Pregnancy tea from Mama Tea is a hit
During pregnancy, women are advised to cut down on caffeine consumption. Caffeine is found in tea, coffee, cola drinks, chocolate, high energy drinks and cold and flu remedies. Pretty much anything to help get you through the day.
According to the Food Standards Agency, pregnant women do not have to cut out caffeine completely but reduce it to no more than 200mg of caffeine each day. This is because high levels of caffeine can result in miscarriage and low birth weight babies.
As a guide, each of these contains roughly 200mg:
• 2 mugs of instant coffee (100mg each)
• 1 mug of filter coffee (140mg each)
• 2 mugs of tea (75mg each)
• 5 cans of cola (up to 40mg each)
• 2 cans of ‘energy’ drink (up to 80mg each)
• 4 bars of chocolate, weighing 50g each
Because tea and coffee is such an important weapon in daily survival, something that pregnant women should not be deprived of, Chopsy Baby was delighted to come across the fantastic Mama Tea, at the Earls Court Baby Show.
Mama Tea is the UK’s first range of naturally caffeine free herbal tea infusions, designed especially with expectant and new mothers in mind.
Chief Executive of Mama Tea, Anna Louise Simpson realised during her own pregnancy that there was a gap in the market for naturally caffeine free herbal tea. Coupled with an ambition to create a raspberry leaf tea that actually tasted good, Anna abandoned her successful career as a corporate lawyer to set up her Mama Tea business.
“Becoming pregnant is a time of great change and often one that comes with compromises,” Anna says. “During my own pregnancies I found the range of caffeine-free herbal tea on offer was extremely limited and the health benefits always came at the expense of the flavour. In particular, I found that Raspberry Leaf Tea, although extremely beneficial for pregnant women in the last few weeks, had an unpleasant, bitter taste.”
Anna is not alone disliking Raspberry Leaf Tea. Many pregnant women struggle to drink the tea during the last few weeks of pregnancy but we suffer it because the tea contains the alkaloid fragrine which is said to help the uterus contract more efficiently during labour.
“At Mama Tea, we understand what it’s like to become a mum, designing our five blends to support and refresh women at every milestone,” continues Anna. “Most importantly, we didn’t compromise on taste. Working with a master tea blender, we used the principles of traditional tea blending to ensure that each herbal tea is a delicious blend that people will keep drinking well after their baby is born.”
Mum-to-be Emma Totton, from Brislington in Bristol, is eight weeks pregnant with her second baby and tested out Mama Tea for Chopsy Baby.
“I love my tea,” confesses Emma. “It helps get me through the day, but I still shudder in horror at the memories of forcing down cups of Raspberry Leaf Tea during the end of my last pregnancy!”
Because Emma is only eight weeks pregnant, she is currently unable to drink Raspberry Leaf Tea, only recommended for the last two weeks of pregnancy. So, for three weeks, Emma tested out: Morning Mama, Glowing Mama and Cool Mama.
Morning Mama
A herbal blend of chamomile flowers, ginger root, lemon balm, lemon peel and orange peel. Designed to help ease symptoms of morning sickness, stomach upsets, nausea and vomiting.
Emma says: “This tea is a life saver for morning sickness. The moment you open the sachet containing the tea bag, the delicious smell of ginger really helps with waves of nausea. I was a little sceptical about herbal teas being able to do this until I tried it but it did settle my stomach quickly. My morning sickness was much worse in my first pregnancy and I wish I had this tea then.”
Glowing Mama
A herbal blend of rooibus, echinacea leaf, elderflowers and dandelion leaf. Rooibos is a traditional South African tea used by pregnant and nursing women. Rooibos is high in antioxidants.
Emma says: “This is a nice day-to-day tea. It has a pleasant earthy, natural taste to it that doesn’t trigger nausea or other pregnancy symptoms. I took this one to work with me as it was nice to drink throughout the day. This tea was soothing particularly when I had a stinker of a cold.”
Cool Mama
A herbal blend of chamomile flowers, spearmint leaf and marshmallow leaf – known to help ease heartburn and indigestion.
Emma says: “What a refreshing cup of tea. It’s fresh and cooling without being too strong. A perfect blend of herbs. This is just what pregnant women need when the heartburn kicks in. It would be ideal for the hot summer months too.”
“I was so impressed with Mama Tea. All the flavours that I tried were lovely with great herbal blends. Where I have had to make cuts from my diet due to pregnancy such as no alcohol, less chocolate and other things, there is the right gap in my shopping budget to accommodate this perfect range of tea.”
There are two further caffeine free herbal infusions. Ready Mama is a Raspberry Leaf Tea blended with Hibiscus, Rose Petals and Motherwort.
New Mama is a delicious blend of Fennel Seeds, Licorice Root and Lemon Balm Fenugreek Seeds, to help support breast milk production and flow in nursing in new mothers.
Mama Tea is available both loose leaf and in tea bags.
Box of 20 tea bags £2.95
60g loose leaf tea £2.95
www.mamatea.com