KOLKATA: Tea does have various health attributes but it isn’t entirely the magic potion it is thought to be. Drinking copious quantities of the beverage with the breakfast or immediately after a meal does more harm than good. Doctors are beginning to correlate the high incidence of anaemia in eastern India with the population’s tea drinking habit.
Analysis of pathology tests done at global diagnostic chain SRL over three years (2012-14) has revealed that a significant number of Indian urban men have abnormal haemoglobin levels usually associated with women. The incidence of low haemoglobin level was highest in the east at 52.4%, followed by 48.6% in north, 39.3% in west and 27% in south. Coffee is more popular beverage in west and south India.
“Studies show that tea limits the absorption of iron in the diet, also known as non-haem iron. This leads to reduced haemoglobin concentration. Hence, the practice of having tea with breakfast or after major meals like lunch or dinner is not a good idea. Tea is best had between meals,” said Leena Chatterjee, director, Fortis SRL Labs & SRL Strategic Initiatives.
Preventive medicine specialist Debashish Basu agreed. “Tannins in tea bind with iron molecules and prevent their absorption. So, it is better to have tea without milk and with a few drops of lemon. It neutralizes the tannins to an extent. But a majority of tea-drinkers in the east prefer to have it with milk and don’t care to refrain from drinking tea before or after meals,” said Basu.
Apart from the correlation of tea and anaemia, the other major factor that causes high anaemic levels in the east is the high incidence of abnormal haemoglobin in the region. A significant section of the population in the east has haemoglobin E or haemoglobinopathy that causes chronic anaemia, according to some studies.
