Is it okay for pregnant women to drink coffee? This worries many women. Pregnancy is an important and long-awaited period in the life of every woman. At this time, physiological and hormonal changes occur in the body, which directly affects the emotional background, mood and even habits.
During pregnancy, you never know how your body will react to your favorite foods. Many people don’t want to give up their eating habits, but they have to adjust their diet so as not to harm themselves and the health of their unborn baby.
How does the expectant mother’s body perceive coffee?
If you are thinking about whether you can drink coffee during pregnancy, it is worth taking a good look at how caffeine affects your well-being. This is the main substance that makes up the strong drink.
The level of caffeine varies depending on the type of coffee and how it is processed, usually 0.2 mg per 1 teaspoon. An overdose occurs when consuming 200 mg. In instant coffee, the concentration is higher compared to ground or whole bean. In addition to caffeine, the beans contain:
- vitamin B2;
- vitamin D;
- vitamin PP;
- phosphorus;
- iron.
The drink contains enough useful amino acids and minerals. In moderate dosage, it is really useful, but you should not consider it a replacement for vitamin preparations.
Caffeine is known to be a nervous system stimulant. The invigorating effect of this alkaloid is due to the fact that it suppresses areas of the brain that affect sleep.
Caffeine also affects the heart. On the one hand, it increases the heart rate, forcing the muscle to work more actively, on the other hand, on the contrary, it suppresses the heartbeat. In case of an overdose, even a completely healthy person may experience arrhythmia and insomnia, and during pregnancy the consequences can be even more dangerous.
In women during pregnancy, blood pressure often becomes lower than normal. This condition results in decreased concentration and activity. Coffee will really help you cheer up.
The effect of caffeine does not affect the development of the fetus, but this substance accelerates the removal of valuable calcium from the body. During pregnancy, this microelement is very necessary, so women should not abuse drinks containing caffeine. The alkaloid increases the load on the kidneys, which are already working overtime.
What are the benefits and harms
Like any product, drinks made from coffee beans are useful only in limited doses. How the active substances affect the body depends on the physiological characteristics of the woman’s body.
You can drink coffee at low blood pressure, but this is not the only advantage. What other beneficial properties are there in this aromatic drink:
- cheerful mood;
- a surge of strength;
- increased concentration;
- stimulation of mental activity;
- stimulation of the gastrointestinal tract;
- prevention of caries;
- reducing the risk of developing heart and vascular diseases;
- antioxidant effect.
In addition to many advantages, there are several reasons why you should not drink caffeinated drinks during pregnancy:
- risk of developing urolithiasis;
- attacks of headache;
- dehydration;
- deficiency of potassium and calcium;
- increased blood pressure.
There is also a hidden danger that few people think about. A coffee drink can cause real addiction. Caffeine is an addictive substance.
Of course, coffee addiction is not as harmful as smoking or alcoholism, but this habit will not improve your health.
Is it possible to drink coffee during pregnancy?
Experts have not come to a clear conclusion about whether you can drink natural coffee pregnant women. Opponents of its use, after collecting statistics, came to the conclusion that caffeine is dangerous because it significantly increases the risk of miscarriage.
Most doctors are still of the opinion that if you really want it, one small cup will not harm a completely healthy woman during pregnancy. The main thing is to figure out how to drink coffee correctly and which preparation option is best to choose during pregnancy.
Can pregnant women drink coffee with milk?
Milk contains calcium, the main building block for bones, so it compensates for the unpleasant property of caffeine in removing the mineral from the bones. Drinking coffee with milk during pregnancy is quite acceptable if you follow the dosage.
Topping in the form of cream slows down the absorption of alkaloids into the blood, and therefore reduces the risk of possible unpleasant consequences during pregnancy. You don’t have to give up making your favorite drinks and continue drinking cappuccino and latte. Coffee with milk on early stages It won't harm the pregnancy.
Is instant coffee ok for pregnant women?
Expectant mothers are skeptical about instant coffee during pregnancy, believing that it contains a large number of harmful additives. And rightly so, preservatives and flavorings are often added to 3-in-1 coffee bags.
The coffee powder itself is more acidic, so it should not be drunk on an empty stomach. It’s not worth checking how all this chemistry will affect the child’s intrauterine development.
The only advantage of instant coffee over coffee brewed in a coffee maker is the speed of preparation.
When and how much can you drink?
The amount of coffee you can drink without fear for your health during pregnancy is influenced by the accompanying circumstances. If you do this in the morning along with cream and have a hearty breakfast, there is unlikely to be any harm.
