Never Eat These Food Items With Tea: “Tea is life and life”, “If I don’t have a cup of tea when I wake up in the morning, how can I feel like a woman, I have no idea”, I have a headache today, let’s have tea”, “It looks like it will rain a lot today”. , let’s take one cutting”, you must have heard the need to drink tea from many sentences till now, right? Many people have different opinions on whether tea actually does us any good or is it just a mood booster. But all experts agree on some points. The point is what not to eat with tea? Often, after drinking tea, we suddenly start belching, sometimes the acidity increases, although all this is blamed on the tea, sometimes the biscuits and vegetables we eat with the tea can be the cause of this acidity. Today we are going to see a list of 6 foods that should always be avoided while consuming tea as suggested by nutritionist Gauri Anand, founder @balancedbitesbygauri.
Do not eat these 6 foods with tea by mistake
Citrus fruits
Adding a slice of lemon to tea can be beneficial, but consuming large amounts of citrus fruits (oranges, lemons) with tea can cause digestive problems. The high acidity of these fruits, along with the tannins in tea, can cause heartburn or indigestion. Also, the slight astringency in the fruit can cause digestive problems.
Iron rich foods
Foods like spinach, red meat and legumes are rich in iron, which your body needs. However, tea contains compounds such as tannins and oxalates, which can interfere with the absorption of nonheme iron (the type of iron found in plant-based foods and supplements). For maximum absorption of iron, you should consume these foods apart from tea time.
Spicy food
Eating spicy foods with tea can increase gastrointestinal distress. Tannins in tea can irritate the stomach lining, and when mixed with capsaicin in spicy foods, can cause stomach acidity, indigestion and heartburn.
Foods high in calcium
Certain leafy vegetables (eg kale, collard greens, cruciferous vegetables) are high in calcium. It is calcium that binds to antioxidants, thus interfering with the absorption of compounds such as catechins. Eating these foods with tea does not benefit the body.
Processed sugars
Processed foods or foods high in sugar can increase the glycemic load resulting in spikes in blood sugar levels. Tea also contains sugar, so high amounts of sugar in tea and snacks can increase the risk of metabolic syndrome and obesity.
Cold food
Cold food should not be eaten with hot tea. Because contrasting temperatures can interfere with digestion. Eating food of different temperatures at the same time can upset your digestion and cause nausea. To avoid this, keep a gap of at least 30 minutes between consuming the two.
Different types of tea and their reaction with food
1) Anand says, “The original form of tea, black tea, is high in tannins, which interfere with iron absorption and cause digestive problems if iron-rich or highly acidic foods are consumed.”
2) Another type of tea is green tea which has a slightly bitter taste and contains moderate amount of tannin. Green tea can be beneficial with light, fresh foods such as salads and fish, but avoid consuming green tea with dairy products to maintain high antioxidant levels.
3) The third type is herbal teas which are usually caffeine-free. Contrary to the fact that many foods can be consumed with herbal tea, this effect is unlikely. But avoid strong flavored foods that will overpower the mild taste of herbal tea.
