Drink green tea when it freshy made but slightly

cool

• Scalding tea can damage your digestive system. Moreover, recent studies suggest that too much hot tea can promote throat cancer. Old tea can also harbor bacteria, especially since its antibacterial properties diminish with time.

Brew the same tea leaves in moderation

• With each successive infusion, cancerous substances in the leaves themselves (often pesticides) are drawn out.

Avoid tea that's excessively concentrated

• Too-strong tea contains huge amounts of caffeine and polyphenols. The excess of caffeine can cause tremors and heart palpitations, and too many polyphenols can cause indigestion.

Make sure that tea doesn't conflict with any medications or

supplements that you're taking.

• The compounds in tea can interact with certain substances. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for confirmation.

Don't drink too many cups!

• The United Kingdom Tea Council recommends drinking not more than 6 cups of tea a day. For the best health benefits, 3 to 4 cups is recommended.

Drink tea an hour before or after meals.

• Certain compounds in tea inhibit the absorption of calcium and non-heme iron. Drinking too much tea can worsen the symptoms of those prone to iron deficiency. Putting milk in your tea can cancel out the problem of calcium absorption, the oxalate in the tea bonds to the calcium in the milk rather than the calcium in your food.