Health
Herbal Teause During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Chad Collins,B,Sc., R.D.
At this time there is notenough scientific information about the safety of various herbsand herbal products to recommend their general use during pregnancyand lactation. Women should use these products cautiously andcritically examine any information about their proposed benefits.Care should be taken to ensure that herbal teas do not displacemore nutrient-dense beverages, especially milk, because this couldjeopardize calcium intake.
Women with plant or pollenallergies should be careful not to use products that can containherbs related to plants to which they have known allergies.
Some herbal teas and otherherbal products can have toxic or drug-like effects on the motheror developing baby. During pregnancy, some herbs and herbal productscould adversely affect pregnancy outcome in several ways. Forexample, they can produce toxic effects on the developing babyor act directly on the mother, stimulating the uterus or causeyou to lose fluids.
At the present time, thereis a lack of clinical research findings to determine the safetyof chronic or long-term use of herbal teas. Herbal teas generallyconsidered safe when taken in moderation (2-3 Cups in a day) includeCitrus peel, Ginger, Lemon Balm, Orange Peel and Rose Hip. Owingto the fact that they often possess drug-like properties, herbalteas should be taken only in weak infusion and consumed in moderationduring pregnancy. Chamomiles have been reported to cause adverseaffects on the uterus and, as such, are likely not appropriatefor use during pregnancy.
The composition and preparationof herbal products vary, which adds to the difficulty of assessingtheir safety. At present there are no labelling requirements forherbal products that would clearly indicate to pregnant or lactatingwomen which ones to avoid.
Practical Considerations
· If you must, drinkherbal teas infrequently and choose herbal teas that are generallyconsidered safe during pregnancy or select an alternative suchas plain water, hot lemon, hot milk, or hot apple juice.
· Note that someflavoured teas are really regular teas with added flavour, thereforethey contain caffeine.
Information source: Nutritionfor a Healthy Pregnancy, National Guidelines for the ChildbearingYears; Health Canada; 2000.
Chad Collins
Nutrix Ltd.