Can Pregnant Women Drink Jasmine Tea? How Much Is Safe?

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Written by Gina Wagg BA, Dip.

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When you’re pregnant, it’s nice to be able to know which drinks (hot or cold) you can treat yourself to without having to worry about any negative effects. Tea has long been a go-to option for pregnant women, and Jasmine tea is popular because of its comforting and floral scent. But is it safe if you’re pregnant?

Can Pregnant Women Drink Jasmine Tea? Jasmine tea is safe in pregnancy, in moderation. The amount of Jasmine tea you can drink when pregnant depends on the caffeine level, and what kind of tea has been blended with the jasmine blossoms or flowers.

Here, I’ll highlight some tips on what to look for when buying and drinking jasmine tea in pregnancy. There are so many different kinds of jasmine tea, you’ll need to check the label on the blend you’re planning to drink.

Does Jasmine Tea Contain Caffeine?

Jasmine tea usually contains caffeine, as it’s a blend of white, green or black tea, scented with jasmine flowers, or blossoms. It’s often labeled “Jasmine Green Tea” or “Chinese jasmine tea” since green is the most popular tea used to make the blend, and it originates in China.

It’s also usually called “Jasmine Green Tea” when it comes in tea bags or loose-leaf form. If you can’t find specifics on the label, it’s probably green jasmine tea.

The amount of caffeine in jasmine tea depends on many things, such as how long it’s brewed for, what kind of leaves were used, when they were picked, and so on. There’s no definite, magic number of how much caffeine will be in your particular cup of jasmine tea, but as a general average:

Leaves In Jasmine TeaCaffeine Level (average, per cup)
Black Jasmine Tea60 – 90 mg
Green Jasmine Tea35 – 70 mg
White Jasmine Tea30 – 55 mg
Decaf Jasmine Tea0 – 2 mg

Source: Tasting Bible

If you want to reduce the amount of caffeine in your jasmine tea, you can:

  • Brew it for a shorter time (the longer the tea is brewed, the more caffeine it will contain)
  • Choose white or decaf versions of jasmine tea – decaf will keep much of the jasmine flavor, without the caffeine
  • Use bags instead of loose-leaf tea, as it’s easier to use too much when you’re making it from loose tea.
a cup of jasmine tea with jasmine leaves and flowers

Is It Safe To Drink Jasmine Tea When Pregnant?

Jasmine tea is safe in pregnancy if consumption is limited, due to its caffeine content. The fact it contains jasmine flowers, or blossoms, has no bearing on its pregnancy safety as these only add flavor. It’s the tea it’s blended with, and the subsequent caffeine it contains.

When you’re pregnant, you should limit your caffeine intake to no more than 200mg per day. Consuming caffeine can take many forms, not just in obvious drinks like coke, tea, and coffee.

Food like chocolate also contains caffeine and should be added up alongside drinks like tea to add up your daily total (by the way, here’s a table of which chocolate is the most caffeine heavy).

Is Jasmine Tea Good For Pregnant Women?

Jasmine tea should be consumed in moderation when you’re pregnant, due to its caffeine content. However, there are other benefits of drinking jasmine tea in pregnancy. For example, herbal tea such as jasmine tea is high in antioxidants, polyphenols and catechins (source: Healthline). These are found in almost all green teas.

However, as the American Pregnancy Association points out, these benefits are far outweighed by the fact that you should reduce or avoid caffeine.

If you enjoy jasmine tea, then drink it in moderation when you’re pregnant, but don’t drink it purely for its health benefits, as reducing your caffeine intake is far more important.

If you’re struggling to find other options for “safe” drinks in pregnancy, you might like to read this article on ten drinks pregnant women can enjoy, besides water.