One study shows that drinking tea can improve our intestinal health. Here you can find out how many cups of which tea you should drink.
For some time now, our intestines have received a lot of attention when it comes to living healthy for a long time. And rightly so: For example, it plays a role in the development of various diseases, and a healthy intestinal flora helps us to achieve or maintain our desired weight. British researchers of the so-called Tea Advisory Panel (TAP) took this as an opportunity to to study how the consumption of tea affects our intestines. To do this, they compared data from 24 studies in a meta-analysis.
You should drink this much tea every day – according to your gut
The result: Four to five cups of tea a day are ideal for your intestinal flora. Because this amount increases the number of certain good intestinal bacteria, the so-called bifidobacteria: they improve digestion and the immune system by displacing pathogens.
The polyphenols in tea are responsible for the growth of good bacteria. These are secondary plant substances that have an antioxidant effect and protect us from dangerous free radicals. These arise, for example, through stress and harmful environmental influences and favor diseases such as cancer or rheumatism. Earlier studies have also shown that a high intake of polyphenols can lower the risk of cancer and diabetes. Polyphenols also have an anti-inflammatory effect.
How do polyphenols work in the intestine?
Polyphenols are relatively large molecules – that is why they cannot be absorbed from the upper part of the digestive tract, but only develop their effect in the colon, where they feed the good bacteria there. As a result, they produce certain metabolic messenger substances called metabolites, which reach the brain via the blood and influence its health. The metabolites are also considered possible factors for depression, obesity and various autoimmune diseases, but the research on this is still very thin.
Study author Dr. Timothy Bond told Edinburgh News about the investigation, "Everyone knows that fiber or probiotics can help convert gut bacteria into cheaper strains. It was a pleasant surprise to discover that a simple cup of tea can also be effective." Incidentally, which tea varieties achieve the best result was not part of the analysis. But: Green and black teas in particular, as well as oolong tea, are considered to be very rich in polyphenols.
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