During pregnancy, doctors do not recommend drinking more than 1 cup per day. At the same time, the volume of the container should be a classic coffee mug, and not a large tea mug. If a pregnant woman has a history of gastrointestinal diseases, it is better to consult a doctor about how many cups you can drink per day.
Planning a pregnancy
Women planning to become pregnant should think about their diet. The influence of coffee during pregnancy planning has been studied for a long time. Moderate consumption of this drink does not lead to problems with pregnancy.
However, we cannot say that coffee has no effect on conception at all. If you drink several cups of it daily, your chance of getting pregnant will actually be 25% lower.
This dependence was established during IVF after embryo transfer. Even if the fertilization process is successful, the chance that the egg will implant in the uterine wall will be lower.
Caffeine affects the conception of a child if the future father also abuses it - the active substances negatively affect the formation of new sperm. When planning a future pregnancy, both parents should take care of their health.
In the early stages
It's no secret that coffee during early pregnancy often becomes the only means of salvation from the ubiquitous nausea. In the 1st trimester, you lose your appetite due to nausea, so it is much easier to drink one mug than to eat something. This dulls hunger and helps cope with nausea.
During the first trimester, you may feel lethargic and tired. During this period, the general physical and emotional state is felt on the verge of illness.
If you don’t take the habit to fanaticism, you can drink coffee during early pregnancy, it will lift your mood and give you energy for the whole day.
Is coffee ok for pregnant women in the second and third trimester?
In the second trimester, the pregnant woman’s well-being levels out, toxicosis and constant fatigue go away. We can say that these are the quietest months in terms of physical condition. But as for drinking coffee in the 2nd trimester of pregnancy, this can have serious consequences:
- Removal of calcium, which is important at this time for the full development of the baby’s skeleton.
- Lack of oxygen due to narrowing of blood vessels, making it more difficult for the fetus to breathe. The result is asphyxia.
As a last resort, you can occasionally allow yourself a cup, provided there are no complaints about your health. But it will be safer to replace it with healthier drinks that do not contain caffeine.
But doctors definitely have a negative attitude towards the idea of drinking coffee during pregnancy in the 3rd trimester; even a tiny dose is not allowed. On later In the third trimester there is a high risk of having a premature baby.
There are also studies that have proven the relationship between the amount and frequency of coffee consumption and the weight of the newborn.
Contraindications
Regardless of the period, pregnant women should not drink coffee if there are the following contraindications:
- tendency to hypertension;
- gastritis;
- stomach or intestinal ulcer;
- sleep disorders;
- headache;
- uterine tone.
During pregnancy, it is better not to risk your health and your child's health. Finding a safe substitute for your daily cup of energizing drink isn't that difficult.
How to replace coffee during pregnancy
A tasty and harmless alternative to brewed coffee is chicory, it does not have negative influence on the health of mother and child. There is a lot in the root of this plant useful vitamins, fats and essential oils.
Chicory tastes like regular coffee drinks with a nutty aftertaste, but is much healthier for the body. Chicory helps reduce cholesterol levels and restore normal gastrointestinal function.
It is useful to drink as a replacement for drinks with high content caffeine By giving up coffee in favor of chicory, you can forget about the risks of high blood pressure, headaches and harm to the development of the child. The only contraindications to consuming chicory are peptic ulcers and allergies.
Coffee is the favorite drink of many women. It has a unique taste, invigorates, improves metabolic processes. But don’t forget that coffee also has negative properties, which is important for expectant mothers to take into account. As a rule, it is difficult for women to give up the habit of drinking a cup of their favorite drink in the morning. Is it worth completely denying yourself this pleasure? In this article we will find out whether you can drink coffee in the early stages of pregnancy.
Studies have shown that pregnant women should not drink coffee regularly. In the early stages, daily consumption of this drink increases the risk of losing a child by up to 60%.
It is likely that the danger comes directly from the caffeine, and not from other components included in the drink. Those. not only coffee, but also hot chocolate, cocoa, tea, Coca-Cola, some caffeine-containing tablets lead to the risk of losing the baby in early pregnancy. The effect of caffeine is very fast: literally within a few seconds after drinking a cup of aromatic drink, caffeine enters the body of a woman and her unborn child through the blood. Let's consider what can happen if you regularly and large quantities Drinking coffee during early pregnancy:
- developmental disorder of the fetal nervous system, which begins at 12 weeks of pregnancy;
- decreased blood flow to the placenta. Because of this, serious problems can arise: oxygen starvation of the fetus (hypoxia), placental abruption, changes in blood clotting in mother and baby, anemia in the fetus, etc.;
- development diabetes mellitus in an unborn baby;
- decreased ability of the mother's body to detoxify;
- disruption of the development of the fetal skeleton, the first signs of which (vertebral arch) are visualized already at the 5th week of pregnancy;
- increased excitability of the expectant mother, which leads to sleep disturbances and mood swings;
- insufficient absorption of calcium and other important microelements by the woman’s body;
- increased blood pressure in the mother, changes in heart rate and breathing;
- irritation of the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines.
