Drinks & Beverages You Should Avoid During Pregnancy (2024)

Your entire dietary lifestyle undergoes a 180-degree turn when you understand that you are pregnant. Your favorite food items might have to be shunned away, and a few unwanted ones might have to be welcomed. There are also a few drinks to avoid during pregnancy. For instance, alcohol is universally known to be harmful to a developing baby, but some lesser-known beverages might also pose risks. Energy drinks and some herbal teas contain high levels of caffeine or other stimulants that might not be safe for the baby. And while some women might know the most obvious drinks to avoid while pregnant, there are a few which might seem to be fine to be consumed but have adverse effects on the mother and child. It’s essential to be cautious and well-informed when selecting what to eat and drink during this critical period to ensure a healthy pregnancy.

What Not to Drink When You’re Pregnant?

In order to get some good clarity on what beverages are not beneficial, we have put together a list of things not to drink during pregnancy.

1. Milk or Juices that are not Pasteurised

Drinking good amounts of milk and having fruit juices is how most people begin their day on a good note, and for pregnant mothers, it is even more important. But milk and juices come in variants, too, especially the non-pasteurised one. Pasteurisation is a process that takes care of various bacteria and microbes present in the substance. If the milk that you buy or the juice box you purchased is not pasteurised, the bacteria present in it could be harmful to you. And since they enter your body, they could easily find their way to the baby via the placenta and cause irreversible damage.

2. Juice made from Wheatgrass

The benefits of wheatgrass are tremendous to such a high degree that most women believe that a healthy pregnancy without consuming wheatgrass is a rarity. However, very few people know about the presence of various microbes and moulds present in wheatgrass. The conditions in which wheatgrass is harvested are usually damp and moist, making it a paradise for various microbes to thrive. Since wheatgrass juice is made from raw wheatgrass, these germs find their way into the juice which, when consumed, causes a massive imbalance in the nutrients present in your body.

3. Diet Soda

This tops the list of beverages to avoid during pregnancy. Yes, the packaging might say that this is healthy to consume and is good for the diet but one of the key ingredients present in diet drinks is caffeine. That, too, is accompanied by artificial sweeteners, primary of which is saccharine. Saccharine is the most potent chemical to find its way through the placenta, reaching the baby with absolute ease. When consumed in excess, it can start affecting the baby’s growth and causing defects.

4. Coffee

Most women will groan at being reminded about this since drinking coffee is usually a pretty integral part of the morning routine for many. Complete abstinence from caffeine, while you are pregnant, is the most ideal practice. However, since it can be hard for many, you can start by restricting your consumption to no more than two cups in a day. Try to keep the consumption as minimum as possible, especially in the first trimester, since the risk of caffeine causing a miscarriage is pretty high around that time.

5. Iced Tea

For women who are usually pregnant in the summers, having refreshing and cool drinks might become a craving of sorts, too. Iced teas seem harmless since they don’t contain artificial sweeteners and are cold as well. But what many fail to observe is the tea part of it. The concentrated tea used in the drink contains a large amount of caffeine, which can cause real harm.

6. Aerated Beverages

The modern lifestyle followed by people today have made the consumption of various soft drinks a regular activity. Be it cola flavoured or fruit flavoured, accompanying them on any occasions goes with the flow. Those act as quite a refreshment as well, which is why pregnant women would tend to choose that instead of having any other drinks. But not only these beverages have caffeine in them, some of those tend to contain a chemical that goes by the name of quinine. The combination of caffeine and quinine can be hazardous for a pregnant woman.

7. Alcohol

This might be a no-brainer but there are still some who believe that a little consumption will not harm the child. What might be little for you, might be quite a lot for the developingbaby.Alcohol causes severe defects in the child, right from bodily deformations, hindered brain development, and tons of others. And if you think that a single drink is fine, you’re dead wrong. Consuming one drink a day can still bring about a number of abnormalities in the baby.

