CLAIM:
Giving tea to babies and continuing to feed only milk after six months can harm their health. Tea may block iron absorption and lead to anaemia, while milk alone is not enough to meet a growing baby’s nutritional needs.
FACT:
Research indicates that tea can interfere with iron absorption and may increase the risk of iron deficiency anaemia in infants, particularly in those already vulnerable. Studies show higher rates of microcytic anaemia among tea-drinking infants, while global health guidelines from the World Health Organisation recommend introducing complementary foods at six months, as milk alone is not sufficient to meet a child’s nutritional needs.
In Indian households, it is not uncommon for parents and grandparents to introduce babies to tea early on, sometimes to “change the taste,” sometimes as part of routine family habits. At the same time, many families continue feeding only milk even after a baby crosses six months, believing it is enough to make the child strong and healthy. But are these practices actually safe for infants?
In a reel posted by ‘swasthology.official’, an Instagram handle with over 15.6K followers, paediatrician Dr Imran Patel addresses these very concerns.
In the reel, Dr Imran strongly cautions against giving tea to children. He explains that tea interferes with iron absorption and can increase the risk of anaemia. “If you are giving tea, then whatever iron the child is eating, it will not be absorbed. He has to have anaemia,” he says, adding that even though such practices were common in earlier generations, that does not make them correct.
He also challenges the belief that milk alone is sufficient after six to eight months of age. According to him, keeping a child only on milk is a mistake. A proper, balanced diet is essential, one that includes carbohydrates, fats, fibre, and other nutrients. He stresses that feeding practices can be adapted to regional food cultures, whether Marathi, Gujarati, South Indian, or others, but the key is ensuring nutritional balance.
Dr Imran further encourages parents to allow children to develop self-feeding habits. He explains that when babies start picking up food with their hands and bringing it to their mouths, it supports their overall development. Even if it creates mess, he advises parents to let children explore food freely rather than constantly cleaning them up.
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The reel has sparked discussion online about traditional feeding habits and whether certain commonly accepted practices may be affecting children’s nutritional health.
What does the research say?
Scientific evidence supports concerns about giving tea to infants, particularly in populations at risk of iron deficiency. A study titled “Tea Drinking and Microcytic Anaemia in Infants” examined 122 healthy infants aged 6–12 months who underwent routine blood tests. The researchers found a high overall frequency of anaemia (48.4%), microcytosis (21.3%), and microcytic anaemia (19%) in the group. Notably, the percentage of tea-drinking infants with microcytic anaemia (32.6%) was significantly higher than that of non-tea drinkers (3.5%).
Tea-drinking infants also had significantly lower mean haemoglobin levels and lower mean corpuscular volume. Importantly, after adjusting for possible confounding factors such as age and social class, the association remained significant. Based on these findings, the authors concluded, "We do not recommend giving tea to infants whose main source of iron is from milk, grains, vegetables or medicinal sources.”
Broader evidence examining tea consumption and iron status also highlights similar concerns in vulnerable groups. A review published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Nature) analysed 16 studies involving infants, children, premenopausal women, men and the elderly. It found that in groups with a high prevalence of iron deficiency, including infants and children, tea consumption was inversely associated with serum ferritin and/or haemoglobin levels.
However, in Western populations where most individuals had adequate iron stores, the association was not consistently observed after adjusting for dietary confounders. The authors concluded that “only in populations of individuals with marginal iron status does there seem to be a negative association between tea consumption and iron status.” This suggests that tea may pose a greater risk in children who are already vulnerable to iron deficiency.
WHO recommendation
Beyond tea consumption, global health guidelines emphasise the importance of appropriate feeding practices after six months of age. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends the introduction of complementary feeding at around six months, defining it as “the process of providing foods in addition to milk when breast milk or milk formula alone are no longer adequate to meet nutritional requirements.”
According to WHO, this period, from 6 to 23 months, is critical for preventing nutrient deficiencies and growth faltering. It notes that this stage “coincides with the peak period for risk of growth faltering and nutrient deficiencies,” underscoring that milk alone is not sufficient to meet a growing infant’s nutritional needs.
This story is done in collaboration with First Check, which is the health journalism vertical of DataLEADS.
