Can you drink yerba mate while pregnant?
In moderationYes, but keep it to one serving a day. Mate runs roughly 80 mg of caffeine per cup, and the pregnancy ceiling is 200 mg a day counting everything you drink.
Why
Yerba mate's issue is caffeine, not contamination. An 8 oz cup brews to about 80 mg, close to strong tea and a little under coffee, but the traditional gourd is refilled with hot water over and over through an afternoon, and one long session can carry you past 200 mg without ever feeling like a second drink. ACOG caps caffeine at 200 mg a day in pregnancy, and the NHS ties higher intakes to low birth weight and miscarriage. One serving a day, counted alongside your coffee and tea, keeps you inside the line, and the practical rule is to brew a measured cup instead of sipping a refilled gourd.
Safer alternatives
- Rooibos, such as Numi Organic Rooibos, which is caffeine free and holds up to milk the way mate does not
- Roasted barley tea (mugicha), toasty and caffeine free, good hot or iced
- Traditional Medicinals ginger tea, which also helps with nausea
- Tereré made with mint, lemon and cold water, skipping the yerba
Sources
- ACOG https://www.acog.org/womens-health/experts-and-stories/ask-acog/how-much-coffee-can-i-drink-while-pregnant
- NHS https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/foods-to-avoid/
Every verdict follows our sourcing methodology: official health guidelines only, most cautious position when they differ.
Last reviewed by the pregAI editorial team.
Frequently asked questions
How much caffeine is in a gourd of yerba mate?
A single 8 oz cup is around 80 mg, but a gourd refilled through a session commonly reaches 150 to 300 mg because the leaves keep releasing caffeine. That is why the serving size matters more with mate than with coffee.
Can I drink yerba mate and coffee on the same day?
Only if the two together stay under 200 mg, which usually means one or the other. A cup of coffee at roughly 95 mg plus a cup of mate at 80 mg leaves you almost no room for tea or cola later.
Is Guayaki canned mate okay while pregnant?
Check the can, since the caffeine printed on it ranges from about 80 mg to 150 mg depending on the line. One can a day fits under the limit, two of the stronger ones does not.
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Get instant verdicts on any foodpregAI is informational only and is not medical advice. Always check with your doctor or midwife about anything specific to your pregnancy.