Women should not be too scared because of the listed pathologies. These effects can occur if you drink two or more cups of coffee daily.
The question of whether it is possible to drink coffee in the early stages of pregnancy does not have a clear answer today. But it’s not worth risking your health and the life of your baby.
How to give up coffee?Here are some tips that will help expectant mothers get rid of the habit of drinking their favorite drink and maintain their health:
Thus, there is no clear answer to the question of whether pregnant women can drink coffee in the early stages. But the side effects listed in the article that may arise from its use are not in favor of this drink.
If, based on the results of an ultrasound or a pregnancy test, a woman finds out that she is pregnant, she immediately reviews her diet and lifestyle. Carrying a future little man under her heart, she understands that she will have to sacrifice a lot, including her favorite foods and drinks. It is on the new menu of a temporary diet during pregnancy that not only depends pregnant woman's condition, but also child health, developing inside it.
The expectant mother will have to exclude all products that contain synthetic components, artificial colors and flavors. But not only these substances can be dangerous. Some natural products can be harmful to a pregnant woman's health, such as coffee. Not only men, but also women love a natural drink that captures any heart with its unique aroma and taste. Therefore, many women, having learned that they are expecting a child, wonder: can pregnant women drink coffee?.
Avid coffee drinkers find it difficult to part with their favorite drink for a long time. Many people want to know for sure Is coffee drink really dangerous during pregnancy? and is it possible to occasionally treat yourself to a cup of coffee? Let's take a closer look at these questions.
As is known, energy drink contains caffeine, which can negatively affect the general condition of a person. At the same time, it has a positive effect on the condition of hypotensive patients, increasing blood pressure to the required norm. Everyone knows that coffee is an invigorating drink, which charges you with energy for the whole day. With the fast pace of life, many people treat themselves to more than one cup of coffee per day. Can pregnant women use this product?
Usually, expectant mothers who are coffee lovers hope to hear from their doctor that they do not need to completely give up the tasty drink.
The opinions of modern scientists often differ. Some believe that coffee products are strictly prohibited for pregnant women for the following reasons:
- Women with high blood pressure should not take coffee, even without being pregnant.
- Caffeine has a diuretic effect, and pregnant women often suffer from the urge to go to the toilet.
- The fetus developing in the womb receives the necessary substances from the mother’s body. Calcium, which forms the bone tissue of the unborn child, is washed out of the body by this drink, which negatively affects the development of the baby.
- It is not recommended to drink coffee during toxicosis, vomiting, or headaches.
- Large doses of caffeine can cause problems heart rate, nervous system and skeletal development in a child. The component can cause miscarriage or premature birth.
From the above it follows that a coffee drink can do more harm than good to the expectant mother.
Other experts believe that in certain doses, coffee is completely safe for pregnant women and can be used without fear of harming the baby. If, according to doctors, the woman is healthy and there is nothing wrong with the developing fetus inside her, drinking coffee during pregnancy may be allowed. However, you must follow the rules for drinking coffee during this position:
- During pregnancy, a woman can drink no more than one cup per day;
- The coffee drink must be diluted with milk or cream, which compensates for the calcium lost from the body;
- Due to the diuretic effect of coffee on the body, a pregnant woman should drink a lot of water to prevent dehydration.
In the first trimester (12 weeks), all organs and systems of the unborn baby are formed.
Excessive coffee consumption during pregnancy can disrupt their development. Therefore, doctors often advise women to give up the drink in the early stages of pregnancy.
Caffeine, even in small quantities, once in the female body, helps to increase the frequency of contractions of the child’s heart, disrupting brain activity, nervous system and the formation of the child’s skeleton. The diuretic effect, which will be exerted on the maternal body in the form of dehydration, can negatively affect the blood flow to the placenta.
Of course, all this applies to the next trimesters, but in the first stage of pregnancy you should take the use of a coffee drink seriously.
If a pregnant woman feels that her condition is getting worse, then she needs to completely stop consuming the caffeine product.
