Hunter & Gather Foods logo
Hunter & Gather Foods logo

All articles

Can I drink Thrive Coffee whilst breastfeeding?Updated 10 months ago

Good question. 

First things first, you can drink coffee while breastfeeding - it is recommended to have no more than 300mg of caffeine a day, and one cup of Thrive Coffee is 120mg. It also gives lovely peace of mind knowing that the TrueStart coffee powder in the product is mycotoxin-free so you won’t be passing any mould metabolites onto your baby!

However, when it comes to the fats in this particular product, this is where the choice must be left to you. The product contains grass-fed butter, so if your baby has any issues with cow’s milk intolerance or allergy then the product shouldn’t be consumed. The biggest question mark for most people will be around the MCT, as unfortunately there is not enough scientific evidence to declare whether MCT oil is safe to consume while breastfeeding and therefore we cannot actively recommend the product. What we do know is:

  • MCT oil will likely get into the breastmilk (which naturally contains 8-10% MCT fats).
  • Medium chain triglycerides are more readily absorbed in the gut than long-chain-triglycerides as they don’t need adequate bile and enzymes to break them down for digestion.
  • Too much MCT can cause digestive issues.
  • MCT is a good source of lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid, that have antimicrobial properties and can protect against infection. 
  • One mice study showed that the dietary supplementation of lauric acid may increase mammary gland function to promote better lactation. 
  • Your baby does need fats and fat-soluble vitamins for growth and brain development, but you don’t necessarily want to overdo it.

We hope this helps as much as possible.
Was this article helpful?
Yes
No