When a woman gives birth to a child, her views on familiar things change. There are many questions. One of the topical issues is the nutrition of a nursing mother. During this period, you need to consume a lot of high-quality he althy warm drinks. As a rule, these are various teas. Lovers of tonic products are interested in: is it possible to green tea while breastfeeding?
Green tea production
Before you figure out if you can drink green tea while breastfeeding, it is important to determine what this product is and what effect it has on the human body as a whole.
In fact, green and black tea are suitably processed leaves of the same tea tree (bush). The color and characteristics are justified by different processing methods. Black tea undergoes oxidative processes. The manufacturing technology of green, on the contrary, is based on enhancing the inherent properties of sheets and maximum deactivationfilling them with enzymes.
Green tea production steps:
- Leaves are torn off.
- Harvested tea leaves are subjected to hot heat treatment: steaming (in Japan) or roasting (in China).
- Drying and curing (with steam treatment), achieving a moisture content of about 60% in the sheets.
- Twisting: mechanical action, the purpose of which is to bring the maximum amount of juice to the surface of the leaves.
- Drying: fixing the extracted juice on the surface of the rolled tea leaves, evaporating moisture to a residual value of 5%.
- Grinding the leaves (China), staining to give them the desired shade.
- Sort.
Conscientious green tea production technology provides a he althy natural product. Producer dishonesty can manifest itself at the following stages:
- Poor steaming.
- Poor quality curl. As a result, we have too much or too little amount of destroyed leaf microparticles, which means a large or insufficient release of juice to the surface.
- Drying of curled semi-finished product too weak or too strong.
- Over-grinding.
- Staining with unnatural and harmful dyes, their incorrect use.
Thus, when choosing green tea, you need to think about its price, popularity, country of origin(China uses the most sophisticated technology, resulting in a high-quality product), be sure to read the composition indicated on the package (the presence of dyes should turn off buyers).
Benefits of green tea
- Tones up, has an antioxidant effect.
- Invigorates.
- He althy: contains vitamins and minerals. Regular use reduces the risk of many diseases of the heart, blood vessels, kidneys, respiratory and digestive systems, and prevents the development of oncology.
- Speeds up metabolism: Drinking four cups a day can improve your weight loss performance.
- Improves immunity and body resistance to negative factors.
Negative effect of green tonic drink
- Exacerbation of chronic he alth problems, including stomach, joints, urinary system.
- Lower blood pressure (hypotensives are contraindicated).
- May cause excessive alertness and insomnia.
With the contraindications described, tea can be harmful when consumed more than 3-4 cups per day. A smaller amount will not cause harm.
Green tea while breastfeeding
Many are wondering: is it possible to green tea while breastfeeding? Of course, you can, but within reasonable limits, because the organisms of the baby and its nurse are more sensitive.
Green tea has the following effects:
- Increases lactation.
- Enriches with vitamins and trace elements.
- Tones and fights fatigue.
- Improves metabolism, stimulates faster weight loss after childbirth.
Green tea while breastfeeding is good for:
- If mom and baby don't have he alth problems.
- If the mother drinks no more than 3-4 cups of tonic per day at approximately equal intervals (better if 1-2 cups).
- If the drink is properly brewed and tastes good.
Green tea brewing rules
It is necessary to brew a drink in a pre-scalded dish (in a cup or teapot). The water temperature should be between 70 and 80˚C, and the standing time should be about three minutes. After that, the tea is ready to drink. Re-brewing is allowed until the taste is lost.
Very often, while drinking this drink, the taste buds remain dissatisfied due to its bitterness and strength. Such side effects are observed when the brewing technology is violated: the water temperature is 100˚С, it is infused for a long time, the brewing is of poor quality or the ratio of the product and water is not observed.
If finely granulated and strongly twisted leaves are used in dry form, and when brewed they straighten to the size of a large leaf, then a good quality product is used. High-quality green tea must be large-leafed.
What is important for a breastfeeding mother to know
Feeding a breastfeeding mother is based on the conventional rule of "one food" - you need to try no more than one new food or drink per day and observe changes in the behavior and well-being of the baby. If mom follows the rules, then she can have green tea while breastfeeding.
