How long should you wait to drink tea after eating?

To wake up in the morning or strengthen the afternoon, some people find the necessary dose of energy in steamed tea at the end of the meal. As invigorating as it is, this reflex can be counterproductive. In fact, this drink cannot be combined with all the foods on the plate, especially those rich in iron. The tannins in tea have the property of slowing down the absorption of this trace element, which is necessary for the oxygenation of the blood and our cells. This is what the English dietitian, nutritionist Nicola Ludlam-Rain remembers in the columns of the magazine. Stylist Wednesday, January 10.

One hour before or after eating

As the specialist explains, black or green tea tannins are full of polyphenols, which bind to the iron present in certain foods and prevent its absorption in the digestive system. Specifically, polyphenols interact more with plant-based non-heme iron sources (beans, tofu, pumpkin seeds, spirulina), and more moderately with animal-based heme iron absorption (beef, pork, lamb, fish, and seafood). . For people who are anemic (iron-deficient) or have low levels of ferritin (a protein that stores iron), it is therefore important to pay attention to tea consumption.

You don’t need to completely stop your favorite drink to limit this effect, says Nicola Ludlam-Rain. You just have to choose the right time to taste it. “It is generally recommended to wait at least an hour after drinking tea after eating an iron-rich meal or taking an iron supplement. Likewise, try drinking tea at least an hour before your next meal. This delay ensures that the tannins in the tea do not interfere with the absorption of the iron on your plate,” he concludes.

This advice doesn’t come out of nowhere. The Dietitian is based on data from 35 British studies conducted in 2004 by researchers at the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at King’s College London. This work found that individuals prone to iron deficiency were more affected by the consumption of tea with meals than those who were not at risk of anemia. In this regard, the scientists in their conclusions invited people with a deficiency to avoid tea during meals and to wait at least one hour after eating before drinking the hot beverage to allow maximum absorption of nutrients.

Recall that the daily iron requirement for adults is 1 mg for men and 2 mg for women between puberty and menopause. Among the latter, this indicator is higher due to the rules. If a balanced diet provides the body with 10 to 15 mg of iron per day, only 5-10% is absorbed by the body. These intakes may vary depending on gender, age, and physiological state. So it’s important to monitor for signs of deficiency (pallor, fatigue, shortness of breath, headaches, dry skin and hair, brittle nails) and talk to a health care professional about blood testing and possibly supplements.