Pregnancy is an unquestionably wonderful period in a woman's life. But mothers-to-be, on the other hand, must be particularly cautious about what they put into their bodies. Healthy eating during pregnancy involves understanding how much to eat and which foods are nutritious. This includes the food they consume, the beverages they consume, and even the supplements they take.
If you rely on a cup of coffee or two to get through the day, you may dread the prospect of giving it (or any other caffeine) up now that you're pregnant. According to guidelines from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), pregnant women can take up to 200 milligrams (mg) of caffeine daily. But is mushroom coffee safe during pregnancy?
The answer is not entirely clear. While mushrooms are usually considered healthy during pregnancy, the caffeine concentration in mushroom coffee can be an issue. Caffeine consumption during pregnancy might raise the chance of miscarriage and low birth weight and impact your baby's heart rate and respiration.
Can you drink mushroom coffee while pregnant? Let s dive deeper into it!
Understanding Mushroom Coffee
Before we go into the safety of mushroom coffee during pregnancy, let's understand what it is. If you like coffee, you've probably heard of mushroom coffee. It's a new coffee craze that blends the health advantages of mushrooms with the benefits of coffee.
Mushroom coffee combines mushroom extracts with coffee beans or ground coffee. The most common mushrooms used in mushroom coffee are Lion's mane, Chaga, and Reishi, all of which have medicinal benefits.
Chaga mushrooms have antioxidant qualities and may aid in immune system support. Lion's mane mushrooms have been demonstrated to boost cognitive function and memory. Reishi mushrooms have anti-inflammatory qualities and may aid with stress and anxiety.
The theory behind mushroom coffee is that it gives you the energy boost of coffee without the jitters and crashes that some people get from coffee. It is also thought to provide additional health advantages due to mushroom extracts.
Nutritional Benefits Of Medicinal Mushrooms
Lion's mane and Cordyceps mushrooms, used in mushroom coffee, have received attention for their potential health advantages. Let's look at the nutritional benefits of these mushrooms and whether they could be helpful during pregnancy.
Medicinal mushrooms are nutritional powerhouses with numerous health advantages, including:
1. Support brain health and cognition
If you're pregnant and suffering forgetfulness, fogginess, or general absent-mindedness, you may have a "pregnancy brain." Though it may not be a medical condition, with so many reports of mental fogginess and forgetfulness when pregnant (and sometimes postpartum), something is most definitely happening.
According to some studies, pregnancy causes memory impairment and lower attention span, often lasting into the postpartum period. Lion's mane has many beneficial components, including beta-glucans, immunomodulating antioxidants and neuroprotective phytonutrients.
In vitro, studies reveal that some chemicals in Lion's mane, specifically hericenones and erinacines, may aid in synthesizing Nerve Growth Factor (NGF)(1) in nerve cells. This is consistent with animal studies that show Lion's mane increases nerve tissue growth and motor performance. In another study, adults with modest memory difficulties linked with aging who took Lion's mane(2) extract showed more outstanding brain function than control participants who did not take the fungus. This suggests that Lion's mane is an excellent aid to healthy brain function and may even promote neurogenesis.
2. Increase energy and stamina
Pregnancy is like running a marathon while carrying a rucksack that grows heavier daily. In other words, it's exhausting! Even when you're not conscious of what your body is doing, it's working harder than ever.
During the first few months of pregnancy, feeling tired and even drained is common. Weariness, especially intense weariness, is a common early pregnancy symptom that virtually all women experience throughout the first trimester. It's also common in the third trimester, affecting over 60% of all pregnant women.
Cordyceps mushroom is a fantastic energy-boosting fungus. Cordyceps has been found in experiments to boost the generation of ATP, which gives cells energy. This is why Cordyceps is an excellent mushroom supplement for boosting energy. Clinical studies(3) have shown that Cordyceps increases exercise performance in healthy older adults.
3. Support a healthy inflammation response
During pregnancy, the mother’s immune system is in constant flux to protect the mother and the baby. At times your immune system will lower, and at other times it will strengthen.
Turkey tail boosts immunological function by raising natural killer cells and promoting cytokine synthesis, among other things. Turkey Tail protein-bound polysaccharides (PBP) have the most significant research-backed immune-supportive benefits.
When administered alone or in conjunction with synergistic herbs, these PBP compounds(4) can boost critical types of immune cells, such as T-cells.
4. Full of antioxidants
"Oxidative stress" refers to an imbalance in the balance of antioxidants and pro-oxidants that favors antioxidants. This has been linked to pregnancy complications, including miscarriage, maternal vascular disease, and preterm labor.
Over 200 pre-clinical animal and cell research on Chaga have shown prospective health advantages such as being high in antioxidants(5). This natural antioxidant source benefits both mother and child.
Antioxidants combat free radicals, which can cause cell damage and inflammation. Chaga mushroom coffee is abundant in antioxidants, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), which helps to protect cells from oxidative stress damage. This indicates that drinking mushroom coffee while pregnant may help to lower the chance of acquiring diseases, including high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, and preeclampsia.
