Numerous alternative medicine healthcare providers feel that taking in particular herbal teas during pregnancy is a terrific method to support optimum pregnancy health.
Herbal teas can often offer an added source of nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, and iron. Nevertheless, due to the absence of research studies on many herbs, the FDA motivates care when ingesting herbal teas.
To understand which herbal teas are safe to consume during pregnancy, let’s first take a look at the different types of teas and how they are made.
While this article resolves making use of herbal teas during pregnancy, there are likewise teas formulated for use after pregnancy to assist promote milk production while breastfeeding.
Drinking Herbal Tea During Your Pregnancy
Differences Between Non-Herbal and Herbal
There are two different types of teas, non-herbal and herbal. The non-herbal teas can be broken down into 3 categories: black, green, and oolong.
Non-Herbal Tea
- Black tea is the most typical type of non-herbal tea. It consists of blends such as English breakfast, Earl Grey, and Orange Pekoe.
- Green tea has a more delicate taste than black tea. The oolong teas are a combination of green and black tea.
- Non-herbal teas consist of varying amounts of caffeine and anti-oxidants.
- Non-herbal teas are made from leaves of tea plants.
- The longer the oxidation time (fermenting) of the leaf, the higher the caffeine level.
- The developing time, size of the leaf, and type of tea leaf can likewise affect how much caffeine remains in the tea.
- Decaf variations of non-herbal teas still include a bit of caffeine.
Caffeine nuances
The main danger of tea is caffeine, which is found in tea leaves: 30-70 mg in a cup of black tea, 25-40 mg in green tea. This alkaloid causes excitation of the nervous system, headaches, insomnia, and can provoke contractions. In addition, the substance enters the fetus through the placenta and causes a decrease in blood flow. Therefore, strong tea is forbidden.
What tea to drink during pregnancy:
- strongly diluted with water, not strong tea: a maximum of half a teaspoon per 200 ml of water;
- No more than 1 to 2 cups a day;
- choose a tea of proven quality: well-known manufacturers, without artificial additives;
- choose a lukewarm beverage, not a hot one;
- drink freshly brewed tea, no later than one hour after brewing;
- do not use freshly brewed tea, tea with an unpleasant odor;
- when pregnant, the body reacts unexpectedly to bright smells, so you should not use tea with flavorings.
Herbal Tea
- Made from the roots, berries, flowers, seeds, and leaves of a range of plants not from real tea plant leaves.
- True herbal teas do not contain caffeine. (This does not include other beverages that are called “tea” however genuinely are not, such as mate tea.)
- These teas can also be used as medical remedies (associating with, or having the properties of medicine).
What Teas are Safe to Consume During Pregnancy?
Non-Herbal Teas
Although non-herbal tea is presumed to have fantastic health advantages due to the antioxidants, it also contains caffeine, which pregnant and breastfeeding women are typically encouraged to cut down on or remove.
The typical cup of non-herbal tea contains about 40-50 milligrams of caffeine. Decaffeinated non herbal tea does still include a little bit of caffeine; however, the amount is usually just about 4 milligrams.
Caffeine crosses the placenta and reaches your developing baby. The baby can not metabolize caffeine like a grownup can. Also, taking in caffeine while breastfeeding could add to infant sleep disorders.
For this reason, there is controversy on how much caffeine is safe, or if it needs to be prevented entirely. We know that the less caffeine consumed, the much better it is for your baby while pregnant or breastfeeding.
Talk with your midwife or doctor about what quantity is safe. This will help you decide on whether to consume non-herbal teas.
Herbal Teas
Herbal teas are naturally caffeine complimentary, so caffeine is not a concern when consuming this type of tea. The concern with consuming herbal teas during pregnancy is the absence of information available on most herbs and their effects on an establishing fetus.
There are blended opinions on the safety of herbal teas, for both pregnant and non-pregnant women.
Most business brands of herbal teas are believed to be safe for anybody to consume in reasonable amounts. Herbal tea business, report that they do not use any herbs that are thought about hazardous and choose to use herbs from guidelines that the FDA has actually released.
The herbal teas that are thought about to be hazardous are those that are not made commercially, those made with excessive amounts of herbs (amounts bigger than those found in typical foods or beverages), and those made with herbs that are understood to be hazardous.
