Tea?

[ashley10]

I'm also started drinking tea when I was about 2! Mum and Dad are British I love my tea and the only time in my life I went off it was when I was pregnant.

My DD does have a sip of my tea most days but I only drink decaff so she never has caffine tea. If I do make her a cup of tea it is with my tea bags and very weak with a little bit of sugar.

[skatty]

Apparantly I drank tea from my bottle too! I can't actually remember ever being a tea lover and I am not sure when I started on coffee but I was in single digits. Leorah doesn't like hot things so I doubt she'd drink tea but she has drank the dregs of her grandads blackcurrant tea which he puts about 3 sugars in  I have tea in the cupboard, i only drink decaf drinks so if she wanted one I would let her, it is more the sugar I wouldn't want her having. I know a lot of Danes give their babies camomile tea, I tried it with L but she threw it up 

[Mashi]

In regards to tannins in tea, there really is a mixed bag of effects. Yes, tannins interfere with iron absorbtion, but it takes "excessive" tea consumption to really have an effect on the iron.  It's a reaction that happens when the tannins an iron "meet" in the digestive tract where the tannis bind to the iron, and can prevent it form being absorbed as fully as it would be without the presence of the tannins. If there's no iron present at the time, there's no problem. And, adding milk to tea neutralizes the interaction of tannins and iron, as does adding a couple of drops of lemon juice to your tea.

Tannins are only released from tea after it has seeped longer than 2 minutes in boiled water - so if you take your tea bag out of the water before that, your tea will be relatively tannin free. 

Tannins are what is responsible for tea's many benefits - tannins have antiviral and antibacterial properties and they are also what is responsible for tea calming you and relaxing you. In terms of the antibacterial properties, tea can also help to fight gingivitis and gum disease.

So, milky tea seeped for less than 2 minutes = not enough tannins to bat an eye at!!!

[~Emma~]

So, milky tea seeped for less than 2 minutes = not enough tannins to bat an eye at!!!

 A fountain of wisdom as always Mashi!! Thankyou.  #

Apparantly I drank tea from my bottle too!

 I can remember my wee cousin having tea in a bottle for a long time. Milky tea in a bottle! I think Tracey actually comments in the Toddler book about it being a Britsh thing for kids to drink milky tea....

[*Ali*]

Sometimes I do wonder about the advice we get from the British government. Their official literature just says "tea and coffe is not a suitable drink for young children as it inhibits iron absorption". In light of Mashi's explanation this is a massive overstatement.

[aisling]

Raised on milky tea and following the same as my Mum, cuz she rules! .  DH has an espresso every morning and I have a large mug of tea steeped for like 5 min and DS gets my bag first, dipped for like 3 seconds. I add half a mug of milk and half a mug of the boiled water and 1.5 spoons of sugar for him.  He doesn't drink juice or pop so this is his little treat, and there is nothing like it first thing in the morning. I never even thought to worry about the caffeine etc...there is more caffeine in a chocolate bar.  Tea is medicinal and soothing, a family ritual, healing, solves problems, makes you warm, is very social, helps you make up from a fight, makes you remember long lost family members and everyone should drink it IMHO! 

[Lolly]

Well when you put it like that - every girl should follow their mum!

Laura

[mokey_cat]

Tea is medicinal and soothing, a family ritual, healing, solves problems, makes you warm, is very social, helps you make up from a fight, makes you remember long lost family members and everyone should drink it IMHO! 

I love this!!!  Its all so true 

[~Emma~]

Tea is medicinal and soothing, a family ritual, healing, solves problems, makes you warm, is very social, helps you make up from a fight, makes you remember long lost family members and everyone should drink it IMHO! 

I love this!!!  Its all so true 

 Here, here! 

[aisling]

   We're having our morning cuppa together just now!

[~Emma~]

I'm going to offer DS his very own sippy. He'll be beside himself! 

 So there you are in Canada having your morning tea and we are having our afternoon cuppa.....anyone else care to join us? 

[mokey_cat]

I gave DD her own cup of red bush tea tonight when I was having my after dinner cuppa and she was so excited and guzzled it all down.  She probably had more milk in the tea than she would usually at night    It was funny - she kept saying Yummy Tea mmmmm.  I think she liked being part of an 'adult' thing 

[anna*]

Stan does that 'ahhhhhh' sound when he puts down his cup of tea. When he's at Granny's, she gives him a biscuit to dunk too!