Using Green Tea While Pregnant
Using green tea substances during pregnancy has been a controversy for some time. Some people think using it while carrying a baby is perfectly acceptable while others think it is dangerous.
The best way to make the decision as to whether or not it is appropriate to use while carrying a baby is to examine its pros and cons. This will help you make the right choice while you care for your unborn baby.
Pros and Cons of Green Tea while Pregnant
This substance offers many health benefits to a woman, even if she is pregnant. This substance promotes healthy teeth, prevents onslaught of cancer. It also contributes to regulation of blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure levels.
This product also helps speed up the body’s metabolism rate and provides a natural source of energy. It could possibly help stabilize a pregnant woman’s moods, which has not been proven but if so would probably be the best advantage.
However, using this product also has a few slight disadvantages. One main concern about drinking green tea is the caffeine that it contains. Although the amount of caffeine in green tea is on average about 30 to 60 percent less than coffee. However, moderation is recommended.
That is not the only concern presented to users. Green tea contains EGCG which reacts with the enzyme DHFR, which causes deactivation of this enzyme.
This in turn leads to the reduction of folate, which is necessary to the healthy development of a fetus. This is another reason to watch your consumption of green tea if you want to deliver a healthy baby.
Furthermore, excess consumption of green tea during pregnancy could counteract with processes which require Iron and Calcium. In order not to interfere with proper fetal growth and development, this is another reason to use green tea in moderation.
On the other hand, a moderate amount of green tea can help you keep your immune system built up. This will further help prevent any infectious disease or cancer from forming during your term.
Recommendations Usage Tips
Two to three cups per day of green tea is considered a safe amount to drink. The decaffeinated form would be best but a very small amount of caffeine is perfectly acceptable.
It is said to be especially safe after the first month or so of pregnancy. However, you can never be too cautious, so it is highly recommended that you wait until after the first trimester to consume this beverage.
Furthermore, you can take other action. For instance, eating enough varieties of foods including those rich in folic acid would be to your benefit especially if you want to reap the benefits of green tea.
You can also employ a variety of other herbs that are safe to use while you are pregnant. Some of these include red raspberry, peppermint, or lemon balm. All of these have great benefits to a woman and an unborn child and one or more of these would taste great mixed with green tea leaves.