Caffeine?

[crystaltea36]

Hi everyone, can anyone put me straight please on the topic of how much caffeine if any you are allowed to have while TTC? I have about 6 cups of tea a day and keep reading conflicting stories about how it makes it harder to conceive and that it increases the risk of miscarriage and others saying it's ok? I just wondered what you all think?!

Thanks

I think 6 cups a day might be too much, I think the guidelines are 1-2 (but that's when actually pregnant). These guidelines recommend 2 cups of instant or one cup of filter coffee:

www.food.gov.uk/news/pressreleases/2008/nov/caffeineadvice

Thanks Piemistress It says 2 cups is already the limit! I'm thinking decaff is the way to go just in case.

I think 6 cups of tea is fine. That was the official advice during my first pregnancy I think they have decided to lower it for some indeterminate reason. Personally I lived normally while ttc anyway and only worried about anything when actually pregnant. My great grandmother who had 10 kids only drank tea so I've always reckoned it cant be that bad anyway.

The other interesting thing about tea is if you end up being admitted to hospital they bring it round on a trolley every couple of hours so they dont take any notice of their own advice

Sorry I misread 6 cups of tea for 6 cups of coffee! DOH! Have you tried redbush - it's naturally caffeine free and nicer than decaf tea x

The caffeine in tea binds to the antioxidents you get from fruit and veg so if you are following a healthy diet while TTC it have less effect if you are drinking lots of tea. Black tea though is full of antioxidents so if you are having 6 cups without milk it will be better for you. x

bionic, how can the addition of milk affect the absorbtion of antioxidents? I don't get that.

Personally I have 1 coffee in the morning and then 1-2 cups of tea during the day. I tried cutting it out altogether and didn't like it.

Some decaff tea isn't too bad, but green tea is even better for you.

It's something to do with the proteins in milk called caseins that interact with tea, decreasing the concentration of catechins -- the flavonoids in tea that are responsible for tea's protective....can you tell I had to google it to find the actual reason!

I don't like black tea as I find it too bitter but if I bung a load of frsh mint in it's not too bad.

Ha! Thankyou. Yes I guess I could have googled too! Sorry.

Ha no worries! - I realised it was one of those things you say but I didn't really know what I was talking about - not the first time :o

I never knew that, bionic! Is it the same with coffee? I only have 1 cup a day but now I'm

I think that green tea has caffeine in it too doesn't it? You can buy decaff green tea, which I quite like.

Hot water with a slice of lemon/lime/orange/any citrus fruit really is quite nice and I often have that instead of tea.

My OH mixes together caff and decaff filter coffee to put in the machine in the morning - tastes great and is only half the caff!

Since TTC I have had one weak coffee in the morning and drink a couple of pots of green tea during the day. Used to have more or like 6-8 coffees per day - eek!

Is white tea OK to drink while TTC/pregnant? Have found odd information about it - would've thought it would be better than black tea, tastes nicer too! x

One of the main things I was told (by a nutrionist at the clinic I'm going to) was if you are going to consume tea/coffee make sure it is not with food and leave it at least an hour before you eat something or after you've eaten. Then it won't have as big an impact on the antioxidents in your food.

I have a cup of coffee with milk in the morning and then a cup of tea with milk when I get in from work. I can't seem to do the black tea or green tea. White tea is apparently as good as green tea. x

I've also been told 1 cup of coffee, or two cups of tea. I've cut down to one or two cups a week though.

I've swapped tea for a tablespoon of unsulphured blackstrap molasses dissolved in hot water. Looks like black coffee but tastes quite nice... sweet and fragrant and slightly like anise. But do look for unsulphured... the sulphured one tastes horrific. They say organic is best, but I don't bother.

One tablespoon has more iron in it than a serving of steak. Since anaemia is a big problem for me (heavy periods when off the pill, plus pregnancy depletes iron stores in any case) it seems like a good alternative. It also has a lot of folate, B vits, magnesium, calcium and other good stuff. Also, it's low GI unlike normal molasses. HTH if anyone's thinking of giving up and needs a replacement.

Unsulphured blackstrap molasses you say?? Hmmm, never heard of it but it sounds interesting and useful. Where do you get it from - Holland and Barrett?

Imps7 I got it from a local pharmacy, but a quick Google reveals it's also available on amazon.co.uk: www.amazon.co.uk/Meridian-Organic-Blackstrap-Molasses-740g/dp/B002E2LUBA/ref=pd_cp_sg_1/275-2630251-8839663

I quite like it, hopefully you will too :)

Ive been told to cut it out completely now, caffeine is just not good for you TTC or not. Not missing it too much yet but someone made fresh coffee at work the other day and omg did I want some! 2 cups a day max though I would say