As with most things, it is constantly best to talk with your midwife or doctor about any herbal teas that you have an interest in drinking.
What herbal teas can be drunk during pregnancy
For expectant mothers who do not want to give up their usual drink, there is a delicious and useful alternative – herbal teas. The fact is that, despite the name, it is not a tea, but an infusion of herbs, flowers or berries. There are no tea leaves in herbal teas, and therefore no caffeine – the most undesirable component for pregnant women.
What herbal teas can be drunk during pregnancy:
- Infusion of willow tea. In this plant – a set of vitamins and trace elements. The drink helps with insomnia, heartburn, has anti-inflammatory and antipyretic effect. It is indicated for the prevention of anemia. Can be drunk for a month, 1-2 cups a day, then – a break for 3 weeks.
- Mint tea. Fragrant drink with mint leaves refreshes and helps to cope with morning sickness with toxicosis. Infusion improves digestion and eliminates constipation. And even a cup of mint tea will bring the nerves in order, soothe and relax.
- Chamomile tea. This is probably the most popular answer to the question of what tea to drink pregnant women. The components in chamomile flowers relieve toxicosis, soothe, and normalize digestion. Also anti-inflammatory chamomile infusion is drunk at exacerbations of thrush.
- Tea with rosehips. The rose hips contain a staggering dose of vitamin C. This drink strengthens the immune system, removes excess fluid, relieves swelling, helps with colds. However, the decoction is not recommended to drink in the first trimester of pregnancy and with kidney problems.
We have named the most popular herbal teas that are drunk during pregnancy. However, before you start drinking tea, it is advisable to consult with your doctor.
Teas useful for pregnant women
There are a number of teas labeled as a pregnancy tea. Pregnancy teas, which often consist of red raspberry leaf, are considered to be beneficial in pregnancy.
Lots of midwives and specialists who work with herbs believe that the routine usage of these teas might help avoid pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia, preterm labor, extended labor, and postpartum hemorrhage.
Medical studies have revealed that red raspberry leaf can be taken in securely during pregnancy and can reduce the length of labor and the number of interventions used, such as artificial rupture of membranes (AROM), assisted delivery, and cesarean delivery.
Red raspberry leaf likewise appears to assist prevent pregnancies from pre- or post-term pregnancy (providing too early or far too late).
The Herbs Used
The following are common active ingredients you might find in herbal teas. Keep in mind that some have a doubtful safety score. The safety scores provided here are from the Natural Medicines Database.
More substantial research and conversations with your health care service provider will help you decide about what herbs are safe for you to use in teas.
- Red Raspberry Leaf (Likely Safe) — Rich in iron, this herb has assisted tone the uterus, increase milk production, reduce queasiness, and alleviate labor pains. Lots of pregnancy teas include red raspberry leaf to assist promote uterine health during pregnancy. There is some debate about whether this should be used throughout pregnancy or simply in the 2nd and third trimester, so many health care companies stay careful and just suggest using it after the first trimester.
- Peppermint Leaf (Likely Safe) — Helpful in relieving nausea/morning sickness and flatulence.
- Lemon Balm (Likely Safe) — Has a soothing impact and helps ease irritability, insomnia, and anxiety.
- Ginger root (Possibly Safe) — Helps ease queasiness and vomiting.
- Dandelion (Insufficient Reliable Information Available) — Rich in Vitamin A, calcium and iron; dandelion root and leaf can also help eliminate mild edema and nourish the liver.
- Chamomile (German) (Insufficient Reliable Information Available) — High in calcium and magnesium, likewise assists with sleeplessness and inflammation of joints.
- Nettles (Stinging Nettles) (Likely Unsafe-see note) — High in vitamins A, C, K, calcium, potassium and iron. Used in numerous pregnancy teas because it is an excellent well-rounded pregnancy tonic. (* Note on the safety of nettles: Natural Medicines Database offers nettles a score of Likely Unsafe, despite the fact that it is used in numerous pregnancy teas and suggested by most midwives and herbalists. This might remain in relation to which part of the nettles plant is used, the root or the leaves, and how much is used. According to other sources, making use of nettles is motivated during pregnancy because of its health advantages.).
- Rose Hips (Insufficient Reliable Information Available) — Very good source of Vitamin C and helps increase the immune system.
