Expert warns you should never eat eggs with coffee or tea in the morning

09 December 2023 , 15:53

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Eating eggs and drinking coffee isn't necessarily the best idea (stock image) (Image: Getty Images)

For many, coffee or tea and eggs go hand-in-hand at breakfast time, but it turns out this is a no-no from a health perspective.

Eggs are a healthy and nutritious breakfast staple, which are a great source of vitamins A, D and B12 as well as protein. But if you tend to eat these alongside your morning cuppa, we've got bad news for you.

According to food experts, while it might be a dream combination from a tastiness perspective, you aren't getting the full benefits from the nutrients in the eggs. Dietician Priya Bansal, MSc Nutrition, formerly of Apollo Hospital, Delhi, explained: "Eggs and coffee have their own individual benefits and can be enjoyed as part of a balanced breakfast. Eggs are a powerhouse of protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. Coffee is known for its high caffeine content, which gives stimulating effects."

However, when combined, Bansal warned that several factors come into play that can lead to potential side effects in some people. For example, when eggs and coffee or tea are consumed together, it can interfere with the absorption of essential nutrients.

According to Bansal, coffee contains compounds called tannins and polyphenols, which can hinder the absorption of iron and calcium, which is found in eggs. This is backed up by food experts at Prepped Pots, who advised holding off on drinking coffee or tea until at least an hour after eating eggs, Huffington Post reports.

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But that's not all. Combining eggs and coffee can also apparently lead to digestive discomfort, OnlyMyHealth reports. This is because both eggs and coffee can stimulate the production of gastric acid, which can lead to acid reflux, heartburn, or an upset stomach.

In addition, both eggs and coffee have diuretic properties, which means they can make you pee more - which could make you dehydrated. You should make sure you drink more water, particularly if you do eat and drink these two things together.

Lastly, Bansal said that coffee has the ability to interfere with the absorption of certain medicines, including antibiotics or antacids. So drinking it at the same time as eating eggs could further disrupt the absorption - hindering their efficacy.

Ariane Sohrabi-Shiraz