Teem bitter lemon is a popular Nigerian drink that is enjoyed by practically everyone. Many pregnant women have a strong desire to drink teem bitter lemon, but is it safe to consume during pregnancy? To discover it, keep reading.
Ingredients in Teem Bitter Lemon
Photo credit: JC Groceries
Teem bitter lemon contains lots of ingredients which include Quinine, Sugar, Carbonated water, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Caramel, Ester Gum, Gum Arabic, and Lemon Flavour.
Is teem bitter lemon safe to consume during pregnancy?
Teem bitter lemon contains several elements that are not recommended for women to ingest. The following are some of the ingredients:
Citric Acid
Heartburn. Citric acid’s high acid levels may raise your risk of acid reflux (commonly known as heartburn), which is already very frequent during pregnancy. Drinking overly concentrated lemon-based beverages, rather than simply a dash of lemon in your water, may cause heartburn.
Quinine
Beverages containing quinine, such as krest bitter lemon, Schweppes bitter lemon, and soda water Because of their somewhat bitter taste, Teem bitter lemons are excellent thirst quenchers. Pregnant women, in particular, eat larger quantities during the rainy season. Furthermore, there is advice on the Internet that specifically advises pregnant women to take quinine-containing drinks to prevent nocturnal calf muscle cramps, early morning sickness, and malaria. For precautionary reasons, pregnant women should avoid quinine-containing drinks.
Without a doubt, teem bitter lemon is a wonderful energy drink that may also be used to cure malaria, but it should be avoided during pregnancy. Teem bitter lemon, lemon drink, or any soft drink containing quinine should not be consumed by pregnant women.
Quinine, while having antimalarial qualities, is not healthy to consume during pregnancy, hence beverages containing quinine, such as Schweppes, bitter lemon krest, and teem bitter lemon, should be avoided as much as possible.
Quinine has a similar impact on the heart to quinidine and can induce congenital cardiac abnormalities or even stop the heart of an unborn baby, resulting in stillbirth.
Some women utilize teem bitter lemon, which contains quinine, to perform unsafe abortions and flush sperm. Quinine is thought to produce uterine contractions and the ejection of the fetus… With this effect on the womb, it’s convenient to say that women who take teem bitter lemon during pregnancy are more likely to have a miscarriage and experience pregnancy complications such as pregnancy loss, low birth weight, congenital malformations of the foetus, and even stillbirth….but this hasn’t been proven. As a result, teem bitter lemon should be avoided during pregnancy.
People, especially pregnant women, who have been recommended by their doctors not to take quinine due to particular clinical signs such as tinnitus, pre-existing optic nerve damage, certain kinds of haemolytic anemia, or oversensitivity to cinchona alkaloids should avoid quinine-containing foods. Drinking quinine-containing lemonades should only be done after seeing a doctor if you have cardiac arrhythmia or are using pharmaceutical medications that interact with quinine, such as anticoagulant medicines.
Some health care practitioners believe quinine-containing soft drinks, such as teem bitter lemon, are beneficial and safe for pregnant women since they work as malaria preventatives, but I highly advise against it. There are several malaria treatments that are safe for your unborn child.
If at all possible, avoid teem bitter lemon when pregnant. Quinine-containing beverages and foods should be avoided during pregnancy due to the debate surrounding their use.
Nutritional Values of Bitter Lemon
Bitter Lemon is a lemon-flavored drink that tastes like tonic water. Bitter Lemon is commonly used as a mixer for alcoholic cocktails, although it may also be consumed on its own. Bitter Lemon may not be the best choice if you’re trying to lose weight because it’s heavy in calories and has few nutritional advantages. But it is not advisable to consume if you are pregnant.