In this case, you need to follow some recommendations:
- The first time you need to brew the least strong drink and drink one small cup. In the absence of visible changes in the baby (excessive excitability, insomnia, allergic reactions, intestinal colic), in the following days, you can gradually increase the amount consumed to an acceptable level. It should be remembered that you should not drink more than 4 cups in one day.
- If the baby began to worry for no reason, sleep poorly, have pain in his tummy or allergic satiety, you need to analyze the foods and drinks consumed the day before. If suspicions fall on green tea, it should be immediately removed from the diet of a nursing mother.
The product itself rarely causes side effects. But the reaction can occur on low-quality dyes used at the stage of polishing the leaves. The probability of their presence is small, but it is always present when commercial interests come first. That is why it is important to drink green tea while breastfeeding in small quantities andcarefully consider any changes in the baby's body.
Jasmine green tea
Technologically, this drink can be presented on the market in two variations: green tea with jasmine petals or only with its aroma. The first option is cheaper and of lower quality, as it is produced using accelerated technology. In the manufacture of the second of these options, tea leaves are dried for a long time together with jasmine flowers, absorbing a unique aroma, after which the flowers are selected manually.
Jasmine bush flowers give the drink new properties:
- Anti-inflammatory.
- Antifungal.
- Painkillers.
- Calming.
At the same time, tea is contraindicated for allergy sufferers, people with hypertension and stomach ulcers.
Green tea with jasmine during breastfeeding is important to use, taking into account the already known rules: in small quantities, increasing the amount of drinking gradually, watching the baby. In the absence of negative reactions, you can take the drink with pleasure, because it does not have side effects on lactation.
Green tea with lemon balm
This drinking option is also very popular among tea lovers. Melissa attracts with unusual qualities - a mixture of mint and lemon flavors. For the preparation of drinks, the herb itself, a mixture of green leaves and lemon mint, as well as green tea with the aroma of lemon balm are used separately. The plant has a positive effect on the human body. Product benefitsis as follows:
- Active sedative and antidepressant qualities: calms the nervous system, normalizes sleep, lowers blood pressure (for hypertensive patients). In reasonable quantities, it is useful for mom and baby, who receives nutrients through mother's milk.
- Normalization of the female hormonal background and the production of breast milk.
- Fortified with vitamins and minerals.
- Anti-inflammatory properties.
Green tea with lemon balm while breastfeeding is popular due to its positive effect on lactation and soothing properties. However, it is important to know that abuse greatly lowers blood pressure, and this is especially dangerous for hypotensive patients and young children. Also, for babies, there is always a risk of increased allergic reactions to herbal drinks. Nursing lovers of lemon balm need to be careful, take into account any changes in the baby's body and not drink more than 1-2 cups of this tea per day.
Green tea with mint
Mint drinks are popular for their refreshing menthol flavor and sedative properties. Green tea with mint while breastfeeding should be drunk very carefully. There are about 20 species of this plant, differing among themselves in the content of menthol. The main varieties of the herb are peppermint and spearmint. The first contains menthol, the second - carvone. Menthol causes a strong sedative effect and reduces milk production. Carvone, on the contrary, somewhat stimulates lactation.
Drinking peppermint as part of green tea or as a separate herbal drink is rational in case of intentional termination of breastfeeding. If you wish to maintain lactation, you can use curly mint in small quantities. It stimulates blood flow to the mammary glands, which slightly improves milk production. However, mint does not have pronounced lacto-stimulating properties, so mothers suffering from insufficient milk production should not abuse this drink.
With known virtues (antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, sedative qualities), mint can greatly lower blood pressure, cause arrhythmia. It also has a diuretic effect and allergenicity.
For her big fans, and if you need to calm your nervous system, it is better to give preference to curly mint. In this case, you need to carefully study the composition and variety of the mint product. It should be introduced into the diet very carefully. It is necessary to carefully monitor the he alth of the baby. In case of serious nervous instability or a depressive state of a young mother, it is better not to engage in "grandmother's" self-treatment, but to seek professional medical help.
When choosing a drink for regular consumption, new mothers should initially prioritize the importance of their own taste preferences and the risks to the baby's he alth. Experienced pediatricians try to avoid prescribing herbal preparations and drugs of similar origin to children under 3 years old. Atproblems with lactation, it is best to consult a doctor. He will recommend the best green tea for breastfeeding. Take care of your he alth and the he alth of your children!
