Timing your tea/coffee (even decaff) for best i... - Thyroid UK

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Timing your tea/coffee (even decaff) for best iron absorption from diet and supplements

Regenallotment profile image
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Coffee with a hamburger meal found to reduce iron absorption from that meal by 39% and tea by 64%

Having coffee one hour before a meal, no effect on absorption of food iron.

Having coffee 1 hour after a meal had the same impact on absorption as having it during the meal.

Link pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/640...

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8 Replies
Imaaan profile image
Imaaan

How fascinating. Thanks for sharing.

Alanna012 profile image
Alanna012

Thanks for sharing. I've tried giving up coffee but I can't get over the morning or afternoon crash without it. I can feel a bit less guilty now by drinking it a couple hours before eating...

Regenallotment profile image
Regenallotment in reply to Alanna012

I thought the same! All about the timing and interesting some herbal teas are similar, chamomile/cinnamon both high in tannins. 🌱

Alanna012 profile image
Alanna012 in reply to Regenallotment

I had no idea about chamomile and cinnamon teas or that herbal teas also contain but of course it makes sense when you think about it!

And there I was feeling all good and virtuous for drinking occasionally drinking cinnamon tea in the evenings and adding cinnamon to milk as a treat....

Regenallotment profile image
Regenallotment in reply to Alanna012

yep, I also found cocoa reducing iron absorption by 70% if consumed with or an hour after meal. There are SO many reasons why my ferritin is low and I have iron deficiency without anaemia 🙈 rethink and habit changing going on here 🌱

Regenallotment profile image
Regenallotment

@noelnoel tagging you

radd profile image
radd in reply to Regenallotment

Your tagging didn't work.

Noelnoel

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Regenallotment in reply to radd

Thanks for spotting that 🙏

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