- Alfalfa (Possibly Unsafe) — Has Vitamin A, D, E and K; particularly excellent in later pregnancy to increase Vitamin K, which helps prevent postpartum hemorrhage.
- Yellow Dock (Possibly Unsafe) — Used to assist treat anemia in pregnant women due to the high level of iron. Also consists of Vitamins A, C and calcium.* (This may also be used as a laxative– talk with your healthcare supplier about making use of yellow dock during pregnancy).
What herbal teas are contraindicated or undesirable in pregnancy
The question of what tea is useful for pregnant women is solved. However, you should also get acquainted with herbal infusions, the use of which is undesirable in the period of pregnancy.
Such plants include:
- immortelle;
- valerian;
- celandine;
- sweet clover;
- Chinese lemongrass;
- ginseng;
- strawberry leaves.
Useful properties of teas and herbs during pregnancy
Teas and herbal infusions during pregnancy are recommended to drink not only for pleasure. This is a way to strengthen the rebuilding body, saturate it with vitamins and trace elements, minimize the problems associated with carrying a child – toxemia, swelling, rapid fatigue.
Let’s consider what useful properties they have.
Black tea
Source of magnesium and potassium, calcium and phosphorus, vitamins C, PP, group B. Micronutrients are needed to support the female bone system and the formation of the child, to strengthen the heart and reduce vascular permeability. To neutralize caffeine, unnecessary to the baby, reduce the concentration of the brew or add milk. Make the taste brighter and richer will help vitamin additives – rosehip, mint leaves.
Green tea
Green tea has better antioxidant properties than black tea, enhances protective functions of the body and has a positive effect on blood vessels. Nonetheless, doctors recommend limiting consumption to one to two cups, especially during the first trimester of pregnancy. It inhibits the absorption of folic acid, iron – substances necessary for the health of the future baby.
White Tea
This variety has the same beneficial properties as green tea, but it has less caffeine. White tea is known to have antimicrobial, restorative and tonic properties, and it is high in calcium and fluoride. The drink relieves fatigue without toning down the nervous system.
Carcade
Floral tea has no contraindications for pregnancy. Its sour taste is evidence of a high concentration of vitamin C (useful for the prevention of colds). It normalizes blood pressure, gently fights constipation, liquefies bile. Thanks to the P-vitamin activity, cacade strengthens the blood vessels of the placenta, improving the blood supply to the fetus. The drink relaxes the uterine muscles, which makes it useful at risk of miscarriage.
Rosehip
Infusion of rosehip fruit is the best option for a vitamin drink. It contains 17 micronutrients, 50 times more ascorbic acid than lemon. Plus vitamins A, E, B, K, P. Pregnant women can not only drink it, but even need to prevent viral infections and colds, strengthen immunity.
Linden blossom
Tea from linden blossom is rather not an everyday drink. It is recommended at the first symptoms of a cold, as a natural antipyretic, diaphoretic. In addition, the infusion will help relieve swelling, normalize sleep, and remove excessive nervousness.
Mint, lemon balm
Fragrant herbs improve digestion and soothe. They have an antiemetic effect, relieve nausea, so tea with mint or lemon balm is good to combat toxicosis.
Chamomile
Chamomile tea is loved by many women as an excellent sedative and pain reliever. But it is better to refuse chamomile tea in the first trimester, as the plant stimulates the production of hormones that increase the tone of the uterus, and this is fraught with abortion. In later terms, you can treat yourself to chamomile, but not more than 1 cup, and preferably not every day.
Not all herbs are equally useful
Not all herbal teas are useful during pregnancy. This is primarily true of herbal teas. They may contain plants that can adversely affect the development of the fetus and even provoke a miscarriage. What herbs should be wary of?
- Plants that have abortifacient properties. Due to the fact that they increase the tone of the uterus and increase the flow of blood to the genitals, in the old days they were used to terminate pregnancy. These are fir, parsley, calendula, sage, rosemary, oregano.
- Herbs affecting the composition and clotting of the blood – clover, arnica, nettle, yarrow, and camel’s-throat can lead to unpredictable consequences for the fetus.
- Dangerous, especially for the baby, toxic plants – celandine, mistletoe, honeysuckle, wormwood.
- During pregnancy, a woman’s hormonal balance is unstable, so you should avoid herbs that stimulate or inhibit hormone production. These include licorice, corn stigmas, St. John’s wort, hop cones.
