This is how much tea you should drink every day

One study shows that drinking tea can improve our intestinal health. Here you can find out how many cups of tea you should drink.

For some time now, our gut has 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 achieve or maintain the desired weight. British researchers on the so-called Tea Advisory Panel (TAP) used this opportunity to investigate how tea consumption affects our gut. To do this, they compared data from 24 studies in a meta-analysis.

You should drink this much tea every day - depending on your gut

The result: Four to five cups of tea a day is ideal for intestinal flora. Due to this amount, the number of some good intestinal bacteria, so-called bifidobacteria, increases: they improve digestion and the immune system by displacing pathogens.

Polyphenols found 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, from stress and adverse environmental influences and favor diseases such as cancer or rheumatism. Previous studies have also shown that a high intake of polyphenols can reduce the risk of cancer and diabetes. Polyphenols also have an anti-inflammatory effect.

How do polyphenols work in the intestines?

Polyphenols are relatively large molecules – which is why they cannot be absorbed from the upper part of the digestive tract, but only develop their effect in the large intestine, feeding the good bacteria there. As a result, they produce some metabolic substances called metabolites, which reach the brain through the blood and affect its health. Metabolites are also potential factors for depression, obesity and various autoimmune diseases, but research on this is still very weak.

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, the teas that produced the best results were not part of the analysis. But: Green and black tea in particular, as well as oolong tea, are foods very rich in polyphenols.