Brewing Up a Pot of Fluoride

By Kelley Herring

You probably know that green tea has an array of active compounds that promote health - from calming theanine to antioxidant EGCG and heart-healthy tannins and cancer-fighting flavonoids.

But there's another active compound in tea that produces some very unpleasant effects. Fluoride.

Fluoride is a toxic substance that can negatively impact multiple organ systems. It has been linked to hypothyroidism, skeletal fluorosis, brittle bones and teeth, gastrointestinal inflammation, and more. And because tea leaves accumulate more fluoride than any other edible plant, enjoying this otherwise healthy beverage could put your health in jeopardy.

To reduce your exposure to fluoride, here are a few things you can do:

1. Steep Less. The longer you steep, the more fluoride you'll reap. In fact, in one study, after tea was steeped for 10 minutes, the measurable amounts of fluoride (and aluminum) almost doubled.

2. Go for White. While all true teas come from the Camellia sinensis plant, the amount of fluoride varies with the different "colors." Green tea contains the most, black tea is next, and white tea contains the least. Instant tea mixes have been found to contain very high levels of fluoride.

3. Opt for Extracts. Many tea extracts, like Body Ecology Diet's Green and Black Tea Extracts and Chi Green Tea Extracts, are free of fluoride.

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This article appears courtesy of Early to Rise [Issue #2525, 11-28-08], the Internet's most popular health, wealth, and success e-zine. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com/.