Drinking tea or coffee immediately after a meal causes iron to be washed out of the body — study

Drinking tea or coffee immediately after a meal leads to iron being "washed out" of the body — study

Iron deficiency in the body is often caused by a single harmful habit in daily life. Doctors and nutritionists warn that drinking tea or coffee immediately after lunch or dinner can cause serious harm to health.

Iron is one of the most important minerals for human health. It actively participates in the process of blood formation, supplies tissues with oxygen, and strengthens the immune system. However, due to improper eating habits, the body may not receive a sufficient amount of iron even from high-quality food.

Drinking tea and coffee after meals prevents the absorption of iron in the body.

These drinks contain polyphenols and tannins. They bind the iron that enters with food and prevent its absorption in the intestines.

Particularly, since the iron in plant products — buckwheat and legumes — is already difficult to absorb, tea and coffee complicate this process even further.

According to studies, 1 cup of tea drunk immediately after a meal reduces iron absorption by 60 percent, while coffee reduces it by up to 40 percent.

If you care about your health, drink tea or coffee 1–1.5 hours after meals, and until then, it is better to limit yourself to plain water or decaffeinated herbal teas.