While drinking any caffeinated beverage is not encouraged during pregnancy, green tea is an exception. When a pregnant woman imbibes it in moderation, green tea can be beneficial to the health and well-being of both mother and child.
Benefits versus Risks
Limiting green tea drinking to one cup a day will provide pregnant women with the drink's benefits while preventing the negative side effects, such as neural tube defect caused by an insufficiency of folic acid in the diet. Folic acid aids in the development of the neural tube, protecting the baby against spina bifida by allowing the enzyme known as DHFR to be produced. Green tea contains the catechin, or metabolite, ECGC, which inhibits DHFR, making substantial intake of the drink potentially harmful to the developing fetus; a cup a day, however, shouldn't pose a problem.
An average cup of green tea contains around 15 milligrams of caffeine, compared to a cup of coffee with 100 milligrams. Fifteen milligrams is an acceptable amount of daily caffeine intake for a pregnant woman, though if you are still concerned, naturally decaffeinated green tea is also available for purchase.
Green Tea and Blood Sugar
Pregnancy hormones are liable to create a cellular resistance to insulin, which in turn elevates blood sugar. This can cause what's known as gestational diabetes, or temporary high blood sugar levels during pregnancy. This in turn causes the baby to have high blood sugar, which can lead to a baby with macrosomia or excessive birth weight. These babies are at risk for breathing problems, obesity, and Type 2 diabetes. Most cases of gestational diabetes cease upon delivery of the baby.
Drinking green tea controls the body's blood sugar levels. Several clinical studies have found that daily intake of green tea lowers the hemoglobin A1c level in individuals with borderline diabetes. If diabetes has already developed in the pregnant woman, a cup of green tea a day can slows its progress.
Green Tea and Cholesterol
Blood cholesterol increases with food intake. Since a pregnant woman is eating for two (at least), higher cholesterol and blood pressure become risks. Due to the fact that green tea consumption lowers cholesterol and raises high-density lipoprotein (so-called "good" cholesterol), it is recommended that pregnant women add it to their diets. In addition, green tea blocks low-density lipoprotein ("bad" cholesterol) and actually aids in its excretion.
Green Tea and Healthy Gums
Pregnant women often suffer from periodontal (gum) disease, making speech and eating difficult. The anti-inflammatory properties of green tea, however, help prevent gum disease. Healthy teeth are another benefit of green tea consumption.
Green Tea and the Immune System
Green tea is a well-known cancer-fighter, speeding up the body's metabolism and strengthening the immune system. Drinking moderate amounts of the substance during pregnancy will boost energy levels, ward off colds and infections and prevent cancers from forming for the full nine-month gestational period.
No comments:
Post a Comment