Okay, so I’ve been digging into this whole “matcha green tea during pregnancy” thing, and let me tell you, it’s been a bit of a wild ride. I’m pregnant, you see, and I’ve always been a huge fan of matcha. I mean, who can resist that vibrant green goodness? But then I started hearing whispers about caffeine and whatnot, so I figured I better do some proper research.

First off, I started by just casually browsing around, you know, the usual mom blogs and stuff. Lots of mixed messages there. Some folks were all like, “Matcha is the nectar of the gods, drink up!” and others were more like, “Hold up, that stuff’s got caffeine, be careful!” So, that wasn’t super helpful. I needed something more solid than just random opinions.

Then I decided to dive a little deeper. I started hitting up more reputable sources like those medical websites and even some scientific journals. Yeah, I went full nerd. It was a bit overwhelming at times, with all the jargon and complicated studies, but I managed to pick out some key takeaways.

• Caffeine is the big thing. Too much isn’t great for the baby, that’s a given. The general consensus seems to be to keep it under 200mg a day. Easier said than done when you’re not sure how much is in your cup!

  

• Matcha does have caffeine, but usually less than coffee. But it varies a lot depending on the quality, how much powder you use, and how you brew it. So, it’s not like you can just look up a number and be done with it. You actually gotta do some math, which, ugh, my brain.

• There are some other things in matcha, like these things called catechins, which are antioxidants. Some people say they’re super healthy, but there was some talk about them possibly interfering with folic acid absorption. Again, not totally clear how much of a concern that is.

My plan

So, after all that digging, here’s where I’ve landed. I’m not giving up my matcha entirely. I love it too much! But I’m definitely cutting back. I used to have it like, every day, sometimes twice a day. Now, I’m limiting myself to maybe 2-3 times a week, and I’m making sure to use less powder than I normally would.

I also found these low-caffeine matcha options, so I’m gonna try those out. And I’m making a conscious effort to drink more water and other non-caffeinated drinks to stay hydrated. It’s all about balance, right?

Honestly, it’s a bit of a bummer having to restrict something I enjoy, but it’s worth it for the little one. I’m just trying to be cautious and make informed choices. Pregnancy is a wild ride, and you gotta navigate it the best you can!