Green Tea and Pregnancy

Green Tea and Pregnancy- is it safe to drink green tea during conception, while pregnant and then - when breastfeeding? After much research this is what I found out.

Green Tea and Conception

There is a lot of conflicting information out there about how green tea will delay or assist in conception. The main ingredient which has lead to some experts warning caution on drinking green tea during conception, is the caffeine content in green tea.

There is about 30mg of caffeine per 8 ounce cup (240mls) of green tea. This is considerably less than a cup of regular brewed coffee of the same amount, which is around 100mg. High caffeine during pregnancy has been linked to delayed conception and an increase in the risk of miscarriage.

High caffeine intake would be considered over 300mg. If you stay inside this range you can still enjoy a few cups of green tea. Of course, the caffeine content will vary depending on how you brew the tea.If you are concerned just brew the tea for a shorter period (about 1 minute), or only drink the green tea from the second or third brewings.

Green Tea and Pregnancy

As mentioned above, women should monitor their caffeine content, and try to keep it within 300mg per day. The other concern about green tea and pregnancy, has been that green tea contain compounds called phenols, which have been said to make it more difficult to absorb iron. It is advised to drink green tea between meals, as this will have less affect on absorbing iron.

Other studies have indicated that high levels of green tea consumption during conception and while pregnant, can lead to an increased incidence of neural tube defects such as spina bifida.

Defects have been linked to a lack of folic acid. It is thought that the compund EGCG, causes a substantial drop in folic acid levels.

Green Tea and Breastfeeding

From my research, it seems that the best guide is for women who are breastfeeding, to limit their caffeine intake to 300mg per day. This means you can safely have 2 or 3 cups a day. Keeping in mind caffeine is an ingredient in many foods we eat today, as well as medicine. 

Green tea 'may block lung cancer'

Drinking green tea may offer some protection against lung cancer, say experts who studied the disease at a medical university in Taiwan.

The latest work in more than 500 people adds to growing evidence suggesting the beverage has anti-cancer powers.

In the study, smokers and non-smokers who drank at least a cup a day cut their lung cancer risk significantly, a US cancer research conference heard.

The protection was greatest for people carrying certain genes.

But cancer experts said the findings did not change the fact that smoking is bad for health.

Daily cuppa

Green tea is made from the dried leaves of the Asian plant Camellia sinesis and is drunk widely across Asia.

The rates of many cancers are much lower in Asia than other parts of the world, which has led some to link the two.

Laboratory studies have shown that extracts from green tea, called polyphenols, can stop cancer cells from growing.

The best thing a smoker can do to reduce their risk of lung cancer, and more than a dozen other cancer types, is to quit. Yinka Ebo of Cancer Research UK

But results from human studies have been mixed. Some have shown a protective effect while others have failed to find any evidence of protection.

In July 2009, the Oxford-based research group Cochrane published a review of 51 studies on green tea and cancer which included over 1.5 million people.

They concluded that while green tea is safe to drink in moderation, the research so far is conflicting about whether or not it can prevent certain cancers.

Dr I-Hsin Lin, of Shan Medical University, found that among smokers and non-smokers, people who did not drink green tea were more than five times as likely to get lung cancer than those who drank at least one cup of green tea a day.

Among smokers, those who did not drink green tea at all were more than 12 times as likely to develop lung cancer than those who drank at least a cup a day.

Researchers then analysed the DNA of people in the study and found certain genes appeared to play a role in the risk reduction.

Green tea drinkers, whether smokers or non smokers, with certain types of a gene called IGF1, were far less likely to develop lung cancer than other green tea drinkers with different types of this gene.

Yinka Ebo, of Cancer Research UK, said the findings should not be used as an excuse to keep smoking.

"Smoking tobacco fills your lungs with around 80 cancer-causing chemicals. Drinking green tea is not going to compensate for that.

"Unfortunately, it's not possible to make up for the harm caused by smoking by doing other things right like eating a healthy, balanced diet.

"The best thing a smoker can do to reduce their risk of lung cancer, and more than a dozen other cancer types, is to quit."

