Caffeine in tea pregnancy

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 (1).

Many may believe that tea is probably safe to drink while pregnant because it’s 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 (240 mL) (2, 3, 4, 5, 6):

matcha: 60–80 mg
oolong tea: 38–58 mg
black tea: 47–53 mg
chai: 47–53 mg
white tea: 25–50 mg
green tea: 29–49 mg

Caffeine can easily cross the placenta, and your baby’s 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.

Research suggests that infants exposed to too much caffeine during pregnancy may have a higher risk of being born preterm or with a low birth weight or birth defects. High caffeine intake during pregnancy may also increase the risk of miscarriage or stillbirth (7, 8, 9).

These risks appear minimal when pregnant women limit their caffeine intake to a maximum of 300 mg per day (8).

However, some women’s genetics may make them more sensitive to the ill effects of caffeine. For instance, research suggests that this small proportion of women may have a 2.4 times higher risk of miscarriage when consuming 100–300 mg of caffeine per day (8).

Caffeinated teas contain less caffeine than coffee and are generally considered safe to drink during pregnancy. However, their intake may need to be limited to avoid consuming too much caffeine per day (10, 11).

summary
Black, green, matcha, oolong, white, and chai teas contain caffeine, a stimulant that should be limited during pregnancy. Although they’re generally safe, women may benefit from limiting their daily intake of these caffeinated teas during pregnancy.

Herbal teas are made from dried fruits, flowers, spices, or herbs and therefore contain no caffeine. However, they may contain other compounds considered unsafe during pregnancy, which may result in risky side effects.

Miscarriage or preterm labor

Teas that may increase your risk of miscarriage or preterm labor include (11, 12, 13, 14, 15):

fennel
fenugreek
sage
vervain
borage
pennyroyal
licorice
thyme
motherwort
lovage
blue cohosh
black cohosh
frankincense (in large amounts)
chamomile (in large amounts)

Menstrual bleeding

Teas that may stimulate or increase menstrual bleeding include (12, 16, 17):

motherwort
lovage
frankincense

Birth defects

Teas that may increase the risk of birth defects include (12):

motherwort
borage

Other side effects

Moreover, in rare cases, eucalyptus tea may cause nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. What’s more, a case report suggests that regularly drinking chamomile tea during pregnancy may result in poor blood flow through a baby’s heart (1, 12).

Certain herbal teas may also contain compounds that interact with medications. Therefore, pregnant women should inform their healthcare providers of any herbal teas they are currently consuming or planning on consuming at any time during pregnancy (1).

Keep in mind that, due to the limited amount of research on the safety of herbal teas, a lack of evidence of negative side effects shouldn’t be seen as proof that the tea is safe to drink during pregnancy.

Until more is known, it may be best for pregnant women to remain cautious and avoid drinking any teas that have not yet been shown to be likely safe during pregnancy (18).

summary
Certain herbal teas may be linked to a higher risk of upset stomach, menstrual bleeding, miscarriage, birth defects, or preterm birth. Pregnant women may benefit from avoiding all teas not yet deemed as likely safe for pregnancy.

Teas are not strictly tested or regulated. This means that women may be inadvertently drinking teas contaminated with unwanted compounds, such as heavy metals (19, 20).

For instance, one study tested common off-the-shelf black, green, white, and oolong teas. It found that 20% of all samples were contaminated with aluminum. Moreover, 73% of all samples contained lead levels considered unsafe during pregnancy (21).

In another study, women with the highest intake of green and herbal teas during the first trimester of pregnancy had 6–14% higher blood lead levels than those who drank the least. That said, all blood lead levels remained within the normal range (20).

Due to the lack of regulation, there’s also a risk of herbal teas containing ingredients not listed on the label. This increases the risk that pregnant women end up inadvertently consuming a tea tainted with an undesirable herb, such as the ones listed above.

It’s currently impossible to eliminate this risk. However, you may somewhat minimize it by only purchasing teas from reputable brands.

