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  Can Tea Cause Heartburn?

Heartburn is the painful and burning sensation that comes along with a condition known as acid reflux. It is one of the most common symptoms experienced by about ten percent of the world’s population. At some point in our lives, this condition may happen, but the good thing is that it can be treated.

can tea cause heartburn?Acid reflux is a condition during which the gastric acids and some of the stomach’s content rise back up into the esophagus, leaving the patient with severe pain and discomfort in the abdominal area, within the chest, and spreading even to the neck and throat.

This symptom, though commonly known as heartburn, does not have any connection to heart problems. However, if it is becoming recurrent, the person suffering from it may have greater problems, as it may be a symptom of GERD of Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease. Another term for heartburn is Pyrosis, defined as non-cardiac chest pain.   

What are the Common Causes of Heartburn? 

When food enters the stomach, the LES or the Lower Esophageal Sphincter, a band of muscles that connects the upper stomach and the esophagus, closes to prevent reflux. When the LES weakens and fails to close, some of the stomach’s content flow back and may irritate the esophagus. This partially digested food is acidic, which is why the person experiencing reflux will feel a burning sensation within the chest, rising up to the throat. 

Heartburn can also be aggravated by natural conditions such as pregnancy, or other diseases such as obesity and asthma. Studies also showed that a lot of foods can also contribute to the cause of the condition, including those which are high in fat and caffeine content. Processed tea is one of the products that are found to be high in caffeine and other ingredients which can definitely add to the cause of heartburn. 

What You Need to Know About Tea 

Tea is a popular in providing a lot of health benefits. Like coffee, tea is full of antioxidants that target free radical molecules, help fight cancer and help slow down aging. It is also an effective and natural way in treating a number of diseases within the body.

A study showed that tea drinkers have lower risks in developing certain diseases such as heart disorders and high blood pressure, compared to non-tea drinkers. This drink has also been proven to increase HDL or good cholesterol. However, a lot of people claimed that tea also has negative effects to our health and that it is one of the major causes of acid reflux and heartburn. 

Tea and Heartburn 

Like coffee, tea is also rich in caffeine. This ingredient can cause indigestion in some individuals, and also leads to stomach irritation. This usually happens when you drink it on an empty stomach. Another ingredient found in tea are Polyphenols. These compounds can also cause indigestion and heartburn. They are known to be stimulators of gastric acids which largely contribute to the causes of acid reflux.  

One common misconception involves switching from black tea to green tea as a way to alleviate the problem. This usually doesn’t help, since both types have caffeine in them. 

However, not all types of tea share the same negative effect. Herbal teas which do not contain caffeine can actually help relieve indigestion and heartburn. These are types which are boiled directly from the leaves and roots of plants, such as peppermint and dandelion.  

If you are a tea-person, suffering from heartburn and indigestion, you don’t need to totally eliminate tea from your diet. You just have to try it in the herbal (caffeine free) loose leaf form. As it really does help in achieving a healthier body, there’s no need to completely eliminate it from your diet.