say no to “got milk?”

Comments

1. I found this post very informative. My customers are very interested in the health benefits of tea. I will definitely be passing this one on in my newsletter this week.

2. Did the article mention a differential effect based on percentages of milk added? My understanding is that if people can keep their milk addition under 2%, they can still obtain the health benefits.

3. Are you talking about 2% milk, or 2% of the total beverage? If you read the link above, you will note that the researchers measured the effects of “10% skimmed milk,” or 10% of the beverage consumed. In an eight ounce cup of tea, 10% would be less than an ounce of milk. I would imagine that 2% of an eight ounce cup would be about that size of that milk drop shown in the main image of this post!

4. 5 ml to be exact. That is the equivalent of about 1 tsp. Not much, but if you need to have your milk in your tea and you also want the health benefits, that’s all you get.

5. How about that freshly made Devonshire clotted cream that goes with the scones and fresh fruits?

   Phyll <— loves Devonshire clotted cream, but willing to sacrifice the the milk.

6. Phyll,

   I’ve never had the pleasure of Devonshire clotted cream, but I did find a recipe for it. It sounds sinfully rich, sweet, and delicious. From the article referenced above, the problem with milk in tea lies not with the fat content, but with the proteins. Like all of the wonderful things that are “bad” for us . . . I think moderation is the key. So, since I have managed to do without Devonshire clotted cream for better than half a century . . . I most certainly could indulge in it now, don’t you think? Thanks for the nudge! What recipe do you use?

7. Please do indulge in moderation. Devonshire clotted cream, when fresh, is quite wonderful! My recipe for it is pretty simple: drive to a reputable English tea house, sit down, and order (Voila!). :)

   A hedonist friend told me to smear the said cream on fresh figs. “Heaven on earth,” he said. Need to try, but I digress.

8. I wanted to serve clotted cream or at least creme fraiche with my scones at the store but could do neither, so made my own ‘creme fraiche’ using sour cream and whipping cream. The customers seem to love it! I serve it along with their choice of lemon curd or jam selection, including tea infused jams.

9. I don’t know, Phyll. Anything that starts with the word “clotted” doesn’t get my saliva ducts flowing.

   Regena is right. It is the casein in milk that binds with the tannins in tea and can block the absorption of the polyphenols.

10. So If I’m getting this correctly, all those wonderful ancestors of mine (the Celts in Ireland who drink more tea per captia than any other nation, including those who produce our favorite beverage, 12 cups per day on average) didn’t get any benefits from drinking tea whatsoever? It seems that when I visited Ireland in 2002, most of the folks there had their tea with milk or cream. Guys I’ve had the clotted cream once in my life at an afternoon British tea in Lithopolis Ohio and while it is a wonderful tasting confection, I think that Regina has it right, in moderation. BUT if it’s the proteins from the dairy products that cause the problem, what about soy milk substitutes? OK it really doesn’t have the same taste (but it’s not all that bad, I quite like it) and if I make a Chai tea, that’s usually what I use in place of the dairy product. Just a thought. Happy drinking.
    Peace and blessings
    Fr. Patrick

11. Addendum:

    I can also think of another solution…for those of us who love other teas (i.e. not black) usually those are not served with milk, a little lemon perhaps (which I’m sure has to be a British invention :) ) but almost never is green tea or oolong consumed with milk. There is a tradition of serving Black tea in Tibet with Yak milk and even Yak butter in it but I’ve only ever found this premixedin powedered instant form and it actually did have dehydrated Yak butter flakes that were visible in the tea (two different forms, one sweetened and one salty – I prefered the salted one). Cheers
    Fr. Patrick

12. Patrick – Have you tried almond milk? It’s our favorite and I also believe it is the healthiest of all of the alternative milks. I especially like Pacific brand.

13. Sandy,
    No I haven’t, I’l have to try some. I have tried rice milk but prefer the soy. What I can’t figure out is why the big name “coffee shops” offer soy as an alternative and then charge $.40 (on average) more for the alternative. What’s up with that? Somehow that just doesn’t seem right because the so called “regular” additives (i.e. suger, dairy products, non dairy oil based alternatives) are usually always given as gratis. Hmm, seems like a little bit of injustice here possibly for those who either choose to have an alternative to dairy or for health reasons such as allergies need to have an alternative to the traditional dairy products. Oh well, such is life I guess we just have to cope with it. Peace.
    Fr. Patrick

14. What about creamers? Do they negate the benefits in tea? My bargain brand creamer has 0 protein.