Milk tea can impair the absorption of nutrients like magnesium and calcium
Milk tea as you may know, is a popular beverage that combines tea leaves or tea powder with milk and often sugar or other sweeteners. While milk tea provides antioxidants from the tea and calcium from the milk, its healthiness largely depends on how it is prepared. Excessive sugar or heavy milk can make it high in calories and less beneficial. Additionally, drinking milk tea at certain times or in excessive amounts may lead to adverse effects, especially on an empty stomach. In this article, we share a list of ways in which consuming milk tea in the morning might not the best thing for your health.
10 Reasons to avoid milk tea first thing in the morning
1. Disrupts digestion
Consuming milk tea on an empty stomach can irritate the digestive lining, leading to acidity or bloating. The caffeine in tea and the lactose in milk can stimulate acid production, which may cause discomfort.
2. Interferes with iron absorption
Tea contains tannins, which bind to dietary iron and reduce its absorption. Drinking it first thing in the morning, when your body is ready to absorb nutrients, can hinder iron intake from later meals.
3. May cause nausea
Drinking milk tea without food can make some people feel nauseous. The tannins and caffeine in tea can upset the stomach lining, especially when consumed on an empty stomach.
4. Triggers acidity
The caffeine and tannins in tea can increase stomach acid levels, leading to acid reflux or heartburn when consumed first thing in the morning.
5. Raises cortisol levels
Drinking milk tea in the morning can increase cortisol (the stress hormone) levels, especially due to the caffeine content. Elevated cortisol early in the day can lead to anxiety, jitteriness, or hormonal imbalances.
6. Affects nutrient absorption
Milk tea can impair the absorption of nutrients like magnesium and calcium. Starting the day with it might affect the bioavailability of nutrients from subsequent meals.
7. Can lead to dependency
Regularly drinking milk tea in the morning may lead to caffeine dependency. This can result in headaches, irritability, or fatigue if the habit is skipped.
8. May promote weight gain
Adding sugar and full-fat milk to tea increases calorie content, potentially leading to weight gain over time. Drinking it first thing in the morning when metabolism is slower exacerbates this risk.
9. Disrupts natural detox
Early morning is when your body naturally detoxifies. Drinking milk tea can interfere with this process, particularly by burdening the liver with sugar and caffeine processing.
10. Causes dehydration
Tea is mildly diuretic, meaning it promotes fluid loss. Drinking milk tea first thing in the morning without adequate water intake can lead to mild dehydration and reduced energy levels throughout the day.
Now that you understand how milk tea in the morning affects your health, you can opt for healthier teas in the morning for better overall health.