The good and the bad of consuming green tea in pregnancy

Unlike medicines, which are investigated in depth and based on these investigations are considered suitable or not for use in pregnant women, herbal infusions are not they undergo sufficient studies to tilt the scales towards one or the other side, so the side effects they may cause and / or their s

Unlike medicines, which are investigated in depth and based on these investigations are considered suitable or not for use in pregnant women, herbal infusions are not they undergo sufficient studies to tilt the scales towards one or the other side, so the side effects they may cause and / or their safety during pregnancy are unknown. So, is it safe to drink green tea during pregnancy?Can you drink green tea during pregnancy?

Teas, whether black, green or red, like coffee are the most studied infusions, since they are the most consumed.

These drinks are characterized by containing caffeine, approximately 25-50mg per cup in the case of tea, depending on the time left in infusion. Studies conducted in pregnant women show that

exceeding 200mg of caffeine daily also increases the risk of abortion and premature delivery por, so it is not recommended to exceed this dose. Caffeine is also diuretic, so it can lead to dehydration if the pregnant woman does not ingest enough water through the diet. In addition, an excessive consumption of caffeine can put the liver in a compromised situation, since it performs more functions during pregnancy than under normal conditions, and can be stressed and overloaded by having to process high amounts of this substance. High consumption of green tea has been linked to babies born with neural tube defects,such as spina bifida, since green tea hinders the absorption of folic acid. Since this vitamin is extremely important during the first 12 weeks - and those prior to pregnancy to keep folic acid stores full - it is advisable to limit its consumption at least during the first 3 months of pregnancy. It also hinders the absorption of non-heme iron, which can be a problem if the expectant mother follows a vegetarian diet or if she is predisposed to suffer from anemia, especially in the third trimester of pregnancy.

Another disadvantage of green tea is that, when containing caffeine, it is a stimulant y, and, although under normal conditions it may not be a problem, towards the end of pregnancy, when the difficulties to fall asleep appear, it may be convenient to decrease the dose. Compared to black tea, green tea contains a slightly lower amount of caffeine, so, discarding part of the water from the first infusion, in which more caffeine is released, it could be said that it barely contains this substance. Green tea contains polyphenols that prevent cardiovascular disease

, and antioxidants that slow down cell aging and protect against certain types of cancer and diabetes. In addition, consuming green tea is also consuming a good amount of water, and a good state of hydration in pregnancy prevents or reduces fluid retention, constipation, the headaches of the first trimester and high blood pressure.Consume 3 or 4 cups of green tea during pregnancy seems to be safe

, even more so if the water is eliminated from the first infusion.