Is It Safe To Drink Matcha While Pregnant?
- 2 min reading time
Matcha and pregnancy: Should I worry about caffeine?
Many women rely on some form of caffeinated beverage to help jump start their mornings or to overcome that after-lunch sleepiness. However, it is often recommended that pregnant women limit their daily caffeine intake to minimize any possible effect it could have on the fetus. How much caffeine is in matcha and, is matcha a safe choice for expecting mothers?
How much caffeine is safe?
In general, the Mayo Clinic recommends healthy adults to limit their caffeine intake to about 400 mg of caffeine a day; that’s roughly 4 cups of coffee or 2 energy drinks (though the caffeine in energy drinks varies widely). Women who are trying to become pregnant, are pregnant or are nursing should reduce their intake to about half that; roughly 200 mg, of caffeine. With that said, we strongly recommend discussing caffeine guidelines for your pregnancy in detail with your doctor, since each situation is unique to every individual.
Caffeine in matcha
A single teaspoon of matcha contains roughly 70mg of caffeine. Naturally, using more or less matcha in your drink will change the amount of caffeine you consume. When making a matcha latte with water, we suggest half a teaspoon of matcha per 8 ounces. For a latte with milk, we recommend 1 to 2 teaspoons of matcha per 8-ounce drink.
For comparison, a brewed 8-ounce cup of coffee contains anywhere from 95 mg to 165 mg of caffeine and 8 ounces of hojicha contains about 7mg. Matcha certainly isn’t the highest caffeinated beverage out there but isn’t the lowest either.
Is matcha safe for pregnant women?
While the effects excess caffeine can have on fetuses is well documented by credible sources, there is a lack of research specifically about pregnancy and matcha. Therefore, we cannot say one way or another if matcha is safe for pregnant women or not. The surest way to know is to consult with your doctor and make a decision together.
Pregnancy can take its toll mentally and physically on expecting mothers. If you so choose to include matcha in your pregnancy journey, we hope that our teas can help you and your growing family find a little bit of peace within your day.