Drinking green tea daily can provide a number of benefits for folks. But consuming green tea during pregnancy brings up some debate on whether or not it can be harmful for a developing baby.
Along with the information on this page, please consult your doctor about drinking green tea while pregnant!
Let's have a quick glance look at what green tea can do for us:
helps lower cholesterol
reduces blood pressure
boosts the immune system and can help ward off viruses and disease
can help reduce the risk of developing certain cancers
aids in weight loss by increasing thermogenesis and dissolving fatty tissues
All the above seems great right? And if you are pregnant (my congratulations!), you may not see a problem since, if green tea helps you, it will help your developing child...but here is the problem.
Epigallocatechins
A certain compound in green tea which gives it its cancer fighting potential called epigallocatechins (EGCG) is what may put the baby at risk.
What EGCG may be doing is binding with an important property called folate. Simply put, folate is sort of like a DNA regulator as it helps prevent cancer as well as birth defects and is important during the pregnancy stage.
What EGCG is believed to do is inactivate enzymes in the body which then compromises how the body uses folate. It is often recommended that folate supplements should be taken a few months before trying to conceive, but it is equally important that you watch your folate levels once pregnant as too much can be harmful resulting in anemia.
Tannic Acid And Caffeine
Green tea also contains tannic acid that when consumed in excess amounts can increase the risk of a miscarriage and other fertility problems. A Danish study found that drinking 8 or more cups a day is the amount that can lead to such problems.
Caffeine is another property in green tea that when taken in large quantities can cause complications according to a 1996 to 1998 study from Kaiser Permanent. However, green tea contains little caffeine to begin with, and it has been shown that a certain amount of caffeine can actually be helpful. Drinking a cup or so of green tea during pregnancy daily should not pose any danger. Basically, it's all about watching and balancing your levels.
So, Lay Off The Green Tea?
Not really, some good news about drinking green tea before pregnancy is that it can help double the chances of conceiving according to another 1998 study conducted by Kaiser Permanent Medical Care.
If you are unsure about caffeine consumption while pregnant, then you may want to check out some herbal teas such as olive leaf tea, rooibos, or organic peppermint tea. All three contain zero caffeine, offer health benefits, and taste pretty good too.
All in all, the above is what may happen if you drink too much green tea. I do not want to mislead or scare anyone away from tea. However, I felt it was important to state the facts of what may come to be if you are not careful. Once again, watching your levels and consulting your doctor's advice about drinking green tea while pregnant is always recommended for a healthy baby!
Green tea during pregnancy should be safe, so long as you're not overdoing it.
