If you are a tea drinker – you may have heard about catechins.
These compounds play a role in preventing cancer and heart disease.
However a fascinating new study has shown that when milk is consumed with tea – the effect of the catechins is effectively canceled out.
“If you want to drink tea to have the beneficial health effects you have to drink it without milk. That is clearly shown by our experiments,” Black tea significantly improved blood flow compared to drinking water but adding milk blunted the effect of the tea.
Tea is arguably one of the most popular drinks in the world, and most people take their tea will milk. Could this be having an impact on heart disease rates?
If in doubt… develop a taste for green tea. Or choose cow’s milk alternatives as whiteners.
Milk is currently (as it has always been) a hot topic when it comes to health and weight loss.
Health Effects of Tea
Tea comes in six varieties: white, green, yellow, oolong, black, and fermented tea. Tea is consumed all over the world, especially in China where it is part of traditional Chinese medicine.
Health effects associated with tea (pardon the pun) stem from tea’s high concentration of antioxidants. Antioxidants are plant chemicals that help block free radicals in the body. And antioxidants have been linked to decreased risk of heart disease and cancer.
And while still a subject of debate, consuming tea has even been associated with preventing dental cavities. However, tea does contain caffeine, which should be considered when drinking tea regularly.
Health Effects of Milk
Milk is also consumed in many parts of the world, especially in European and Western nations. Finland, Sweden, and Ireland are the top three consumers of milk, per capita.
Milk and dairy products are best known for being good sources of dietary calcium and vitamin D. Milk also contains magnesium, potassium, as well as vitamins A, D, and K.
But milk is also heavy in saturated fat and consuming too much saturated fat is a well-known risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Most health experts recommend drinking fat-free or skim-milk.
Thankyou Martin. How long will it take before people take note of the real scientific data on this issue!
Interesting! I always thought the eye circles came from poor digestion of the milk protein – casein.
“Consuming too much saturated fat is a well-known risk factor for cardiovascular disease” NOT TRUE.
http://www.ajcn.org/content/early/2010/01/13/ajcn.2009.27725.abstract
The misinformation on Saturated Fat is one of the worst nutritional errors ever made. Diets high in carbohydrates increase risk of CVD and CHD. Saturated Fat ACTUALLY lowers Small Dense LDL (The stuff you dont want) and raises HDL and lowers Triglycerides.
Ps: The Lipid Hypothesis is also a complete fallacy.
Who? Uh, the entire world, that’s who. Ignorance must be so freeing.
Hi,
Nice blog.Drinking tea can reduce the risk of heart disease.Research has shown that tea improves blood flow and the ability of the arteries to relax but researchers at the Charite Hospital at the University of Berlin in Mitte found milk eliminates the protective effect against cardiovascular disease.Good information to everyone.Keep it on.thanks,
Spiced Chai Tea Latte’s contains milk.
Definitely not gross.
Everybody has milk in tea. People who say they don’t are lying.
Milk tea is actually a very popular drink in China. Ever heard of bubble tea? The original flavor was milk tea with tapioca.
I add skim to my tea after drinking a London Fog at Starbucks! I now add skim to my Green tea. It gives it a smooth taste and MAINLY I add it to cool the tea down so I can drink it quicker.
im addicted to milk tea!
Could there be a difference between your workplace and the rest of the world?
In which city is your workplace?
Good points, Sarah
The English drink tea with cream or milk daily. It is the less civilized, poorly educated American that says things like, “Ewww” and “gross” – sods.
How reliable is the source but?
Either way tea is delicious.
Many people in Australia drink it both ways..
I work in hospitality and have found that coffee is more popular but tea is probably drunk black or white which would be nearly split equally (as in white would be the more popular one if anything)..
Different people, different tastes.
What is normal?
adding milk to your te cancels out the health benefits of the tea, i have been drinking milk with my tea for as long as i can remember but now that i know the effects of it i try to exclude milk. it tastes worse without it though!
If “America” goes for the whole continent, I have also liven in it ALL my life and I am one of the people that drinks black tea with milk, and I love it. Thanks for the people that don’t believe that “finding”, makes me feel much better
But I am now more aware of the benefits of green tea. During my stay in the US I have also notice A LOT of people in NYC drink black tea with milk. Spice black tea (known as “chai”) is also very popular in the “latte” form.
Chai with blue agave honey & soy milk (even light soy!) is TERRIFIC!!! Give it a go!
Just a thought but would the whole milk/tea inter-mingling health benefit destructing problem also go for, i dont know, eating ice cream right after enjoying a nice warm cup of oolong tea?
Wow, I am drinking some right now and I live in the US!!! I guess I am weird, but don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.
I guess I live in the same neighborhood as Lynda cause I can’t remember the last time I saw anyone put milk in tea.
But then I don’t get out much
I drink Earl Grey, English Breakfast, Jasmine, Green, various herbal and/or berry teas, and Thai tea all with milk.
Chamomile, I drink without anything not even sugar, because I treat it as a bedtime drink.
Weather “adding milk blunted the effect of the tea.” is true or not, the fact remains most teas are a superiorly healthy drink, compared to soda, sugary 10%-30% fruit juices, coffee and the like.
Willa,
You have never been to Japan now have you? There it’s well known that dairy and green tea go well together.
Maybe not in a traditional tea ceremony, but the in the cafes it’s served much like how AK described it in the real Tokyo too. Also you haven’t lived until you’ve tasted fresh made green tea ice cream! Yummmy!