Contents:
- Medical Video: 5 Things You’d Better Avoid After a Meal
- Benefits and ingredients in tea
- What happens if you drink tea after eating
- When is the best time to drink tea?
Medical Video: 5 Things You’d Better Avoid After a Meal
For most Indonesians, drinking tea after eating has become commonplace. The taste and aroma of tea that is light but rich is indeed suitable to help cleanse the mouth and tongue of the remnants of your food. However, did you know that drinking tea after eating turns out to have side effects?
After eating, your digestion works to absorb various nutrients and substances from the food that enters. Tea can interfere with this process. To find out more about the side effects of drinking tea after eating, consider the following reasons.
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Benefits and ingredients in tea
Tea is one drink that is rich in nutrients that are good for health. Many people's favorite drinks have high antioxidants. Antioxidants can regenerate and repair damaged body cells, prevent premature aging, and fight free radicals. Although not as much as coffee, tea also contains caffeine which will help you stay fresh and alert. To facilitate your digestive system, several types of herbal teas such as tea chamomile and green tea can be the solution.
READ ALSO: 8 Benefits of Green Tea for Health
Many studies have shown that drinking tea regularly can reduce the risk of diseases such as cancer, hypertension, liver disease (heart), heart attacks, and strokes. In addition, tea also helps reduce and control weight. Because of the myriad of benefits offered, tea has become a favorite drink of people, especially in Asia, since centuries ago.
What happens if you drink tea after eating
Although tea is very beneficial for health, there are things that need to be considered before you drink tea. One of them is when you should drink tea. Recently it was discovered that drinking tea after meals risks interfering with digestion and absorption of nutrients in your body.
A study published in The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry found that the content of tannin acid and polyphenols in tea can interfere with the absorption of protein and iron. Because, tannin acid and polyphenols will bind these two nutrients in the intestine.
As a result the body will not be able to absorb and break down these substances. In fact, you need protein and iron to carry out various bodily functions. Its uses include forming tissues and body cells, increasing endurance, providing energy sources, and producing oxygen-rich blood.
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The results of similar studies can also be seen in the journal Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. In the study, it was proven that if you eat tea while eating or after eating, the content of tannin and polyphenols in your tea will directly bind protein and iron before being absorbed by the body. As a result, the nutrition you get from your food becomes useless. So, people who lack iron or suffer from anemia should avoid drinking tea either from eating or while eating.
When is the best time to drink tea?
If you are not recommended to drink tea after eating, when should the best time to drink tea should be?
If after eating you really want to drink tea, give it a break of about half an hour to an hour. Choose the type of tea that is green tea. Because, green tea can help facilitate digestion and not have an impact on absorption of iron and protein like black tea. Also make sure that you don't drink too much tea after eating. Limit to one cup.
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Ideally, tea is taken about one hour before eating. You can also drink tea between meals. At this time, your digestion has finished absorbing various nutrients received by the body when you eat. A useful tea content can also be more easily digested and absorbed by the body.
You should also avoid drinking tea before going to bed. At night, your digestive system doesn't work as well as during the day. So, the body will be more difficult to break down sugar and various important nutrients in your tea. Tea also contains caffeine which can keep you awake and have trouble sleeping.
