Coffee, Teas and Tisanes

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Green tea

Green tea

You’re pregnant, trying to get pregnant or you’re breastfeeding and wondering if it’s still safe to rise and shine with your usual morning coffee, or if you can still delight in your afternoon tea or savor your comforting bedtime herbal tea?

Here are some facts:

  • Coffee and non-herbal tea during childbearing (conception, pregnancy and breastfeeding):
Cappuccino

Cappuccino

Coffee and non–herbal teas (like black and green tea) contain high amounts of caffeine. There’s still not enough data about the safety of caffeine for an embryo, a fetus and a newborn. Caffeine ingested by a pregnant woman gets to her bloodstream, can reach the placenta and therefore crosses to the fetus’ blood. It can also get to the breast milk. It’s best to avoid caffeine during those periods or to minimize your intake to no more than 300 mg/day, which is about 2 servings of coffee, tea or other caffeine containing drinks like soda (cola), energy drinks and maté. Decaffeinated versions could be an alternative to regular coffee and teas since they contain a low amount of caffeine.

  • Herbal teas during childbearing:
Herbal tea

Rosehip tea

Herbal tea or tisane is a tea that generally doesn’t contain caffeine and is made mostly from an herb or could be a blend of different types of herbs, spices and other plants.

Although natural generally rhymes with something good and that’s why a lot of brands try to use that term in marketing their herbal products, it is not a synonym of safe. Natural herbs can sometimes have a drug-like effect on our body. There are so many types of herbs on the market, few of them are scientifically studied and even less are tested for their hazardous effects during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Also herbs sold in pharmacies and health stores are still not regulated by health agencies and so there’s no guarantee of their safety, effectiveness and purity. Hence, it’s best to be cautious when opting for a cup of tisane. Here are some options of herbal teas that are considered safer than others but should also be consumed in moderation (2 cups/day): ginger, bitter orange, citrus peel, echinacea, peppermint, red raspberry leaf, rosemary and rosehips.

In moderation and with a bit of care, keep on relishing your little pleasures!

Fall/Winter Fragrances: My Picks

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As you will notice, I predominantly love the reign of spicy Oud wood this season! Whether it is blended with fruity or floral essences, it creates a distinctive splendid bouquet of warm and rich wintery scents. Here’s my selection:

English Pear & Freesia Cologne by Joe Malone Perfect caress of autumn with luscious pear, white freesias,amber, patchouli and spicy woods.

English Pear & Freesia Cologne by Jo Malone
Perfect caress of autumn with luscious pear, white freesias, amber, patchouli and spicy woods

Oud & Bergamot Cologne by Joe Malone Tempting and mesmerizing mix of Arabian Oud and citrus bergamot

Oud & Bergamot Cologne by Jo Malone
Tempting and mesmerizing mix of Arabian Oud and citrus bergamot

Velvet Sublime limited edition fragrance by Dolce & Gabbana It is a truly sublime floral fragrance with a blend of Sicilian mandarin, orange blossom and neroli

Velvet Sublime, a limited edition fragrance by Dolce & Gabbana
It is a truly sublime floral fragrance with a blend of Sicilian mandarin, orange blossom and neroli

Jasmin Rouge, a fragrance from the private blend collection by Tom Ford Sexy, bold and glamorous as red lips! This floral-spicy fragrance is an opulent blend of jasmin, sage and rich spices.

Jasmin Rouge, a fragrance from the Private Blend collection by Tom Ford
Sexy, bold and glamorous as red lips! This floral-spicy fragrance is an opulent blend of jasmin, sage and rich spices.

