Can You Drink Green Tea While Pregnant?

Drinking green tea keeps you hydrated, gives your immune system a boost of antioxidants, and can help keep your caffeine intake down.
So let’s take a closer look at drinking green tea while pregnant, and the pros and cons of replacing your morning coffee with this refreshing beverage.

In this article: 📝

Is green tea safe in pregnancy?

Can you have green tea while pregnant? Yes.

You might have heard that green tea causes pregnancy loss, but there’s no official evidence to support this.

Whether it’s loose-leaf, from a teabag, or in matcha powder form, there’s nothing to suggest that green tea should be completely off the pregnancy menu.

However, as you might have noticed by now, there’s usually a big ‘but’ when it comes to certain foods and drinks in pregnancy.

You might have been told that when you’re pregnant, it’s best to drink green tea in moderation. So what exactly is going on?

If your doctor is suggesting that they would rather you stick to 1-2 cups of green tea a day, it’s usually for the following two reasons:

Caffeine

We know that caffeine crosses the placenta and that it’s tough for your little peanut to process.

We also know that caffeine can make a lot of pregnancy symptoms, including heartburn, headaches, and needing to pee all the time, even worse.

So cutting down on caffeine benefits you as much as your little one.

A popular way to reduce your caffeine intake is to swap a cup of coffee for a cup of tea. If you choose to do this, just remember that all teas, whether they’re hot or iced, black, white, or even green, still contain some caffeine.

The 25-45 mg of caffeine in green tea is nothing compared to the 200mg in a coffee, or even the 100mg in black tea, but it still counts towards your daily total.

By the way, there’s no definitive amount of caffeine that’s safe during pregnancy, but most doctors will say roughly 200mg a day, or give more general advice and say between 150 and 300mg per day.

Does green tea affect folic acid absorption?

When people get concerned about whether you can have green tea while pregnant, it’s usually about the catechins.

Catechins are antioxidants (good news) but they can affect how efficiently your body absorbs folic acid (not such good news, especially during pregnancy).

Folic acid is a vitamin that helps to form your baby’s neural tube (their future brain and spinal cord).

So although the risk of drinking green tea in moderation is low, some mamas-to-be choose to avoid it, especially in the first trimester, to give their bodies the best chance of absorbing as much folate and folic acid from their diet and prenatal vitamins as possible.

What teas are safe to drink while pregnant?

Is tea good for pregnancy in general? The answer is a little bit more complicated than a simple yes or no.

It’s probably best to stay away from any herbal teas that are marketed as medicine.

They’re generally unregulated, so it’s impossible to know how strong they are.

But there are lots of teas that you can buy in the supermarket that are considered safe during pregnancy, and can even help to manage some of the less glamorous pregnancy symptoms.

Which tea is good for pregnancy nausea?

Ginger tea has been used for generations to help with nausea, including pregnancy sickness.

If you’re struggling, it’s probably the first tip that you’ll hear from your friends and relatives (although if you’ve been suffering from nausea for several weeks, you’re probably sick of hearing it).

Which tea is good for digestion?

The extra progesterone in your system during early pregnancy slows down your digestive system, which can lead to bloating, heartburn, and constipation.

Lots of people drink a soothing cup of peppermint tea after meals to make themselves feel more comfortable.

What tea is good for sleep while pregnant?

Anxiety. Discomfort. Unexplained insomnia.

Pregnancy is often exhausting, but it can also make it tough to fall asleep.

A classic tea to help with this is relaxing chamomile, and it’s also generally considered safe during pregnancy.

So there you have it. While there are things to consider when it comes to drinking green tea while pregnant, in moderation, it’s a great alternative to coffee and black tea.

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