Should Pregnant Women Get The Green Light To Drink Green Tea
Did you know that the month of March is green tea month? Green tea has been said to have many health benefits, including: preventing memory loss, promoting bone health, decreasing risk of cancer, increasing dental health, reducing the chance of getting type 2 diabetes, and helping us lose weight. Green tea is loaded with nutrients and antioxidants, and has been said to be the healthiest beverage on the planet. So, given all of this wonderful news, who wouldnt want to join Lucky the Leprechaun in the month of March and enjoy a cup of green tea?
As an information specialist with MotherToBaby, I recently had a pregnant mom named Lynn text me, asking: Can you drink green tea if you take your prenatal vitamin later? How much does green tea impact folic acid absorption? I am in my first trimester and have had some green tea throughout pregnancy, and I am now worried about it impacting my folic acid absorption. Wow, I thought, that is a great question! As the MotherToBaby specialist on the other side of the text, I started researching her questions so that I could give her the most up-to-date information out there.
I counseled Lynn that she can enjoy a cup of green tea now and then, as occasionally drinking green or black tea has not been shown to increase the risk for any problems during pregnancy. So, raise that cup of green tea along with Lucky the Leprechaun and enjoy going green in the month of March!
References:Gunners, Kris, , 1/17/18.
What Is The Caffeine Content Of A Cup Of Tea
Caffeine can be too stimulating during pregnancy, and most women avoid caffeinated beverages during this period. It is safe for you to consume less than 200 milligrams of caffeine a day during pregnancy.
The percentage of caffeine in your cup of tea can change based on the way it is prepared, the water temperature, steeping period, and the size of the leaves. In general, a cup of non-herbal options like chai or milk tea, white tea, green tea, and black or oolong tea contains about 40-50 milligrams of caffeine. On the other hand, herbal teas contain about 0.4 milligrams of caffeine, making them a safer option to consider during pregnancy.
What About Herbal Teas Made For Pregnancy
The same cautions apply to teas made specifically for pregnant women and sold in supermarkets and health food stores. Although the makers of pregnancy teas promote their products as healthy for expectant moms, no clinical studies support these claims, and the safety of the ingredients isn’t regulated.
Pregnancy teas usually include ingredients such as alfalfa, fennel seed, lemongrass leaf, lemon verbena, nettle leaf, red raspberry leaf, rose hips, and strawberry leaf. Not all these are safe to take during pregnancy. For example, nettle leaf stimulates the uterus and can cause miscarriage. Some midwives use raspberry leaf to aid delivery, but its effectiveness hasn’t been proven. It should be used only in late pregnancy under the supervision of a healthcare professional.
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Cuzzolin L, et al. 2010. Use of herbal products among 392 Italian pregnant women: focus on pregnancy outcome. Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety 19:1151-8.
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How Much Green Tea Is Safe To Consume During Pregnancy
Some doctors will ask you to limit your caffeine consumption to less than 200 mg per day. If your doctor approves of those guidelines, its OK to have a cup or two of green tea each day.
Just be sure to monitor your overall intake of caffeine to stay below your doctors recommended limits. To make sure you stay below that level, also add up the caffeine you consume in:
There are many herbal teas out on the market today, and most dont have any caffeine. But does this mean theyre safe?
Most herbal teas havent been studied for safety in pregnant people, so its best to exercise caution.
The Food and Drug Administration doesnt regulate the safety and effectiveness of herbal teas. Most dont have conclusive evidence of safety during pregnancy. Certain herbs can have side effects for you and your baby. When consumed in large amounts, certain herbal teas may stimulate the uterus and cause a miscarriage.
You should follow a better safe than sorry approach to herbal teas, too. Its best to check with your doctor before drinking any kind of herbal tea during pregnancy.
Is Chamomile Tea Safe To Drink During Pregnancy
There are two main types of tea: herbal and non-herbal. Non-herbal teas are made from the leaves of tea plants. They contain caffeine. Even the decaffeinated forms contain some caffeine.
Its generally recommended that pregnant and breastfeeding women stay away from, or at least limit, the amount of caffeine that they consume each day. This is because a developing baby cant process caffeine in their system as well as an adult.
This recommendation includes any kind of caffeine, and not only the caffeine in tea. Theres caffeine in foods and drinks including chocolate, coffee, and soda. If you consume more than one source of caffeine per day during your pregnancy, youre increasing the amount of caffeine in your system.
Therefore, its important to be aware of all sources of caffeine.
The following categories include teas that are non-herbal and contain high amounts of caffeine:
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Where To Get More Information
For information on prescription, over the counter and herbal medicines, call the NPS Medicines Line on 1300 MEDICINE
Drinking Snapple Tea While Pregnant: Is It Safe
Yes, you can drink Snapple tea while pregnant! In fact, its generally considered safe to consume moderate amounts of caffeine during pregnancy. So go ahead and enjoy your favorite cup of tea.
