IS IT SAFE TO DRINK HOT TEA DURING PREGNANCY ?
Learn how to make safe vegan hot tea during pregnancy & how much to drink. And discover teas to avoid during pregnancy.
One of the most popular drinks in the world is tea , which many pregnant women continue to drink . Some women drink it to relax or to help them get the extra fluids they need during pregnancy. However, a fraction of women seem to utilize tea as a natural medicine for pregnancy-related symptoms or as a tonic to get ready for labor in the latter weeks of pregnancy.
Many people might think that since tea is natural, it is definitely safe to consume while pregnant . Is hot tea really safe during pregnancy ?
It depends ! You should Limit your consumption of caffeinated teas like black, green, white, matcha, chai, and oolong teas . Generally do not exceed daily caffeine intake of 300mg (100mg for sensitive women ) . Secondly you should avoid some herbal teas that may have dangerous side effects and we will explain this after . Finally you should avoid some teas contaminated with undesirable compounds, such as heavy metals or herbs linked to poor pregnancy outcomes .
On this page:
- How To Make A Pregnancy Tea ( Recipe )
- How Much Hot Tea Can A Pregnant Woman Drink ?
- Can Pregnant Women Drink Green Tea ?
- What Teas Should You Avoid When Pregnant ?
How To Make A Pregnancy Hot Tea ( Recipe )
Before the recipe we should know what teas are safe to drink while pregnant . As long as a woman’s daily caffeine intake does not go over 300 mg, the majority of caffeinated teas are considered safe to drink while pregnant. But Women who are particularly sensitive to caffeine may benefit from limiting their caffeine consumption to no more than 100 mg per day.
Raspberry leaf, peppermint, ginger, and lemon balm teas are considered possibly or likely safe during pregnancy. However, in the first trimester of pregnancy, raspberry leaf and peppermint teas should be avoided .
Now let’s go for our safe Pregnancy Hot Tea recipe :
Ingredients : (1 Servings )
To benefit from the advantages of a hot tea while pregnant , here is a super delicious vegan recipe :
- 1 teaspoon lemon balm leaf finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger root finely chopped
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
Nutritional values (per serving) :
- Serving : 250ml ;
- Calories :92 ;
- protein : 9g;
- carbohydrates : 5.1g ;
- Dietary Fiber : 8.5g ;
- Total Sugar : 4.2g ;
- Total Fat : 2.5g ;
- Saturated Fat : 0g ;
- cholesterol : 0mg;
- sodium : 162 mg ;
- Vitamin D : 1mcg ;
- Calcium : 456mg ;
- Iron : 2mg ;
- Potassium : 275mg ;
Method :
- In a tea ball or infuser, combine lemon balm leaves and ginger root.
- Fill your cup with your chosen infuser. Pour boiling water into the cup with the ingredients.
- Set aside for 10-15 minutes, covered with a lid to retain the heat in. Take out the infuser.
- Servehot or cold with ice cubes .
Credit : Image by Freepik
How Much Hot Tea Can A Pregnant Woman Drink ?
For caffeinated teas (black, green, white, matcha, chai, and oolong ) you should limit your daily caffeine intake to not exceed 300 mg for normal women and 100mg for women who are particularly sensitive to caffeine .
Below is a chart that shows approximately the amount of caffeine per cup of tea :
| Tea | Caffeine per cup (240 mL) |
| Black Tea | 47–53 mg |
| Green Tea | 29–49 mg |
| White Tea | 25–50 mg |
| Chai | 47–53 mg |
| Matcha | 60–80 mg |
| Oolong Tea | 38–58 mg |
For non caffeinated teas the best advice is to limit yourself to one or two cups of safe herbal tea (Raspberry leaf, peppermint, ginger, and lemon balm teas ) per day (1).
Can Pregnant Women Drink Green Tea ?
Yes , Green tea is safe for your baby during pregnancy. But as we said before you should limit your daily caffeine intake to not exceed 300 mg for normal women and 100mg for women who are particularly sensitive to caffeine . One cup of green tea is about 29-49 mg of caffeine .
What Teas Should You Avoid When Pregnant ?
Some non caffeinated herbal tea contain compounds that are considered unsafe during pregnancy, which may result in dangerous side effects.
Below is a chart that shows some herbal teas (you should avoid ) and their risky side effects :
| Herbal Tea | Side Effects |
| motherwort ,lovage , frankincense . | Menstrual bleeding |
| fennel , fenugreek , sage , vervain , borage , pennyroyal , licorice , thyme , motherwort , lovage , blue cohosh , black cohosh , frankincense (in large amounts) , chamomile (in large amounts) |
Premature labor or miscarriage |
| motherwort , borage | Birth defects |
| Sweet taste, good for beginners . | Rich in fats . |
| Creamy, nutrient-rich, and easily accessible. | A little expensive . |
More ! Avoid teas contaminated with undesirable substances such heavy metals or herbs that have been associated with unfavorable pregnancy outcomes. Also some herbal teas could also contain substances that have interactions with medicines . Finally if you are not sure talk to your doctor and avoid all teas that haven’t been determined to be probably safe for pregnancy .
Best Pregnancy Hot Tea (Safe)
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon lemon balm leaf finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger root finely chopped
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- In a tea ball or infuser, combine lemon balm leaves and ginger root.
- Fill your cup with your chosen infuser. Pour boiling water into the cup with the ingredients.
- Set aside for 10-15 minutes, covered with a lid to retain the heat in.Take out the infuser.
- Serve with ice cubes, hot or cold.
Notes
Source :
- Written By Alina Petre Medically Reviewed By Miho Hatanaka, RDN, L.D. : Is Tea Safe During Pregnancy? ( April 28, 2020)
www.healthline.com/
Disclaimer : This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. smoothiesjuice.com does not claim responsibility for this information.
