McDonalds Sweet Tea and Headaches?

[karibritt01]

I get migraines from the tea itself, not the sugar or the caffeine. I also can't do Green Tea diet supplements or anything of that nature. Just the tea itself that is the trigger.

 

[Christine]

McD's Sweet Tea is *crazy* sweet to me. One of my kids had one once and I tasted it and couldn't believe how sweet it was and I LIKE my sugar. I'm actaully a bit surprised to read that McD's uses real sugar to sweeten their teat. I would have bet that they used some sort of High Fructose Corn Syrup product rather than real sugar. Anyway, I think the tea is probably got so much sugar in it that it must be the culprit. Those $1.00 tea drinks are big.

 

[hercamore]

FYI. The mcdonalds shrek glasses have bee recalled due to high levels of cadmium.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

I don't like sweet tea, it's far too sweet for me.

However, I know that when I get a headache it's almost always dehydration, wtih a little caffeine withdrawal thrown in. The amount of sugar in sweet tea is likelly enough to act as a diuretic, which pulls more water out of your cells than it puts in. If you're already thirsty, and then drink a diuretic instead of water you could easily end up dehydrated.

Maybe if you think of sweet tea like a "treat", drink water with your meal and then have a glass of sweet tea for "dessert" or ask the to fill the glass with 1/2 water and 1/2 sugar.

When I feel like tea I usually get 1/2 water, 1/4 unsweetened tea, and 1/4 lemonade -- plenty sweet and I end up less thirsty and dehydrated than when I started.

 

[lynxstch]

I can't drink ANYTHING with artificial sweeteners or sugar substitutes..it triggers almost immediate, and excruciating migraines..I only drink ice tea if I have made it myself at home..I have had restaurants tell me that they don't use artificial sweeteners..drink 1 or 2 sips..and have gotten headaches as a result!

 

[LuvOrlando]

There may be other flavorings or dyes in it that are bothering you. Almost any kind of processed tea has artificial lemon flavoring in it and that particular flavoring hits me hard. I can't touch any of it. Feel better.

 

[kaytieeldr]

McD's Sweet Tea is *crazy* sweet to me. One of my kids had one once and I tasted it and couldn't believe how sweet it was and I LIKE my sugar. I'm actaully a bit surprised to read that McD's uses real sugar to sweeten their teat. I would have bet that they used some sort of High Fructose Corn Syrup product rather than real sugar. Anyway, I think the tea is probably got so much sugar in it that it must be the culprit. Those $1.00 tea drinks are big.

Nope, not at all. As I replied to the OP (who, having lived in the South, already knew ) "sweet tea" is a specific recipe. Sugar is a vital ingredient. You make a simple syrup - boil water and a LOT of sugar until the sugar melts, and then brew the tea. This isn't the exact direction, you'd want measurements, time, etc. But no, there's no hfcs in McDonald's - or any respectable Southerner's - sweet tea. It wouldn't BE sweet tea if there was. It'd simply be sweetened iced tea. Very different animal.

 

[chisnpeke]

We mix the sweet tea with the unsweet tea.

Us too.

 

[Christine]

Nope, not at all. As I replied to the OP (who, having lived in the South, already knew ) "sweet tea" is a specific recipe. Sugar is a vital ingredient. You make a simple syrup - boil water and a LOT of sugar until the sugar melts, and then brew the tea. This isn't the exact direction, you'd want measurements, time, etc. But no, there's no hfcs in McDonald's - or any respectable Southerner's - sweet tea. It wouldn't BE sweet tea if there was. It'd simply be sweetened iced tea. Very different animal.

I believe you. After reading your earlier post in this thread--that's where I got surprised. I previously would have assumed that McDonald's used HFCS, but I see from your posting they didn't. It's actually *real* tea. I have had it before and thought it tasted quite real, but it was very, very sweet (sweeter than Sweet Tea I've had in southern restaurants).

