Reheating tea robs the beverage of its flavours, nutritional properties, and aroma
Tea is a beverage savoured across the world—for its taste and immense health benefits. Not only do the antioxidants in tea help boost the immune system and fight off inflammation, but it also helps keep dreaded diseases like cancer away. Everyone has a different way of making tea and while you may like it hot, sometimes when left unattended for a long time you would like to reheat it and have it again.
According to experts, while reheating tea has its advantages—like saving money and energy—it may also reduce your carbon footprint. However, drinking reheated tea all the time can be dangerous for your health in the long run. Here is what happens to tea when reheated and why you should avoid having it.
What happens to the tea when you reheat it?
Reheating or boiling the tea after some time may rob the beverage of its flavours, nutritional properties, and even aroma. If the tea is kept for more than four hours, it is not advised to reheat it as it can begin to have an accumulation of mold and bacteria. However, experts say tea, which has sugar and milk, gets contaminated with extra speed while also depending on the outside temperature. Doctors say bacterial contamination happens as the pathogen multiplies rapidly between 41 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, leading to an upset stomach, diarrhoea, cramps, nausea, and other digestive issues, which if become recurrent can damage your digestive health.
Some volatile compounds, such as essential oils and labiles, are also present in the tea, and they escape when subjected to too much heat.
Also, when tea gets heated again, the concentration of tannins—chemical compounds that bind to proteins, cellulose, starches, and minerals—increases, leading to a more bitter taste. While tannins are not harmful, excessive intake can interfere with the absorption of certain nutrients like iron.
Even if you have prepared an herbal tea, it may lose nutrients and minerals when reheated. Essential oils and beneficial compounds are destroyed, making reheated tea less nutritious and potentially harmful.
Important things to note
- According to experts, do keep in mind that while you can reheat tea after 15 minutes of preparing, it may still not have become toxic.
- Further, always keep in mind to never reheat tea that has been kept for longer than 4 hours to prevent any bacterial growth.
- Always prepare only as much tea as you would require immediately; do not try and save money or energy on the cost of your health.
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