Study urges pregnant women to lower intake of supermarket teas
A new Canadian study suggests that some supermarket teas contain amounts of lead that could potentially pose a health threat to pregnant and nursing mothers. Researchers from the University of Alberta analyzed samples of 30 commonly sold teabags and found excessive amounts of lead in 73% of teas brewed for three minutes. The authors clearly state that these findings may only apply to pregnant women who consume three to four cups of tea a day, and are not relevant to non-pregnant adults. Teas grown in China were found to contain higher levels of lead than those harvested in India and Sri Lanka. Surprisingly, organic teas showed the highest levels of lead. The cause of these findings remains unclear, but one possibility is that China's widespread use of coal in power plants may play a role.