Eating well while pregnant is crucial so that baby and mother can receive adequate nutrition. It is key to healthy baby's development and growth. For a pregnant lady to receive all the nutrients they need, she must consume foods from a variety of food groups. These include: vegetables, fruits, grains, bread, dairy products, and protein sources. The expectant woman can even throw in a cup of green tea once in a while to enjoy the benefits of the tea.
One of the greatest green tea choices for pregnant ladies has got to be matcha tea. This is a type of green tea that people in Japan and China have been consuming for ages. It is as a result of grinding young tea leaves into a powder. There are many ways to take this other than whisking it into hot water. You can even learn how to make matcha latte to enjoy the tea in various forms. Despite the many health benefits the tea provides, there is a concern as to whether it is good for pregnant ladies to consume. The answer is that it is safe and healthy. This is because it is one of the healthiest beverages full of antioxidants, which are great for the baby before it is born.
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Other reasons why matcha tea is good in pregnancy include:
A Stress Reliever
It is common for expectant women to experience stress for one reason or another during pregnancy. Drinking a cup of match tea can help naturally combat this. The tea offers a soothing effect that calms a person's nerves and allows them to relax. This is mainly because the tea has some caffeine which brings out this effect. Note that even though this tea has caffeine, matcha releases it much slower into the bloodstream as compared to coffee. The tea stimulates brain waves which in turns helps to hormones that cause relaxation to be produced for several hours. Because of the caffeine effect, it is also advisable to limit consumption of the tea to one or two servings every day.
Helps with High Blood Pressure
Matcha tea is known to be a natural blood thinner. This makes it the drink of choice for pregnant women experiencing high blood pressure. Taking the tea in recommended amounts can help to lower blood pressure by relaxing the arterial walls. Taking the tea while expectant is also beneficial in that it can help relieve some of the pains associated with pregnancy. The presence of L-theanine an essential amino acid in the tea also helps to treat anxiety, while making a person feel alert without the "jittery" feeling common with other caffeinated products.
Rich in Vitamins and Proteins
Matcha tea is rich in all types of vitamins including B (1, 2, & 6) and C. Additionally, it has proteins and high folate levels. This makes it a gem for any lady carrying a child because these are very important for a growing baby.
Controls Gestational Diabetes
Studies also reveal that the tea has an abundance of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) a kind of polyphenol. This has been known to enhance the outcome of a newborn child and its mother, if she had been diagnosed with gestational diabetes. This is because consuming matcha tea helps to keep the diabetes under control. It comes as great news especially at a time when gestational diabetes is becoming more rampant.
Improves Immune System
Matcha tea like many other green teas out there helps to strengthen the immune system of the partakers. The same is also true for pregnant women who get into a habit of drinking this tea. This tea helps to increase the production of various cells in the body that play an instrumental immune function role. As a result, mild illnesses end up having less effect on the pregnant woman. The antioxidant effect in the tea also helps to enhance the metabolic rate. This makes it easier for the expectant lady to counter mood swings. When a person is happy most of the time, it boosts the production of happy hormones which makes a person less susceptible to diseases.
Aids in Detox Process
As an antioxidant powerhouse, matcha tea is also rich in chlorophyll since it comes directly from the leaf. This is important because it helps to purge and cleanse the body of harmful elements. Chlorophyll is an excellent detox agent that helps to get rid of heavy metals and unwanted chemicals in the body. This gives the baby a safe place where to grow because the child gets all its nutrients from the mother. When the mother's body is not full of harmful elements it gives the baby a chance to grow well from the time it is conceived
Closing Thoughts
Caffeine consumption remains one of the things that pregnant women need to keep an eye on. Most experts recommend expectant ladies to keep their daily intake at less than 300mg. Going by this, it is safe for pregnant women to take their match tea daily but be cautious of the amounts. 1 or 2 cups are fine. Remember you should drink this at least one hour before meals not during or after. However, because the circumstances of expectant ladies are different, it is always best to seek doctor's advice on whether matcha is safe in your condition. It is also important for pregnant ladies to make sure they only purchase high-quality organic matcha tea to reap all the benefits its presents.
