Herbal Teas During Pregnancy
Contents:
- Herbal Teas and Pregnancy: Which Ones Are Safe?
- Kidney Tea
- Peppermint Tea
- Chamomile Tea
- Linden flower Tea
- Thyme Tea
- Lemon Balm Tea
- Marjoram Tea
- Jasmine Tea
Herbal Teas and Pregnancy: Which Ones are Safe?
The life of a pregnant woman changes completely. A pregnant woman gives up her favorite foods in order to be healthy and to deliver a healthy baby. Many future moms switch to herbal tea, but one should remember that not all herbs are good during pregnancy. Some of them may even do harm to a future baby. Consult your doctor before you start taking any herbal teas.
Kidney Tea
Many pregnant women suffer from edema, which is caused by the stress put on bladder and kidneys and slow blood flow. Edema can be equally dangerous for both a future mom and baby. Many specialists recommend herbal teas as a solution to this problem.
When buying your herbal tea in a pharmacy, pay close attention to the list of ingredients. A good kidney tea contains only Orthosiphon Stamineus, also known as Java tea, and nothing else.
This tea may be contraindicated only if you are allergic to this particular herb. However we don’t recommend starting the kidney tea therapy without consulting the dosage with your health specialist.
The kidney tea in teabags is the easiest to use. Use two teabags for one cup. Add the boiling water and keep under the lid for 15 minutes to let it infuse. Then let it cool down a bit. Usually doctors recommend taking ½ cup two times a day before meal for at least three weeks.
Peppermint Tea
Peppermint is well known for its health benefits. It is rich in essential oils, organic acids, phytoncides, flavonoids, a lot of micronutrients and vitamins.
There are different opinions on whether peppermint is safe during pregnancy. The main concern is estrogen that is found in peppermint leaf. This female hormone can cause premature birth, but still most of the doctors recommend taking peppermint during pregnancy. Just be careful with the dosage.
Peppermint tea can help relieve headache, ear pain, cough and stomach issues. Additionally, peppermint helps with heart problems and muscle pain. Often doctors prescribe peppermint tea as a treatment for morning sickness, stomach gases, and heartburn.
The daily dosage should be no more than four cups of the tea. Ideally, you should buy peppermint leaves in a pharmacy to be sure about its origin. You can mix peppermint leaves with other herbs, for example, lemon balm, black currant, or rosehip.
Chamomile Tea
Chamomile is widely used in cosmetics and drugs. You can drink a chamomile tea, use it as an infusion for rinsing a sore throat or as a face wash. Many pregnant women wonder if a chamomile tea is safe for the unborn baby?
There are no contraindications to chamomile tea, but still doctors recommend being careful with it because chamomile stimulates estrogen in body. It can lead to a miscarriage at an early stage or premature birth. The recommended dosage is no more than 2 cups of the tea a day. Don’t drink more.
Chamomile tea is often recommended as a treatment for morning sickness. It soothes the nervous system, fights stress and relieves irritability. A cup of chamomile tea before bed will help you to fall asleep faster and peacefully. You can even increase its power by adding a teaspoon of honey. Chamomile helps with stomach issues and excessive gas. People with pancreas issues however are not recommended chamomile.
Linden flower Tea
The immune system of a pregnant woman is suppressed, which makes her more susceptible to catching colds or flus. Medications are not recommended during pregnancy. Linden flower tea is the best solution in this situation.
This tea has an incredible taste and rich aroma. It’s made of linden flower heads harvested in the middle of the summer. Linden flower tea has antipyretic, diaphoretic and expectorant properties, which makes it the best treatment against flu, bronchitis and even pneumonia. It’s also good for fighting edema, neuroses and problems with digestive system. It is rich in vitamin C, saponins and flavonoids, and can fully substitute your regular black tea.
Use two teaspoons of linden flower heads with a ½ liter of boiling water. Let it cool down for 25 minutes before drinking. Don’t drink more than 4 cups a day. Doctors don’t recommend drinking linden flower tea for long periods as it may affect the cardiovascular system.
Thyme Tea
Thyme tea is popular for its great taste, but pregnant women should be very careful drinking it. You can drink it (in limited amounts) only after consulting with your health specialist.
Thyme has antiseptic, diuretic and diaphoretic properties, besides increasing the metabolism. Additionally, it is rich in micronutrients, B-complex vitamins and vitamin C that are vital during pregnancy. A pregnant woman should be careful with thyme because it is able to increase the tone of the uterine muscles and blood pressure.
Thyme tea is a recommended treatment for flu during pregnancy. It promotes sweating that helps to get rid of toxins. Thyme tea is not recommended if you have a high blood pressure, uterine hyper tonus, or heart and thyroid problems.
Lemon Balm Tea
Lemon balm is often compared with peppermint, as both plants are very similar looking. However the lemon balm’s distinctive feature is its rich lemon flavor. This plant has a calming effect and helps in fighting depression, anxiety, insomnia and irritability. It increases the appetite, helps normalize the heart rate, tones the body and eases the muscle spasms. It can ease nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.
Doctors recommend lemon balm tea during pregnancy, because, unlike other herbs, lemon balm has no contraindications. Though people with low blood pressure shouldn’t drink too much of this tea.
To make a delicious lemon balm tea, place one teaspoon of the herb in a cup and add boiling water. You can use either fresh herb or dried leaves. Let it infuse for 15 minutes and it’s ready! You can add some honey if you like. It’s good both as a hot drink and as a cold one.
Marjoram Tea
Marjoram flower has a spicy aroma that is somewhat similar to that of thyme. It has a lot of benefits for the health, including anti-inflammatory properties. It’s also a natural pain-reliever and good for fighting colds.
Unfortunately marjoram is contraindicated during pregnancy due to its ability to stimulate uterine muscle activity that can lead to a termination of pregnancy. Save a cup of rich, delicious marjoram tea till the time your baby is delivered.
Jasmine Tea
Jasmine has a really glorious, intoxicating aroma. The tea with jasmine blossoms is not only delicious, but has a number of health benefits. It enhances vitality and invigoration, which though being a good quality, makes it not a safe drink during pregnancy.
According to the latest scientific research, jasmine tea is high in antioxidants that can fight cancer. It also contains catechins that prevent weight gain.
The main health benefits of jasmine tea are:
- Stimulates the digestive system;
- Normalizes the nervous system;
- Improves the blood circulation;
- Strengthens the blood vessel walls and helps prevent heart diseases;
- Boosts the immune system;
- Lowers high blood pressure.
Jasmine tea contains large amounts of caffeine that should be limited during pregnancy. Caffeine affects the cardiovascular system and increases the blood pressure. The allowed amounts of this tea fully depend on the pregnancy. If a future mom leads a settled life and has no pathology, then a cup of jasmine tea will be beneficial. If an unborn baby is hyperactive or his mom lives an active life, jasmine tea should be avoided, otherwise it can increase the heart rate and cause the headache.
Video: What caffeine-free teas are safe to drink during pregnancy?