Overcoming tea-drinking limitation by Fortification of Iron Bio- absorption

Abstract Tea is a popular drink with beneficial health properties, and a rich source of specific flavanols. The tea extract has high antioxidant activities, evidenced by its ability to chelate ferrous ions. There is a clear indication that tea drinking limits the absorption of iron through complex formation with the phenolic compounds in the gastro-intestinal lumen. There are some iron absorption enhancing factors such as pH, ascorbic acid, albumin egg and sucrose. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of adding these different beneficial compounds to tea components that inhibits the formation of iron complex with the phenolic compounds to enhance iron bio-absorption and prevent iron deficiency anemia. This study recommends that, acidity is favored at pH less than 4.5 and sucrose increases the bio-absorption of iron and fortifies green tea than black tea. Also, addition of ascorbic acid before drinking fortifies the iron bio-absorption with green and black teas.