Although many doctors are against expectant mothers drinking coffee early in pregnancy, today all experts agree that the drink can be consumed in small doses by healthy expectant mothers in the second and third trimester. One cup of aromatic coffee per day may even be beneficial for a pregnant woman if she does not have the following health problems:
- Hypertensive patients and women at risk of gestosis should refrain from drinking coffee drink, which dilates blood vessels and increases blood pressure.
- Women suffering from a lack of calcium in the body should also not drink coffee during pregnancy, otherwise, due to the leaching of this element, the fetus will not be able to develop a skeleton.
- For diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, it is advisable for expectant mothers to exclude caffeine from their menu.
If the above contraindications are absent, then women can treat themselves to a cup of aromatic drink in late pregnancy. But we must not forget that you need to dilute your coffee with milk or cream. An invigorating drink will help cope with low blood pressure and severe swelling.
The black variety of the drink contains the most caffeine, so women are not recommended to drink black coffee during pregnancy.
Gentle analogues of black coffee would be:
- Green coffee. This drink has gained great popularity for lately. Many girls and women use this remedy to lose weight and cleanse the body of harmful elements. Coffee beans do not undergo heat treatment, due to which they retain large number useful substances. And if you can independently regulate the level of roasting of beans and reduce the time of heat treatment, you can reduce the amount of caffeine that is dangerous for a pregnant woman.
- Instant drink. Instant coffee has the least amount of caffeine. Therefore, it is recommended to coffee lovers who are not ready to give up the aromatic drink. But you should also be careful with the soluble variety. Modern market offers many types of instant coffee, which can be produced with the addition of chemicals. A soluble analogue in granules can harm not only the expectant mother, but also the baby in the womb, who may experience allergic reactions. Moreover, the preservatives used in the soluble mixture provoke the appearance of cellulite, which will not please a woman.
The best solution for a pregnant woman would be a small amount of espresso with a large amount of cream or milk. This combination will help prevent negative consequences from caffeine and replenish the necessary level of calcium in the mother’s body. True, women should take into account the fact that the calorie content of a drink with a dairy product will increase.
Expectant mothers shouldn't even pay attention to decaffeinated coffee. Coffee beans are subjected to many chemical treatments, so even in the absence of caffeine, such a product will negatively affect the condition of a pregnant woman.
Coffee analogues
Since there is no decaffeinated coffee for pregnant women, women who decide to give up natural ingredients still want to find a coffee-like product that will not harm her health and the health of her unborn child. Some types of drinks may even be beneficial for the body of the mother and the developing baby. Coffee substitutes usually have a similar taste and aroma or provide the desired invigorating effect. Among analogues of the coffee drink, many women during pregnancy choose:
- Chicory. This analogue is often used by people suffering from high blood pressure, but who love the taste and smell of real coffee. Chicory has less pronounced qualities, but is more useful. A soluble mixture made from a dried plant is easily and quickly brewed, and the finished drink can reduce cholesterol levels in the body, eliminate heartburn and normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Spotted him positive influence on the cardiovascular system.
- Weak tea. Pregnant women should give preference to loose leaf teas, as well as herbal mixtures that replenish the lack of energy. For better absorption, add lemon or milk to drinks. The white type of tea does not contain this substance and can be used without fear, but this variety is quite difficult to find in Russia. Green tea It should be immediately excluded from the menu, since the caffeine it contains exceeds the proportion of the component in coffee.
- The usual one has an invigorating effect. cool water and fruits with berries.
Some believe that cocoa is a safe drink for pregnant women. However, the tonic can also cause some negative effects. Therefore, cocoa should be drunk in moderate doses, just like coffee. Small quantity chocolate drink resists the appearance of stretch marks and helps with hypotension. No better effect side effects can be achieved by diluting cocoa with milk.
Tasty, aromatic, invigorating, this drink is familiar to the whole world. For most of us, drinking a cup of coffee a day is the key to productivity and excellent work. But what to do if an interesting situation obliges you to give it up? Substitute or add other drinks to minimize negative impact? Let's figure it out together, especially since doctors are not as categorical about whether pregnant women can have coffee with milk or not, as we think.
Perhaps only the lazy don’t argue about the beneficial and harmful properties of coffee during pregnancy. But, despite all the negative consequences of drinking an invigorating drink, doctors are not going to completely prohibit it in an interesting situation. Do you know why? It turns out that it is shown by:
- who has low blood pressure;
- who has swelling;
- who has difficulty waking up in the morning;
- who are so accustomed to it that they cannot deny themselves.
And if you add milk to it, then so does everyone else. It is reliably known that caffeine leaches calcium from bones. But it is vital for the growth of the child’s skeleton. Ideally, this microelement should enter the mother’s body with food, so she is recommended to include dairy products, cottage cheese, cheeses, nuts, vegetables, and fish in her diet at the planning stage.
