Is Green Tea Safe During Pregnancy?

My article in oneindia.com:  http://www.boldsky.com/pregnancy-parenting/prenatal/2013/green-tea-safe-during-pregnancy-033131.html

The moment you know you are pregnant, each and everything you have done for years will fall under  suspicion and doubt since you always prefer to do the best for your baby.One common doubt among pregnant women is about the safety and health aspects of drinking green tea during pregnancy. 

It was considered that  green tea is completely beneficial to your health during pregnancy because of the high amount of antioxidants. But, certain recent studies suggest that too much intake of green tea during pregnancy may not be good for your health. So it is always better to be cautious than taking risk when you are pregnant. Take green tea in moderation during pregnancy.Here, we may go through certain facts which make green tea a culprit during pregnancy.

Is Green Tea Safe During Pregnancy?  

1.Affect folic acid levels: Increased intake of green tea may affect the body's folic acid levels. Folate deficiency may cause neural tube defects in babies, such as spina bifida, where the tube around the central nervous system fails to close completely.

2.Effect of caffeine: Remember that green tea also has caffeine in a moderate amount. Experts recommend keeping the intake of caffeine to a moderate amount during pregnancy. It is the same in the case of green tea as well.

3.Affect absorption of iron: Too much of green tea may affect your health as it can decrease the absorption of iron in our body. Since iron is very important during pregnancy, it is recommended to take green tea only in moderation during pregnancy.

4.Low birth weight for baby: Increased intake of green tea is found associated with low birth weight of babies. This is considered as the effect of caffeine preset in the green tea. Green tea contains 20-50 mg of caffeine per serving depending on the varieties.

5.Dehydration: Since caffeine is a diuretic, increased intake of green tea may affect your health by making your body dehydrated. Diuretics cause increased excretion of water. To stay hydrated with good health, drink green tea only in moderation.

6.Caffeine crosses the placenta:Caffeine will reach  the baby through the blood circulation by crossing the placenta. Your baby’s metabolism is not mature enough and cannot fully metabolize the caffeine.

Since there are studies which show the risky outcomes of green tea during pregnancy, it is better to take it in moderate amounts during pregnancy. After all, becoming safe is better than confessing ‘sorry’ to your baby.

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Next article:  Can You Make Love During Pregnancy?

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