What’s more, it’s likely best to avoid purchasing teas in bulk, as they have a higher risk of becoming mixed with tea leaves that may be contraindicated during pregnancy from adjacent bulk bins.

summary
The manufacturing of teas is not regulated. As a result, teas may become tainted with unwanted compounds, such as heavy metals or herbs that have been linked to poor pregnancy outcomes.

Most caffeinated teas are considered safe to drink during pregnancy, as long as they do not cause a woman’s total daily caffeine intake to exceed 300 mg (8, 11).

Women who are particularly sensitive to caffeine may benefit from aiming for a maximum of 100 mg of caffeine per day (8).

When it comes to herbal teas, there’s not a lot of research regarding their effects during pregnancy. As such, most health professionals advise pregnant women to avoid consuming any herb in amounts greater than you would find in foods (1, 12, 18).

That said, according to a few studies, herbal teas containing the following ingredients may be safe to consume during pregnancy:

Raspberry leaf. This tea is considered likely safe and believed to shorten labor and help prepare the uterus for birth. Research shows that it may shorten the length of the second stage of labor, but only by about 10 minutes (11, 22).
Peppermint. This tea is considered likely safe and commonly used to help relieve gas, nausea, stomach pain, or heartburn. However, no studies could be found to support these benefits (12).
Ginger. Ginger is one of the most studied herb remedies during pregnancy and considered possibly safe. Research suggests it reduces nausea and vomiting but, when consumed dried, should not exceed 1 gram per day (1, 12).
Lemon balm. This tea is considered possibly safe and commonly used to relieve anxiety, irritability, and insomnia. However, no study could be found to support these uses, and its safety hasn’t been studied in pregnancy (11).

Although generally considered safe, raspberry leaf may promote uterine contractions while peppermint may stimulate menstrual flow. Therefore, there’s some controversy regarding whether these teas are safe during the first trimester of pregnancy (12, 23).

Therefore, it may be best to avoid drinking these two teas in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

summary
Herbal teas considered to be possibly safe or likely safe during pregnancy include raspberry leaf, peppermint, ginger, and lemon balm teas. However, it may be best to avoid raspberry leaf and peppermint teas in the first trimester of pregnancy.

Despite their widespread popularity, not all teas are deemed safe for pregnancy.

Caffeinated teas like black, green, white, matcha, and chai teas are generally considered safe. However, their intake may need to be limited to avoid ingesting excessive amounts of caffeine.

Most herbal teas should be avoided. Raspberry leaf, peppermint, ginger, and lemon balm tea are the only ones currently deemed as potentially safe. However, women may benefit from avoiding the first two during their first trimester of pregnancy.

Caffeine in tea, coffee may be equally risky to fetus

By Anne Harding, Reuters Health

5 Min Read

(Reuters Health) - Pregnant women who consume caffeine - whether it’s from coffee or tea - have smaller babies than those who abstain from the stimulant during pregnancy, new research suggests.

Even women who took in less than 200 milligrams of caffeine, the safe cutoff during pregnancy according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), had a significantly increased risk of delivering prematurely or having a low-birthweight baby.

“Based on the consistent associations we observed, and because many pregnancies are unplanned, we would recommend women who are pregnant or seeking to become pregnant to at least limit their intakes of caffeinated coffee and tea,” lead study author Ling-Wei Chen, a researcher at University College Dublin in Ireland, said in an email.

The study cannot prove cause and effect, he cautioned. But several previous studies have linked caffeine exposure in the womb to negative effects, Chen and his colleagues write in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

In most of those studies, coffee was the main caffeinated beverage consumed.

For the current study, Chen’s team looked at 941 mother-child pairs born in Ireland, where people drink more tea than coffee. Nearly half of the mothers in the study drank tea, while about 40 percent drank coffee.

Every additional 100 milligrams of caffeine consumed daily during the first trimester of pregnancy was associated with a 72-gram (2.5 ounce) lower birth weight, as well as significantly lower gestational age, birth length and head circumference.

