Drinking herbal tea while pregnant, is it safe? & bull; hello healthy

Is it safe to drink herbal tea while pregnant?

Source: Kinedu Blog

As is well known, doctors always advise pregnant women to avoid caffeine consumption during pregnancy. This recommendation is not without reason, because caffeine can flow through the placenta and reach the fetus. This caffeine exposure will certainly affect the health of the fetus.

Because of this, mothers who are accustomed to consuming caffeinated drinks such as tea or coffee have started trying to switch to other alternatives. One of them that is often chosen is herbal tea that does not contain caffeine.

Mothers often experience symptoms during pregnancy such as nausea, dizziness, and constipation. Several types of herbal teas are themselves believed to relieve stomach aches and provide a soothing effect.

Some pregnant women also drink herbal teas when entering the last trimester with the aim of preparing the body for labor later.

Unfortunately, even though it is made from natural ingredients, herbal teas are not considered completely safe for pregnant women. Especially if the herbal tea consumed is not a commercial tea.

There is still a possibility that it contains dangerous components that are not stated on the label. This component can also pose a dangerous risk to the fetus.

Drinking herbal teas that are made with excessive or strong amounts of spices can cause problems for the fetus. If consumed frequently, tea with these ingredients can increase the risk of miscarriage, premature birth, and even bleeding.

You also have to be careful about the tannin content in herbal teas. Tannins are chemical compounds in the polyphenol group that give tea a distinctive bitter taste. This content does not change even though the plant has been processed using heat, such as when brewing tea.

The negative effect, tannins can interfere with the absorption of iron in the body. Thus, excessive consumption of herbal teas can cause anemia which is a risk to the health of the fetus.

If pregnant women have severe anemia, this can lead to premature birth, babies born with low birth weight, or even death of the baby. Mothers are also more at risk for postpartum depression.

Relationship of drinking tea with anemia during pregnancy

Anemia disease suffered by pregnant women is still a major concern around the world, including Indonesia. According to Riskesdas data in 2018, there were around 48.9% of pregnant women affected by anemia in Indonesia.

Once susceptible to the risk of this disease, pregnant women must eat a healthy and nutritionally balanced diet. Mothers are also advised to avoid foods and drinks that can trigger this disease, one of which is tea.

As already mentioned, tannins are the main reason why mothers are not recommended to drink tea. In fact, the tannin content in tea is more commonly found in caffeinated teas such as black tea, oolong tea, white tea, and green tea. However, tannins are also found in various types of herbal teas such as chamomile, hibiscus flower, and peppermint.

In fact, the tannin content in tea has been shown to increase the risk of pregnant women against anemia. A study conducted in Bogor in 2012 showed that pregnant women who consumed tea with high levels of tannins had low serum ferritin levels.

Ferritin is a protein in the body that functions to bind iron. The amount of ferritin protein in the blood shows how much iron is stored in the body. A low amount of ferritin means that you are deficient in iron.

In other studies, it was shown that the ability of tannins in herbal teas to inhibit iron absorption was greatest in peppermint tea with a percentage of 84%, pennyroyal tea with 73%, and vervain flower tea with 59 percent.

Therefore, if you really want to drink herbal teas, consult your doctor first to find out which types of herbal teas are safe to drink during pregnancy. In addition, tea should only be consumed occasionally and in very limited quantities.