🌿 Folk Prescriptions

Green tea plays a vital role in human health, but even the best foods have dietary restrictions. For women during menstruation, drinking green tea not only fails to benefit health but may even cause trouble.
During menstruation, women lose significant amounts of blood, along with essential iron needed for hemoglobin synthesis. Studies show that besides normal iron loss, women lose an additional 18–21 mg of iron per menstrual cycle. Thus, we commonly recommend increasing intake of iron-rich foods such as black fungus and pork liver to prevent iron-deficiency anemia. However, drinking green tea during menstruation undermines these efforts. Green tea contains abundant tannins, which bind with dietary iron molecules, forming insoluble precipitates that hinder intestinal absorption of iron. Research indicates that the stronger the tea, the greater the inhibition of iron absorption—especially noticeable after meals.
Therefore, women and those with anemia should preferably avoid strong tea even outside menstruation.
Second, many women experience constipation during menstruation, linked to progesterone secretion. The tannins in green tea worsen constipation because they have astringent effects, slowing intestinal motility and causing stool to stagnate in the intestines.
Third, during menstruation, changes in neuroendocrine regulation often cause varying degrees of mental tension, headaches, breast tenderness, etc. To avoid these reactions, one should control emotions and avoid excessive excitement. However, caffeine and theobromine in tea stimulate the nervous system, worsening menstrual symptoms such as cramps, headaches, and lower back pain.
For women accustomed to drinking tea, if suddenly stopping during menstruation causes discomfort, they may try rinsing their mouth with tea water—this satisfies tea cravings while keeping the mouth fresh, eliminating bad breath, and protecting teeth.
(Author: Professor Li Huiming, Department of Nutrition, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University)