Herbal Tea And Green Tea To Reduce Acidity
I get acidity almost every day. I have the habit of drinking tea several times a day. Please suggest some acidity diet which can be helpful to me
Acidity is one of the most common digestive problems, which most of us have experienced at some point of time. This condition is primarily caused by the imbalance in secretion of various acids by the stomach to aid digestion. Sometimes due to wrong dietary habits and lifestyles these acids put stress on our stomach and upset the whole digestive system.
Firstly, I would recommend the foods, which you should avoid at all costs. Your intake of tea is a big hindrance to the problem. Remember tea, coffee, and other caffeine related drinks aggravate acidity. These beverages contain high amounts of acid, which will worsen your condition. Avoid citrus fruits and vegetables like oranges, lemons and tomatoes as these foods contain a high level of acids. Another thing you need to give up on now is oily and fatty foods. Oil and fats have properties to increase the acid levels in your body.
Organic Tea And Green Tea Benefits
On the other hand there are some foods which can be very beneficial for your health. Firstly eat a lot of fruits like bananas, apples, coconuts. These foods help in reducing the acidity levels and also prevent the build up of excessive acids in the stomach. Also try vegetables like sweet potatoes, carrot and beet root. These foods promote healthy digestion and help improve bowel movements, which reduces acidity in the stomach. You can also try spices like cumin seeds and coriander leaves. These are age-old foods that are effective for those suffering from acidity. Another very important point to remember in your fight against acidity is the timing of your meals. Try eating small meals every 2 to 3 hours. A smaller intake of food each time means less stress on your stomach and decreased secretion of acids in the stomach. If you consume alcohol it would be wise to restrict your intake drastically if not quit temporarily. Smoking can also aggravate acidity.
Another common mistake, which we all tend to make after eating is going to bed or lying down. This is an unhealthy practice, as lying down will slow down the process of food digestion, which invariably implies an increase in acidity levels. Henceforth, ensure that you do not sleep or lie down for at least 45 minutes after your meal. If you are overweight then a little exercise can also help in cutting down your acidic levels as less fat in the body means less acidity.
Is Tea Acidic
Many people are keen on determining the acidity of tea leaves in order to find out whether tea is acidic or alkaline in nature. Acid basically refers to a corrosive and sour chemical. Acids tend to become neutral when they are mixed with an alkaline base. Acidity is expressed in terms of the pH scale which ranges from extremely acidic to neutral and extremely alkaline. The acidity of tea leaves comes from plant acids which are naturally present in all forms of vegetation. This is also true in case of coffee. The acidity of tea and coffee is known to be very mild and has very little if any reaction on the digestive tract of humans. In determining the acidity of tea versus coffee, it has been observed that the acidity of coffee is generally higher than that of tea. This is mostly because coffee beans are usually grown in mineral rich soil and at very high altitudes.
Plants that grow at higher altitudes mature slowly and therefore tend to have higher acid levels. The acidity in coffee also varies depending on the length of the roasting of the coffee bean, the method used for brewing the coffee, and also the type of coffee bean. On the other hand tea is known to contain tannins. These tannins tend to make the tea bitter as it is steeped. Green tea acidity and ginger tea acidity are known to be extremely low as compared it the acidity levels in other types and varieties of tea.
Nowadays, many coffee manufacturers are also producing low acid coffee varieties that are easily available in grocery stores. In order to lower the acid levels in coffee one should add some cold water to ground coffee and allow it to remain for at least 12 hours. The concentrate that has then formed should be used to prepare a small amount of low acidic coffee. Similarly those who are keen on knowing whether green tea is acidic or basic should rest assured that green tea is acidic but as mentioned earlier the acid levels are minimal and this can be further reduced by brewing the tea for just a few minute One should also avoid citrus based teas as they tend to have a higher acidic content. Tea acidity is mostly derived from the tannins that are present in tea. If a tea is high in acidity or it is brewed excessively then one can taste the acidity in the tea as it tends to leave a slight aftertaste. In fact tea acidity is more of an issue in the case of fermented or black tea. In such cases, people should add milk to the fermented or black teas as milk is known to cut down the acidity levels present in tea. Green tea acidity is usually negligible unless it is brewed for an excessively long amount of time. Herbal and green tea are in fact known to be the least acidic provided they are brewed correctly. To ensure that green tea acidity remains negligible one should ensure that the water is just under boiling temperature when preparing green tea and the tea should be steeped for no more than three minute. Similarly jasmine tea should also not be brewed for more than 90 seconds as this will result in an aftertaste on account of an increase in the acidity levels of tea. Green tea is known to be highly beneficial for stimulating the digestive system and is also incorporated in many weight loss diets. Green tea is known to be most beneficial when consumed with a small amount of honey. In fact some dieticians and natural health care specialists recommend a cup of green tea along with a spoon of honey to be consumed as soon as one wakes up in the morning. This is thought to help maintain good digestive health as well as overall health.
Tea is known to contain tannins and not tannic acid as is incorrectly stated by many people at times. In fact tannic acid is used to treat burns and blisters and in cases where tannic acid was not available strong lukewarm tea has been used as a home remedy. In fact a home remedy for foot odor, dry or rough feet, or even a treatment for blisters is to soak ones feet in some strong tea for a short period of time. Similarly the tannins in the tea are also beneficial as it helps in the clotting of blood and hence a simple home remedy to control and top bleeding after one has had their wisdom tooth extracted is to apply some tea bags on the back of the jaw and to then bite down on them. There is also one school of thought that believes that green tea is alkaline in nature whereas black teas are more acidic in nature since they are fermented. The same school of thought also suggests that herbal teas tend to be acidic at times on account of their sugar content or even because of the fermentation process. Many a times the consumption of tea is now known to adversely affect the digestive system of an individual or cause or stomach problems. However some people tend to be very sensitive toward even the smallest amount of acid in foods and this are keen on knowing whether tea is acidic in nature. On the other hand, caffeine is known to stimulate the metabolism and the digestive system and may result in the individual suffering from indigestion or an irritation of the stomach lining if consumed excessively. Caffeine is known to stimulate the hydrochloric acid producing glands in the stomach. Although hydrochloric acid is essential for the breakdown of food in the stomach, if one is sensitive to caffeine then there is an excessive production of hydrochloric acid which may result in abdominal discomfort in the individual. Typically all tea manufacturers tend to categorize tea first by the quality of the tea then by the leaf grade. The leaf grade basically notes the structure of the tea. Those who are already suffering from acidity should avoid the consumption of tea and coffee as they may aggravate the acidity in some acute cases.