For women looking up ways on how to easily get pregnant, green tea often gets a bad rap. The culprit for most of green tea's bad publicity, of course, is the caffeine contained within; caffeine has long been known as a deterrent to healthy pregnancies. However, recent studies show that you might want to think twice about tossing those tea bags in the trash can - green tea might actually help you improve your chances at conceiving.
Why Green Tea Got a Bad Rap for Pregnancy
No doubt, you've gotten or found a lot of advice about avoiding all sources of caffeine - coffee, cola, and tea are among the most common diet no-nos. Stimulants like caffeine tend to send the body into a sort of hyped-up state, decreasing your chances of conceiving. Caffeine is also a major diuretic, a substance that promotes urination. The more you urinate, the less chances your body has to absorb any nutrients floating in the body.
Another reason why tea used to be something to stay away from is the high amount of polyphenols it contains. Polyphenols are antioxidants, which would normally make them a good thing. Unfortunately, these same substances may reduce the body's ability to absorb iron and calcium, both of which are needed in greater quantities than normal during pregnancy.
Last but not the least, green tea's main active ingredient may block the enzyme your body needs to process folic acid. Folic acid is an essential part of early pregnancies, as the substance is a major factor in cell division. Without much activity from folic acid, cell division will slow down, and so will the development of the fetus. With all these reasons, it seems like green tea really isn't the best choice for those of you who are trying to conceive. What you might not know, however, is that green tea's got a little secret: despite all this, it might actually help you conceive easier.
Why Green Tea is Good for Conception
Several studies have recently shown that despite the caffeine, polyphenols, and the folic acid risks, women who consumed this tea have actually had an easier time conceiving than women who didn't. A study conducted by the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program found that women who drank green tea daily doubled their chances of conceiving. Another study published in the April 2004 edition of the Journal of Reproductive Medicine found that among women who took green tea pills, a stunning 33 percent got pregnant within six months of the program. Those who didn't take the pills didn't conceive at all.
So why is this particular tea helping all these women get pregnant more easily despite all of its warning signs? Unfortunately, there's no conclusive answer for that. The research, though encouraging, is still too young to be extremely significant. There are, however, bits of information that can help quell a few concerns about tea.
Won't Caffeine Cost Me?
Although green tea may contain nasty old Mr. Caffeine, it contains significantly less amounts of the stuff than caffeinated coffee or other teas. In fact, this type of tea has anywhere from about one-third to one-half of the amount of caffeine found in black tea. If taken in moderation, the relatively low amounts of caffeine in green type tea shouldn't be enough to do your chances of conceiving any harm.
The Problem with Polyphenols?
In spite of the possibility that polyphenols might block the absorption of iron and calcium, a study conducted at the University of California, Los Angeles found that polyphenols might actually help result in healthier births. Using the polyphenol-rich pomegranate juice as a means of research, scientists discovered that polyphenols may help prevent brain damage in developing fetuses and premature birth. Take note, though, that the study was conducted on mice, and so these results should be taken with a grain of salt. As the research continues, however, things are looking more and more promising for polyphenols to be beneficial for expectant mothers.
But Didn't You Say Green Tea Was the Enemy?
It was mentioned earlier that green tea's active ingredient might slow down the processing of folic acid in your system. You'll be glad to know, then, that the Kaiser Permanente study also found that the success rate of conception among women who took green tea wasn't due to the caffeine they were testing. It was something unique to the tea - something that wasn't present in the other substances they tested. What this means is that contrary to earlier beliefs about folic acid blockage, green type tea itself might be what helped the women get pregnant more easily.
Some Parting Advice
Before you get too excited, make sure you keep in mind that all this fascinating new research is still just a little too new to be completely reliable. You shouldn't treat green tea as the miracle drug you've been waiting for. However, with favorable results in several studies, green tea seems to have a few secrets worth looking into. In the meantime, it certainly wouldn't hurt to have a cup (or half a cup) of green type tea a day to boost your chances of conceiving. You can probably take decaffeinated green tea, or even green tea pills if you're concerned about any possible side effects, and as always, remember to check with your doctor before trying it. Good luck!
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