For most of my life I drank my tea plain, without milk, sugar or
lemon. In the past year, I've begun adding milk -- primarily because
it made the Twinings decaf I was drinking in the evenings taste
better. Since then, it kind of became a habit, and I began drinking
my tea (regular & decaf) with milk most of the time. On occasions
when I've tried to drink it without milk, I've ended up with a stomach
ache. I thought it was because I was drinking very strong British
blends (PG Tips, Typhoo, etc). But this morning I had a cup of Red
Rose, which I thought was mild enough to drink plain, and I still
ended up with an upset stomach.

I guess this means that I'll be drinking my tea with milk from now on,
as it does seem to neutralize the tannins. I was just wondering if
anyone else had experienced this, and perhaps this is the real reason
people began adding milk to tea (not to prevent the china from
cracking as the urban legends go).

Fran!

Totally agree with what you say. Drinking tea does upset the stomach,
primarily because it causes the stomach to secret acids. A 1984 study
(see link below) found that adding milk and sugar (I think) help
alleviate it.

You may also find not drinking milk with empty stomach or with meals
help.



The article also covers the quite controversial subject of whether
adding milk will dilute the healthy benefits, if it's any interest to
you.

http://www.amazing-green-tea.com/tea-with-milk.html

Enjoy the cup!

Julian
http://www.amazing-green-tea.com

On Sat, 16 Jun 2007 03:47:38 -0000, Fran >
wrote:

>I guess this means that I'll be drinking my tea with milk from now on,
>as it does seem to neutralize the tannins. I was just wondering if
>anyone else had experienced this, and perhaps this is the real reason
>people began adding milk to tea (not to prevent the china from
>cracking as the urban legends go).

Uhmmm. I think it's only a taste thing... by the way I tried tea with
milk and I consider it horrible... I only drink tea with lemon.

--
Now working at http://www.newonlineshopping.net

Books, Clothing and Accessories, Computers,
Electronics, Gifts, Jewelry and Watches.

On Jun 16, 4:54 am, juliantai > wrote:
> Fran!
>
> Totally agree with what you say. Drinking tea does upset the stomach,
> primarily because it causes the stomach to secret acids. A 1984 study
> (see link below) found that adding milk and sugar (I think) help
> alleviate it.
>
> You may also find not drinking milk with empty stomach or with meals
> help.
>
>
>
> The article also covers the quite controversial subject of whether
> adding milk will dilute the healthy benefits, if it's any interest to
> you.
>
> http://www.amazing-green-tea.com/tea-with-milk.html
>
> Enjoy the cup!
>
> Julianhttp://www.amazing-green-tea.com

Thanks for the article. I'd heard before that adding milk reduces the
health benefits of tea. I'm hoping that the iced tea that I drink
(cold brewed in the refrigerator), which does not upset my stomach,
will offset that.

Fran > writes:

> For most of my life I drank my tea plain, without milk, sugar or
> lemon. In the past year, I've begun adding milk -- primarily because
> it made the Twinings decaf I was drinking in the evenings taste
> better. Since then, it kind of became a habit, and I began drinking
> my tea (regular & decaf) with milk most of the time. On occasions
> when I've tried to drink it without milk, I've ended up with a stomach
> ache. I thought it was because I was drinking very strong British
> blends (PG Tips, Typhoo, etc). But this morning I had a cup of Red
> Rose, which I thought was mild enough to drink plain, and I still
> ended up with an upset stomach.

Obviously I can't tell you what your gut will tolerate. But I think
at this point it would be premature for you to conclude you can't
abide *any* tea without milk. The teas you've mentioned form a pretty
narrow part of the whole universe of tea, I think; even your "mild"
Red Rose is finely chopped, right? And you've been using water at a
full boil, right? Steeping the leaves fairly long?

/Lew
---
Lew Perin /
http://www.panix.com/~perin/babelcarp.html

On Jun 16, 11:18 am, Lewis Perin > wrote:

>
> Obviously I can't tell you what your gut will tolerate. But I think
> at this point it would be premature for you to conclude you can't
> abide *any* tea without milk. The teas you've mentioned form a pretty
> narrow part of the whole universe of tea, I think; even your "mild"
> Red Rose is finely chopped, right? And you've been using water at a
> full boil, right? Steeping the leaves fairly long?
>
> /Lew
> ---
> Lew Perin /

Points taken. Yes, I bring the water to a full boil and steep for 3
or 4 minutes, usually. There probably is something out there that
wouldn't bother my stomach, but it probably wouldn't be the kind of
tea I like. I had a cup of Earl Grey the other day without milk and
had no problems, but I seem to have completely lost my taste for Earl
Grey.

Fran wrote:
> On Jun 16, 4:54 am, juliantai > wrote:
>> Fran!
>>
>> Totally agree with what you say. Drinking tea does upset the stomach,
>> primarily because it causes the stomach to secret acids. A 1984 study
>> (see link below) found that adding milk and sugar (I think) help
>> alleviate it.
>>
>> You may also find not drinking milk with empty stomach or with meals
>> help.
>>
>>
>>
>> The article also covers the quite controversial subject of whether
>> adding milk will dilute the healthy benefits, if it's any interest to
>> you.
>>
>> http://www.amazing-green-tea.com/tea-with-milk.html
>>
>> Enjoy the cup!
>>
>> Julianhttp://www.amazing-green-tea.com
>
> Thanks for the article. I'd heard before that adding milk reduces the
> health benefits of tea. I'm hoping that the iced tea that I drink
> (cold brewed in the refrigerator), which does not upset my stomach,
> will offset that.

Keep in mind, there's also controversy that the tea will prevent your
body uptaking all of the health benefits of the milk. It seems the
tannins and other chemicals in the tea can bind to calcium and other
minerals and prevent them being properly digested.

Generally, I find that any tea or coffee on an empty stomach is a sure
ticket to trouble.


AP

On 16 Jun., 05:47, Fran > wrote:
>... But this morning I had a cup of Red
> Rose, which I thought was mild enough to drink plain, and I still
> ended up with an upset stomach.


Tea contains Polyphenol which can irritate the gastric mucosa. Milk
helps to reduce that irritation. So, there are lots of people who
automaticly and unconsciously favour tea with milk.Tea also contains
Theophylline which is an active agent in asthma medication. The stuff
alone would be to quick, so it has to be retarded. Milk is a good way
to to that. Also people who have low blood pressure tend to
automatically like and therefore drink their tea with milk, because it
prevents the dilation of the blood vessels so that their blood
pressure won't go further down (that's the reason why tea with milk
isn't suppose to prevent heart attacks - if you follow the
(scientiflicly quite questionable) conclusion that dilation of the
blood vessels actually prevent heart attacks, of course).

So, there are a lot of good reasons why some people like the taste of
tea with milk and some don't.

Dieter