A case report published in The New England Journal of Medicine has answered the question, is it possible to drink too much iced tea?
The cautionary case was that of a 56 year old man who developed fatigue, weakness and muscle aches. The mysterious symptoms were caused by kidney failure, and the doctors treating him traced the kidney damage to his habit of drinking 16 large glasses of iced tea daily.
That gave him more than 1,500 mg of oxalate on a daily basis, much more than the usual 40 to 50 mg. The large amount of oxalate formed crystals in his kidneys, causing inflammation and scarring.
The man ended up needing kidney dialysis. Experts say that it’s fine to drink one or two glasses of iced tea, but they caution against excessive consumption.
Other popular foods that contain oxalate include amaranth, chocolate,rhubarb, spinach or star fruit. All should be enjoyed in moderation.
