Is cascara high in caffeine?
One study found out that cascara tea has around 25mg of caffeine per cup (compared to 80mg of caffeine per cup of coffee), no matter how long the steeping time is. Compared to black tea which rests at around 50mg of caffeine per cup, cascara compares best with green tea which also has around 25mg of caffeine per cup. Cascara does contain caffeine but not much—it has around 25 milligrams of caffeine per cup, compared to around 80 milligrams of caffeine for a typical cup of coffee.
Who should not take cascara?
Side effects, toxicity, and interactions Do not use cascara if you have chronic intestinal problems. These include Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, sprue, appendicitis, stomach ulcers, any unexplained stomach pain, or irritable bowel syndrome. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not use cascara sagrada. Cascara sagrada contains chemicals that stimulate the bowel and have a laxative effect. People use cascara sagrada for constipation, emptying the colon before a colonoscopy, and other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.Cascara is used as a laxative for constipation, as well as a treatment for gallstones, liver ailments, and cancer. Some people use it as a “bitter tonic. In foods and beverages, a bitterless extract of cascara is sometimes used as a flavoring agent.