And to be honest, until the age of 25 - 29, doctors generally recommend that women of excellent quality adhere to a dairy diet. Simply because calcium accumulates intensively only up to the age of 30, and then it is mainly consumed at the rate of 1% per year. Hence, by the way, early osteoporosis, dental problems, frequent fractures, bone pain, poor metabolism, low immunity and even early wrinkles. According to statistics, the likelihood of their occurrence in the mother and problems with the skeletal system in the child only increases over the years.
Everything is explained by poor nutrition and debilitating diets among girls already in adolescence. As a result, when the fetus appears, it takes away from them those existing grains of calcium that have managed to be deposited, and leaves them with nothing. To prevent this from happening, you just need to pamper yourself with a cup of coffee with milk. Another acceptable option is coffee with cream, which will also compensate for calcium losses.
When and how much can you drink?
When asked how much coffee you can drink per day, experts answer that a woman with a belly can afford this drink once. It is worth abandoning it as soon as the first signs of toxicosis appear, especially when aggravated by convulsions, headaches and severe vomiting. Otherwise, the condition may worsen.
For low blood pressure, two cups of coffee with milk are acceptable, but it is better to drink them in the morning in the early stages of pregnancy or before lunch in the late stages. It is not recommended to drink at night, because frequent trips to the toilet, headaches due to high blood pressure and insomnia are of no use to you now.
Women who have crossed the age of 35–40 should especially moderate their ardor with this drink: by this age they often experience increased level cholesterol. But it is additionally affected by coffeestol, a substance found in coffee. True, in order to feel all the unpleasant consequences of its effects, you should consume more than 4 cups per day. 
If a future woman in labor has gastritis with high acidity, peptic ulcer disease or other ailments of the gastrointestinal tract, she is strictly forbidden to indulge in a coffee drink. Otherwise, the acidity will increase further, especially after drinking a cup on an empty stomach, and complications will not be long in coming.
Which one to choose
The main requirement regarding coffee for a woman in her new position is the quality of the product and the correctness of its preparation. This means that you need to make a weak, weak drink using purified (filtered) water and dilute it with a few tablespoons of milk.
However, preference should still be given to natural coffee. The amount of harmful substances in it is reduced to zero. Its only drawback, according to consumers themselves, is the need for long brewing, but this is fully compensated by the taste and properties of the product: it invigorates, increases blood pressure if necessary.
Of course, it’s easier and faster to prepare instant coffee, but is it worth it? It contains up to 15% coffee beans. Everything else is compounds with which it is enriched during processing into a quickly soluble form. The true effect of these substances on the child’s body has not yet been established, but it’s still not worth the risk. Especially when there are worthy substitutes.
Decaffeinated coffee is another product promoted by marketers, which is also subject to chemical treatment during the production process. The most interesting thing is that caffeine remains in it, albeit in small quantities, but due to the procedures carried out by the manufacturer, it takes unusual shape, which can subsequently cause the development of an allergic reaction in the fetus and atherosclerotic plaques in the expectant mother. 
Scientists are still working to study the true effect of such a drink on the body, but they still do not advise women with a tummy to include it in their diet. The same applies to 3 in 1 coffee - compact bags and sticks that allow you to enjoy the product within a few seconds after preparation. It contains a lot of artificial additives, of synthetic origin, and natural milk or cream is replaced with unnatural ones.
Do pregnant women drink green coffee? Judging by the posts on the forums of expectant mothers, no, and they are doing the right thing. This product differs from the usual one in the processing process: the grains are not fried during its preparation. Whether this is useful or harmful, time will tell. On at the moment Research in this area is just underway. Therefore, it’s not worth experimenting with your health yet.
How dangerous
A sweet or tart drink with or without bitterness is of great interest to scientists all over the planet. It tones and adds strength, but at the same time sometimes provokes the development of dangerous diseases. To fully understand its positive and negative sides, coffee is constantly being researched and... more and more of its properties are being discovered all the time.
Do pregnant women benefit from this? Unfortunately, no, and here's why. Even a cup of coffee, drunk once a day, can cause great harm to them, because it:
It is difficult to say whether coffee is harmful only during a certain period or always. In the first weeks after conception, it is better to avoid it altogether in order to protect yourself from abortion. After 20 weeks, the danger passes, but you should still not abuse the drink at this time. In the third trimester, coffee is also harmful: it can cause constriction of placental vessels and, as a result, provoke fetal hypoxia (oxygen starvation).
