One of the first questions I asked the nurses after delivering my first baby was if I could drink Thai iced tea while breastfeeding. I enjoy taking iced tea so much and have been enjoying it for a long time. So it was natural for me to crave it Thai iced tea during pregnancy and breastfeeding periods.
Iced tea is both refreshing and energizing; this makes it a natural choice for many people across the globe. But as you know, pregnancy and nursing a baby comes with different rules. To be on the safer side, it is best always to ask questions. If your question is if you can drink Thai iced tea while breastfeeding, then you are in the right place.
This article will discuss all you need to know about Thai iced tea and whether you should take it while breastfeeding. So let’s get to it, shall we?
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Is It Safe to Drink Thai Iced Tea During Breastfeeding?
When it comes to pregnancy and breastfeeding, nursing mothers need to take safety into consideration before they eat or drink anything. Yes, even their favourite meals, drinks, or treats.
This is essential because what may be good for the mother may be harmful to the growing baby. To this effect, we must make sure we are consuming only foods and drinks that are safe for our babies and us.
To answer the question, Thai iced tea should be taken in moderation during breastfeeding. As you already know – or should, a mother passes whatever she consumes to the baby through breastfeeding.
Hence, Thai iced tea’s caffeine and sugar content is not recommended for a breastfeeding mother. If you must consume the beverage, you should do so in moderation.
When taken in excess, Thai iced tea can cause a reduction in iron absorption – which a baby needs for the development of the nervous system.
What Is Thai Iced Tea Made Of?
Thai iced tea is a refreshing tea that is made from black tea. The strong black tea is usually mixed with traditional spices such as cardamom, tamarind, and star anise.
The tea, which is a natural favourite for masala chai tea lovers, is often sweetened with sugar and condensed milk. Finally, as is implied in the name, it is served over ice. There you go; your lovely cup of Thai iced tea is ready for consumption.
What Is Thai Iced Tea Caffeine Content?
As we mentioned earlier, Thai iced tea is high in caffeine. But, since the tea is made up of different ingredients and spices depending on the individual, the caffeine content varies from cup to cup.
On the average, a full cup of delicious Thai iced tea contains between 12mg to 18mg of caffeine. The American Medical Association recommends that pregnant and breastfeeding moms should not consume more than 200mg of caffeine daily.
So, when making your Thai iced tea, you should have your recommended overall benchmark in mind to be on the safer side. When this is done, a cup of Thai iced tea occasionally during breastfeeding will not pose any threats to the baby’s development.
However, if you have a strong addiction to Thai iced tea and consume it daily, you can go for low caffeine teas and reduce your sugar content. In addition, you should note that a cup of Thai iced tea contains a total of 263 calories and an average sugar level of 38 grams.
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How to Make Thai Tea Recipe
In this section, we are going to discuss how you can make the two most famous Thai tea recipes, which are; the Lemon Grass Mint Iced Tea and the Lemon Pomegranate Iced Tea. This looks interesting already; let us get to it fully.
1. The Lemon Grass Mint Iced Tea
We all love lemon grass, and it is an ingredient in many teas around the world. It is delicious, energizing, and refreshing. So how can you make lemon grass mint iced tea? Let us find out.
Ingredients:
- I Fresh Stalk of Lemon Grass
- 2 Tea Bags of Black Tea
- 2 Springs of Mint
- 4 Cups of Water
Step by Step Preparation:
- Boil the water in a pot and add the springs of mint, tea bags and stalk of lemon grass
- After 5 minutes, remove the tea bag and other ingredients from the solution
- Pour the mixture into a jug and refrigerate
- When the mixture is chilled, pour it into a glass cup of ice cubes, and enjoy.
2. Lemon Pomegranate Iced Tea
The lemon pomegranate iced tea is another famous and delicious tea. Pomegranate is loved around the world – come to think of it – why wouldn’t it be? Let us run you through how to make lemon pomegranate tea.
Ingredients:
- 1 Cup of Pomegranate Pearls
- 2 Tea Bags
- 5 Cups of Water
Step By Step Preparation:
- Boil the Water
- Add the tea bags and pomegranate pearls to the boiling water
- After 10 minutes, take out the ingredients and refrigerate the mixture overnight
- Serve the chilled lemon pomegranate iced tea with some pomegranate pearl toppings in the glass.
Caffeine in Thai Iced Tea vs. Green Tea
Naturally, caffeine is not a bad substance as it is often projected. It is a natural compound found in cocoa, coffee, tea, kola nut, guarana berries, and yerba mate. Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system in humans and boosts energy levels, helping the individual focus more and experience less fatigue.
However, it has some adverse side effects, which include restlessness, anxiety, loss of sleep, and irregular heartbeat. This is why medical experts often advise against consuming too much of foods or drinks with high caffeine concentrations.
Many people, who love beverages but are looking to reduce their caffeine intake, often opt for Thai iced tea or Green tea. In this section, we will compare the caffeine concentration in both Thai iced tea and Green tea. Let’s get started!
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What is the Caffeine Content in Green Tea?
As we mentioned earlier, the total amount of caffeine in tea usually depends on all the ingredients used in making the tea.
However, on its own, the average amount of caffeine present in a 240mL of Green tea is 32 mg. this is below what you will find in Black tea (35 mg), White Tea (34 mg), Oolong (39 mg), Matche (57-133 mg), and Yerba mate (128 mg).
Also, you need to bear in mind that the longer you steep your tea, the higher the caffeine concentration will be.
What is the Caffeine Content in Thai Iced Tea?
Due to the many ingredients contained in Thai Iced tea, the caffeine content is usually reduced. Except on occasions when the tea is steeped for so long – and the caffeine concentration increases.
A regular cup of Thai iced tea contains a caffeine concentration of between 12mg to 18mg. However, due to the steeping time it takes to prepare the Thai iced tea, for all the ingredients to blend in, the caffeine level can increase to between 30mg to 32mg per cup.
Other Factors That Influence Content of Caffeine in Tea
Apart from the steep time, which is also known as the boiling time of the tea and its ingredients, there are other factors that can influence the caffeine concentration in tea.
One of these factors is the water temperature. The higher the temperature, the higher the caffeine that would steep from the tea leaves.
Another major factor is the packaging of the tea leaves – whether it is in a tea bag or you soak the leaves directly. Experts say that tea made from tea bags contains more caffeine than tea made from tea leaves.
Lastly, the hardness of the water can be a factor. When you brew your tea using hard water, the tea would likely contain 1.4 times more caffeine than when the same tea is brewed in soft water.
Can You Drink Thai Iced Tea While Breastfeeding?
The straightforward answer to this question is yes. You can drink Thai iced tea while breastfeeding. But, it is strongly advised that you take it in moderation, considering the caffeine and sugar content.
Too much caffeine and sugar are harmful to the development process of your newborn. However, you should know that it is more harmful to take drinks and foods containing caffeine when pregnant than breastfeeding.
According to HealthyChildren.org, only 1 percent of the caffeine consumed by a mother is passed to the baby during breastfeeding. So, it is safe to take caffeine while breastfeeding, as long as it is taken in moderation.
Conclusion
In all we do, we must draw a line between craving and addiction – especially as pregnant women or nursing mothers. Through addiction, something that would naturally pose no threats could pose a threat to the baby or the mother herself.
Also, apart from the baby, mothers who have a history of health issues such as heart disease, irregular heartbeat, gastric ulcer, liver or renal issues, seizures, and reflux, should try as much as possible to stay away from caffeine.
It takes a healthy mother to take care of a baby, so it is important to always consider our safety and that of our babies before consuming anything.
