Contribution of tea to iron status in a rural female population

Abstract

ObjectiveTo investigate the association between tea consumption and iron status in a rural South Dakota female population.MethodsThe study design was cross‐sectional. This study examined whether there is a correlation between tea consumption and iron status. A convenience sample of 136 adolescent girls and women living on Hutterite colonies in rural South Dakota participated in the study. The main outcome measures included hemoglobin (Hgb), expressed as mg/dL, the amount of tea consumed, expressed in cups/meal and the amount of dietary iron consumed, expressed as mg/day. The sample was divided into two groups depending on if they consumed tea at mealtime or did not consume tea at mealtime. Differences between group means were tested using Students t test and chi‐square analysis. Multiple regression was used to assess the relationship between Hgb levels and tea consumption controlling for variables with relevance to the main outcome measure.ResultsThe difference in mean Hgb concentrations between groups did not differ. The mean intake of tea at mealtime was 2 ± 1 cups. The amount of black tea consumed at mealtime was significantly more than herbal or green tea (p = 0.05). The difference in the amount of iron consumed per day between groups was not significant (p = .11). No relationship was found between hemoglobin and amount of tea consumed while controlling for variables that influence hemoglobin.ConclusionsIn a seemingly healthy rural female population consuming tea in the amounts that were observed with a whole meal does not have an effect on hemoglobin levels.