Green Tea During Pregnancy

If you love drinking green tea and are pregnant or planning to get pregnant, you may want to know is green tea during pregnancy safe. Experts have varying opinions on this matter and there is no conclusive answer. One issue that may be concerning is the amount of caffeine in green tea. Green tea does contain caffeine, approximately 15 milligrams of it. During pregnancy, women are advised to cut out caffeine. However, some doctors may allow women to have small levels of caffeine. Fifteen milligrams is definitely a small level as compared with coffee which has over 100 milligrams. You can buy green tea that has been naturally decaffeinated if this is a concern.

Another potential downside of drinking green tea when pregnant is the effect of EGCG on the utilization of folic acid. Folic acid is extremely important for proper fetal development. While studies have shown that EGCG does affect this utilization, it is unclear whether the effect is marked enough to be dangerous to fetal development. EGCG is a polyphenol catechin antioxidant that is more powerful than vitamin C or vitamin E. It is one of the reasons so many people choose green tea but may not be recommended in high doses during pregnancy.

Some women continue to drink green tea during pregnancy despite the potential risks. And, some doctors would tell them that a moderate amount, such as up to three cups per day, is fine. However it is better to be safe than sorry, therefore you may not want to indulge in green tea when pregnant. This is a matter that should be discussed with your obstetrician. There are other healthy alternatives to drinking green tea when pregnant. Milk, fruit juice and water are all good choices for expecting moms.

When deciding whether or not green tea during pregnancy is acceptable, one must take into consideration all the potential side effects. Pregnancy is no time to take risks with your health. While green tea is considered very healthy for people who are not pregnant, those who are should probably avoid tea in general. Of course, your doctor should be the one to tell you if you should give up tea or not. If you are a tea lover the good news is that you will only have to give it up for nine months!



The Complete Guide to Green Tea




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The Complete Guide to Green Tea




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