A simple and affordable remedy for mild diarrhea

The next time you suffer from mild diarrhea, reach out for a cup of green tea.

I discovered its 'constipating' qualities over a decade ago when I used to take a daily cup of green tea first thing in the morning.

It took me a while to discover the actual cause of my constipation then, as I pored over my dietary habits. I consumed sufficient fibre, exercised regularly and kept to a 'potty schedule'. It wasn't long before suspicion fell on the morning cup of green tea I'd been taking for health reasons.

After switching to regular milk tea for breakfast, and only drinking green tea after lunch and dinner, I discovered that the constipation went away for good.

As to why the timing of the green tea mattered, it could be due to the fact that I usually clear my bowels at night (the constipating effects of green tea could have delayed the 'train schedule', so to speak).

In any case, it was good to know that green tea had a constipating effect on me: I drink a cup or two whenever I have mild diarrhea (for food poisoning, see a doctor!)

I've also discovered that not every kind of green tea worked just as well.

Generally, the more astringent variety of Japanese green tea seemed to work better at stopping diarrhea. As a rule of thumb, those that leave a green powdery residue at the bottom of the cup is ideal, i.e. those 'cheap' stock Japanese green tea they serve in most sushi places.

The irony is that the more expensive green tea variety (Lung Jing 龙井, Gyokuro 玉露, Bi Luo Chun 碧螺春, etc), those with clear broth, doesn't seem to work as well as the cheap ones.

For this reason, I'm assuming the constipating effects could be due to the powdered green tea residue. Perhaps it has more of certain catechins (the antioxidants found in green tea: EGCG, EGC, ECG, EC, GC and C) and tannins (found in all kinds of teas).

Or is it due to the catechins' effects on dietary lipids?  (In vitro and in vivo studies indicate that green tea or catechins inhibit the intestinal absorption of dietary lipids.)

I wonder.

Remember to always take green tea after meals if you have a weak tummy; it can cause gastric pains or nausea in some people. (Avoid drinking green tea together with medication as it can inhibit/bind certain medicines/minerals, especially iron.) Incidentally, drinking green tea with vitamin C can boost the absorption of antioxidants.

Also, if it's your first cup of green tea, you might want to take a few sips first to see what kind of effect it has on you; some folks may get diarrhea or feel nauseous, but the effects usually go away once your body gets used to it. Note that green tea contains caffeine too, so watch out if you're sensitive to caffeine.

For antibiotic-related diarrhea, read about my experience with probiotics here.



Related posts:
The multiple health benefits of tea
Green tea burns abdominal fat
Green tea supplements beat flu better
Green tea lowers cholesterol
Black tea lowers blood pressure
Drinking tea while eating sweets may prevent obesity