Does drinking tea cause anemia in women?

Tea culture has a long and profound history in China, and the magical leaves of the tea plant have amazed the world. Many people are aware of the health benefits of tea polyphenols, such as their antioxidant properties. However, some women are hesitant because they've heard that drinking tea can easily lead to anemia. Does drinking tea cause anemia in women?

Given that women are already a group prone to anemia, it seems they shouldn't drink tea. Is this really the case? Can women drink tea?

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Scientific research has found that drinking tea does not significantly affect the excretion of minerals in feces and urine. In daily life, if you use tea as a substitute for daily drinking water, it will not affect the absorption rate of iron. However, consuming black tea extract or drinking strong tea may reduce the absorption rate of iron. The effect of black tea or strong tea on iron absorption is conditional. This condition is met only when iron supplements are taken directly with the tea water, which then affects the absorption of iron.

Does the iron in food get affected by tea when it's absorbed in the intestines? When the polyphenols in tea encounter non-heme iron from food, they form complexes, reducing the absorption rate of iron. However, if you consume some vitamin C-rich fruits while drinking tea, the effect of tea on the absorption of non-heme iron can be neutralized. If the food we eat is rich in heme iron, such as animal blood, liver, and other meats, the iron in these foods is chelated and protected by a porphyrin ring, and its absorption rate is completely unaffected by tea or other foods.

In daily life, the best dietary sources of iron for women are animal-based foods, such as pork liver and pork blood, with an absorption rate of over 22%. The iron in these foods is not affected by tea consumption during the absorption process. As long as women do not take their iron supplements directly with black tea or strong tea, they can rest assured and enjoy their tea without worry. A cup of clear tea, a taste of life, a taste of life itself.