Black tea - high in tannins and caffeine Consists of teas such as English Breakfast, Earl Grey etc - i.e. the common British staple tea such as PG tips, Twinings, Tetley etc. Black tea contains the most tannins and caffeine of the tea types.
All tea contains tannins, and different types of tea have varying levels. According to a January 2015 report in the Journal of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Research, black tea has the highest concentration, followed by oolong tea and then green tea.
If you're worried about the Tannin content in tea, you should know that green tea or black tea contain low levels of tannins, and are suitable for those who wish to consume non-tannic tea.
Some sources say black tea has the highest tannin concentration, while green tea is often credited with having the lowest. White and oolong teas usually fall somewhere in between, but the amount in each type can vary considerably depending on how they're produced (7).
As a natural part of every tea plant, tannins contribute to the growth process and health benefits of all teas, as well as the color and flavor.
In large amounts, tannic acid can cause side effects such as stomach irritation, nausea, vomiting, and liver damage. Regular consumption of herbs with high tannin concentrations seems to be associated with an increased chance of developing nose or throat cancer.
Tannins have also been reported to exert other physiological effects, such as to accelerate blood clotting, reduce blood pressure, decrease the serum lipid level, produce liver necrosis, and modulate immunoresponses. The dosage and kind of tannins are critical to these effects.
Coffee contains 1.2 % caffeine and 4.6 % tannic acid (tannin) while tea has 2.7 % caffeine and 11.2 % tannic acid (FAO, 1986). Tannins are polyphenolic compounds with a wide-ranging effects on animals and microbes (Waterman & Mole, 1994).
Effects of Tannins and Oxalates
Tannins and oxalates are some of the naturally occurring tea compounds that are said to inhibit the absorption of iron. They bind with iron, specifically non-heme iron found in plant foods such as beans, peas, leafy green vegetables, and nuts.
Tannic acid presents in varying concentrations in plant foods, and in relatively high concentrations in green teas and red wines.
Although there are persistent myths about the hazards of tannic acid, the truth is that no tea contains any tannic acid at all.
Tannins are polyphenolic biomolecules with carbohydrate backbones that are found in in a wide range of plants. Tannic acid is a specific tannin that formally contains 10 galloyl (3,4,5-trihydroxyphenyl) units surrounding a glucose center.
Tannic acid is a type of polyphenol and is also called Acidum tannicum or Gallotannic acid. Tannic acid has numerous phenol groups and hence is a weak acid. It is obtained naturally from tara pods, Quercus infectoria, gallnuts from Rhus semialata, Sicilian Sumac leaves.
Black tea may be the best choice because it may have more tannins than other types of teas. Allow the tea bag to cool slightly, squeeze out some of the water and place the tea bag over the extraction site.
If bleeding persists, a slightly moistened black tea bag can be a very effective substitute for the gauze (following the same instructions given for the gauze placement). One of the ingredients of regular black tea is tannic acid, and tannic acid aids in the formation of blood clots.
There are numerous misconceptions in popular media about the tannins in tea. Some of the most widespread of these myths are: Tea contains tannic acid - False. Tea does not contain any tannic acid.
However, drinking too much green tea may lead to iron deficiency, as demonstrated in this case report.
And the chlorogenic acid in coffee is also an important inhibitor of iron absorption. Tea and coffee are considered the strongest inhibitors of iron. A cup of tea reduces iron absorption by about 75%-80%, and a cup of coffee by about 60%.
Second, if you want to reduce the tannin content of any tea, try steeping it for less time or at a lower temperature. And if you would like to cut back even further, try switching to black tea. Finally, notice your taste preferences and how your body responds to drinking tea.
The liquid that remains trapped inside the tea bag has even higher instances of tannic acid than what is able to steep out of the bag on it's own. By squeezing the tea bag, you inadvertently release these tannic acids into your tea and in turn create a far more bitter, sour and acidic cup of tea.
About 25% of the population has a heightened sensitivity to bitterness and this group is referred to as “supertasters.” If you dislike bitter beers, kale, black coffee, and radicchio, you might fall into this category. Not all tannin is bitter, but the tannin found in the stems and seeds of grapes usually is.
You can detect tannins as the bitter, astringent sensation in your mouth. You get a similar sensation from drinking black coffee, black tea or eating dark chocolate. People who are intolerant to tannin can experience headaches/migraines, stomach ache or bowel irritation.
Tannins are found in a huge variety of plants, including legume seeds, cider, cereals, cacao, peas, some leafy and green vegetables, coffee, tea, and nuts (Lochab et al., 2014; Suvanto et al., 2017; Fraga-Corral et al., 2020).
Tannins are important bioactive compounds used as anti-inflammatory agents and possess wound healing potential. Anti-inflammatory activity of tannins extracted from seedling leaf tissue and callus culture extracts of Achyranthes aspera L. and Ocimum basilicum L.
Tannins are naturally occurring compounds that are thought to have a range of health benefits. Many classes of tannins have antioxidant properties, which have been found to lower total cholesterol, lower blood pressure and stimulate the immune system.