Stolen Glow: How Coffee & Tea Secretly Block Your Skin Vitamins

We all love that comforting cup of chai or the kick of morning coffee. For many, it’s the first thing our hands reach for even before the phone. But what if this daily ritual is secretly stealing the very nutrients that keep your skin glowing, firm, and youthful? Yes your favourite beverages might be robbing your natural beauty without you even noticing. Let’s dive into the quiet war between caffeine and your vitamins.

Coffee and tea contain caffeine, which works like a “beauty pickpocket.” It doesn’t directly attack your skin, but it steals the nutrients meant for your skin cells.

Here’s how:

• Flushes out water faster → causes dry, tired, dull skin
• Reduces iron absorption → leads to pale skin
• Blocks Vitamin D absorption → hairfall + pigmentation increase
• Interferes with calcium → weak nails & thinning skin
• Affects B-vitamins → slows skin repair + collagen production

Caffeine also boosts stress hormones (cortisol) and stress is the biggest beauty destroyer. Higher cortisol means:

• more acne
• more oiliness
• deeper wrinkles over time

So, while coffee wakes you up, it might be slowly putting your glow to sleep.

(The truth about tannins & what they do)

Tea especially Indian chai is rich in tannins. Tannins sound healthy, but they have a not-so-beautiful side:

• They grab iron and zinc from your food and don’t let your body absorb them
• They reduce Vitamin B12 & folate essential for fresh, plump skin
• They weaken collagen formation leading to sagging and fine lines

This is why some people experience:

• dullness
• dark circles
• lifeless lips
• slow hair growth

And if you’re having chai right after meals, the nutrient loss doubles because tannins block iron from the food you just ate. Your chai ritual might be comforting but your skin is crying softly in the background.

(You don’t need to quit! Just drink smart) The good news? You don’t need to stop drinking your favourite beverage. Just make two tiny changes:

Timing: Drink coffee/tea at least 1–1.5 hours after meals, not with them.

Pairing: Add foods rich in glow-friendly vitamins like:

Vitamin C: lemons, amla, oranges

Iron: spinach, beetroot, jaggery

Collagen boosters: walnuts, pumpkin seeds

Water rule:

For every cup of coffee/tea → drink one full glass of water.

It balances hydration and protects the skin barrier.

Switch sometimes:

Try herbal teas (tulsi, chamomile) for breaks caffeine-free glow boosters!

With these small hacks, you keep your beauty and your beverage.

Coffee and tea are mood-lifters they keep us going through mornings, deadlines, and long conversations. But when taken the wrong way, they silently drain the vitamins that keep skin bright, bouncy, and healthy. You don’t have to give them up just give your nutrients a fair chance to reach your skin. Enjoy your chai/coffee mindfully, and let your glow stay where it belongs with you.