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Does milk ruin tea?

Latest study suggests that milky tea is just as good for you

Here's a ray of hope for milky-tea drinkers: new research shows that the quaint British custom of adding milk doesn't ruin the beneficial properties of the traditional drink.

Read the story here

Posted by Katharine Sanderson on May 15, 2007 05:57 PM |

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Phew. This means that I can continue drinking tea with milk without feeling guilty about it.

Posted by: Deepak | May 15, 2007 08:43 PM

Tea contains many polyphenolic antioxidants. Milk protein casein is expected to bind with these antioxidants. Further, proteins are known to undergo cleavage in the GI tract releasing the bonded molecules solwly over a long time. Therefore, it is required to measure the concentrations of these antioxidants in the blood over a longer period. It looks to be a simple but important topic of discussion.

Posted by: Dr. Ravi Joshi | May 16, 2007 10:10 AM

Hey, that is proven a long time ago, that milk ruins the beneficiary effect of tea as such.
Its been mentioned also in some reviews that what tea usually Indians drink is sherbet, rather than actual "tea".

Posted by: Priyanka Sureka | May 22, 2007 07:19 AM

releasing the bonded molecules solwly over a long time.

Will most of the anti-oxidants get excreted from the bowel before their protein binding is broken?

Perhaps one should drink tea unadulterated - to gain maximum benefit!

Posted by: Shahryar | May 22, 2007 09:17 AM

This means that I can continue drinking tea with milk without feeling guilty about it.

Posted by: Sohbet | May 22, 2007 03:35 PM

Oh!I am relieved from
worries as I am taking milky tea always.Thanks for such information.

Posted by: Dr.N.V.Patel | May 22, 2007 09:49 PM

Thank goodness for this article. I was really having trouble sleeping at night. Thought it was the lack of milk in the tea.

Posted by: Justin | May 25, 2007 04:41 PM

i'm sorry, but i'm getting conflicting views, here. would somebody please clarify?

according to a january 9th article by the bbc, milk DOES block tea's health benefits.

so, then, which is correct?

[Editor's note: as our story says, you're right - there are conflicting studies. Both have convincing points... we may have to await further research!]

Posted by: terrence | May 29, 2007 12:47 AM

Addition of milk prevents vascular protective effects of tea.Milk counteracts the favourable health effects of tea on vascular function. This finding indicates the need for particular awareness in the interpretation and design of studies comprising nutritional flavonoids.
I have quoted this from a scientific paper.

Posted by: Harish | June 17, 2007 05:35 AM

Tea bags are also not v. good compared to the ideal:
tea leaves steeped in 90 degree F water for 2 mins.
http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=1424033

Posted by: nothanks | July 13, 2007 03:33 PM

Thank goodness for this article.

Posted by: Getquicky | September 19, 2007 03:28 PM

The study claiming milk binds catechins limited itself to 2 minutes after consumption, apparently. Anyone know of a study that waited longer in case casein binding meerly delayed absorption till the casein was digested?

Posted by: Ryan W. | October 10, 2008 08:51 AM

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