Pregnant women should limit the consumption of tea.
A study by Canadian researchers has shown that many teas, and in particular teas from China, contain amounts of lead that can be harmful to pregnant and nursing women.
Lead is a brain poison. Even very small amounts of lead are considered highly dangerous for the neurodevelopmental fetus, as their developing brains are particularly susceptible to toxic substances. In addition, it has also been shown that it could have a negative effect on the subsequent academic performance of children.
In the research, published in the journal Journal of ToxicologyToxic contamination by heavy metals was found in most of the teas tested. Specifically, 83% of the teas studied contained levels of lead considered harmful for consumption during pregnancy and lactation. Aluminum was also present at levels above the recommended 20%. No levels of mercury were found.
As a plus point, the teas analyzed contained beneficial elements such as magnesium, calcium, potassium and phosphorus.
Tea plants absorb the
contamination, and specifically the teas grown in China are the most contaminated since in this country there is a lot of lead contamination due to the existence of many
power plants that use coal as fuel.
There are many health benefits of tea, however, when consuming tea it is important to take into account some factors, such as the place of origin of the tea, to minimize exposure to heavy metals.
Schwalfenberg G, Genius SJ, and Rodushkin I. Journal of Toxicology (2013). More information.
Do you drink or have you had tea during pregnancy or lactation? After this news, do you think it will be more convenient to avoid it?
Topics related to: Beware of tea !:
- Caffeine and pregnancy