X by Clive Christian It’s branded the aphrodisiac scent for being a fusion of Egyptian jasmine (what Cleopatra used to seduce her love) and Karo Karundi (reputed to be a love drug essence). It’s a refined and pleasant fruity fragrance

X by Clive Christian
It’s branded the most aphrodisiac fragrance for being a fusion of Egyptian jasmine (what Cleopatra used to seduce her lover) and Karo Karundi (reputed to be a love drug essence). It’s a refined and pleasant fruity fragrance

Today, on Madison Ave, I’m Loving…

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Pucci swing coat and heels

Emilio Pucci swing coat and heels

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Red hues
Top left: Roberto Cavalli fur coat
Top right: Valentino
Bottom left: Can’t get enough of D&G’s Fall ’13, seriously considering a crown as a new street style, would you see this as excessive, ridiculous or daring?
Bottom right: Berries at Fred’s, Barneys 😉

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Sporty Barbie
Left: Manrico Cashmere
Top right: Tod’s
Bottom right: Camper

Taxi! With this outfit it's guaranteed you would find a cab ;) Left: Michael Kors, right: Kate Spade

Taxi!
With this outfit it’s guaranteed you would find a cab 😉
Left: Michael Kors; Right: Kate Spade

Crazy Cravings!

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cotton candyPregnancy hormones are bringing out the worst in me! Euhhh, let’s just stick to food here! While I thought junk food is something I had by now fully defeated and my body has fully detoxified itself from all the residues of my juvenile consumption, much to my surprise I discover that my unrefined kidlike sweet tooth is making a comeback right at the most sensitive time when I should be feeding myself and my infant some real food! I can’t believe that the other day I was walking down the street with a bag of sour jelly strings while strolling my daughter, and discretely munching on these rainbow colored gelatins hoping that no other passing mama sees me and gives me the look! I hoped it would stop there, but it didn’t! A couple of days later, while I was running after my daughter in the park, I saw a cotton candy vendor passing and again my hormones sprung into a “ding ding” musical! The worst part this time is that I couldn’t hide that from my daughter, whose eyes bulged out at the sight of the bright pink candy!

While I found that repressing my cravings is not the solution but is more often counter effective, I decided to accomodate my body’s wishes. So when a bad craving strikes, if a healthier option wouldn’t satiate, I decided to go ahead and enjoy the food I craved but in a small amount. For example, according to my rule, one bite of that cotton candy would have been more than satisfactory. Now practice and scheme can differ a bit but it’s important to have a plan!

Here are some healthier snacks when you feel like something

  • Crunchy: rice cakes; toasted whole-wheat pita bread; unsalted nuts or sunflower seeds; low-fat popcorn; whole-grain crackers; unsalted whole-grain pretzels; trail mix and raw crunchy veggies like celery.
  • Creamy: low-fat ice cream; low-fat vanilla coffee; low-fat flavored yogurt; and yogurt and fruit smoothie
  • Chocolaty: dark chocolate bite; dark chocolate-dipped strawberries, banana or dried fruits; low-fat versions of: chocolate pudding, frozen fudge bar, hot chocolate milk and banana frappe
  • Sweet: fruit jam with no added sugar; honey; frozen pops with 100% juice; sorbet; dried fruits or fruits like grapes; and melon

Don’t forget to keep the portion small!

Beat the Cold with Beet!

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beet

Did you know?

  • Beet is not only used to produce table sugar, it is also a delightful addition to your menu
  • Its remarkably vivid color isn’t only perfect for a bloody Halloween, but it’s also an indication of its powerful antioxidant and pigment, betalain
  • You can eat it all: roots, leaves and stems and benefit from all the nutrients (mostly vitamin A, vitamin K and phytonutrients with very strong antioxidant power)

Try this succulent warm salad, my latest experiment with beet:

Ingredients: -Boiled beetroots -Raw or steamed chopped beet leaves and stems -Sprinkle of goat cheese and walnuts -Drizzle of balsamic vinegar and olive oil

Ingredients:
-Boiled beetroots (preferably served warm)
-Raw or steamed chopped beet leaves and stems
-Sprinkle of goat cheese and walnuts
-Drizzle of balsamic vinegar and olive oil