With the significant improvement of living conditions, we have begun to have diverse ways to replenish water. For example, most elderly people enjoy drinking tea in their free time. Younger children are more fond of various carbonated drinks. In fact, among various beverages in daily contact, plain water is more universal and healthy.

Do you know who has a healthier body compared to those who drink tea for a long time? What benefits can drinking tea and drinking plain water bring to us respectively? Let's take a look together below.
The benefits of drinking plain water for a long time
1. quench thirst
The biggest benefit of drinking plain water is quenching thirst and replenishing water in the body. It can promote body metabolism and has certain benefits for various activities of the body.
2. Prevention of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases
Drinking plenty of plain water can reduce blood viscosity, promote blood circulation, and thus reduce the risk of blood clots, preventing the occurrence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases such as heart disease.
3. Stone excretion and diuresis
Drinking plenty of plain water can also have the effect of removing stones and diuresis. Patients with kidney stones must drink plenty of plain water to promote the elimination of stones.
4. Resist respiratory diseases
Drinking plain water appropriately can make the respiratory mucosa more moist. When the respiratory mucosa is relatively moist, it can secrete a large amount of substances that inhibit pathogenic microorganisms. Therefore, the benefits of resisting respiratory infectious diseases are very obvious.
5. Help with weight loss
Drinking plain water in the morning can accelerate gastrointestinal peristalsis and accelerate the excretion of metabolic products. Moreover, drinking a glass of plain water before meals can alleviate hunger and reduce food intake, which is very helpful for weight loss.
6. Enhance resistance
Boiled water that cools naturally to 20 to 25 degrees Celsius is the easiest to penetrate the cell membrane. Therefore, it can promote metabolism and increase the protein content in the blood. And it can also enhance immune function, which is helpful for preventing colds and pharyngitis.
Precautions for drinking water
1. Small quantity multiple times
Drinking water should not be concentrated at a single point, but should be evenly distributed at every moment of the day. When drinking water, follow the principle of drinking small amounts multiple times, each time drinking 100-200 milliliters. Drinking a glass of water on an empty stomach after waking up in the morning can dilute blood, reduce blood viscosity, and also increase circulating blood volume.
2. Don't wait until you're thirsty to drink water
We should develop the habit of actively drinking water and not wait until we are thirsty to think about drinking water. Every moment of life requires the use of water, and once the human body feels thirsty, it indicates that the cells have been slightly dehydrated. Once dehydrated, various physiological functions of body cells will be affected.
3. Do not drink water immediately after finishing a meal
Many people have a habit of drinking water after meals, which is not right. Because the digestive system is in operation after finishing a meal, drinking water at this time will only dilute the stomach acid and affect the digestion of the stomach. So, just drink water an hour before eating.
4. Do not drink water immediately after exercising
When exercising, water will evaporate with sweat, making one feel thirsty and drink water. But this can cause an imbalance in the ratio of water and salt in the body, which is not good for the body. You can drink water within an hour before exercising, and drink plenty of water during exercise.
The benefits of long-term tea drinking
1. Diuretic
Caffeine not only stimulates the central nervous system, but also stimulates the advanced center of urination reflex and the kidneys, producing the urge to urinate. Therefore, it can promote water and sodium metabolism in the blood, thereby helping to reduce human edema.
2. Improve the body's resistance
Tea polyphenols have a certain auxiliary astringent effect, and the tannic acid rich in tea can act on the proteins of pathogenic bacteria. It can have a bactericidal effect on some pathogenic bacteria, thus helping to improve the body's resistance.
3. Prevention of dental caries
The tea polyphenols and fluorine in tea can act on the surface of teeth, forming a protective film. Therefore, it can prevent the occurrence of dental caries and clean oral bacteria.
4. Improve memory
The tea polyphenols and caffeine components in tea are very beneficial to the brain and nerves, especially tea polyphenols have a memory enhancing effect. For students and workers, drinking tea has the effect of improving learning and work efficiency.
5. Anti cancer and anti-aging
Tea is rich in caffeine and tea peptides, which can block the synthesis of nitrite. It can prevent cell oxidation or carcinogenesis, kill cancer cells, and thus prevent various cancers such as stomach and colon cancer. And it also contains rich antioxidants, which can eliminate excess free radicals in the human body and achieve anti-aging effects.
6. Improve muscle endurance
The components of catechins can effectively burn fat in the body, thereby improving the endurance of muscles and playing a good role in anti fatigue. Catechin is mainly rich in green tea, so drinking green tea regularly has a more significant effect.
Precautions for drinking tea
1. Avoid drinking tea if you have a fever
Caffeine in tea not only increases body temperature, but also reduces its efficacy.
2. Liver patients should avoid drinking tea
The majority of caffeine and other substances in tea are metabolized by the liver. If the liver is diseased and drinking too much tea exceeds the liver's metabolic capacity, it can damage the liver tissue.
3. Women should not drink strong tea during lactation
Drinking strong tea during lactation can cause excessive caffeine to enter breast milk. After a child sucks, it indirectly generates excitement, which can easily lead to less sleep and more crying.
4. Avoid drinking strong tea
Strong tea contains a large amount of stimulating caffeine, theophylline, etc. Drinking too much can lead to insomnia, headache, tinnitus, heart discomfort, and gastrointestinal damage.
5. Avoid drinking hot tea
Tea that is too hot can cause strong irritation to the mouth, throat, esophagus, and stomach. However, if the temperature of the drink exceeds 62 ℃, it is more likely to damage the stomach wall,. This can lead to the development of stomach diseases, and may even lead to the occurrence of oral floor cancer.
6. Do not drink tea on an empty stomach
Drinking tea on an empty stomach can easily lead to "tea intoxication", resulting in symptoms of sweating and mental distress, with a very unpleasant taste. If you really want to drink, be sure to have some tea first. For example, you can eat small foods such as cookies, candies, and nuts to prevent getting drunk from tea.
Compared to people who drink plain water for a long time,
Whose body is healthier? The doctor says the answer
Generally speaking, drinking plain water for a long time and drinking tea for a long time have their own benefits, both of which are beneficial to the human body. However, for certain disease groups, drinking plain water for a long time can be healthier.
For patients with constipation, long-term drinking of tea may make constipation more severe. Because tea contains tannic acid, it can combine with iron and also form together with proteins. Therefore, tannic acid protein, which is not conducive to human digestion and absorption, may cause constipation.
For patients with stomach diseases, long-term tea consumption can easily cause an increase in gastric protease and excessive stomach acid, leading to the occurrence of acid related diseases. Therefore, in daily life, it is recommended to choose different drinks in moderation according to one's own preferences and needs.
Extension: What kind of tea is good for the body in summer?
The hot weather in summer is the season when people consume the most physical energy. Drinking tea is also a way to maintain health and relieve heat in summer.
Green tea can be chosen for consumption in summer. Green tea has a cold nature, which can clear heat and effectively reduce heat. Drinking green tea in summer has the effects of generating fluids, quenching thirst, reducing digestion and phlegm, and relieving heat.
It is worth noting that people with weak spleen and stomach or those with kidney deficiency should choose black tea that has a warming effect on the stomach regardless of the season. For those who have a strong internal heat, green tea should be chosen regardless of the season. Also, it is important to avoid drinking strong tea in summer and not on an empty stomach.