excess, oxalates block minerals like calcium from absorbing into the gut. That excess calcium is deposited into the kidneys, and that build up can cause kidney stones.”
Kidney stones are more common than you might think. The National Kidney Foundation reports that approximately one in ten Americans will experience at least one kidney stone during their lifetime, and more than 500,000 people end up in the emergency room each year because of kidney stones. According to the Mayo Clinic, these stones, also known as renal calculi, are “hard deposits made of minerals and salts that form inside your kidneys.” Passing them can be extremely painful and may require surgery. While many factors can contribute to developing kidney stones, including family history, dehydration, and obesity, diet also plays a role.
So, if you’re worried about kidney stones, you may not want to drink iced tea every day. And you’ll want to avoid the worst foods for your kidneys, too.
You May Stay Looking Young If You Drink Iced Tea Every Day
If you’re worried about aging, you’re not alone. A 2017 survey found that 28 percent of women under 25, 42 percent of women aged 25 to 34, and 54 percent of women between the ages of 35 and 44 worried “regularly” about how they’re aging, as reported by the New York Post. Fortunately, believe it or not, the fountain of youth might actually be a pitcher of iced tea! Yes, if you drink iced tea every day, you may be doing your skin a favor.
When it comes to the physical signs of aging, collagen plays an important role. That’s because collagen, a protein found throughout the body, provides structure to our skin , as explained by Healthline. As we age, our body’s ability to create new collagen decreases, leading to saggy, wrinkled skin . But, as nutritionist Lisa Richards told The List, “It’s been shown that dietary polyphenols, like those found in iced tea, can stimulate the production of collagen in the body.” These polyphenols, she explained, can also prevent damage to collagen from free radicals.
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If You Drink Iced Tea Every Day It May Upset Your Stomach
Although some herbal teas, such as peppermint, ginger, and fennel, can help soothe a troubled tummy, iced tea made from black tea may have the opposite effect.
The culprit? Tannins bitter and astringent substances found in a variety of plants, as noted by Wine Enthusiast. While the tannins in wine tend to get the most attention, black tea is high in tannins, according to Healthline. However, the exact amount will vary significantly based on quality of the leaves, preparation, and steeping time). While tannins may have numerous health benefits, they can also cause nausea on an empty stomach. According to health educator Shana Robinson, “The tannins in tea are responsible for the bitter taste, which along with the icy temperature, irritates and inflames the digestive tract and can cause nausea.”
If you feel nauseous when you drink iced tea every day, you don’t have to abandon it. Robinson suggests adding a splash of dairy or non-dairy milk to create a more soothing effect because proteins and carbohydrates bind to tannins and help reduce their effects.
The Solution: Which Teas Are Best For Kidneys
Not all teas are cause for concern when it comes to kidneys. There are plenty of tea types that havent been linked to kidney disease, and in fact may help improve kidney health! The key you may have learned by now is levels of caffeine and oxalates, and also other constituents like certain antioxidants which can actually be beneficial to kidney health.
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Chamomile Tea And Kidneys
Like rooibos, chamomile tea is caffeine free and low in tannins and oxalates .
However, chamomile may have more than just a neutral effect on kidneys. In an animal study, animals with nephrotoxicity were administered chamomile and it was found to improve kidney function .
Chamomile also reduces kidney dysfunction as a result of high fat diets. Long story short, theres pretty good evidence that chamomile is good for kidneys ! That is a cup of good news.
To learn more about chamomile and its benefits, read our chamomile spotlight post!
Too Much Iced Tea Blamed For Man’s Kidney Failure
01 April 2015
After a 56-year-old man experienced kidney failure, his doctors discovered that his habit of drinking excessive amounts of iced tea every day was likely the culprit, according to a new report of his case.
The man’s kidney function has not recovered, and he remains on dialysis, said Dr. Alejandra Mena-Gutierrez, of University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, who treated the patient and wrote the report of his case. The authors of the report stressed that moderation is key when it comes to drinking tea.
