Coffee a risk to pregnant women
Executive summary about coffee a risk to pregment women by Disqus
High street coffee shops could pose a risk to pregnant women due to large variations in caffeine content, according to research.
Analysis of espresso coffees from 20 shops found one with a caffeine content six times higher than another.
Researchers from the University of Glasgow said customers were completely unaware of the caffeine levels in cups of coffee.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) advise that pregnant women should restrict their average daily caffeine content to 200mg.
But while a cup of coffee from Starbucks was found to have 51mg of caffeine, a Costa coffee had 157mg.
"This snap-shot of high street espresso coffees suggests the published assumption that a cup of strong coffee contains 50mg of caffeine may be misleading."
Researchers analysed coffees ranging in cup size from 23-70ml.
Dr Crozier added that the size of the coffee was the most important influence to the amount of caffeine.
He said: "The main factor is that some places use a lot more coffee than other outlets to make an espresso, which is fine for some people but pregnant women could unwittingly consume more caffeine than is good for them while thinking they are well within their recommended limit."
High street coffee shops could pose a risk to pregnant women due to large variations in caffeine content, according to research.
Analysis of espresso coffees from 20 shops found one with a caffeine content six times higher than another.
Researchers from the University of Glasgow said customers were completely unaware of the caffeine levels in cups of coffee.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) advise that pregnant women should restrict their average daily caffeine content to 200mg.
But while a cup of coffee from Starbucks was found to have 51mg of caffeine, a Costa coffee had 157mg.
"This snap-shot of high street espresso coffees suggests the published assumption that a cup of strong coffee contains 50mg of caffeine may be misleading."
Researchers analysed coffees ranging in cup size from 23-70ml.
Dr Crozier added that the size of the coffee was the most important influence to the amount of caffeine.
He said: "The main factor is that some places use a lot more coffee than other outlets to make an espresso, which is fine for some people but pregnant women could unwittingly consume more caffeine than is good for them while thinking they are well within their recommended limit."
Pregnancy and Caffeine
Executive summary about pregment and Caffeine By Alex Zorach
Caffeine is a naturally occurring stimulant found in coffee, tea, yerba mate, and a number of other plants. The Mayo Clinic recommends cutting back if one consumes more than 500 mg of caffeine daily.
Risks of caffeine consumption during pregnancy:
The question of caffeine's safety during pregnancy has not been exhaustively studied scientifically. Many studies have found no increased rates of miscarriage or other risks for more moderate users of caffeine. The exact amount of caffeine leading to increased risk, however, is uncertain.
How much caffeine is safe during pregnancy?
Exact safe limits for caffeine intake during pregnancy are not well-known, but some medical organizations have made concrete recommendations. The American Pregnancy Association, a national non-profit organization in the United states, recommends that less than 200mg of caffeine should be safe for pregnant women to consume.
Caffeine Content of Various Beverages:
Coffee is highest in caffeine among natural sources. While the caffeine content of coffee varies widely, coffee often contains 120mg or more of caffeine per 8oz cup. Tea, including black tea, green tea, oolong tea, and white tea, naturally contains caffeine, but in much lower quantities. Most teas contain 60mg or caffeine per cup or less, and the caffeine content varies greatly from one tea to the next. Tea, because it contains less caffeine per cup than coffee, offers a good alternative to coffee for pregnant women who wish to reduce their caffeine intake. Soft drinks can also contain caffeine, and typically contain less per cup than coffee.
In summary:
When it comes to caffeine use in pregnancy, moderation is the key. The current medical consensus is that it is safe for pregnant women to consume 200mg or less of caffeine per day--about one cup of coffee or up to 3 cups of tea. Tea is a good alternative to coffee because it contains less caffeine.
Caffeine is a naturally occurring stimulant found in coffee, tea, yerba mate, and a number of other plants. The Mayo Clinic recommends cutting back if one consumes more than 500 mg of caffeine daily.
Risks of caffeine consumption during pregnancy:
The question of caffeine's safety during pregnancy has not been exhaustively studied scientifically. Many studies have found no increased rates of miscarriage or other risks for more moderate users of caffeine. The exact amount of caffeine leading to increased risk, however, is uncertain.
How much caffeine is safe during pregnancy?
Exact safe limits for caffeine intake during pregnancy are not well-known, but some medical organizations have made concrete recommendations. The American Pregnancy Association, a national non-profit organization in the United states, recommends that less than 200mg of caffeine should be safe for pregnant women to consume.
Caffeine Content of Various Beverages:
Coffee is highest in caffeine among natural sources. While the caffeine content of coffee varies widely, coffee often contains 120mg or more of caffeine per 8oz cup. Tea, including black tea, green tea, oolong tea, and white tea, naturally contains caffeine, but in much lower quantities. Most teas contain 60mg or caffeine per cup or less, and the caffeine content varies greatly from one tea to the next. Tea, because it contains less caffeine per cup than coffee, offers a good alternative to coffee for pregnant women who wish to reduce their caffeine intake. Soft drinks can also contain caffeine, and typically contain less per cup than coffee.
In summary:
When it comes to caffeine use in pregnancy, moderation is the key. The current medical consensus is that it is safe for pregnant women to consume 200mg or less of caffeine per day--about one cup of coffee or up to 3 cups of tea. Tea is a good alternative to coffee because it contains less caffeine.
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