Women who took in the most caffeine had babies weighing about 170 grams (6 ounces) less than those who consumed the least, the researchers found. Whether the caffeine came from coffee or tea made no difference to the results.

“High caffeine intake can result in restricted blood flow in the placenta which may subsequently affect fetal growth,” Chen explained. “Caffeine can also cross the placenta readily, and because caffeine clearance slows as pregnancy progresses, caffeine accumulation may occur in fetal tissues.”

One 12-ounce cup (355 ml) of brewed coffee contains about 200 mg of caffeine, but tea generally contains less caffeine and the amount can vary by type of tea and how long it was brewed. The Lipton Tea company, for example, says its black tea contains about 83 mg caffeine in a 12-ounce cup.

The public doesn’t seem to recognize tea’s caffeine content, said the study’s senior author, Catherine Phillips, a researcher at University College Dublin. “Thus, maternal intake of both tea and coffee need to be taken into account when trying to minimise overall caffeine intake during pregnancy. This is especially important where tea is the predominant caffeine source,” she told Reuters Health by email.

ACOG states that consuming less than 200 milligrams of caffeine per day in pregnancy “does not appear to be a major contributing factor in miscarriage or preterm birth.” The World Health Organization recommends that women consume less than 300 mg of caffeine daily in pregnancy.

“This paper and other papers show that this is likely too high,” said Dr. De-Kun Li, a senior scientist at the Kaiser Permanente Northern California division of research in Oakland, who wasn’t involved in the study. “Epidemiological findings based on self-reported caffeine consumption are usually not very precise. Thus, any cutoffs chosen by ACOG and WHO can only be considered as rough reference points. Biologically, it is unlikely that 300 mg is risky while 299 mg is safe,” Li said in a phone interview.

“The message to women I would prefer would be ‘the less the better,’” Li said. “Then the women can choose for themselves.”

Reports touting the health benefits of caffeine also need to include a caveat stating that it may be harmful in pregnancy, added Li, whose own research has linked caffeine consumption in pregnancy to miscarriage and childhood obesity. “My advice would be try to reduce as much as you can, if you can totally quit that would be even better.”

ACOG told Reuters Health that it reviews all of its recommendations every 18 to 24 months, includes all new research in its reviews, and makes adjustments to recommendations as needed. “Until that time, ACOG’s current guidance still stands. ”

SOURCE: bit.ly/2KpXsIg The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, online October 19, 2018.

Is coffee allowed for pregnant women? - KAPservis

Women are real coffee addicts. Some people like to drink bitter espresso in the morning, while others prefer coffee drinks with milk, such as latte or macchiato. Coffee really helps to cheer up and start work in a good mood. But what to do when you feel sleepy during pregnancy, and everyone around you says that coffee and pregnancy are incompatible. Is it so? And how does coffee coffee actually affect the body of pregnant women?

Let's try to find out whether pregnant women can drink coffee, in what quantities and whether there is a possibility to replace this drink with something.

How much coffee can I take during pregnancy?

Pregnant women and those trying to conceive are advised by doctors to limit their caffeine intake. And this applies not only to coffee, but also to black tea. The American non-profit organization March of Dimes conducted a study in which it turned out that drinking coffee during pregnancy is possible, but not more than 200 ml per day, which is equal to 1 cup.

Coffee can even be beneficial for pregnant women in small doses. Especially in cases where a woman suffers from low blood pressure. Therefore, a small cup of invigorating elixir will not hurt. For nausea, you can also add a slice of lemon.

Where else is caffeine found?

As already noted, caffeine is found not only in coffee, but also in tea. We invite you to read the data, which shows how much caffeine is in some products:

brewed coffee (200 ml) - 137 mg;
instant coffee (200 ml) - 76 mg;
brewed tea (200 ml) - 48 mg;
tea bags (200 ml) - 26 to 36 mg;
caffeinated soft drinks (336 ml) - 37 mg;
chocolate milk (200 ml) - 5-8 mg;
dark chocolate (in 41 g) - 30 mg;
milk chocolate (in 43 g) - 11 mg;
chocolate syrup (1 tablespoon) - 3 mg;
coffee ice cream - 2 mg.

