Can you drink green tea during pregnancy?

Green tea is well known for its valuable properties and refined flavour. Because of this, many pregnant women wonder whether it's worth including green tea in their daily routine. However, drinking green tea during pregnancy does raise some questions – is it safe? Are there any contraindications to drinking green tea during this special time? We answer these questions in the article below.

Is green tea safe for pregnant women?

The compound found in most varieties of green tea that can be harmful to pregnant women in excess is caffeine. Doctors recommend limiting caffeine intake during pregnancy and breastfeeding. For this reason, pregnant women are advised against consuming coffee and coffee-based products, energy drinks, cola, cocoa, yerba mate and guarana.

How much green tea is safe for pregnant women?

Experts suggest that expectant mothers keep their maximum daily caffeine intake below 200mg. This works out to around 4 standard cups of classic green tea (classic meaning the most popular variety – refreshing sencha). It's worth remembering, though, that caffeine is also found in other products, such as coffee, fizzy drinks, yerba mate, and even chocolate. It's worth taking this into account when calculating your total daily caffeine intake. If you're unsure whether green tea is right for you during pregnancy, it's best to consult your doctor.

Is there a solution for pregnant green tea lovers, though?

Absolutely. Certain types of green tea come to the rescue – thanks to how they're produced and how the leaves are processed, they have a reduced caffeine content, or none at all. One such tea is roasted hojicha. Hojicha is a green tea made from leaves that undergo a roasting process. This gives the tea a smoky, creamy aroma, while almost entirely removing its caffeine content. It has a nutty, smoky taste and aroma (which is exactly why it's one of our favourite teas in the office!).