You probably know that green tea has an array of active compounds that promote health – from calming theanine to antioxidant EGCG and heart-healthy tannins and cancer-fighting flavonoids.
But there’s another active compound in tea that produces some very unpleasant effects. Fluoride.
Fluoride is a toxic substance that can negatively impact multiple organ systems. It has been linked to hypothyroidism, skeletal fluorosis, brittle bones and teeth, gastrointestinal inflammation, and more. And because tea leaves accumulate more fluoride than any other edible plant, enjoying this otherwise healthy beverage could put your health in jeopardy.
To reduce your exposure to fluoride, here are a few things you can do:
1. Steep Less. The longer you steep, the more fluoride you’ll reap. In fact, in one study, after tea was steeped for 10 minutes, the measurable amounts of fluoride (and aluminum) almost doubled.
2. Go for White. While all true teas come from the Camellia sinensis plant, the amount of fluoride varies with the different “colors.” Green tea contains the most, black tea is next, and white tea contains the least. Instant tea mixes have been found to contain very high levels of fluoride.
3. Opt for Extracts. Many tea extracts, like Body Ecology Diet’s Green and Black Tea Extracts and Chi Green Tea Extracts, are free of fluoride.
[Ed. Note: Making your life - and the foods you eat - healthier doesn't have to be difficult or expensive. You can find recipes for plenty of wholesome, healthful meals - plus get the latest breakthroughs in health and fitness - in ETR's natural health newsletter. Sign up for free right here.
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Your articles have a lot of good information.
It is a shame that you hurt your credibility by your ignorance of the benefits of fluoride.
Childhood cavities were the scorge of the 50’s.
Thankfully, this has been largely eliminated by water fluoridation in many communities.
Keep up the good nutrition work but also do a little research on fluoride. You might start with two books,”the health robbers” and
the tooth robbers” , both by Dr. Stephen Barrett
of Allentown, Pa