A warm cup of tea has many accompanying benefits. There are obvious benefits, like a calming and soothing feeling upon consumption, and others, like its detoxifying nature.
But having said that, should expectant mothers drink tea, and if yes, how should they drink tea during pregnancy? This question needs to be answered earnestly, and this is our attempt at solving the mystery that has kick-started many debates.
How much tea should you drink during your pregnancy?
There are just too many varieties to choose from when it comes to teas. This means the more open you are to different choices, the harder it becomes to pinpoint the suitable variety for yourself. However, there is a simple rule of thumb when deciding the right mix for you: It shouldn’t cross a minimum threshold of 200 mg of caffeine, as that is the maximum caffeine intake stipulated by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
This means there has to be pragmatically no repetition of your pre-pregnancy habits, which may have included shots of coffee at your whims and fancies! You may already know that the accepted norm for the consumption of coffee is a massive 400mg. Still, sadly, it isn’t applicable when you are pregnant, so do keep that in mind before you reach out for any extra serving of your favorite hot and soothingly warm poison.
What teas should you drink during your pregnancy?
Herbal and Green teas are pretty on top of the line when choosing a tea that would benefit you during your pregnancy days. They have repeatedly proven their worth and have yet to show any side effects based on regular consumption. Further, they are known to keep your weight and cravings in check, giving you so much more power over what you consume and ingest.
Before we go on to the teas you should consume during your pregnancy, there is a distinction between them that needs to be understood firsthand. Teas come in two major varieties: Herbal and non-herbal; let’s break them down.
Non-Herbal Teas
- Black Tea is the top of the line when it comes to non-herbal tea, and could easily be found in wide and varied blends. The foremost blends include Earl Grey, Orange Pekoe, and English Breakfast.
- Green tea also falls under this category and tastes far better than its black and simplistic variant.
- Non-herbal teas – depending on their type – are either rich in antioxidants, like the green variety, or are rich in caffeine, like that of the black variety. You should avoid one with too much caffeine for the reasons mentioned above.
- Decaf versions of these teas also have caffeine and aren’t entirely devoid, so keep that in mind before you lay your hands on it.
Herbal Teas
- They come from any other part of the plant except for the leaves (Which comprise the non-herbal teas). It could include roots, berries, seeds, or flowers.
- They are usually devoid of caffeine, as long as they are herbal teas and not a cheap intonation of one like the mate tea.
- They are known to possess healing properties and are quite popular amongst TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) users.
So, which is the safer of the two? Let’s take a rain check on the various benefits that they provide on an individual basis.
Non-Herbal Teas
They do have anti-oxidants; there is no way to circumvent that fact, but that comes with a trade-off: The amount of caffeine in the tea. For those of you who love tea, it may be quite a big problem; after all, excessive caffeine leads to many health hazards, constipation being the primary one among them.
Caffeine in your body acts detrimentally; once it reaches inside your body, there’s a possibility that it may get the baby through the placenta. Babies aren’t able to process caffeine the way adults can, and hence, they may experience some indigestion issues. Further, if you are consuming caffeine during your breastfeeding days, then it may lead to sleep deprivation in infants.
Even though doctors profess that caffeine consumption isn’t that insalubrious to the health of infants, we beg to differ. The negatives far outweigh the positives, and it isn’t worth your while to drink tea laden with sleep deprivation and dehydrating tendencies in the form of caffeine.
Herbal Teas
Herbal teas are naturally caffeine-free, which erodes the concerns regarding the consumption of caffeine. But the trade-off is no less severe in that many herbal teas – and the herbs related to them – haven’t been tested on pregnant mothers.
Most herbal teas are known to be safe for pregnant and lactating mothers – only if taken in moderation. You can rest assured of their efficacy as the FDA has a naturalistic proclivity to ban any health-affecting herbal teas it finds out. You may consult your surgeon if you intend to start an herbal tea plan that involves using a particular herb, the benefits of which are unknown to you.
Ensure that you stay away from herbal teas that spurious elements have made, aren’t commercially available, and are known to be potentially toxic based on scientific evidence collected that proclaims the same. Read up on some of the guidelines released by the FDA on the herb of your choosing, and ensure that you keep yourself adequately knowledgeable on the effects a particular herb has on your body.
Your attempt to stay healthy during the days of your pregnancy doesn’t just end with the intake of the proper tea, either herbal or non-herbal; many other metrics come into the picture, some of them way more critical than teas. The most important factor must be your dietary intake and the foods you should avoid during your pregnancy.
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