THE MIDWEEK SUN THE SUN DOCTOR

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Dear Sun Doc

Now that I am pregnant, I want to eat coffee berries all the time. Are these and herbal teas safe during pregnancy. Stella

Dear Stella

Some pregnant women develop cravings for different things including raw mangoes and, in your case, coffee berries while others crave clay, or even soil. Although these cravings may have a cultural or ethnic component and may sometimes be protective to parasites or poisons, many times, they may indicate a deficiency in a certain nutrient in the body.

For example, one may take soil when they have an iron deficiency. In the longrun, however, fulfilling one’s craving by eating soil might cause a range of health issues including intestinal infections or heavy metal poisoning. Coffee berries contain caffeine (also found in tea, soda, chocolate, energy drinks and some over-the-counter medications for headache) and if craved by a pregnant woman and consumed could reduce the blood supply to the foetus, risking birth defects, premature labour and delivery, and low-birth weight in babies.

The amount of caffeine likely to cause health problems differs in different women so, it is important to avoid taking any caffeine during pregnancy. Pregnant women more than anybody else require to eat a balanced diet comprising water, proteins, fat, vitamins, carbohydrates, and minerals in good proportions and quantities. This will ensure a healthy pregnancy outcome for both the baby and mother.

Herbal teas, apart from containing other herbs, should be avoided since the effect of individual herbs in pregnancy may not be known. Also, some herbal teas contain caffeine, which is not good for both mother and baby.