Of course, its always important to listen to your body and drink in moderation. Too much caffeine can cause jitters and anxiety, so its best to stick to 1-2 cups a day. And be sure to drink plenty of water, since pregnancy can cause dehydration.
So there you have it, mamas. Go ahead and enjoy your cup of Snapple tea. Just remember to drink responsibly and listen to your body.
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What Kind Of Tea Can Cause Miscarriage
Avoid licorice tea as licorice is estrogenic and can lead to preterm birth and fetal anomalies, Manglani said. Avoid black and blue cohosh. These can lead to preterm birth and miscarriage. Avoid Dong Quai tea as this tea can cause uterine contraction which can lead to miscarriage or preterm birth. via
Is Tea Safe During Pregnancy
Tea is one of the most popular beverages worldwide and one that many women continue to enjoy during pregnancy.
Some drink it to simply decompress or help meet the increased fluid needs of pregnancy. However, a proportion of women appear to use tea as a natural remedy for pregnancy-related symptoms or as a tonic to prepare for childbirth in the last weeks of pregnancy .
Many may believe that tea is probably safe to drink while pregnant because its natural. In reality, women may benefit from reducing their intake of certain teas, while completely avoiding others throughout their pregnancy.
This article discusses the safety of tea during pregnancy, including which teas pregnant women may continue to drink, and which they may want to avoid.
Black, green, white, matcha, chai, and oolong teas are all sourced from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. They contain caffeine a natural stimulant that should be limited during pregnancy.
They each provide approximately the following amount of caffeine per cup (
- oolong tea: 3858 mg
- black tea: 4753 mg
- white tea: 2550 mg
- green tea: 2949 mg
Caffeine can easily cross the placenta, and your babys immature liver has difficulty breaking it down. As such, infants are more likely to experience side effects from amounts of caffeine that would otherwise be considered safe for adults.
These risks appear minimal when pregnant women limit their caffeine intake to a maximum of 300 mg per day .
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Is Chamomile Tea Safe To Drink While Pregnant
This is a tricky one. We polled several obstetricians, and the general consensus is that drinking chamomile tea is a personal decision you should make with your doctor. There is no hard-and-fast rule as to whether or not chamomile is definitely safe or definitely unsafe. Because there is so little research in regard to pregnant women and chamomile tea, its best to err on the side of caution.
Could chamomile tea be safe for some pregnant women and not for others? It’s a tough call, because research is so lacking. In a study conducted by doctors at Case Western Reserve University , the benefits and risks of chamomile tea have been researched extensively amongst the general population. However, it is noted that safety in pregnant and nursing women has not been established, although there have not been any credible reports of toxicity caused by this common beverage tea.
Why the complete lack of evidence when it comes to moms-to-be? “Pregnant women are considered a vulnerable population, so, in general, researchers aren’t permitted to experiment on pregnant women,”Jacqueline Wolf, a professor of the history of medicine in the Department of Social Medicine at Ohio University, told NPR.
“Given the lack of evidence about its long-term safety, chamomile is not recommended for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding,”WebMD reports. Hmm, fair enough. Unless you clear it with your doc, steering clear sounds like the best policy.
Red Raspberry Leaf Tea Safe For Pregnancy
Probably the most well known pregnancy tea, red raspberry leaf tea is many times prescribed by professionals to pregnant mothers for its uterine stimulating qualities. Red raspberry leaf tea is believed to help tone andstrengthen the uterine muscle, allowing for a more efficient labor. However, red raspberry leaf tea is more than just a safe tea for pregnancy. It is also high in magnesium, potassium, b-vitamins and iron plus, surprisingly enough, it also helps with skin problems such as eczema and allergies as well as gingivitis and gum disease.
Red raspberry leaf tea is also a great tool for women suffering from menstrual cramps and anyone with stomach issues and a delicious tea safe for pregnancy. Due to uterine stimulating abilities it is suggested to drink red raspberry leaf tea during the 2nd and 3rd trimester and to avoid it during the first trimester.
Grab your favorite mug and relax with a hot cup of tea safe for pregnancy. It will do wonders to soothe your spirit, as well as many pregnancy-related ailments you may be suffering from. Or, with springtime rolling in, brew some tea safe for pregnancy in this adorable solar powered tea jar and drink it on ice! Delicious and eco-conscious!
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Is Green Tea Dangerous To Drink During Pregnancy
Caffeine is considered a stimulant. It can freely cross the placenta and enter the babys bloodstream. Your baby takes a much longer time to metabolize, or process, the caffeine than a typical adult does, so doctors have had concerns about its impact on the developing baby.