Reference:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8453628.stm

Green Tea Chocolate Cake Recipe

Green Tea Chocolate Cake Recipe- A green tea recipe that combine two great flavours.

Serves 4
Ingredients
4 eggs
2 Tbs. of matcha
3 tbs. of choc chips.
1 ¾ cup of flour
1 ½ cup of sugar
¾ cup of butter

1. Put butter in a bowl and stir until softened.

2. Add sugar to the bowl and mix well.

3. Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl.

4. Combine eggs with the butter mixture.

5. Sift the flour and the green tea powder together.

6. Add the sifted flour to the egg and butter mixture and mix.

7. Finally add the chocolate chips to the bowl and mix together.

8. Pour the cake batter into a medium-sized cake tin, lined with baking wax paper.

9. Bake in an oven preheated to 360 degrees F (180 degrees C) for 35 minutes.

Green Tea Panna Cotta

Green Tea Panna Cotta - a light, delicate and refreshing green tea recipe.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1/3 cup of Japanese sencha green tea
1 cup milk
2 cups cream
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 1/2 sheets gelatin or 4 teaspoons powdered gelatin

1.Add green tea, milk, cream and sugar in a pan and heat slowly till sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is about to boil.

2.Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to"brew" for 10 minutes.

3.Strain the infusion back into a clean pan.

4.Soak the gelatine in 3 tablespoons of warm water until it is spongy.

5.Whisk into the cream mixture and heat gently until the gelatine has dissolved.

6.Pour into 4 lightly greased 150ml (5 fl oz) moulds or chinese teacups.

7.Refrigerate till they are set.

8.Serve them in the pretty teacups when ready, or turn them out onto individual plates.

From Marie Claire Style "Sweet" cookbook by Jody Vassallo. Does not include freezing time.

Green Tea Cupcakes

Green Tea Cupcakes - A green tea recipe that will become a family favourite.

Ingredients
100g Butter/Reduced-fat Dairy Spread
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 cup self-raising flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup icing sugar
1-2 tablespoons warm water
2 teaspoons matcha (powdered) green tea

1.Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C.

2.Place 12 (4 1/2 cm base)paper cupcake cases on a baking tray. Combine the spread, sugar, eggs, vanilla, self-raising flour and baking powder in a mixing bowl. Beat with a wooden spoon until smooth.

3.Divide the mixture among the paper cases. The mixture should fill half of each case. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until risen and golden. The top of the cupcake should be level with the top of the case. Cool on a wire rack.

4.To make the icing: Sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Slowly add just enough water to make a spreadable consistency. Spoon a teaspoonful onto each cupcake and spead with the back of the spoon.

Matcha

Green Tea Ice Cream - The Quick And Easy Way

Green Tea Ice Cream - The Quick And Easy Way

Serves 4

Ingredients
1 pint (1/2 litre) vanilla ice cream
1 1/2 tsp. matcha green tea powder.

1. Let the ice cream soften, but not melt.

2. Stir in the matcha green tea powder, and re-freeze until firm.

Need some matcha- find some here.

Green Tea Ice Cream - A popular and delicious green tea recipe.

Serves 6

Ingredients
2 cups milk
1 cup fresh cream
1 tbs. cornstarch
4 tbs. matcha and 2/3 cup hot water
4 egg yolks
Pinch of salt
2/3 cup of sugar

1. Heat the milk in a small saucepan, without boiling it. Then remove it from the heat.

2. Put the egg yolks in a bowl, and beat them lightly. Add the sugar, cornstarch, salt and mix with an egg whisk. Gradually stir in the heated milk, being careful that no lumps form. Strain the mixture through a fine colander and pour it back into the saucepan.

3. Put the saucepan over low heat, continue to stir until the milk thickens. Remove from the heat.

4. Mix the matcha with hot water to form a smooth paste.

5. In a separate bowl whip the fresh cream until it is semi-stiff, then stir it into the milk mixture, finally adding the matcha paste.

6. Pour the mixture into a container, and put it in the freezer to set. After 2 hours take it out of the freezer and stir it with a spoon. Place it back in the freezer. Stirring the mixture again and again after freezing it for a period of 2hours.

7. The icecream should be smooth and ready to serve.