“…and you’ll have to give up tea…” continued a well-meaning friend of mine who was delivering a litany of all the things I could no longer do now that I was pregnant. I was horrified – give up tea? Sure, I could forego the wine and give up my sushi, but tea? That was going too far! Fortunately, a bit of research into the subject soon showed that I would not have to give up my favorite cuppa. The main concerns over tea and pregnancy are caffeine and herbs
Higher caffeine consumption (specifically more than 300 mg daily) has been linked in some studies to miscarriages and low birth rates. Low caffiene consumption - less than 150 mgs a day – has been shown in studies to have no affect on developing infants. Amounts in the middle (150-300 mg) are still in debate, with studies coming in on both sides. Since a typical cup of brewed black tea contains about 48 mgs of caffeine, you can sip up to 3 cups a day without real concern (and of course, you can always get decaf).
Herbal teas are trickier – some herbs can cause serious issues, especially in early pregnancy. Yellow dock and alfalfa are both considered unsafe during pregnancy while ginger and peppermint are thought to be fine. Fortunately, food-based teas (like my favorite Blood Orange) get the thumbs up across the board.
On a side note, there has been some recent controversy over green tea consumption during pregnancy. Due to the way the elements of green tea bond with certain chemical within the body, it has been suggested that drinking green tea may have an adverse affect on the body’s ability to process folate (important in reducing neural tube defects).
So, as with most things, the key is moderation. I ordered a few tins of my favorite black teas in decaf form, stocked up on my fruit teas, and made a date with my girlfriends to head out to our favorite tea room. Who knows? Maybe I can start growing a new tea lover early.
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