The Safest Herbal Tea
During Pregnancy

Drinking herbal tea during pregnancy is largely believed to be beneficial to you and your growing baby.

What is Herbal Tea

Whereas non-herbal teas are made from the leaves of the actual tea plant, herbal teas are made from flowers, seeds, leaves, berries, and roots from other plants besides tea plants. Herbal teas do not contain tea, and are sometimes used as medical remedies.

The main non-herbal teas are black, oolong, and green tea, and are differentiated based on the time the leaves are fermented. Non-herbal teas are caffeinated and often also have beneficial health properties.

What teas are safe for pregnancy?

While most black and oolong teas are highly caffeinated and it's best to avoid them during pregnancy, the debate is still out on green tea during pregnancy.

And while there is still some concern about the relative lack of studies on herbal tea, most signs point to them being beneficial for the health of your pregnancy.

Many health professionals believe that pregnancy safe teas can help lower the risk of pregnancy complications like preeclampsia, preterm labor, prolonged labor, and postpartum hemorrhage. They also believe they can provide some extra minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and iron.

While most commercial tea brands will follow the FDA's regulations before distributing their teas, it's best to run any new teas, food, or medicines by your doctor or midwife to make sure they will be healthy for your individual pregnancy.

Red Raspberry Leaf Tea

Red raspberry leaf tea is perhaps the most recognized pregnancy safe tea. Red raspberry leaf promotes a healthy uterus, tones the uterus, increases milk production, decreases nausea, prevents pre- or post-term gestation, eases labor pains, reduces the need for cesarean sections, lessens the risk for other delivery complications, and shortens labor time.

Chamomile Tea

Chamomile tea has long been highly regarded for its calming properties and is ideal for nighttime tea drinking. It is also high in calcium and magnesium and can help reduce inflammation in the joints.

Peppermint Tea

Peppermint is great for reducing nausea and flatulence, and it can also be helpful for taking the bad taste out of your mouth and improving bad breath.

Ginger Root Tea

Drinking ginger herbal tea during pregnancy is amazing for easing upset stomach and nausea. It's best to go right to the source and make your own ginger tea by grating fresh ginger into a mug and pouring hot water over the top. While ginger ales and ginger beers can also provide some relief, many are loaded with sugar and contain very little of the actual ginger root, lessening its power to keep the morning sickness at bay.

Dandelion Tea

Dandelion root and leaf tea is full of calcium, iron, and vitamin A, and it can help keep your liver healthy and reduce swelling in your body.

Lemon Balm

Lemon balm is an herb that has been found to help reduce anxiety and irritability and is able to help calm you to prevent insomnia.

Stinging Nettles Tea

There is some discrepancy about the safety of nettle herbal tea during pregnancy, but they are commonly used in typical pregnancy safe tea blends and are often highly regarded by medical practitioners for pregnancy. Nettles are high in calcium, potassium, iron, and vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K, so are highly nutritious.

Teas to Avoid During Pregnancy:

• Goldenseal
• Scotch broom
• Sassafras
• Devil's claw
• Penny royal

You can also make your own herbal tea during pregnancy by putting spices like cinnamon and allspice in a mug and combining it with fruit peels like orange or lemon, and then topping it with boiling water. Just be sure not to use any plants or herbs from your garden unless you specifically know what they do.

Sources

http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/herbaltea.html

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