Though some older research has shown conflicting evidence about the safety of drinking caffeinated beverages during pregnancy, more recent indicates theres no safe level.
Consuming high levels of caffeine may be related to problems, including:
- low birth weight
- childhood acute leukemia
Since its a stimulant, caffeine might help keep you awake, but it also can raise your blood pressure and heart rate. This might all be OK at first, but as your pregnancy progresses, your bodys ability to break down caffeine slows down. You might feel jittery, have trouble sleeping, or experience heartburn if you drink too much.
Caffeine is also a diuretic, which means it causes you to release water. Drink plenty of water to offset any water loss caused by caffeine.
When it comes to even moderate levels of caffeine, its worth talking with your doctor about how much you can drink, if any. This includes green tea and other caffeinated drinks. Your doctor may give you the OK to have a cup or so per day or a few times per week.
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Is It Safe To Drink Herbal Teas In Pregnancy
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- You have any pregnancy complications like vaginal bleeding or your baby is in a breech position.
- Youve previously had a caesarean or youre planning one this time.
- You’re expecting twins or more.
- You’ve had a premature labour before.
- Youve had a previous labour under three hours.
- Youve a family or personal history of breast or ovarian cancer, endometriosis or fibroids.
- Youve high blood pressure or irritable bowel syndrome. This is because raspberry leaf tea can also affect your blood vessels and intestines.
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Drinking Tea While Pregnant
It is also important to note that many herbal teas commonly found in grocery store shelves are not regulated by the FDA, and some of these may contain substances that are harmful to pregnant women. It is advisable for a pregnant woman to consult her doctor or midwife before drinking any type of tea.
In conclusion, drinking tea can be safe during pregnancy, but it is important to be mindful of the caffeine content and to consult a healthcare professional before ingesting any type of tea.
Is Chai Tea Safe During Pregnancy
Chai tea also known as Masala chai is usually made with black tea, which contains caffeine.
The American Pregnancy Organization suggests that you avoid caffeine as much as possible during pregnancy and while breastfeeding .
The World Health Organization Guidelines also say that pregnant women should try to limit caffeine intake to around 200 300mg per day, maximum .
The average 8-ounce cup of black chai tea that has brewed for 3 minutes contains between 30 to 80mg of caffeine .
Therefore, you could conceivably drink 2 cups of chai tea daily and be under the limit.
However, given the proven adverse effects of caffeine upon the fetus in terms of lower birth weight, you want to err on the side of caution if youre getting extra caffeine elsewhere in your diet, such as energy drinks or chocolate . We have a guide to caffeine in chocolate here, for example. We also cover decaf chai below.
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Tea Has Antioxidants And Nutrients
Antioxidants are naturally-occurring substances in plants that remove waste products that can cause potential cell damage . These damaging waste products, called free radicals, are responsible for signs of aging in our skin and have even been implicated in the development of cancer.
Take Note
To be clear, antioxidants are not unique to tea. They are available through many other foods, but tea is one way to get them into your body. The more antioxidants you have in your body, the better.
Tea also has nutrients that are important in pregnancy. These include calcium, magnesium, and iron. Tea also helps to boost your immune system, which is ultra-important to ward off disease.
Some studies say that adding milk to your tea neutralizes many of its benefits, including its antioxidants and nutrients, so try to avoid adding milk, and add some flavor such as herbs or lemon instead . You should avoid tea bags since they are considered not as effective and beneficial as loose leaf tea.
Editor’s Note:
Helps To Improve Cardiovascular Health
During pregnancy, Lipton tea is very advantageous to your cardiovascular health. Antioxidants found in tea, such as polyphenols, help to prevent heart disease.
Lipton tea may assist pregnant women with elevated blood lipids in decreasing their LDL cholesterol.
It reduces cardiovascular illnesses caused by oxidative stress and proinflammation when used on a regular basis. It also aids in the prevention of preeclampsia during pregnancy.
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Other Herbs To Be Avoided During Pregnancy
Some of the other herbs that you should avoid during pregnancy include: Anise, aloe vera, alfalfa, agrimony, barberry, bloodroot, calendula, catnip, celery, cinnamon, chamomile, fennel, fenugreek, ginkgo, juniper berry, mistletoe, nutmeg, oregano, etc. Try to avoid these or have them in moderate amount.
We wish you a healthy pregnancy, and we hope that nothing endangers the child in the womb. Do things in moderation, and exercise a positive outlook, which will make you feel much better about things, and the 40 weeks will get over sooner than you thought or dreaded. There are some herbal teas, which will calm you, your nerves and your tummy, but just be careful about what herbs you use. Check with your doctor before you sip your next cup of herbal tea.
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