How they affect the absorption of the main nutrient. How long should we wait?
If you’re someone who likes to drink a cup of coffee after a meal, you might want to think again. Coffee and tea combined with certain foods, such as dark green leafy vegetables, increase the risk of major nutrient deficiencies.
This component is the iron that our body needs to synthesize hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a complex protein that carries oxygen to all cells of the body.
If you have a tendency to drink coffee or tea immediately after a meal, there is a risk of developing iron deficiency (iron deficiency) and anemia is a warning. nutritional therapist Deborah Grayson From London. This risk is higher in women of reproductive age and those who are already low in iron.
As explained by scientists from McGill University In Canada, coffee and tea primarily interfere with the absorption of so-called non-heme (free) iron.
There are two types of dietary iron: heme and non-heme. THE heme iron comes mainly from animal foods (eg, meat, shellfish, poultry). On the contrary, non-heme comes from plant-based foods such as:
- Legumes (eg beans, peas, lentils, soybeans)
- Fortified whole grains
- Dark green leafy vegetables (eg, spinach, Swiss chard, broccoli, kale)
- Dried fruits
- Nuts (eg cashews, hazelnuts, almonds)
Absorption of iron
Dietary iron is generally absorbed from the gut. However, heme iron is naturally easier to absorb. And this is because plant-based foods often contain substances that bind iron and prevent its absorption.
Studies have shown that hemic iron 15-35% is absorbed by the meat. In contrast, non-heme iron is less absorbed.
This absorption is further inhibited by coffee and tea. Studies have shown that when someone drinks a cup coffee immediately after food, iron absorption decreases from 39% to 90%.
Conversely, if coffee is consumed an hour or two later before from eating, does not act similarly. Even if consumed at least an hour later food
But how can these drinks prevent iron absorption? While you might expect the problem to be in the caffeine content, it’s not. Therefore iron absorption will not help if your coffee is decaffeinated.
In addition to caffeine, coffee and tea also contain various polyphenolsis an antioxidant ingredient with many health benefits. Polyphenols, when consumed together with iron, bind to iron and prevent its absorption.
This is the reason why it is recommended to avoid drinking coffee or tea immediately after a meal. It is better to wait an hour or two drink coffee.