That is, if you drank a cup of coffee 200 ml, then the consumption of caffeine per day should be limited. But with a cup of tea, you can also eat a few cubes of chocolate.

Why is coffee dangerous for pregnant women?

So, we have already found out how much drink can be consumed per day, but we still have not told about the risks of caffeine use by a pregnant woman.

Excessive coffee consumption during pregnancy can lead to:

Anemia . Tea and coffee contain phenols that interfere with the absorption of iron. According to WHO, from 21% to 80% of pregnant women suffer from iron deficiency anemia, which leads to functional disorders of the systems and organs. And the use of undesirable products only exacerbates the situation.

Insomnia . According to statistics, 78% of pregnant women experience insomnia. Problems can be both physiological (convulsions, hormonal changes, back pain) and psychological (fear of change, fear of childbirth). And since coffee is a stimulant, the situation with sleep can worsen even more.

Heartburn . Coffee already stimulates the secretion of stomach acid, which often causes heartburn. During pregnancy, the body needs two to three times longer to clear caffeine.

Risk of miscarriage . In 2008, media reports circulated that drinking coffee during pregnancy increased the risk of miscarriage. Thus, women who drank more than a cup of the drink a day had a 2-fold increased risk of miscarriage compared to those who did not drink caffeine at all. However, more than one study has been conducted on this subject, and some of them did not catch the connection of coffee with a possible miscarriage at all.

Low weight baby . Some studies have found that high caffeine intake during gestation results in a low birth weight baby. But these data also do not have a scientific evidence base.

Rapid heart rate in a newborn . In babies whose mothers consumed 500 mg of caffeine or more during pregnancy, rapid breathing and heartbeat were recorded. However, in the absence of defects, this disappears a few days after birth.

What can replace coffee?

If, nevertheless, it was decided that pregnancy and coffee are incompatible, then the logical question arises of what to replace it with. Perhaps the best alternative is chicory, a herbaceous plant with medicinal properties. It has a slight coffee flavor, but does not contain caffeine. If you dream of a good coffee machine, then renting a capsule coffee machine from KAPservis will be exactly the option that you have been looking for!

Listen to your body and, of course, the doctor - and then you and your baby will be healthy!

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is it still possible or not?

June 16, 2022 12:23 Olga Muraya

There are a number of strict dietary restrictions during pregnancy, but it is not necessary to completely eliminate coffee from your daily diet.
Photo by Anna Civolani/Unsplash.

Researchers confirm that drinking coffee during pregnancy poses no serious risks to the mother and her unborn child.

An international team of scientists has determined that daily coffee consumption does not increase the risk of preterm birth, miscarriage or stillbirth.

Researchers claim that pregnant women can safely drink coffee at least every day without fear of side effects. But it is still necessary to limit its consumption to the recommended rate.

Recall that WHO recommends that pregnant women consume no more than 300 mg of caffeine per day. In the United States and some European countries, the maximum dose of caffeine is even less - 200 mg per day.

In general, these recommendations are equivalent to 1-3 cups of coffee per day, although the amount of caffeine in different coffee drinks can vary greatly.

Previous recommendations were based on observational studies. They make it difficult to separate coffee consumption from other risk factors such as smoking, alcohol or poor diet.

The authors of the new study wanted to find out whether coffee itself actually increases the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

They relied on a study that confirmed that a certain set of genetic variants influences how much coffee we drink.

Of course, the researchers couldn't ask women to drink the prescribed amount of coffee during pregnancy to assess health risks. This would be highly unethical.

Instead, they used genetic analysis to mimic a randomized controlled trial. Let us explain that this is the highest quality standard of scientific work in the view of modern scientists.

The researchers used a method called Mendelian randomization. ( It is named after the eminent biologist Gregor Mendel. ) Scientists have studied whether eight genetic variants that predict how much a pregnant woman consumes coffee are also associated with birth outcomes.