 

[JoBird]

Hey there my fellow Carolina Girl--
could be the tannin in tea. It causes migraines in many people--



Jo

 

[kaytieeldr]

I believe you. After reading your earlier post in this thread--that's where I got surprised. I previously would have assumed that McDonald's used HFCS, but I see from your posting they didn't. It's actually *real* tea. I have had it before and thought it tasted quite real, but it was very, very sweet (sweeter than Sweet Tea I've had in southern restaurants).

I could be wrong about McDonald's actual process. I may be the only native Northerner who knows how to make sweet tea - because for some odd reason my dad, born and raised in Brooklyn, would drink only genuine sweet tea (or beer, or Manhattans ). Come to think of it... we kids were never allowed to even sip the tea. I wonder if there was anything else in there besides water, sugar, and tea...

Okay, in fairness, my parents did live in St. Louis for a bit in the fifties, but I don't know if that's where he developed his taste. Missouri doesn't seem like "the South" to me.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

Hey there my fellow Carolina Girl--
could be the tannin in tea. It causes migraines in many people--



Jo

JO!!!!!

The sweet tea I grew up drinking and continue to make at home uses Lipton Tea Bags (I use the decaf ones but Mom used the regular ones). We use a full cup of sugar for every half gallon of tea. This stuff is SWEET like syrup and McD's tea tastes sweeter than that.

Either way something in the McD's sweet tea triggers a migraine for me and apparently in others as well. No more for me - no matter how good it tastes!

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

I could be wrong about McDonald's actual process. I may be the only native Northerner who knows how to make sweet tea - because for some odd reason my dad, born and raised in Brooklyn, would drink only genuine sweet tea (or beer, or Manhattans ). Come to think of it... we kids were never allowed to even sip the tea. I wonder if there was anything else in there besides water, sugar, and tea...

Okay, in fairness, my parents did live in St. Louis for a bit in the fifties, but I don't know if that's where he developed his taste. Missouri doesn't seem like "the South" to me.

When DH was stationed at West Point we used to drive a half hour to Cracker Barrel just to be able to get "real" sweet tea. It definitely is NOT the normal drink in NY but it was a popular request. Wonder where your Dad got such a taste for sweet tea? It IS good stuff!

Oh, and no - St Louis is not remotely "Southern" but they have great BBQ in Missouri!

 

[SandrA9810]

after seeing the calorie count in the tea, i've stopped drinking so much of it. I do like fresh brewed sweet tea or sweetened tea... However you want to call it. But usually 1.25 cups of sugar per gallon is way more than enough.

And I try to let the ice melt halfway if I do get a tea from mcd's. I do enjoy it more than soda.

My aunt gets her tea half and half, just to get a bit of sweetness.

 

[Promomx2]

Does anyone have the calorie count for the tea if you get unsweet?

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

Does anyone have the calorie count for the tea if you get unsweet?

True unsweet tea has no calories.

 

[kaytieeldr]

But you can't get McDonald's (or any genuine) Sweet Tea unsweetened The 'sweet' is added to the water, before the tea is even brewed. It starts with a simple syrup - water & sugar heated until the sugar dissolves - then it's removed from the heat, the tea is steeped...

You can get unsweetened iced tea and add your own sugar - but really you want superfine sugar so it dissolves in the cold liquid, and you're unlikely to find any vendor with packets of superfine sugar to hand out.

 

[dbogen]

I get headaches from any "diet" drink with artificial sweetner, however McDonalds sweet tea doesn't bother me at all.

 

[jme829]

Only after the 5th refill in the same hour.

LOL....you sound like me...I swear that stuff has crack in it or something...I stay away, then stop and get one before work and it starts all over again where I just have to get more.

 

[marcyinPA]

I think it's the sugar.

38 grams of sugar is in a 32 oz glass equals almost a pound of sugar per gallon of tea.

I used to live in the South and drank sweet tea daily. I recently grabbed a sweet tea from Mickey D's last week. (sweet tea finally found it's way to Washington State) I got a pounding headache. I drink coffee/diet soda all day, so I doubt it was the caffeine.

I think it's the sugar too...combined with the caffeine. I think you get a huge sugar rush, and then you crash. FWIW, I find "sweet tea" absolutely vile.