Health benefits of tea cancelled out by milk

peterhiggsinabathingsuit:

Scientists have discovered that tea contains high levels of compounds that help to reduce the amount of fat absorbed by the gut and can cut cholesterol. However proteins found in cows’ milk neutralise this fat fighting ability.

New research has shown that the compounds, called theaflavins and thearubigins, prevent obesity when given to rats that were also on a high-fat diet.

The researchers now believe this could explain why people in Britain appear not to benefit from the healthy affects of tea despite being among the world’s biggest consumers of the beverage.

Dr Devajit Borthakur, a scientist the Tea Research Association, in Jorhat, India, said: “When tea is taken with milk, theaflavins and thearubigins form complexes with the milk protein, which causes them to precipitate.

“It means that we don’t get the health benefit from these compounds nor from milk protein. Therefore, it is always advised to take tea without milk.”

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04/22/11 at 5:23am
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