“We are not advising against tea consumption,” Mena-Gutierrez said. “If you are healthy and drink tea with moderation, it should not cause damage to your kidneys.”
In May 2014, the man was admitted to an Arkansas hospital, feeling weak and achy. Tests showed that his urine had high levels of calcium oxalate crystals, which are the components of kidney stones.
But the man had no family history of kidney disease, nor had he previously had kidney stones, according to the report. To treat his kidney failure, the doctors began dialysis.
The man told his doctors that he drank 16 glasses of iced tea daily. Black tea which was in the iced tea the man drank is a rich source of oxalate, a compound that may contribute to kidney problems if consumed in high quantities.
The doctors concluded that the man’s excessive consumption of oxalate in the iced tea likely led to the kidney failure that was progressing rapidly.
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Choosing Tea For Kidney Health
So, is there a best tea for kidney disease? Some herbal teas can help target or prevent specific kidney-related problems, but it’s important to ask your doctor before drinking them regularly, especially if you have serious kidney issues. Many of the studies related to potential “kidney cleanses” have not been undertaken in large-sample, human trials.
A September 2016 study published in the Asian Journal of Urology found that Blumea balsamifera, or sambong, decreased the size of laboratory-grown calcium crystals, which are formed from urine minerals. The study used a commercially-available tea. Sambong may also prevent the formation of these crystals. If too many larger crystals stick together, they can form painful stones. Sanbong’s crystal-decreasing action potentially lowers the risk of kidney stones. Sambong is derived from a tropical shrub.
One type of hydrangea shrub, Hydrangea paniculata, features cone-shaped flowers. It also boasts medicinal properties. Research published in the December 2017 issue of Frontiers of Pharmacology focused on the high presence of the beneficial compounds in hydrangea that are known as coumarins. Coumarins have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. According to animal studies, ingesting hydrangea can have protective qualities, at least in the case of kidney injury. Hydrangea paniculata is available in “kidney cleanse” blends. Whether it’s the best tea for kidney disease is, of course, a question your doctor can help you solve.
Your Oral Health May Improve
Want to make your dentist proud? One of the pleasant side effects of drinking iced green tea may be an improvement in your dental health. A comparative study published in the Journal of Periodontology found that consumption of green tea was associated with a lower risk of developing periodontal disease.
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Does Drinking Tea Cause Kidney Stones Tea Effects On Renal Health
Tea is a big NO for those who suffer from kidney stones. This is because tea has very high oxalate content and oxalic acid aid in the forming of kidney stones. So, does tea cause kidney stones? The answer is yes, drinking too much tea can lead to the formation of kidney stones. However, recent studies prove that green tea may be consumed by those who suffer from kidney stones as it contains a compound that prevents kidney stones from being formed.
When You Drink Iced Tea Every Day You Could Lose Weight
When it comes to the health benefits of iced tea, researchers usually focus on black tea. But one type of herbal tea may actually be more helpful when it comes to losing weight.
A 2018 study published in the journal Frontiers in Physiology found that drinking herbal tea made from yerba mate, a plant native to South America , encouraged fat oxidation. Kathryn Schwab, a health and wellness researcher at Tons of Goodness, explained, ” are in a constant state of turnover, meaning that fat is continuously entering or exiting the cell … Fatty acids released into the bloodstream can then be burned for energy. When fat is oxidized, this results in weight loss.” Interestingly, the 2018 study found that iced yerba mate was more effective at fat oxidation than hot yerba mate.
If you’re one of the 56.4 percent of American women trying to lose weight, you may want to swap out your regular iced black tea for an iced yerba mate.
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If You Have Trouble Absorbing Iron You May Not Want To Drink Iced Tea Every Day
If you’re one of the 20 percent of women with iron deficiency, you may want to think twice before deciding to drink iced tea every day. Naturopathic doctor Jo Nell Shaw told The List, “Black, green, and rooibos tea have a high level of tannins, which can be healthy unless a person has iron absorption issues. The tannins bind to iron and can increase the risk of anemia.”
