What are the dangers of overnight tea?

Another spring has come, and the new tea of ​​the year has been picked and brewed. People who like to drink tea have started a new journey of enjoyment. However, there are still many ways to drink tea. For example, we should be careful not to drink overnight tea. The harm of overnight tea mainly comes from the following aspects:

Increased nitrite levels

Some people worry that overnight tea will produce a large amount of nitrite, and after entering the human body, it will generate nitrosamines with carcinogenic risks. However, studies have shown that the nitrite content in overnight tea is far lower than the national standard for the concentration limit of nitrite in drinking water (≤1 mg/L). Therefore, the nitrite content in overnight tea will not pose a threat to health.

Image source: Hangzhou official Weibo

Microbial reproduction

If tea is left open for a long time at room temperature after brewing, microorganisms in the surrounding environment will quickly accumulate in the tea, and the tea will become a breeding ground for microorganisms, greatly affecting the safety of drinking. Therefore, although overnight tea is not carcinogenic, it may cause diarrhea.

Loss of nutrients

Most of the vitamins in overnight tea have been lost because it is stored for too long, and the protein, sugar, etc. in the tea soup will become nutrients for the reproduction of bacteria and mold. Therefore, people generally believe that overnight tea is not suitable for drinking.

Other potential issues

Overnight tea may cause diarrhea, abdominal pain and other problems, because after being left overnight, a lot of dust may be mixed into the tea, causing bacteria to multiply in large numbers, especially in summer when the temperature is high, and overnight tea is easy to deteriorate. In addition, the tea polyphenols in overnight tea will be oxidized in large quantities to form tea rust, which will hinder the body's absorption of nutrients such as vitamins and proteins after entering the human body.

Overall, overnight tea is not necessarily harmful, but for the sake of health, it is recommended to avoid drinking overnight tea as much as possible. If you must drink overnight tea, make sure it is stored in proper conditions and has not exceeded the recommended drinking time.