There are research results confirming that caffeine in later stages also affects nervous system crumbs: he becomes easily excitable and remains so even after birth. Sweet coffee increases the risk of developing diabetes in unborn babies.
Is it possible to replace and how?
“I love coffee!”, “I’m so used to it that I can’t give it up,” “How to get rid of a bad habit?” — from time to time such messages slip through the Internet. Answering them, the doctors themselves give specific practical advice:
- Give up coffee in favor of cocoa. By the way, you can safely drink it in the early mornings due to its low caffeine content. They say the effect will be the same. Another possible substitute is chicory, but you should consult your doctor before using it.
- Come up with a useful and interesting activity for yourself, and then “immerse yourself” in it literally every time you want coffee. Moreover, the latter often helps many of us pass the time.
- Maintain blood sugar levels: eat protein- and carbohydrate-rich foods in small portions, take prenatal vitamins. Shown and white chocolate(black also has caffeine). By the way, this substance is also contained in tea, especially green tea, so when asked how much it can be consumed during pregnancy, doctors give the same numbers - 1 - 2 cups.
Coffee is a tasty and healthy drink if you drink it in moderation. Therefore, indulge yourself with it if you cannot refuse it. But most importantly, choose and prepare correctly.
Pregnant women often become hostages of their situation. They have to limit themselves in certain types of entertainment, refuse bad habits and taking medications, and, finally, scrupulously review your usual diet. The last point is especially controversial, since some women do not consider pregnancy a disease that requires dieting, while others choose their new menu very carefully. And this is where the serious problems begin. If you can easily refuse some products or at least replace them, then what should you do with coffee? After all, many of us simply cannot imagine our morning without the invigorating aroma and unsurpassed taste of Arabica. To dispel all misunderstandings on this matter, we suggest you figure out how coffee affects pregnancy, whether this drink is so dangerous, how doctors scare you, and how to drink coffee correctly in a “delicate” position.
Coffee during pregnancy. How does frequent coffee consumption affect the female body?
By drinking one cup of a fragrant drink made from coffee beans, we fill our body not only with vigor and a pleasant sensation of flavor, but also receive more than 1000 different substances. More than a third of these elements are aromatic compounds, which give coffee its main highlight - aroma.
The second most numerous are alkaloids - tonic compounds that provide a surge of energy after each serving of coffee. Chief among them is caffeine. Its concentration depends on the type of coffee, but on average, one coffee spoon of ground coffee contains about 0.2 g of caffeine.
What else makes coffee so beneficial? It turns out that it contains enough vitamins, mineral salts and carbohydrates. In addition, scientists claim that chemical composition coffee beans has not been fully studied and many components have not yet been identified.
100 g of ground coffee contains 50% daily requirement vitamin B2, D, phosphorus and iron, as well as 132% of daily value vitamin PP, and 20% - sodium, calcium, amino acids and carbohydrates.
Interesting! Coffee beans contain an alkaloid, which during roasting depletes the characteristic aroma and is converted into nicotinic acid. And it, in turn, actively influences the nerve center.
This multifaceted composition makes coffee both beneficial and dangerous to health. But how the drink affects you depends on individual characteristics your body and the amount of coffee you drink.
To briefly describe the beneficial properties of coffee, moderate consumption of the drink (up to 2-3 cups per day) has the following positive effect on health:
- provides a good mood;
- gives a feeling of a surge of strength for a long time;
- increases efficiency and concentration;
- stimulates intestinal function;
- prevents the appearance of caries;
- help stabilize the condition of vegetative-vascular dystonia and hypotension;
- exhibits a stable antioxidant effect;
- relieves the condition during exacerbation of bronchial asthma;
- reduces the risk of developing cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
Note! Coffee during pregnancy sometimes becomes the most safe means from low blood pressure, which often plagues women in the first weeks after conception.
The main consequences of abuse of this drink are:
- urolithiasis;
- potassium deficiency;
- increased cholesterol;
- exacerbation of migraine attacks;
- dehydration;
- hypertension.
Important! Caffeine belongs to the class of mild narcotic compounds, so many coffee lovers are addicted to coffee both physically and psychologically.
Coffee during pregnancy: is it possible or not?
Many women are frightened by the loud statements of experts that coffee and bearing a baby are completely incompatible. Therefore, all pregnant women are advised to abstain from consuming caffeinated beverages until after delivery. But how justified is this? Indeed, there is a lot of reliable research data on negative impact caffeine on the fetus and woman.