8. Green Tea

This one’s quite a surprise, isn’t it? Deemed as a healthy drink through and through, knowing that it is harmful to pregnant women is news for many people. To add to the confusion, multiple websites and even nutritionist recommend green tea to pregnant women for its benefits and its advantages over having coffee or usual tea. But green tea does have some amount of caffeine as well. Furthermore, it elevates your metabolism which is already at its peak during pregnancy. That, combined with reduced folic acid absorption, can spell a bevvy of problems for the foetus.

9. Herbal Teas with Unknown Ingredients

While some herbal teas are safe, many contain ingredients that haven’t been studied extensively for their effects during pregnancy. Certain herbs like dong quai, ginseng, and pennyroyal are known to cause complications such as miscarriage, uterine contractions, or birth defects. It’s best to avoid herbal teas unless they’re made from ingredients known to be safe for pregnant women, like ginger or peppermint.

10. Raw Vegetable Juice

Raw vegetable juice, particularly those made from spinach, celery, or beets, can contain harmful bacteria or parasites like E. coli or Salmonella, which could cause foodborne illness. Since pregnancy can weaken the immune system, these infections could lead to complications like miscarriage or harm to the fetus. It’s safer to consume pasteurized juices or freshly washed and cooked vegetables instead.

FAQs

1. Can I drink kombucha while pregnant?

Kombucha, a fermented tea, contains a small amount of alcohol due to the fermentation process, along with caffeine. The alcohol content in kombucha can vary, and consuming it during pregnancy can pose risks to the developing baby. Additionally, since kombucha is typically unpasteurized, it may contain harmful bacteria. It’s best to avoid kombucha during pregnancy and choose safer, non-alcoholic alternatives.

2. Are smoothies safe to drink during pregnancy?

Smoothies can be a healthy choice during pregnancy, but it’s important to ensure they are made with safe ingredients. Avoid using raw or unpasteurized dairy products and be cautious with raw eggs or protein powders, as they can contain harmful bacteria or additives. Opt for smoothies made with pasteurized dairy, fresh or frozen fruits, and vegetables to ensure safety during pregnancy.

3. Can I drink coconut water while pregnant?

Coconut water is generally safe to drink during pregnancy and can be a hydrating option. However, some commercially produced coconut waters contain added sugars or preservatives, which aren’t ideal during pregnancy. Always choose pure coconut water without added ingredients and consult your healthcare provider to ensure it aligns with your dietary needs.

4. Are non-alcoholic beers and wines safe during pregnancy?

Non-alcoholic beers and wines contain minimal amounts of alcohol (usually less than 0.5% ABV), but even small amounts can be a concern during pregnancy. Since the exact alcohol content can vary, it’s best to avoid non-alcoholic beers and wines to ensure the baby’s safety. Instead, consider non-alcoholic beverages made specifically for pregnant women or other alcohol-free alternatives like sparkling water with fruit slices.

This was all about what drinks to avoid when pregnant. While creating a diet for your pregnancy, moderation is always the key for items of guilty pleasure. However, keeping away from certain items is the best bet for your health as well as the baby’s development. Looking for healthy alternatives and developing a taste for them can ensure you have a trouble-free relaxed pregnancy throughout.

References/Resources:

1. Alcohol Use During Pregnancy; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fasd/alcohol-use.html

2. Fruits, Veggies and Juices – Food Safety for Moms to Be; U.S. Food & Drug Administration; https://www.fda.gov/food/people-risk-foodborne-illness/fruits-veggies-and-juices-food-safety-moms-be

3. Moderate Caffeine Consumption During Pregnancy; American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2010/08/moderate-caffeine-consumption-during-pregnancy

4. People at Risk: Pregnant Women; FoodSafety.gov; https://www.foodsafety.gov/people-at-risk/pregnant-women

5. The Dangers of Raw Milk: Unpasteurized Milk Can Pose a Serious Health Risk; U.S. Food & Drug Administration; https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/dangers-raw-milk-unpasteurized-milk-can-pose-serious-health-risk

6. Alcohol and Pregnancy; American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; https://www.acog.org/womens-health/infographics/alcohol-and-pregnancy

7. Azad. M, Sharma. A, de Souza. R; Association Between Artificially Sweetened Beverage Consumption During Pregnancy and Infant Body Mass Index; JAMA Network; https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2521471; July 2016

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