In life, if you drink too much, friends often suggest drinking black tea to relieve hangover. After drinking tea, the urine will increase, and there will be a clear smell of alcohol in the urine, thinking that the alcohol is excreted easily. It is true that we will feel better after drinking tea, but often using tea to relieve hangover will cause great harm to the body.

It has been said since ancient times that tea can relieve hangover. Many people often drink strong black tea to sober up. However, this method not only fails to relieve hangover, but also damages the kidneys! Li Shizhen made a specific statement on the harm of drinking tea after drinking in "Compendium of Materia Medica": "Drinking tea after drinking damages the kidneys, causing heavy waist and legs, cold and painful bladder, edema due to phlegm drinking, and pain due to thirst and contraction." Modern medicine has also confirmed that drinking tea after drinking, especially strong tea, will have adverse effects on the kidneys. The metabolism of alcohol in the body is first carried out in the liver. When alcohol enters the liver, under the action of oxidase, it is first oxidized to acetaldehyde, and then to acetic acid. Acetic acid is oxidized to carbon dioxide and water, and then excreted through the kidneys and lungs respectively.

Theophylline, the main component in dark tea, has a diuretic effect. If you drink a large amount of dark tea, the theophylline in it can quickly exert a diuretic effect, prompting undecomposed acetaldehyde to enter the kidneys prematurely; acetaldehyde can cause great damage to the urinary system. If you drink tea after drinking frequently, it will easily cause frequent and turbid urination, as well as dry stool and other diseases. Medical research also shows that alcohol is very irritating to the cardiovascular system, while strong tea also has the effect of stimulating the heart. The combination of the two increases the stimulation of the heart, which is very detrimental to people with poor heart function.

Black tea not only cannot relieve hangover, but also aggravates the harm to the body. To relieve hangover after drinking too much, you can eat some fruits such as citrus, pears, and apples. It is better to drink watermelon juice. If there is no fruit, a cup of sugar water can also help relieve hangover. So it’s better to drink less wine and more tea.

　(Editor: Bonnie)

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