Can Tea Make You Anemic?
As a serial tea drinker, claims that too much tea can prevent the absorption of iron and other important minerals into your body are concerning to me! I contacted my favorite food scientist and he confirmed that the this, in fact, is true. Tannins in tea bond to minerals and prevent them from being absorbed. This is great for say, mercury, but not so great for calcium, iron, etc. However, the kind of iron being blocked is the kind in grains and vegetables, which is different than the type found in meat that was not blocked by the tea.
So is this something we should worry about? It seems that as long as you keep a balanced diet and don’t go overboard with the tea, you’ll be just fine. Tea is known as an antioxidant, which is usually a good thing, because it could help to prevent disease. However, should your circumstances change, say you become pregnant, you may need to cut down your tea and coffee intake for this reason.
Really? The Claim – Drinking Tea Can Lower Your Levels of Iron Levels – NY Times