Is Black tea Safe for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)?
For people with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), Black tea is worth limiting or using with caution both during a flare and in remission. Black tea naturally contains caffeine, which can worsen palpitations, anxiety, or a fast heart rate in people whose thyroid is already overactive.
Status for RA
Why this rating?
Black tea naturally contains caffeine, which can worsen palpitations, anxiety, or a fast heart rate in people whose thyroid is already overactive.
People who are sensitive to this ingredient may notice gi, thyroid or endocrine. Individual responses vary, so this symptom category does not replace the condition-specific rating above.
Editorial summary
This summary is editorial and is not part of the clinical review. Ratings above are unchanged.
What black tea is
Black tea is made from the oxidized leaves of the tea plant and naturally contains caffeine. Bottled teas, iced tea mixes and chai concentrates are made from it too, often with added sugar, and the caffeine in a cup varies with the brand, the steeping time and the strength of the brew.
Caffeine and individual sensitivity
The FDA has said that 400 milligrams of caffeine a day is an amount not generally associated with negative effects for most healthy adults, while stressing that how much is too much varies with body weight, medications, certain medical conditions and individual sensitivity. It also notes that caffeine content differs widely between products. For people with an overactive thyroid, our rating note explains that caffeine can worsen palpitations, anxiety or a fast heart rate, which is why Graves' disease carries the strictest rating.
Using the rating
The rating describes tea as a stimulant to be limited or watched, not as a food with an inherent hazard. If you are managing a thyroid condition or a digestive one, the useful step is to count caffeine across everything you drink in a day, including coffee, energy drinks and teas, and to talk to your care team about a level that suits you.
How Black tea is rated across conditions
The same ingredient can mean different things depending on the condition. These are the ratings for every condition that has a guide for Black tea.
| Condition | During a flare | In remission |
|---|---|---|
| Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) | Limit / Caution | Limit / Caution |
| Hashimoto's Thyroiditis | Limit / Caution | Limit / Caution |
| Graves' Disease | Avoid | Limit / Caution |
| Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) | Limit / Caution | Limit / Caution |
| Multiple Sclerosis (MS) | Limit / Caution | Limit / Caution |
| Lupus (SLE) | Limit / Caution | Limit / Caution |
Related ingredients
Same ingredient family or way of affecting the body.
Other conditions
Sources
Published sources
- Sarris, J., & Wardle, J. (Eds.). (2010). Clinical Naturopathy: An Evidence-Based Guide to Practice (1st ed.). Elsevier. ISBN 9780729539265. — literature
Clinical review
Reviewed by Morvarid Nikousokhantayar, MSc Nutrition, Certified Naturopath & Nutritionist — last reviewed September 25, 2026.
This is general dietary information, not medical advice. Talk to your care team about your individual triggers.
Want to check a full product against your conditions?
Scan a barcode with FoodSage to see Black tea and every other ingredient checked against Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and any second condition you set. Learn about FoodSage.
