Tea is one of the most popular drinks around the world and comes in a huge variety. Many types of tea have proven to be beneficial for health making tea one of the most widely consumed beverages. Many people complain that they have a certain type of addiction to tea but seriously? Can you get addicted to tea?
Well, most of us love having tea, the first thing in the morning after waking up to get our body ready for the hustle. Some people even complain about having headaches and lack of alertness when they do not get their cup of tea in the morning. So, can you get addicted to tea?
To know, read on to the article!
Also read: Relation Between Tea And Diabetes
Can Consuming Tea make you Addicted to it?
There several kinds of tea available and different types of tea contain different amounts of caffeine content. Caffeine, which is the most common psychoactive substance consumed worldwide, a natural stimulant and known to be a potential addictive ingredient. Caffeine is criticized to be addictive because it has a chemical structure which resembles adenosine, a compound which relaxes your central nervous system naturally inside your body.
When you regularly consume tea which contains caffeine can make you feel relaxed and less tired. Over time, you would want larger amounts of tea to feel the same effects from this caffeine which causes you to feel withdrawal symptoms if you suddenly halt drinking the beverage.
Hence, the effects of caffeine, induced inside your body after consistently drinking tea can be deemed as potentially addictive. So, we can conclude that consuming tea can be addictive and you may get addicted to tea. However, it’s not recognised as a true addiction but we can say that it is potentially addictive
Also read: Herbal Teas
Signs you are Addicted to Tea
Addiction is something which can make you feel miserable yet gives you a certain feeling of relaxation. Tea addiction is just the same, most people get withdrawal symptoms once they suddenly quit drinking tea. As we’ve read earlier, how tea can be addictive, there can be various signs you are addicted to tea.
Here are some signs or indications you are probably addicted to tea:
1. You do not Start your Day Without Having your Cup of Tea!
Maybe we’ve all been there at some point in our lives. In these hustle-bustle lives and poor lifestyles, some people may get tired easily and need something to pump themselves up with some energy. One sign which shows you are addicted to tea is that you can’t start your morning without having your cuppa tea. If you don’t, your day probably goes tedious and dull. If you relate to this, you might probably have tea addiction.
2. You want to Try Every Type of Tea
There are many types of tea in the world and if you are always eager to try a new one, this might be a sign you are addicted to tea. When you go grocery shopping, you spend a lot of time searching for different types of teas. Whether it’s herbal, green, iced or black, you are ready to try them all!
Also read: Black Tea Benefits
3. You Never Refuse when Someone Offers you a Cup of Tea
Do you get excited when someone asks or offers you a cup of tea? No matter what the situation is, you are always ready to have that cup of tea. Tea lovers never refuse to have a cup of tea no matter what the time is! If you find yourself never refusing to tea, this might be a sign you have tea addiction.
4. You Consume Tea as a Treatment for all your Worries
There’s always something which makes us feel a little better when we are tired or worried. Well, for tea lovers, it’s tea. Whether it’s a sore throat, cough, a miserable hangover or even a breakup, you drink tea to relax yourself and feel better. It is like your soulmate which helps you out through all the shitty situations.
5. You have a Favourite Mug
Well, it’s kind of funny but if you have a favourite mug which you use a lot, this might be a sign you drink a lot of tea. Many tea lovers use their favourite mug and do not wish to use any other mug beside that one favourite mug of theirs. Spiritually using that mug for their tea cravings can be a sign you love tea and have a tea addiction.
6. You Don’t Remember How Many Cups of Tea you had Today!
Do you lose count while you pour the next cup of tea in the evening? Well, you actually don’t remember how many cups you have thrown down your throat but you don’t care because you love it. If you can’t keep count of it, it means you probably have a lot of tea in a day and your tea addiction might be getting out of hand.
7. You can Always Make Time for your Cup of Tea!
Having that soothing feeling while you throw the tea down your throat compels you to always make time to make your cup of tea. When you need that cup of tea, you won’t resist yourself making it and that’s a rule! Well, unfortunately, this might be a sign of your tea addiction.
How much Tea Should you Drink Per Day?
It is not quite confirmed how much you should drink in a day before you get addicted to it. However, once you start having withdrawal symptoms like headaches, lack of concentration, drowsiness, fatigue, anxiety or depressed mood, maybe it’s time to limit or stop drinking it. Also, abruptly quitting it can make you feel worse. Tea dependency can happen by drinking as little as 2-3 cups a day. However, it totally depends on the person.
For an average person, 3-4 cups of tea a day can be enough. Yet, again, this would also depend on the individual and their sensitivity to it. Tea can be healthy but it should be consumed in a limited amount, the amount that can be handled by the body.
This was all about tea addiction and signs you are addicted to tea. If you feel you are drinking too much tea and your health seems a little low, you may consult your doctor and limit the amount of tea you drink each day.
Also read: Benefits Of Green Tea