The effects of coffee on a person's health have been researched and debated for decades with conclusions leaning towards coffee as a boon to your system. Not only does it provide a number of benefits, the harmful effects of coffee seem little more than temporary. But can these effects be passed along while you are pregnant? What about the effects on decaf on your system? Is decaf coffee safe during pregnancy?
First off, let's take a look at what makes coffee a health risk for women. The number one ingredient in coffee is caffeine. Caffeine can cause numerous short term ill effects in everyone including anxiety and agitation, insomnia, nervousness and restlessness. For some it can cause nausea, vomiting or stomach upset. It may even increase your heart rate and blood pressure.
But for pregnant women, drinking coffee during pregnancy poses more severe risks. While a cup or two may not be troublesome, three cups a day or more can increase the risk of miscarriage and stillbirth, cause premature birth or low birth weight. Also, large amounts of caffeine can damage an infant's digestive tract as a developing baby lacks a sophisticated metabolism to break down the coffee. This keeps the caffeine stored in its body for longer periods.
Remove the caffeine and you remove the risk, right? Naturally, decaffeinated coffee and pregnancy brings up additional questions. While decaffeinated coffee lacks the full dose of caffeine as a regular cup, a percentage of the caffeine still lingers (generally about 2 to 4 milligrams per cup). The good news is it's not enough to cause you or your child any harm.
What comes into question though, is the process through which decaf coffee is made. The most popular method includes soaking coffee beans in either methylene chloride or ethyl acetate to remove the caffeine. These ingredients are also used to make paint thinner and nail polish remover. However, the beans are then steamed cleaned of solvent and once roasted little trace of the chemical remains.
The second method, called the Swiss Water Process, is chemical-free and uses hot water and steam moved through a charcoal filter process. It takes about ten hours to complete and the result is a 99.9% caffeine-free bean.
So, is decaffeinated coffee safe during pregnancy? There has not been much research into the effects of decaf coffee and pregnancy. However, a sensible viewpoint would be that moderation is always the best course of action. If you just can't go without your daily java, choose a healthy decaf formula, and limit yourself to no more than three cups a day.
If you're interested, here are some water-processed decaf coffees.
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