Nerdy Science Blog

At a local conference last year, I had a chance to meet up with a researcher who hails from the University of Manchester. He was one of the invited speakers to present a plenary lecture on the latest technology for protein detection. During tea section, he brought up an interesting view regarding adding milk to tea. Tea is known to contain a compound known as flavanoid which has antioxidant properties, and milk contains casein. Therefore, if milk is added to tea, the casein will bind to flavanoid render the tea to lose its antioxidant function.

In 2007, a research regarding the effects of milk on tea was carried out by a group of scientists from Berlin (lead by Verena Stangl, a professor in cardiology). The results which were published in the European Heart Journal shows that the concentration of one of the flavanoids of black tea-catechins, had reduced after milk was added. This results in elimination of the beneficial effects of black tea such as vasorelaxation of arteries, anti-inflammatory, and of course, antioxidant properties. These were proven on 16 healthy female volunteers and also on rats. The drinking habit of adding milk to tea is widely practiced in England, which ironically has higher incidence of cardiac diseases as compared to Asian countries.

Therefore, thinking of adding milk into your nice cup of tea in the next tea session? Think again.

(Source of pic: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/40/125297497_d02dd38997.jpg?v=0)

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