Official statistical reports indicate that drinking coffee during pregnancy in the early stages often results in miscarriage, and in the last weeks - premature delivery. But such consequences threaten not women who occasionally allow themselves a cup of weak coffee, but avid coffee drinkers who drink many servings of strong espresso.
To resolve the dilemma of whether coffee can be consumed during pregnancy, Danish scientists conducted an experiment. His results showed that pregnant women can safely drink up to 150 mg of coffee. This is enough for vigor, good health, and complete safety of the baby.
Similar studies were carried out jointly with American, Australian and European scientists. In 2010, they provided recommendations that stated the acceptable daily intake of caffeine was 200 g. This amount corresponds to 2 servings.
Important! These recommendations are intended for healthy women whose pregnancy proceeds without complications. If a woman has liver disease, kidney disease, or anemia, then it is better not to drink coffee. Coffee can be especially dangerous during pregnancy in the 3rd trimester if there is highly progressive gestosis.
Coffee during pregnancy. Why pregnant women have different attitudes towards coffee
If a woman was not into coffee before conception, then the question of drinking it rarely arises. And sometimes even intolerance to it can occur, especially during toxicosis. In women, the coffee aroma can provoke a sudden attack of vomiting, mild malaise and even fainting.
Interesting! Berlin scientists have established interesting fact. Women who drink a lot of coffee have a much harder time getting pregnant. Therefore, when planning a pregnancy, it is better to exclude coffee from the list of favorite drinks.
Why can’t other women give up coffee and brew it again and again? There are two reasons for this. The first is the desire to constantly receive energy “recharging”. No matter how unrealistic it may seem, coffee is truly addictive, just like smoking and drinking energy drinks. Caffeine, entering the body, is absorbed into the blood and reaches the brain, where it activates the synthesis of dopamine. This neurotransmitter causes the desired feeling of joy, vigor, and drive. But this effect is short-lived, and after 2-3 hours the body begins to require another portion of caffeine.
The second reason why a pregnant woman wants coffee is iron deficiency in the body. Its lack causes oxygen starvation in the mother and fetus, poor health and loss of strength. But in such a situation, there is no need to give in to temptation and improve your well-being with another portion of coffee. It is better to tell the doctor about the problem, do an examination, and if the deficiency is confirmed, undergo treatment.
Harmful properties of coffee or why you shouldn’t drink coffee during pregnancy
Those women who have no obvious contraindications to coffee can safely enjoy coffee and at the same time receive tangible benefits from it. Pregnant women with hypotension and vegetative-vascular dystonia are recommended to use weak coffee. But the main condition is to use it after breakfast.
Coffee will also be useful during pregnancy from the 2nd trimester if the woman suffers from physiological swelling. This is due to the strong diuretic effects of coffee beans. But this method of getting rid of edema is appropriate only in the absence of gestosis, proteinuria and iron deficiency anemia.
Much to the chagrin of coffee lovers, the list useful qualities during pregnancy this is all it takes. Here is a list of possible negative reactions much more.
Undesirable consequences from coffee abuse can occur at all stages of gestation and be of different nature:
- Due to its diuretic effect, coffee can flush vital calcium, phosphorus and potassium from the body. This threatens skeletal development in the fetus and osteoporosis in the mother.
- Drinking more than 4 cups of coffee in the second trimester of pregnancy leads to insufficient fetal weight.
- Caffeine increases blood pressure, which is accompanied by constriction of blood vessels, including the vascular network of the placenta. This provokes phytoplacental insufficiency and oxygen starvation of the fetus.
- All components of coffee can cross the placental barrier and provoke a change in the baby’s heart rate.
- An overdose of caffeine causes nervous tension in women: insomnia, irritability, anxiety, and aggressiveness.
Important! Drinking coffee against the background of uterine hypertonicity can result in a miscarriage.
When should you not drink coffee during pregnancy?
Coffee is a conditionally dangerous product during gestation, so if you cannot give it up, you should consult a doctor to rule out any contraindications. These include the following conditions and diseases:
- Hypertension.
- Diseases of the digestive system.
- Tachycardia.
- Toxicosis and gestosis.
- Sleep problems.
- Anemia.
- Loss of appetite.
- Violation of phytoplacental blood flow.
In such situations, even weakly brewed coffee can greatly aggravate a woman’s condition.
How to drink coffee correctly for pregnant women
To ensure that a cup of an invigorating drink benefits the pregnant woman and does not harm the baby, doctors strongly recommend adhering to the rules of safe coffee drinking:
- Coffee is allowed to be drunk only after a meal, since if caffeine enters an empty stomach, it will irritate the mucous membranes and cause nausea, heartburn and stomach pain.
