When pregnant, knowing what’s safe to eat and drink can be challenging. If you’re craving a cup of tea, know there are safe teas to drink while pregnant. Plus, drinking tea is smarter during pregnancy than caffeinated drinks. Most healthcare professionals advise that you limit your caffeine intake to less than 200 milligrams per day.
We’ve gathered info on five types of tea that are fine to drink during pregnancy. (Some of them have even been shown to help in pregnancy and delivery!)
1. Ginger tea
Ginger is excellent for digestion, and it also helps clear up the congestion involved with the common cold. In addition, ginger is beneficial during pregnancy because it eases nausea and helps the process of digestion. Ginger tea is good, particularly during your first trimester when you might be dealing with morning sickness.
You can get pre-made ginger tea or try this DIY recipe:
- Chop up some ginger and put it into a teapot filled with water.
- Once it’s boiling, remove and enjoy.
- If you’re feeling sick, try putting in a little bit of honey and lemon.
And here’s a safe pregnancy replacement for a latte: boil some milk and add shaved fresh ginger. Let it simmer for just a little while, and then add honey to sweeten.
2. Peppermint tea
Peppermint is excellent for treating all kinds of stomach issues. Peppermint tea calms your stomach, which will be nice in treating the heartburn and morning sickness you may experience during your pregnancy. In addition, drinking peppermint tea before you go to bed can ease some of your muscle tension so that you can sleep better.
3. Stinging Nettle or “Nettle”
Nettle tea has many nutritional benefits: it’s loaded with iron, magnesium, and calcium, which are necessary minerals to get during pregnancy. It can also help with stomach issues such as IBS, constipation, and bloating.
Make sure to ask your doctor before you buy nettle tea. It has some stimulating effects, so many professionals recommend drinking it along with red raspberry leaf tea. Also, look for a nettle tea containing the leaf, not the root.
You can find nettle in many “mother’s teas” intended for pregnancy and breastfeeding since it helps with breast milk production.
4. Rooibos or “red bush” tea
Rooibos tea is one of the best types of tea for pregnant women. It’s caffeine-free, and in fact, many in South Africa give this tea to their children.
It’s packed with many anti-oxidant qualities, which is excellent for your skin! Rooibos is also high in calcium and helps with digestion and stomach issues. Unlike other teas, Rooibos tea also helps your body absorb iron, which is an important mineral for pregnancy and afterward.
5. Red Raspberry Leaf tea
Professionals often recommend red raspberry leaf tea to pregnant women because it’s believed to help tone and strengthen the uterine muscle. And a stronger uterine muscle will provide you with more efficient labor.
Red raspberry leaf tea has lots of magnesium, potassium, b-vitamins, and iron, and it helps with skin issues like eczema and allergies. However, because it fuels your uterine muscle, you’ll need to avoid red raspberry leaf tea during your first trimester.
Any of these types of tea will help soothe some of the many pregnancy-related complaints you have!