Sage tea side effects and tips to avoid them: uses, side effects, interactions

Sage is known as a food flavoring. However, the leaves and flowers are often made into tea because of their potential as herbal medicine. However, are there any side effects that might occur after drinking sage tea? So, can it be prevented?

Is drinking sage tea beneficial?

The sage plant has a scientific name namely Salvia officinalis L. Apart from being a kitchen spice, this plant has long been known as a traditional medicine to cure various types of ailments, such as heartburn and bloating.

A 2017 study in the journal Complementary Medicine, found that the sage plant has anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial compounds.

Findings about the benefits of sage are also increasingly supported by a study in the journal Advances in Therapy. The study states that drinking sage tea can reduce symptoms hot flashes and excessive sweating in menopausal women.

Another study in the journal Complementary Therapies in Medicine states that drinking sage tea can reduce the side effects of chemotherapy treatment, namely oral mucositis.

Oral mucositis is a medical term used to describe inflammation that occurs in the mouth. This condition is characterized by the appearance of sores in the mouth due to damage to the lining of the mouth.

Possible side effects of drinking sage tea

To get the benefits of sage tea, you can make this tea yourself at home. The trick, simply heat water in a saucepan, then add 1 tablespoon of dried sage leaves or 2 tablespoons of fresh sage leaves. Let the water boil and strain the leaf dregs.

Although the benefits are abundant, if you are not careful in consuming them, poisoning and adverse side effects can occur. Common side effects of drinking sage tea include:

• Mild digestive problems, such as nausea, vomiting, or heartburn
• Wheezing (wheezing that is sometimes accompanied by shortness of breath)
• Allergic reactions, such as rash on the skin, itching, and swelling in certain areas of the body
• Unstable blood pressure (can drop or rise dramatically)
• Decreased blood sugar levels in diabetics

The side effects of sage tea in nursing mothers have not been studied in depth. However, one of the ingredients, cineole, is also known to flow out of the mother's body through breast milk. This condition can cause the baby to be restless.

The appearance of various side effects is suspected due to compounds of thujone, camphor, and essential oils which should not be consumed in large quantities. Even so, further research is still needed to determine the side effects.

Make sure you don't drink it excessively.

Tips for preventing the side effects of drinking sage tea

Source: Ecellulitis

To avoid side effects, you should not drink sage tea in excess. The safe limit for drinking this tea is no more than 3 to 6 cups per day.

You can drink 6 glasses if you can ensure that any other food or drink you consume that day does not contain sage.

However, to be safe, drinking 3 glasses of sage tea is sufficient. If you are pregnant and breastfeeding, consult your doctor first before drinking sage tea.

If you have an allergy to peppermint or oregano, you might want to rethink drinking this tea. Sage is still in the same family as both plants. That is why, there is also the possibility of allergies.

Also, avoid taking sedatives, seizure medications, and diabetes medications at the same time as sage tea. The reason is, these drugs can interact with the content of sage tea.