Can You Drink Matcha While Breastfeeding? What Research Says
If you’re breastfeeding, congratulations! You have made it through pregnancy and are now enjoying life with your new baby.
There are many perks of breastfeeding, including the ability to reintroduce some beloved dietary items you may have set aside during pregnancy. However, there are still some things you may want to stay away from while breastfeeding.
If you like to enjoy a cup of matcha every now and then, you may be wondering whether it’s safe to drink while breastfeeding. In this article, we’ll discuss how breastfeeding works, whether you can drink matcha while breastfeeding, and the benefits of doing so.
How Does Breastfeeding Work?
Breastfeeding might feel like second nature, but it’s actually quite a complex process. As your baby suckles, your body releases a cocktail of hormones to stimulate milk production and trigger the letdown reflex.
Breastmilk is made of water, fats, proteins, and carbohydrates that are pulled directly from the mother’s blood. This means that any molecules that are present in the blood may end up in breast milk.
The actual nutritional makeup of breast milk is always changing based on the baby’s needs. Concentrations of fats, proteins, and carbs, change throughout a feed and during the day. If the baby is sick, your breast milk will include more antibodies to help your baby fight the sickness. If your baby is thirsty, your body will increase the water content of your milk.
Can You Drink Matcha While Breastfeeding?
The short answer is yes, you can drink matcha while breastfeeding. In general, the main concern some people may have about drinking matcha while breastfeeding is its caffeine content, opens in a new tab.
The CDC generally recommends that breastfeeding mothers keep their caffeine intake below 300 mg of caffeine. Caffeine levels in breastmilk peak around one hour post-consumption, and high levels of caffeine in breast milk can cause jitters, restlessness, and irritability, opens in a new tab. However, these effects tend to be in infants who are already predisposed to caffeine sensitivity.
Everyone has a unique caffeine sensitivity based on genetics. Some people can drink a pot and a half of coffee and still go to bed early, while others get jittery and anxious after a cup and a half. The same goes for babies.
One cup of matcha has about 70 mg of caffeine, so a cup or two (or even three) are well below the limits suggested by the CDC. To put it in perspective, an eight-ounce cup of coffee generally has at least 95 mg of caffeine, opens in a new tab. That said, it’s important to pay attention to your unique caffeine threshold and stay below it.
We’ve done some research and discovered that lower amounts of caffeine can actually provide the mental benefits of caffeine without causing the side effects of taking too much. That’s why our Mushroom Matcha+ only contains 45 mg of caffeine per serving.
Can Matcha Have Benefits for Breastfeeding?
Matcha is generally safe for breastfeeding. However, there are also specific reasons you may want to go out of your way to drink matcha while breastfeeding.
The benefits of matcha for breastfeeding include the following:
- Supports Energy Levels: Matcha contains some caffeine, which can help support your energy throughout the tiredness that comes with having a new baby.
- Encourages Mental Clarity: Matcha is a form of powdered green tea, which is rich in L-theanine. This amino acid can support focus and memory-making, which can help with brain fog during the postpartum period.
- Supports Feelings of Relaxation: L-theanine can also ease feelings of stress, which is critical for supporting the letdown reflex.
- Encourages Fluid Intake: Breastfeeding requires about 16 glasses of water, opens in a new tab a day. Luckily, your cup of matcha can count as one of these!
- Supports the Immune System: Matcha contains exceptionally powerful antioxidants that can help support the immune system while you breastfeed.
- Influences the Flavor of Breastmilk: Your breast milk can actually change flavor with the food you eat, so introducing things like matcha can help expose your baby to different flavors.
- Supports Detoxification: Matcha gets its signature green color from chlorophyll, which can also bind endocrine disruptors, opens in a new tab that would otherwise pass through your breast milk.
What To Know About Drinking Matcha While Breastfeeding
Clearly, drinking matcha while breastfeeding comes with many benefits. If you’d like to give matcha a try, the good news is that it’s also fairly easy to prepare.
All you need to do is add matcha powder (or our Mushroom Matcha+ if you’d like some extra benefits) to some hot water and use a frother or whisk to combine them. If you’d like some extra flavor, you can also add some frothed milk and some sweetener to make a matcha latte, opens in a new tab.
Matcha can support the metabolism, which means it may be better to enjoy it after you’ve had breakfast. Otherwise, it may leave you feeling a bit nauseous, especially with the increased caloric needs of breastfeeding.
If you’re still not sure whether it’s safe for you to drink matcha or you take any medications, it’s a good idea to ask your doctor. They’ll know more about your specific health history and can give you some guidance on what’s best for you.
The Bottom Line
Matcha is a delicious form of green tea that is not only safe for breastfeeding, but it can actually have many wonderful benefits that are specific to breastfeeding. It can support feelings of relaxation, encourage hydration, and even influence the flavor of breast milk.
These are only some of the many benefits of matcha, opens in a new tab. To learn more about matcha and the other ingredients we feature in our mushroom blends, visit the Everyday Dose blog, opens in a new tab today.
Sources:
Caffeine While Breastfeeding: What Amount Is Safe? | INTEGRIS Health, opens in a new tab
Caffeine - Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®) | NCBI Bookshelf, opens in a new tab
Beverages, coffee, brewed, prepared with tap water | USDA, opens in a new tab
The Important Health Benefits Of Matcha Tea | Piedmont Healthcare, opens in a new tab
Nursing Your Baby — What You Eat and Drink Matters | Eatright.org, opens in a new tab
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