Here's Why You Should Stop Drinking Milk with Green Tea

Researchers have found that when green tea and milk are consumed simultaneously, weight reduction and weight maintenance are not achieved. The protein in the milk inhibits the positive effects of green tea when the two are consumed together.

Here's why:
Casein, the protein found in milk, forms complexes in tea (including black tea) with the flavanols. It binds to the flavanols and reduces the body's availability of antioxidants. This process makes the body unavailable to catechins and antioxidants and reduces the health benefits of green tea.

Further research needs to be done, but by putting milk in it, you may reduce the health benefits of your green tea. If you only drink green tea for your health, drinking it straight is probably better to preserve its health benefits. However, I wouldn't stop drinking it altogether if you just like green tea with milk. Even if the health benefits are reduced.

Interested in a way of drinking green tea and losing weight? It's not tea but it's a smoothie and some people would much rather drink a smoothie. Check it out for yourself and see if it's right for you.

Further reading:

Arts, M. J., Haenen, G. R., Voss, H. P., & Bast, A. (2001). Masking of antioxidant capacity by the interaction of flavonoids with protein. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 39(8), 787-791.

Auvichayapat, P., Prapochanung, M., Tunkamnerdthai, O., Sripanidkulchai, B. O., Auvichayapat, N., Thinkhamrop, B., Kunhasura, S., Wongpratoom, S., Sinawat, S., & Hongprapas, P. (2008). Effectiveness of green tea on weight reduction in obese Thais: A randomized, controlled trial. Physiology & Behavior, 93(3), 486-491.

Brown P. J. & Wright W. B. (1963). An Investigation of the interactions between milk proteins and tea polyphenols. Journal of Chromatography, 11, 504-514.

Hursel, R. & Westerterp-Plantenga, M. S. (2011). Consumption of milk-protein combined with green tea modulates diet-induced thermogenesis. Nutrients, 3(8), 725-733.

Jöbstl, E., Howse, J. R., Fairclough, J. P., & Williamson, M. P. (2006). Noncovalent cross-linking of casein by epigallocatechin gallate characterized by single molecule force microscopy. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 54(12), 4077-4081.