نسائم الرحمن
23-03-2012, 05:53 PM
Tea consumption and iron absorption : The TWIST
Green Tea and Iron Absorption: Some studies on anemia discover the Twist
Is drinking tea regularly can lead to anemia?
Surprise !! the answer is no. Here comes the twist : Studies showed that drinking tea for an extended period of time would not reduce iron absorption either in rats or humans
It is known that in the country side all the farmers are used to drink too much tea, to not eat meat daily or regularly but once a week or less and they also work hardly. Despite these hostile nutritional conditions no anemia nor osteoporosis is observed among the inhabitants of the rural area. But in towns where people eat meat regularly and eat too much, anemia and osteoporosis are prevailing.
How strange?
Some recent studies on green tea consumption and iron gave one plausible explanation.
Some researchers found that rats given tea for 5 days showed a heavier parotid gland and hence secrets more proline-rich proteins (PRP) in saliva. It should be also enphazised that the PRP are compounds which may combine to tannins and make them unavailable to chelate iron and other minerals. 70 % of the human saliva are PRP.
Iron deficiency are not due to the lack of iron in foods (all foods including herbs may contain iron) but the absorption in the colon. When the colon cells are blocked by some chemical factors then the absorption of iron fails and the iron blood cocentration drops.
Among factors influencing the absorption of iron, the most involved are sweetners and some other food additives such as MSG (monosodium glutamate) as well as the presence of high free radicals and metabolism wastes.
Green Tea and Iron Absorption: Some studies on anemia discover the Twist
Is drinking tea regularly can lead to anemia?
Surprise !! the answer is no. Here comes the twist : Studies showed that drinking tea for an extended period of time would not reduce iron absorption either in rats or humans
It is known that in the country side all the farmers are used to drink too much tea, to not eat meat daily or regularly but once a week or less and they also work hardly. Despite these hostile nutritional conditions no anemia nor osteoporosis is observed among the inhabitants of the rural area. But in towns where people eat meat regularly and eat too much, anemia and osteoporosis are prevailing.
How strange?
Some recent studies on green tea consumption and iron gave one plausible explanation.
Some researchers found that rats given tea for 5 days showed a heavier parotid gland and hence secrets more proline-rich proteins (PRP) in saliva. It should be also enphazised that the PRP are compounds which may combine to tannins and make them unavailable to chelate iron and other minerals. 70 % of the human saliva are PRP.
Iron deficiency are not due to the lack of iron in foods (all foods including herbs may contain iron) but the absorption in the colon. When the colon cells are blocked by some chemical factors then the absorption of iron fails and the iron blood cocentration drops.
Among factors influencing the absorption of iron, the most involved are sweetners and some other food additives such as MSG (monosodium glutamate) as well as the presence of high free radicals and metabolism wastes.