Danger in cup: Most harmful tea that everyone keeps buying revealed
Which tea you shouldn’t buy (illustrative photo: freepik.com)
Not everyone knows, but there is a type of tea sold in supermarkets, pharmacies, and online marketplaces that can be very harmful to health. These are so-called "detox" or laxative drinks, which are often recommended for "relief" or weight loss - but they can actually be dangerous.
Among drinks that look natural and even healthy, there are some that can actually seriously harm your health. One of these is the popular detox tea for weight loss. Packages labeled with words like slim, cleanse, or lose 2 kg in a week seem safe because they supposedly contain only herbs and natural ingredients.
But many of them often include senna, cassia, or other laxative components. People buy and drink these teas even without understanding how these substances work. This is largely because marketers have made such teas extremely popular. The promises to lose weight, cleanse the intestines, or simply improve health can be misleading and potentially dangerous.
What makes weight-loss teas dangerous
The main ingredient, senna, has a strong laxative effect. In medicine, it’s used carefully, for short periods, and only when necessary. But in fitness teas, it often becomes a daily drink taken at night or for cleansing.
Regular use of such tea disrupts the functioning of the intestines because they get used to the stimulation and lose the ability to work independently. As a result, chronic constipation, discomfort, and bloating develop.
Additionally, these teas flush out fluids and important electrolytes, which can cause:
- weakness and headaches;
- cramps and low blood pressure;
- irregular heart rhythms.
Moreover, in some cases, long-term use of senna can lead to toxic liver damage. People who should be especially cautious include those with:
- chronic illnesses;
- liver or heart problems;
- weakened immune systems;
- gastrointestinal diseases.
This tea should also not be taken by children, pregnant or breastfeeding women, or anyone taking other medications.
Although the tea looks like a regular herbal blend, it has a systemic effect and is not suitable for long-term use.
These teas can indeed show a "loss" on the scales. But it’s not fat — it’s water and intestinal contents. After a few days, the body becomes dehydrated and the stomach empties, so the weight really goes down, but no real slimming occurs. Moreover, the loss of fluids and electrolytes can cause:
- dizziness;
- dry skin;
- stress on the body..
That’s why, before buying a popular slimming tea, always read the ingredients. If you see senna, cassia, "Cassia angustifolia," "senna leaf," or anything indicating a "laxative effect," leave that product on the store shelves.
Instead, choose simple teas without unnecessary stimulation: chamomile, mint, rosehip, ginger. For weight loss, only a proper diet, physical activity, and water are needed.
Sources: Healthline and the NHS.
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.
