Green tea is getting a lot of hype in the health community because of its potential health benefits. Fitness and health-conscious people are ditching their regular tea for green tea because of its nutrition and anti-inflammatory properties. However, no time can be considered bad for a nice cup of green tea, but if you want to boost its health benefits, then you must consider When is the best time to drink green tea and when not.
Best Time to Drink Green Tea
- 45 Minutes Before Or After Your Meal.
- 30 Minutes Before Your Workout Session.
- 1 hour After Workout.
- 2 Hours Before Your Bedtime. (Make sure to line it with your dinner time)
- 30 minutes after breakfast.
1. Before Meal or After Meal
There is a tug-of-war going on between two sets of people about the best time to take green tea before the meal or after the meal. One group of people believe that it is absolutely fine to drink green tea before the meal, while others believe it is not a good idea because it can cause stomach and liver issues. However, experts say that it’s safe to consume green tea with a 45-minute gap before or after a meal.
Who Should Avoid Green Tea After Meal:
- People with liver issues
- Diabetic people as it may affect blood sugar.
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2. Before or After Workout
Green tea is a health drink that can boost your metabolism, and the caffeine content can improve your endurance and focus during the workout. Hence, a cup of green tea can be outstanding before an activity; it can even help you exercise for a long time. A pre-workout cup of green tea can also result in weight-loss. Despite saying this, there is no side-effect of drinking green tea after a workout.
Who Should Avoid Green Tea After Workout:
- People with heart conditions.
Who Should Avoid Green Tea Pre/Post Workout:
- People with caffeine sensitivity.
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3. Green Tea at Night
It’s not a great idea to have green tea just before your bedtime! Although many may claim that drinking green tea before bed can lead to various health benefits, in actual it will disturb your sleep. It contains caffeine and the amino acid of L-Theanine that keeps you awake for long. It would be best to have at least a two hours gap between green tea consumption and your sleep time. In case you are sensitive to caffeine, then the best time to have green tea at least 6 hours before bedtime.
Who Should Avoid:
- Pregnant and breastfeeding women.
- People with anxiety disorders
- People with insomnia.
Also Read: 10 Types of Herbal Tea for Healthy Living
When Should You Stay Away From Drinking Green Tea
1. On Empty Stomach
Studies have found sound effects of drinking green tea on an empty stomach, but there is a downside to it as well. Green tea contains tannins that can stimulate the stomach’s acidity production and can lead to constipation, stomach ache, nausea, and other stomach issues.
- Drink green tea 30 minutes after your breakfast.
2. During the Meal

Mealtime is surely not the best time to have green tea. Green tea contains tannins that act as anti-nutrient and can block the absorption of various minerals in your body, especially iron. This can lead to a deficiency of iron with time.
- Have it at least 45 minutes pre or post-your meal time.
Best Time To Drink Green Tea For Weight Loss
Green tea has fat-burning properties and is a popular drink for weight loss. It also helps improve the body’s metabolic rate and aids in digestion, which also helps in weight loss. There are two best times at which you can drink green tea when you’re explicitly aiming at weight loss:
- 30 minutes before a workout session: It is observed that taking green tea before exercise increases the rate at which fat burns when you exercise.
- 45 minutes after your meal: Drinking green tea 45 minutes after mealtime aids in weight loss as it boosts metabolism.
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How Much Green Tea to Consume in a Day

Excess of anything is bad. Something just to speed up the result, we start consuming more than what is required. You have understood when to drink green tea, but along with that, you also need to know how much green tea is enough for a day.
On average, drinking three to five cups of green tea can lead to a better lifestyle and even allows you to reap its health benefits. But the optimal amount of green tea depends on various factors like age, health condition, and reason for consumption, among others. There’s also a myth that it can be expensive, but one can explore several brands and get the best green tea price available!
- Children below 18: Ideally not suggested to drink green tea.
- People with anemia, diabetes and heart conditions: 1-2 cups of green tea per day.
- People with insomnia: They can have 1-2 cups throughout the day but avoid at night.
- People with mental health conditions: no more than a cup of green tea each day to prevent trigger points.
FAQs
It is advised to drink green tea either in the morning or in the evening to gain maximum benefits for glowing skin and good health.
The best time to have green tea to reduce belly fat is early in the morning when the body has a high metabolic rate. Green tea boosts metabolism and helps in burning fat.
Green tea has high antioxidant content, which helps the body to stay fit and active. It also reduces inflammation and prevents cell damage. Green tea is also very popular as a method for weight loss. Drinking green tea at the right time can increase metabolism and can aid in weight loss.
Drink green tea for glowing skin