Cottage cheese serves as an excellent breakfast product, while tea is an indispensable addition to any meal. What happens if they are combined? The answer was found by a doctor.
Gastroenterologist Elena Pekhotina explained that strong tea can reduce calcium absorption. The reason lies in tannins.
Tannins bind calcium and iron, forming poorly soluble complexes. The effect of tannins on calcium absorption has been studied by scientists at the University of Tennessee.
For a healthy person with a varied diet, this combination is not dangerous. The body still receives the necessary amount of minerals from other foods. However, there are situations where it is not worth taking risks. Thus, tea and calcium-rich foods do not combine well:
in the case of osteoporosis risk;
in anemia;
with a restricted diet.
In these cases, the gastroenterologist recommends spacing out the consumption of cottage cheese and strong tea by at least 30–40 minutes.
What else affects calcium absorption
Other foods also influence how effectively calcium is absorbed. For example, coffee and soda can also hinder the process. At the same time, eggs and fermented dairy products, such as kefir, improve mineral absorption.
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