Is It Safe To Drink Starbucks While Pregnant?
Lots of women out there love their morning or afternoon coffee, but are caffeine-based drinks safe? If yes, how much is too much? Wouldn`t it be a great idea to know the Starbucks formula that would contain the exact amount of caffeine that is safe?
Whether or not your choice of Starbucks caffeine-based drink is a diet cola, coffee or latte, you might need something that will offer you the required energy to get you through the day.
According to Michele Hakakha, a certified obstetrician-gynecologist from Beverly Hills, caffeine while pregnant could be a problem if is consumed in high amounts. There is a lot of research that shows the fact that caffeine passed through the placenta and reaches the baby, which could harm his early-developing metabolism.
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Research on Pregnancy and Caffeine
Unlike studies made on chocolate consumed while pregnant, the evidence here is rather conflicting.
There was a study performed by The New England Journal of Medicine on 562 women who suffered a miscarriage between 6 and 12 weeks of pregnancy. Scientists discovered that over 5 cups of caffeine-based products increased the risk of miscarriage.
Now remember that is a lot of amount of coffee, perhaps a lot more than most people out there drink, and definitely not recommended for an expecting mother.
There was a study performed in 2001 which proved that drinking over 300 mg of coffee or other products based on caffeine during pregnancy almost doubled the risk of miscarriage during the 1st trimester.
Until 2008, it was believed that a couple of cups of caffeine-based drinks was alright while pregnant. Now, a research performed on Dr. De-Kun Li, a scientist from the Kaiser Permanent Division of Research highlighted a rather distinct idea.
This particular research was so unique because for the very 1st time pregnancy signs such as nausea, which frequently lead to a rather natural aversion to drinks based on caffeine, were taken into consideration so that scientists could take into account the real effect of coffee on the risk of miscarriage.
Taking a look at more than 1.000 expecting mothers, a research proven that women who drunk at least 200 mg of coffee a day had double their risk of miscarriage opposite to women who didn`t consumed any caffeine-based products. As a comparison, 200 mg of coffee is the same as over 2 cups of coffee or 5 12-ounce soda cans.
Other possible factors of risk involving miscarriages were also collected, like smoking, hot tube use, magnetic field exposure, maternal age or consumption of alcohol while pregnant.
This particular research made the March of Dimes to advise differently regarding the consumption of coffee to less than 200 mg per day.
In order to contradict this study, a different large research compared seventeen epidemiological studies regarding the effects of consumption of coffee on the fetus and discovered no association between birth outcome and the intake of coffee of less than 300 mg.
They disregarded the research of Dr. De-Kun Li as a few of the reported cases of miscarriage were confirmed through interview and not real medical records.
Espresso
There`re lots of women out there how drink Expresso just because to the strength. You have a high caffeine amount in a little shot – 75 mg to be more exact. While it can be found in most Starbucks products, like latte, frappuccino or cappuccino, it may be best to drink only 1 or 2 shots.
Also read: 6 Nutritional Benefits Of Asparagus During Pregnancy!
Iced Teas
Shaken teas, such as peach green tea, sweet tea, green tea or black tea, vary anywhere from 15 to almost 90 mg of caffeine for each little cup depending on the size of the cup or flavor, while bottled Tazo vary anywhere from 15 to about 45 mg. For the most part, it`s safe!
Bottled Starbucks Coffee Blends
They are able to be found in most supermarkets and convenience shops, and are quite easy to get. Every 11 oz bottle includes about 115 mg of caffeine, which means there`s still some room for that delicious dark chocolate that you love so much after the last meal of the day.
Cold Brewed Coffee
This is a rather new version released by Starbucks and resembles quite a lot to the iced coffee. The grande and tall sizes have around 125 to 165 mg, while the venti size still has too much amount of caffeine.
Fresh Brewed Coffee
The main three coffees that this brand provides are the Dark Roast, Blonde Roast and Pike Roast. If you want to remain safe, you have to opt for the short sized cup (8oz). This will help you consume about 180 mg, meaning about the recommended limit on a daily basis.
If you crave for coffee and need more, turn to decaf and just choose a larger one.
Iced Coffee
The iced coffee version which you are able to purchase at Starbucks has 120 mg of caffeine in the tall-sized cup and about 165 mg in the grande-sized cup. This will mean the venti size is kind of over the recommended intake.
Related: Is It Safe To Eat Crab While Pregnant?
Frappuccinos
Each dream of an expecting mother is caffeine – pretty much like ice cream. Lots of Frappuccinos are completely safe to consume as they contain blended coffee. For instance, a grande Frappuccino includes around 75 – 110 mg. Still, some of them contain expresso, so a Grande size might push you over your limits. Make sure you ask the right questions before purchasing.
Is Matcha Tea from Starbucks Safe for Pregnancy?
One of the most frequent questions asked by expecting mothers is whether or not Matcha tea is safe to consume while pregnant. The biggest worry resolves around the caffeine intake, of course; a coffee cup can range somewhere between 70 mg and 125 mg, while if you opt for an expresso, the number is even higher.
A real worry is that in the US people consume lots of caffeine-based items – Coca-Cola, coffee as well as a large range of products which include caffeine.
Before trying new products like Matcha tea, it`s advisable to talk to your doctor. It`s also advisable to reduce stimulating beverages in your 1st trimester of pregnancy. Ideally, you should avoid Matcha lattes during early pregnancy months.
According to most health experts, expecting mothers shouldn`t drink more than 300 mg caffeine-based products on a daily basis. Other ones even advise not to go over 200 mg. – Read more!
Firstly, you should keep in mind that the caffeine that you find in coffee and matcha caffeine are 2 separate things. Even more, the Matcha caffeine is rather unique, meaning that the amino acid L-theanine functions in harmony with caffeine.
Some of the advantages of Theanine include not just the brain functioning, but also the way the body absorbs as well as distributes the alkaline caffeine of Matcha tea. And although the caffeine of Matcha tea is distinct from the one found in regular coffee, it still would be better to reduce the consumption of Matcha tea during pregnancy.
Is Green Tea Safe during Pregnancy?
You might have thought green tea to be the ultimate remedy for fertility due to several studies which outlined that it improves the production of cervical mucus, or maybe you have switched from your cup of coffee that you had every morning to something with less caffeine. Still, is green tea safe while pregnant?
It seems that some of the benefits of this type of tea aren`t applicable to pregnant women or those who are attempting to give birth. This is also due to the fact that black and green tea reduces the ability of the body to absorb folic acid, which is an essential vitamin to the development of the baby during the very first few pregnancy stages.
It was proven that this tea reduces the ability of the body to absorb iron for sources that don`t contain meat, like tofu or beans.
Reduced absorption of folic acid has a lot to do with the actions of an antioxidant that is found in this tea, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). This particular antioxidant functions quite similarly to anti-cancer drugs, like methotrexate, which is also the reason for which the consumption of green tea has been proven to combat cancer. – Click here!
Epigallocatechin gallate is able to block a specific enzyme which the cancerous cells require to develop, known as dyhydrofolate reductase. Unfortunately, it isn`t recommended for dyhydrofolate reductase to be blocked while pregnant, as this might lead to a deficiency of folate.
Low folate levels, that particular vitamin which promotes the development of the nervous system of the baby, increases the risk of various congenital defects.
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