There are many things women need to pay attention to during their menstrual period. Lifestyle habits and diet can both affect a woman's menstruation. Many people know that green tea has anti-cancer effects and plays a very important role in human health. However, any food, no matter how healthy, has certain dietary taboos. For women during their menstrual period, drinking green tea is not only not beneficial to health, but it may also bring certain troubles to the body.
Women during their menstrual period face a significant loss of blood. At the same time, iron, an important element for the human body to synthesize hemoglobin, is also lost along with the blood. According to research, in addition to normal iron loss, women lose an additional 18-21 milligrams of iron during each menstrual period. Therefore, we often recommend that women supplement with iron-rich foods during this time, such as black fungus and pork liver, to prevent iron-deficiency anemia.
However, if green tea is consumed during the menstrual period, these efforts will be in vain. This is because green tea contains a significant amount of tannic acid, which combines with iron molecules in food to form large amounts of precipitates, hindering the intestinal mucosa's absorption of iron molecules. Research shows that the stronger the green tea, the greater the hindrance to iron absorption, and this effect is particularly significant after meals. Therefore, women and people with anemia should also drink less strong tea, even in normal times.
Secondly, women often experience constipation during their menstrual period. Research has linked this to the secretion of progesterone. The high tannic acid content in green tea can also worsen constipation, as tannic acid has an astringent effect, which can slow down intestinal peristalsis, leading to stool retention in the intestines.
Thirdly, during the menstrual period, due to changes in neuroendocrine regulation functions, women often experience varying degrees of mental tension, headaches, and breast tenderness. To avoid these reactions, one should control their emotions and not become overly excited. However, substances in tea such as caffeine and theobromine have a stimulating effect, which can worsen menstrual reactions like dysmenorrhea, headaches, and lower back pain.
For women who are accustomed to drinking tea, if they feel uncomfortable suddenly stopping tea during their menstrual period, they can try rinsing their mouth with tea water. This can satisfy their craving for tea while also refreshing the mouth, eliminating bad breath, and protecting teeth.