5. Help to balance blood sugar
Diabetes in pregnancy develops when your body is unable to produce enough insulin. This hormone produced by the pancreas is vital to letting blood sugar into your cells for use as energy.
Your body produces more hormones through other changes during pregnancy, such as weight growth. These changes cause your cells to utilize insulin less effectively, resulting in insulin resistance. Insulin resistance raises your body's requirement for insulin.
Many studies have indicated that mushrooms can help with blood sugar control. Beta-glucans, a mushroom ingredient, are a soluble dietary fiber that has been demonstrated to assist blood sugar management, which is advantageous for people with diabetes.
Reishi and Lion's mane(6) has been demonstrated to reduce blood sugar and insulin levels. Maitake(7) has also been demonstrated to help blood sugar control(8) by reducing blood glucose levels and increasing insulin sensitivity.
Caffeine Content In Mushroom Coffee
Now that we know mushroom coffee pregnancy benefits let’s move on to the burning question. How much caffeine is present in mushroom coffee?
Caffeine consumption is one of the critical concerns during pregnancy. A certain amount of mushroom powder is frequently blended with an equal number of ground coffee beans to make mushroom coffee. Because mushroom powders have no caffeine, it reduces the caffeine concentration of the final product by half when compared to regular coffee.
They do, however, contain far more caffeine than decaffeinated coffee. Check the mushroom coffee product labels and consult your healthcare physician before using them.
Safety Precautions During Pregnancy
Now, is mushroom coffee safe for pregnancy? Mushroom coffee is generally considered safe. However, there are several precautions to take.
To begin, make sure the mushroom coffee you're drinking is organic and devoid of toxins. You don't want to expose yourself or your developing child to potentially dangerous chemicals or pollutants.
Second, certain drugs or supplements may interfere with mushroom coffee. Before ingesting mushroom coffee, consult your doctor if you are on any drugs or supplements. This will assist in guaranteeing that no potentially harmful interactions occur between you and your baby.
Finally, it is critical to consume mushroom coffee in moderation. While mushroom coffee is typically harmless, excessive daily consumption may result in undesirable side effects. This applies to all caffeinated beverages during pregnancy, not only mushroom tea.
Every pregnancy is different, and people's susceptibility to specific chemicals varies. Pay close attention to personal reactions and detect potential sensitivities to mushroom coffee components, such as skin irritation, rashes, and difficulty breathing.
If you're still wondering whether or not to consume mushroom coffee while pregnant, we recommend speaking with your doctor. They can help you weigh the advantages and disadvantages and decide based on your specific requirements and circumstances.
FAQs About Is Mushroom Coffee Safe During Pregnancy
Does Mushroom Coffee Affect Hormones?
The adaptogen in mushroom coffee can influence how much cortisol — a stress hormone — your body produces. If the adaptogens in mushroom coffee reduce the quantity of cortisol in your system, this may help reduce the adverse effects of stress on your body.
How Does Mushroom Coffee Make You Feel?
Because mushroom coffee has less caffeine, it typically helps people feel less stressed and sleep better (like those with Reishi). However, if your mushroom coffee contains Lion's mane or Cordyceps, it can boost energy, attention, and concentration, among other things.
Is Mushroom Coffee Safe While Breastfeeding?
Limited research has been done into the safety of drinking mushroom coffee while breastfeeding. However, it is widely considered safe for most people, including breastfeeding women.
Key Takeaways
Some people may be thinking if mushroom coffee is safe during pregnancy. The good news is that the caffeine amount of this drink is lower, which means it may not be as dangerous to ingest while pregnant. However, before using it, consult with your healthcare physician.
References
- Neurotrophic properties of the Lion's mane medicinal mushroom, Hericium erinaceus (Higher Basidiomycetes) from Malaysia, (1)https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24266378/
- Neurological Activity of Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus), (2)https://restorativemedicine.org/journal/neurological-activity-lions-mane-hericium-erinaceus/?utm_source=ojs&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=journal
- Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial and assessment of fermentation product of Cordyceps sinensis (Cs-4) in enhancing aerobic capacity and respiratory function of the healthy elderly volunteers, (3)https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF02836405
- Immunomodulatory effects of Yun Zhi and Danshen capsules in health subjects—a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study, (4)https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14996412
- Antioxidant effect of Inonotus obliquus (5)https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15588653/
- Antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic activities of aqueous extract ofHericium erinaceus in experimental diabetic rats, (6)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3852124/
- Anti-diabetic activity present in the fruit body of Grifola frondosa (Maitake). I, (7)https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7820117/
- Anticancer and Hypoglycemic Effects of Polysaccharides in Edible and Medicinal Maitake Mushroom [Grifola frondosa (Dicks.: Fr.) S. F. Gray], (8)https://www.dl.begellhouse.com/journals/708ae68d64b17c52,7a31e55f2119a143,65fd32c01c659274.html
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