All Your Green Tea and Pregnancy Questions Answered

Green Tea and Pregnancy - Get the Facts!

Questions about green tea and pregnancy arise very often because pregnant mothers are worried about harming their unborn babies. Obviously this is a good thing that they're worried, and fortunately their is no need to worry!

However, you should be a little extra cautious as to HOW MUCH tea you consume. The reason some people think drinking tea during pregnancy is bad is because of the caffeine it contains and also because of how EGCG (epigallocatechins) affect the way folate is used in the body.

Folate helps to prevent neural tube birth defects in unborn babies.

Green Tea, Pregnancy & EGCG

EGCG molecules are structurally similar to methotrexate, which kills cancer cells by chemically bonding with enzyme dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) which is an enzyme contained in the body. The problem is that since EGCG is similar to methotextrate, it also bonds with DHFR which inactivates it. By inactivating it, the body can't use folate properly.

Green tea and pregnancy studies have been conducted and there are mixed reviews, as with almost anything in life. However, the studies in which green tea has negative side effects is only if you are drinking more than 6 cups six per day.

Solution? Drink only 1-2 cups per day, or if you want to drink a few more you can follow my decaffeinating tips.

In a study done by the Yale University School of Medicine, they found that drinking even a small amount such as 2 cups of day may target a substantial amount of cancer cells. How's that for good news!

Drink With Green Tea With Caution

Drinking heavy amounts of caffeine while pregnant may cause things such as low birth weight, stillbirth and miscarriages. However, moderate amounts (2 cups or less) are shown to be fine.

Remember to stop drinking soda and coffee which have higher caffeine contents than tea. In my opinion the only things you should be drinking while pregnant are small amounts of tea, lots of water, and maybe some juices so you can give your baby the nutrients it needs.

Another option is to choose Herbal Tea or Rooibos Tea to drink while you are pregnant. That way you get tons of health benefits, but with no caffeine so you won't have to worry about your baby's health!

More Pregnacy & Tea Articles

We have some more information on Tea and Pregnancy you may find useful. Here is a list of the articles:

Chamomile Tea and Pregnancy

Herbal Tea and Pregnancy

Ginger Tea for Morning Sickness

Please be safe about anything you do during your pregnancy. Always consult your doctor before eating or drinking anything that has even the slightest chance of harming you or your baby. Although green tea and pregnancy can usually go together in small quantities, everybody's body chemistry is affected differently by different things.

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