Nowadays, many people enjoy drinking several cups of tea every day, and some even have the habit of drinking tea right after meals, believing it can promote digestion. In reality, drinking tea immediately after a meal is not a good habit.

Drinking tea can indeed stimulate gastric juice secretion, aid digestion, increase appetite, and also help lower blood cholesterol levels and lipid concentrations, preventing cardiovascular diseases such as arteriosclerosis, hypertension, and cerebral thrombosis. However, the timing of tea consumption is crucial. Drinking tea immediately after a meal not only fails to aid digestion but can also be harmful to health. This is because tea leaves contain tannic acid and theophylline, both of which can interfere with the digestion of food. Gastric and intestinal juices are essential for digesting food, but when tannic acid enters the gastrointestinal tract, it inhibits their secretion, leading to indigestion. Moreover, tannic acid can react with proteins in foods such as meat, soy products, eggs, and dairy products, forming insoluble tannic acid-protein coagulants that are difficult to digest. Particularly if the food contains metal elements like magnesium or iron, tannic acid can react with them, potentially forming stones over time.

Additionally, stomach acid is acidic, while tea is alkaline. Drinking tea immediately after a meal can inhibit the secretion of stomach acid and negatively affect the secretion of substances like pepsin, further hindering digestion. Research shows that drinking tea brewed from 15 grams of tea leaves after a meal can reduce iron absorption from food by 50%. The higher the concentration of the tea, the greater the harm to the body. The best beverage after a meal is plain water. If you wish to drink tea, it should be done about half an hour after the meal; otherwise, it may lead to indigestion.