According to the Iron Disorders Institute, iron deficiency is the “most common nutritional deficiency” in the world. It can lead to anemia , which can cause fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness, headaches, and weakness. Iron deficiency can be caused by inadequate iron intake, increased demand , blood loss , and difficulty absorbing iron. Anemia can be serious the condition kills more than 5,000 Americans a year.
If your iron’s low, the Iron Disorders Institute recommends eating more iron-rich foods and taking an iron supplement. But you may also want to cut back on iced tea.
Infrequently Asked Questions: Can Drinking Too Much Tea Cause Kidney Stones
The world is full of questions we all want answers to but are either too embarrassed, time-crunched or intimidated to actually ask. In the spirit of that shared experience, we’ve embarked on a journey to answer all of the questions that burn in the minds of Philadelphians — everything from universal curiosities to Philly-specific musings .
Tea drinkers have long feared the answer to the question of whether their hydration method of choice is actually detrimental to their kidney health. Eager to set the record straight, we reached out to Dr. Pooja Singh, a clinical assistant professor in nephrology at Jefferson University Hospital.
Getting to the chase, can drinking too much tea really cause kidney stones?
The answer to that is ‘Yes,’ but only if it is done in an excess amount. And the reason for that is because tea, specifically black tea, which is how we drink tea in America, is very rich in a mineral called oxalates. These are present not only in black tea, but chocolates, spinach, beets and peanuts. So if you have susceptibility for stones you and I, if we are not susceptible to kidney stones, we can perhaps drink a lot more and not have a problem …
Is oxalate present in other teas, too?
Specifically if they have a history, not to drink so much black tea. And it also goes with other things like the chocolate and the spinach and other things I mentioned.
How do you know youre susceptible?
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The Amount Of Coffee You Drink
First thing to consider is the nutritional content of coffee. An 8 oz. cup of black coffee has 116 mg of potassium3. This is considered a low potassium food. However, many people drink more than one cup of coffee each day. Three to four cups of coffee a day is considered high in potassium and could raise your potassium levels. Adding creamers or milk can further raise your coffees potassium content. Drinking less than three cups of coffee/day is generally considered safe. Phosphorus, sodium, calories, carbohydrates and protein are minimal in black coffee and not of nutritional consideration.
Diet And Risk For Developing Kidney Disease
I was diagnosed with minimal changes disease, and I am very interested in research that shows lifestyle patterns that affect kidney disease. I was diagnosed 18 years ago and have spent the past two decades successfully experimenting with food and how protein affects my kidney disease. By replacing animal protein with plant-based protein, I was able to put my CKD into remission.
In this issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, Rebholz et al. research the effect of sugar-sweetened beverages on kidney disease risk. Important studies, such as this one, motivate me to restrict my consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks and help educate other patients with kidney disease on the affect that sugar-sweetened beverages have on kidneys.
It is common practice in restaurants to allow employees to drink sodas for free. During the hot summer months, I was drinking more sodas per shift. This increase in sugar-sweetened beverages made me less tolerant of the heat in the kitchen. I appreciate my physical response, because it motivated me to change my beverage consumption from sodas to fruit-infused flavored water. Chances are I could have decreased my kidney function even more if I had not made this lifestyle change. I look back on that situation and realize that my experience does support these research findings: a higher intake of soda could be associated with greater odds of decreasing kidney function.
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Case In New England Journal Of Medicine
There was a case that was submitted to the New England Journal of Medicine. That case involved a man who went to the hospital and was in a pretty bad shape. And that man ended up with dialysis. The doctors couldnt find out what is the main cause of kidney failure. But after some research on that man, they found out that, the kidney failure was due to the excessive use of iced tea.