Medical expert of the article
New publications
Red tea in pregnancy
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Pregnancy is associated with many limitations associated with food. When pregnancy is not recommended to eat raw and poorly processed foods, caffeine, drinks with alcohol and other food. In connection with this, it is important for pregnant women to know which foods contain substances dangerous to the fetus.
It is unequivocal to answer, whether it is possible to drink red tea at pregnancy, it is possible only taking into account all components of this product.
Benefits
In the composition of red tea there are substances that can have a beneficial effect on the development of the fetus and the well-being of the expectant mother. The benefits of red tea during pregnancy are directly related to such substances as:
- methionine (an essential amino acid, which is an important component for detoxifying the body, stimulates the immune system, has a beneficial effect on digestive processes, helps to get rid of the feeling of discomfort after eating too fatty foods).
- Catechins (a kind of antioxidants, substances from the group of flavonoids, which have a positive effect on the human body and prevent the development of various diseases).
- zinc (plays a role in the formation of the fetal skeleton, the synthesis and stabilization of insulin, cell division, has an antitoxic effect, the lack of zinc in the body of a pregnant woman is fraught with malformations of the fetus, including hydrocephalus, curvature of the spine and others, and increases the risk of rupture during childbirth, development of infections and slow disclosure of the birth canal).
- fluorine (important for the formation of the fetal skeleton and provides strength of bones).
- proteins (protein substances are the building material for the tissues and organs of the fetus).
Contraindications
The main contraindications relate to caffeine, which is part of this product. Caffeine during pregnancy:
- Negatively affects the weight gain of the fetus.
- Increases blood pressure and heart rate increases pregnant.
- Stimulates the work of the nervous system, which can lead to insomnia and irritability.
- When interacting with theophylline, which is also a constituent substance of red tea, it can have a strong diuretic effect.
- Increases the gestational age.
- Correlation links between caffeine consumption and further fetal death are known.
In this regard, red tea is not recommended for pregnant women. However, moderate use of the drink in small doses with a reduced concentration is allowed. The World Health Organization recommends that women who before pregnancy used more than 300 mg of caffeine per day, reduce its number due to possible risks. It is also recommended to add milk to red tea, which reduces the effect of the tonic component of caffeine.
[3]