Green tea has long been touted as a miracle drink, especially for those who want to lose any excess weight and lead a generally healthy lifestyle. And it’s true, green tea does have a ton of benefits. It can regulate your blood pressure and rid your body of some toxins. But, as with everything good in life, there is a catch. The side effects of green tea can make it unhealthy for some people. And drinking more than 4-5 cups of green tea in a day is not good for anyone. So if you’re downing copious amounts of this drink just because you want a “summer-ready bod”, please stop and read this.

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1. It can make you feel nauseated

Many people ignore this side effect until it becomes too unpleasant. But that’s not good for you. If you have too much too soon, green tea can make you throw up. And we all know that’s the worst way to get rid of any extra weight. So if you’re feeling queasy after green tea, don’t drink it for a while or cut down your intake, and see if you feel better.

2. It kills your appetite, but that’s not always a good thing

To have a healthy body and mind, you need to eat right, not less. Green tea should be preceded by a proper meal, it should not be used as a substitute for a meal. As a part of the queasy feeling you may get with it, green tea will kill your appetite. But it will also make you very uncomfortable. Diarrhea, a condition that can lead to serious dehydration, is also one of the side effects of green tea.

3. It has caffeine, and excess caffeine is never good

Just as you would limit your intake of coffee, you should limit your intake of green tea as well. Green tea does have caffeine, and an excess of caffeine can give you shakes, increase anxiety, trigger headaches, and the worst of all, cause insomnia. If you can’t get a good night’s sleep, no miracle drink is going to help you lead a healthy lifestyle.

4. It can block iron absorption in your body and cause anaemia

Any kind of tea can interfere with iron absorption in the body. However, because it’s considered healthy, people tend to drink a lot of green tea when they start. This increases the risk of iron deficiency, even in people who are trying to eat healthy. If you are at risk for anaemia or any other condition related to a deficiency of iron, you should limit your intake of green tea and consult a doctor.

5. It’s not really great for pregnant women

Since green tea limits the absorption of nutrients in your body, it’s not great for pregnant women. In fact, all forms of caffeine should be kept to a bare minimum during pregnancy. If you’re pregnant, you need more hydration than ever before. Green tea, as a diuretic, can dehydrate you and cause low amniotic fluid. An excess of caffeine can also cause heartburn and increase your blood pressure.

Enjoy your one or two cups of green tea every day, but please be aware of the side effects before you start living on it.