Coffee/Tea and Vitamin Absorption

[Wildflower]

I have heard that the tannins in tea prohibit vitamin absorption...but then I heard that green tea helps promote vitamin absorption.

Then I heard coffee prohibits it too...



What are your thoughts? Do you take coffee/tea with a meal?

[Tigerlily]

I heard it's mainly a concern for iron absorption. So if I'm having an iron rich meal (lentil dish with a spinach salad for example), I don't want to "ruin it" by having tea. :p But if it's a meal that's not very high in iron, I will have tea.

[DoveInGreyClothing]

I've started having fruit juice with meals to enhance iron absorbtion, and have teas and occaisonally coffee at seperate times from meals- I give it about half an hour to digest before a cuppa- should I leave it longer?

It's not just iron, I'm sure I've read vitamin C absorbtion is also inhibited by tannins and caffeine. And don't forget cola is also full of caffeine. Also, most of you know this, but for goodness' sake don't smoke 'cos this inhibits absorbtion too.