Are you a tea lover? Just the smell of its intoxicating aroma brings you to cloud nine right? From its wide varieties on sale everywhere, you can easily get one and enjoy every sip of it. On top of it, numerous health benefits are also found from drinking it. However, if you are one of those who are expecting, you will be wondering if drinking tea is safe for you. You might want to enjoy a soothing cup of chamomile tea while slouching in your favorite couch in your patio but you are skeptical about it because you are pregnant. Chamomile tea is a type of herbal tea and some doctors would recommend limiting your consumption of it during pregnancy. Know everything about chamomile tea during pregnancy in this Kingdom of Baby post. Is it safe to drink it? Are there any benefits and risks for drinking it during pregnancy? Learn everything about it below!
The basic fact about chamomile tea
Chamomile tea is a type of herbal tea extracted from the flowers of Matricaria recutita, a German plant. Its flowers are closely similar to that of daisies. Flowers of the Roman chamomile or Chamaemelum Nobile may be also used to make chamomile tea. Though, German chamomile is commonly used in making this type of tea where the flower heads are cut, dried in the scorching sun, crumbled, and then stored in a jar which is tightly-aired.
What are the benefits of drinking chamomile tea during pregnancy?
Chamomile tea has proven many health benefits throughout the years including curing insomnia, muscular pain, runny nose, and soothing menstrual cramps. It can also be beneficial to women during pregnancy when consumed moderately.
Enhances immunity and resistance.
Chamomile tea is packed with nutrients that help the body in increasing its resistance to diseases and combat infections. Drinking chamomile tea during pregnancy makes the body’s immunity to increase and prevents harmful foreign organisms from invading the body.
Remedies insomnia during pregnancy.
Having a hard time getting your sleep because of that growing bump? Well, you should enjoy a cup of chamomile tea before going to bed. It will surely calm you down and helps you to have a good and tight lullaby. Why? It is because of its calming effect on the nerves. It also has a lenient sedative effect.
Lessens morning sickness and helps digestion.
Consuming chamomile tea during pregnancy may soothe the stomach, bloating, constipation, and have a gas relief. It reduces inflammation in the digestive tract for it contains anti-inflammatory agents. Drinking a cup of chamomile tea can also help you reduce morning sickness and nausea.
Soothes muscular pain.
Drinking chamomile tea during pregnancy helps soothe muscle cramps and pains. It is through increasing the amount of amino acid glycine in the body as glycine plays a vital role as a nerve and muscle relaxant. Therefore, it relieves muscle cramps and pains.
Are there any risks of drinking chamomile tea during pregnancy?
To have the health benefits from drinking chamomile tea during pregnancy, moderation is always the key. Consuming chamomile tea excessively during pregnancy may result in unpleasant outcomes. Below are some of them.
It may cause miscarriage or preterm delivery.
Drinking chamomile tea excessively while pregnant may lead to miscarriage and preterm delivery as it can act as an abortion-inducing drug. It may also result in preterm delivery as it can trigger uterine contractions too soon.
It can prompt allergies.
Chamomile lies to the aster and daisy flower families so if you are allergic to these flowers then you should avoid drinking chamomile tea. It is because it can trigger the same allergic reactions that the mentioned flowers do. Runny nose, nasal congestion, and red, watery itchy eyes to name a few.
It can be a cause for circulatory problems in babies.
Excessive drinking of chamomile tea during pregnancy is linked to complications in the circulatory system of the babies.
It can make nausea to rise even more.
As chamomile tea can reduce nausea and relieve morning sickness, it can also do the opposite thing when consumed excessively inducing vomiting. To combat this, limit your consumption to one or two cups a day.
It can make you drowsy.
Chamomile has a little sedative side effect as mentioned above. Therefore, if you excessively drink chamomile tea during pregnancy, it will make you feel very drowsy.
It can react to anesthesia in cesarean delivery.
Avoid drinking chamomile tea before undergoing a cesarean section as it has been known to react with anesthetic drugs used on this procedure and can also cause adverse effects.
What are the precautions to consider when drinking chamomile tea during pregnancy?
Above all, it is very essential to note that chamomile tea should not be included in your diet without consulting your doctor. You must ask your doctor about the risks of drinking chamomile tea during pregnancy. Moreover, ask and confirm the right dosage to take each day. If your doctor gave you a green signal to drink chamomile tea during pregnancy, here are the precautions you should take into.
Get it from a definitive source.
Purchase your chamomile tea from a reliable and reputable source to make sure that there are no subversive extra add-ons on it.
Opt for the flower heads.
Make use of the flower heads of chamomile over the leaves in making the tea. It is because the leaves can make the tea taste bitter.
Drink moderately.
Are you are wondering if it is safe to drink chamomile tea during pregnancy? Well, the answer is a big yes! You just have to consume it moderately. An amount of 15 grams or less of chamomile extract is recommended to use when making chamomile tea. The right and safe amount to drink during pregnancy are one to two small cups daily.
Can chamomile tea help induce labor?
There is insufficient research to prove chamomile tea in helping induce labor. Though, as mentioned above, excessive drinking of it during pregnancy is associated with miscarriages and preterm deliveries.
Read also:
- Healthy Pregnancy: Pasteurized Food During Pregnancy
- 5 Wonderful Ways to Treat Dry Skin During Your Pregnancy
- Things to Know About a Woman’s Immune System During Pregnancy
