It is common to see people boiling barley tea at home and using it as drinking water. In addition, many people drink various other types of tea as if they were drinking water. Is it really safe for health to drink tea instead of regular drinking water?

◇Recommended grain tea as a water substitute... Avoid if you have kidney problems

In conclusion, some teas, including barley tea, do not cause significant problems when consumed as drinking water. Huh Jeong-yeon, director of the Nutrition Department at Gachon Gil Medical Center, said, "Teas made from grains such as barley and brown rice, have no special side effects, so drinking them instead of water is not problematic." Grain teas like barley tea are rich in dietary fiber, making them beneficial for dieting and diabetes prevention, and they also help improve gut health. Additionally, they contain minerals such as sodium and potassium, which are effective in maintaining the body's electrolyte balance.

However, people with impaired kidney function should avoid grain tea. This is because the potassium in grain tea may not be properly excreted, potentially causing issues such as heart attacks, muscle paralysis, and arrhythmias. Huh Jeong-yeon, the nutrition director, said, "Grain tea contains a lot of soluble mineral potassium, and people with kidney problems who cannot properly excrete calcium should not drink it," adding, "In fact, we often recommend that patients with chronic kidney disease drink plain water instead of tea."

Avoid teas containing caffeine; even hawthorn tea can be harmful.

Teas containing caffeine, such as green tea and black tea, are not suitable as substitutes for water. According to the Korea Food & Drug Administration, the caffeine content per 100ml of beverages is ▲green tea 25-50mg ▲black tea 20-60mg ▲oolong tea 20-60mg. Drinking just a few cups can easily exceed the recommended daily caffeine intake of 400mg. Excessive caffeine intake can cause various side effects. Nutritionist Heo Jeong-yeon stated, "Caffeine stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, which can lead to symptoms of anxiety and insomnia," and "Caffeine also promotes diuretic effects, which can lead to dehydration."

Some people with poor liver health drink houttuynia cordata tea in place of water. However, those with high liver enzyme levels or existing liver disease should avoid it. The compounds in houttuynia cordata, such as ampelopsin and hovenin, can become highly concentrated in tea and may cause liver problems. In fact, a research team at Seoul Asan Medical Center analyzed patients who underwent liver transplants due to acute toxic hepatitis over 15 years and found houttuynia cordata to be one of the main causes. Many people also consume houttuynia cordata juice for health benefits, but caution is needed as it can also burden those with liver issues.

In addition, corn silk tea and cassia seed tea should also be consumed with caution over a long period of time instead of water, as side effects may occur. Director Heo Jeong-yeon said, "There is no absolute standard for intake amount, but other teas except grain tea should be limited to about one or two cups a day."

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My grandmother has always been...

You said all root canal treatments are medication, but...

Grain tea is good for health.

People with kidney problems should be cautious.

Green tea. They say black tea is good, but it has caffeine.

It wouldn't be good to drink a lot, right?