The Food Safety Authority (FSAI) has advised people over 65 to only drink tea between meals and not during meals, as it interferes with the absorption of iron and zinc.
The information was in its Scientific Recommendations for Food-based Dietary Guidelines for Older Adults that was published on Monday.
The report offers updated national recommendations to enhance older people’s nutritional well-being, with the ultimate aim of improving health in later life.
With regards to the information about consuming tea, it was listed as a key recommendation from the report, alongside tips which state older adults at risk of ‘low intake’ dehydration need an adequate amount of drinks and the consumption of salty foods should be avoided with alternatives such as herbs and spices to be used to increase flavour.
Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, Dr Mary Flynn, a chief specialist in Public Health Nutrition with the FSAI, stressed the importance for people over 65 to drink plenty of fluids because this can impact how fibre works in the body.
Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, FSAI has said that it is important to ensure robust science underpins the development of food-based dietary guidelines that include healthy eating and nutritional recommendations tailored specifically for this cohort.
“This report sets out a number of science-based recommendations that will underpin national guidelines being prepared by the Department of Health, to support optimal nutritional status and health of older adults in Ireland.
"Due to considerable variations in the ageing process, food-based dietary guidelines are best tailored to functional capacity rather than chronological age,” says Dr Byrne.
