Why the combination of Green tea and Spinach is not good?
Green tea and Spinach sounds like a healthy combinations, but it is not. A new study has revealed that iron-rich foods strip the drink of its antioxidant powers.
In the past few years, Green Tea has become vary popular for its loaded antioxidants and nutrients that have powerful effects on the body, which includes improving brain function, a lower risk of cancer and many other incredible benefits. Several people consider Green Tea as one of the essential drinks for weight loss.
Spinach is a super food source loaded with tons of nutrients, which includes dietary fiber, iron, copper, phosphorus, vitamin B1, zinc, protein, and choline. Dark leafy greens like spinach are important for skin and hair.
According to the author Matam Vijay-Kumar of the Penn State University, ‘If you drink green tea after an iron-rich meal, the main compound in the tea will bind to the iron. When that occurs, the green tea loses its potential as an antioxidant. In order to get the benefits of green tea, it may be best to not consume it with iron-rich foods.’ Iron-rich foods include red meat and dark leafy greens, such as kale and spinach.
The team found that EGCG, the main compound in green tea, potently inhibits myeloperoxidase, a pro-inflammatory enzyme released by white blood cells during inflammation. Inactivation of myeloperoxidase by EGCG may be beneficial in mitigating IBD flare-ups. But when EGCG and iron are consumed simultaneously, iron-bound EGCG loses its ability to inhibit myeloperoxidase.
Adding to this complexity, they found that EGCG can also be inactivated by a host protein, which is highly abundant in inflammatory conditions. If you choose to have your cuppa you can have it with honey or with lemon to make it tasty.
‘The benefit of green tea depends on the bioavailability of its active components,’ said first author Beng San Yeoh, adding ‘It is not only a matter of what we eat, but also when we eat and what else we eat with it.’
The study is published in the American Journal of Pathology.