- It is better to dilute coffee with milk or natural cream. This will slightly reduce the strength of the coffee and also help replenish your calcium supply.
- Coffee promotes dehydration, so after each cup of coffee you need to drink 3 glasses mineral water to restore the disturbed water balance.
- When drinking coffee, you need to consider the caffeine content of other drinks.
What type of coffee is best to choose during pregnancy?
There is a wide range of coffee, so it is not always clear to a woman which variety is best to drink during pregnancy. There are no clear instructions on this matter, but experts advise buying only natural coffee beans to exclude the presence of third-party additives.
Black coffee during pregnancy
In stores you can buy coffee beans or already ground, of varying degrees of grinding, in the form of a mixture or a specific variety. It all depends on your preferences. But it should be noted that the strength of the drink is affected by the degree of roasting of the beans. The longer they are fried, the more alkaloids are formed. Therefore, it is better for women to choose lightly roasted coffee with milk during pregnancy.
There's another one important point. All coffee comes in two types: Arabica and Robusta. Arabica has a noble acidity, delicate taste and aroma, weakness of the drink. Robusta is much inferior in taste, but it contains much more caffeine.
Note! The degree of extraction of coffee is affected by its grinding. The finer the grind, the richer the drink turns out.
Instant coffee during pregnancy
It is mistakenly believed that instant coffee is less dangerous because it contains less caffeine. This is not entirely true, since this type of coffee is made from sorted Robusta beans. And the caffeine concentration may even be higher than that of regular brewed coffee.
Another reason to avoid this type of coffee is its unclear composition. Experts claim that in instant coffee, coffee extract makes up only 15-25%, and the rest is chemical additives. Therefore, it is simply impossible to talk about its naturalness.
The same goes for your favorite 3in1 drinks. In addition to flavoring additives, there are vegetable fats and preservatives.
Decaf coffee during pregnancy
Coffee labeled “caffeine-free” is considered fraudulent. Although the beans are processed to reduce the concentration of caffeine, it still remains in them. In addition, many experts are of the opinion that such coffee is not only useless, but also dangerous. Because various solvents are used to extract caffeine.
A number of studies have shown that coffee after decaffeination leads to the development of atherosclerosis.
Not the best way caffeine extraction also affects taste qualities coffee. It becomes flavorless and tastes bland. Therefore, it is better to avoid such processed coffee and use natural varieties with low caffeine content.
Is there an alternative to coffee during pregnancy?
If coffee is absolutely contraindicated for you, but you really want to treat yourself to something aromatic and invigorating, there is a very good way out- brew a plant-based coffee drink.
You may have noticed drinks containing chicory, barley, herbal and berry extracts on supermarket shelves. They can be in the form of a soluble powder or crushed raw materials that must be pre-cooked.
Chicory instead of coffee during pregnancy
An excellent coffee substitute is chicory root. After preparation, a drink based on it is very similar to the taste and smell of instant coffee. Chicory has many beneficial properties and is not contraindicated during gestation:
- It stabilizes blood glucose levels.
- Raises hemoglobin.
- Has a cleansing effect.
- Improves appetite.
- Shows a sedative effect.
Chicory should not be consumed only if you have stomach diseases and varicose veins.
Chicory has a diuretic effect, so you should not drink more than 3-4 cups a day. Prepare the drink according to the instructions on the package. In most cases, it is sold in powder form, which must be mixed with sugar and poured with boiling water. To improve the taste, you can add cream, condensed milk or milk.
Barley instead of coffee during pregnancy
The barley drink is also caffeine-free and rich in vitamins and minerals. It is very different from coffee, but still has a pleasant taste and fresh aroma. Unlike chicory, this product has no contraindications.
A barley drink is prepared in the same way as coffee. It can be a stand-alone drink or part of combined coffee mixtures containing chicory, herbs, rose hips, and berry powder.
"Kurzeme" instead of coffee during pregnancy
This is another well-known coffee drink. It contains roasted and finely ground chicory and cereal crops(oats, barley, rye).
This is a real lifesaver for pregnant women. It is even served in perinatal centers and maternity hospitals as a general tonic. “Kurzeme” protects the cardiovascular system, increases appetite, and supports the kidneys.
This drink can be combined with milk, cocoa, hot chocolate, and juices.
Ultimately, whether to drink coffee or not is up to the pregnant woman to decide. But you should always remember that in large quantities even vitamins can become poison, and vice versa. Therefore, if you drink only 1 cup of coffee, you can recharge yourself with positivity without harming your baby. And if abused, you can face many problems during pregnancy. Be attentive to your health!