Tea

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Green and black tea: one leaf

EVIDENCEREVIEW 2

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The polyphenols in tea grab the iron from plant foods in your gut, so tea drunk with a meal means much less iron is absorbed from that meal; if you are short of iron, simply drink your tea between meals. The chapter on how tea can block iron absorption covers this in full.

Green, black and oolong tea all come from the same tea-bush leaf (Camellia sinensis); the only difference is how far the leaf oxidizes after picking. Herbal teas are not tea: peppermint, chamomile and chrysanthemum contain no tea leaf, so they have none of tea's polyphenols or theanine. What is really interesting in tea is its catechins and theanine (see L-Theanine), together with caffeine, which explains why tea wakes you up without coffee's jolt.

Three finely serrated tea leaves beside a small cup of amber tea. — A CLOSER LOOK
Different teas start with the same tea leaf
Tea-bush leaves and one infusion are shown; green, oolong and black tea differ in processing, while herbal infusions are another category.

Educational content, not medical advice — consult a clinician.

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Tea