While green tea is actually thought to be good for expectant mothers because of its antioxidant properties and as long as it is taken in moderation, there is another kind of tea that is known as pregnancy tea which we are talking about here.

Pregnancy Tea is Herbal Tea

Pregnancy tea is not really tea in the sense that it is not made from the tea plant that all tea comes from whether it is black tea, green tea, white tea or oolong tea. It is in fact made from several different herbs that for a long time have been thought to be good for pregnant women.  They are thought to ease morning sickness, combat sleeplessness and also help in shortening labor. However these herbal or pregnancy teas should be approached with caution because they are composed of a number of herbs, the effect of some of which is not yet fully understood.

Potential Problems with Herbal Tea

Though herbal teas are not, in general thought to be harmful either to a mother or to her baby, it is generally advised that women should avoid them during the first three months or the first trimester of the pregnancy.

Some herbal teas contain herbs like feverfew, tansy, goldenseal, bloodroot, broom, mandrake, and barberry. These are considered to be strong and bitter herbs which are not suitable for having during pregnancy. Some herbal teas also contain laxative herbs, like senna and cascara which are not suitable for drinking during pregnancy either. Some medical practitioners and herbalists also caution against the use of other ingredients like Peruvian bark, poke, cotton root, and male fern.

What about regular tea then?

Most medical practitioners agree that tea is quite safe to take during pregnancy as long as it is taken in moderation. Tea does contain small amounts of caffeine, however the level of caffeine increases with the increase in oxidation of the tea. This is to say that green tea, which undergoes less oxidation than black tea, contains less caffeine and therefore is safer to drink.

Concerns are sometimes raised that green tea may affect folic acid levels in the body, however there is not enough evidence to actually substantiate this claim. The reason that tea should be drunk in moderation is that it may make the absorption of iron difficult.

However since green tea is seen to assist in oral health, bone strength, your ability to fight bacterial and viral infections, it is thought to be beneficial and may be beneficial even during pregnancy.

Tags: antioxidants, caffeine, Health, herbal tea, herbs, pregnancy, tea