Although a wide variety of teas offer relief from indigestion, bloating, fatigue, constipation, and even fighting off the common cold, some tea variations actually damage the intestines as well as the brain.

Ancient history academics understand that people have always collected herbs and leaves for food and drink, as well as for medicinal purposes. Therefore, it’s only natural to assume that, once they discovered fire, humans would have heated water to ingest the leaves more easily.

That was nearly 2,000 years ago, and since then, tea has become one of the most time-honored traditions in Chinese culture. The Chinese use medicinal teas for ailments and ceremonial teas for special occasions, and they drink regular brews on a daily basis with family and friends.

In England, a cup of black tea with milk and sugar is the national beverage, and in India, hundreds of millions of people drink chai tea every day.

While some people and cultures still utilize the leaves from local plants, others prefer to drink their tea from convenient, pre-made bags.

Unfortunately, over the past century, the bags have transitioned from hand-sewed fabric to food-grade plastic, which can leak microplastics into the tea and then into your body. 

In fact, research has shown these chemicals to cause both Alzheimer’s disease and certain kinds of cancer.

One kind of tea in particular that doctors know causes intestinal problems is still available in every grocery store tea section.

They can create a dependency, strip the stomach of nutrients, and even cause extreme dehydration.

The leaves, fruits, and flowers of the senna plant have been utilized in teas for centuries as a natural laxative for constipation. However, overusing the leaves can cause extreme damage to the body, including colon irritation, diarrhea, and vitamin deficiencies.

But doctors are urging patients to be extremely careful not to over consume senna leaf tea as it can cause problems in the body. 

Therefore, the body can become dangerously dehydrated and malnourished, even when someone is drinking plenty of water.

As senna tea often removes necessary vitamins from the body during gestation, it can be extremely detrimental to both the mother and the fetus. Therefore, senna tea should absolutely be avoided at all times during pregnancy.

It may be shocking, as black tea with lemon is certainly common all around the world, but this specific combination can actually lead to problems in the brain.

Specifically, some doctors have found a correlation between the consumption of aluminum and the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

That said, it’s still best to limit your intake of black tea with lemon, even if you add milk every time.

Made from the Comfrey plant, this tea is often believed to help combat allergies, diarrhea, bronchitis, and even rheumatoid arthritis, but it also poses potential health risks.

The toxins in the plant can cause extensive damage to the liver by blocking the organ’s internal veins. In excess, comfrey can even cause liver failure.

The root contains a bioactive component known as glyrrhizin, which is known to cause hypertension and increased blood volume. Doctors do not recommend consuming more than 10 milligrams of glycyrrhizin per day; however, some licorice tea contains more than three times that amount.

Studies have shown that an excess of glycyrrhizin can cause the child to develop cognitive issues like ADD, ADHD, and a poor memory in the womb.

However, it’s important to note that pregnant women should always speak to their physician before adding any kind of tea to their daily diet.

Chamomile is known to help with anxiety and sleep disorders and has no known negative side effects, while green tea boosts mental alertness and can even prevent certain cancers and heart disease.

That way, you’ll know exactly what’s in them and keep your body free of pesky microplastics.

Therefore, it’s incredibly important you know what’s in your tea, what it can do to your body, and which variations are safe to consume, depending on your body and condition.