Raspberry tea is a well-known type of herbal tea worldwide. Most like to try this kind of tea, as it is full of vitamins and minerals and provides several health benefits. There is an idea that consuming raspberry tea for pregnancy can induce labor, but is that true?
In this article on Hipregnancy, we will cover the answer to the above question and all you need to know about drinking raspberry leaf tea during pregnancy, including safety, benefits, side effects, etc. Keep reading to the end if you want to learn more about this herbal tea.
What is raspberry tea?
Raspberry tea (also known as red raspberry leaf tea) is an herbal tea made from the leaves of the red raspberry plant.
This tea can be served hot or iced, depending on your choice, and you can add sugar or honey to your raspberry leaf tea as a flavoring to make it more delicious.
The leaves of the raspberry plant have medicinal properties, especially for women, and because of that, raspberry tea is popular among ladies. We will discuss the benefits of this herbal tea in detail in the following parts. Let’s continue to know more about this beneficial tea.
Also Read: drinking milk tea during pregnancy
Can you drink raspberry tea while pregnant?
You may want to know whether it is safe to have raspberry tea for pregnancy or not. Let us tell you everything. In fact, the number of research on the safety of raspberry leaf tea for pregnant women and its effect on speeding up labor is limited. As a result, doctors can’t say drinking raspberry tea during pregnancy is 100% safe.
Hipregnancy recommends you consult your doctor or healthcare provider before trying raspberry leaf tea while pregnant. If your doctor is okay with consuming raspberry tea during pregnancy and believes it will not put you and your baby at risk, you can enjoy having it while pregnant, but only in moderation.
It is good to know that there are many other types of tea that can be consumed during pregnancy without putting you at risk of health issues. For more on this, check the best tea for pregnancy to help you choose the best option that suits you.
Also Read: chicory root during pregnancy
Benefits of raspberry leaf tea in pregnancy
Raspberry tea has a high content of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, including vitamins A, B, C, E, iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, zinc, tannins, and flavonoids.
As mentioned earlier, the studies on the safety of raspberry tea for pregnancy are limited, but according to the results of these studies, drinking this kind of herbal tea while pregnant will provide the following health benefits;
- It can strengthen, tighten, and tone muscles in the pelvic area and uterine walls, which may help shorten the labor and make delivery easier for you.
- Drinking raspberry tea during pregnancy can improve the immune system and protect cells from damage as well.
- This tea may decrease the chances of interventions and complications of childbirth and reduce the amount of bleeding after delivery.
Improving the chance of implantation, increasing fertility through balancing hormones, and easing menstrual discomfort are other health benefits of raspberry leaf tea for ladies.
Consider that you should have this tea in moderate amounts, like other tea, including peppermint tea during pregnancy, to prevent any risks associated with consuming this herbal tea.
Also Read: Can You Drink Decaf Coffee While Pregnant
When should you start drinking raspberry tea for pregnancy?
Now, you know about raspberry leaf tea benefits for pregnancy, but when to start drinking it? Is there any certain time? Let’s talk about it in detail.
Although there are general guidelines for the right time to start drinking this tea, Hipregnancy recommends you talk to your doctor before starting raspberry tea in pregnancy, as each pregnancy is unique.
In other words, you need to watch your body’s response after consuming all the food options during pregnancy and then decide to add them into your diet, even if the foods fall into the category of what should pregnant women eat.
Some healthcare professionals believe that you should not start drinking raspberry tea during pregnancy until the second trimester, while others recommend waiting until the 3rd trimester or 34 weeks. Both these two groups believe that you should not drink raspberry tea during early pregnancy, as it can increase uterine contractions and higher the risk of miscarriage or early labor.
Also Read: Hot Chocolate During Pregnancy
How much raspberry tea should I drink to induce labor?
One of the most important factors about consuming raspberry tea during pregnancy is related to its amount. If your doctor agrees, you can start with one cup per day in 2nd or 3rd trimester. You can increase the dosage to two cups a day, but before that, you should talk to your doctor and watch for any uterine cramping.
In other words, if you don’t experience any uterine cramping after drinking one cup of raspberry tea per day, you can change one cup to two cups a day with your doctor’s approval.
Consider some ladies have irritable uteruses. If you are one of them, you can’t drink raspberry tea while pregnant, except the time you reach your due date. It means you can drink raspberry leaf tea and go into labor.
Talk to your healthcare provider before using raspberry leaf tea to induce labor; this can ensure you nothing will harm you and the baby.
Also Read: Black Tea While Pregnant
What are the side effects of raspberry tea during pregnancy?
The number of studies on red raspberry leaf tea is limited; therefore, doctors don’t know everything about the negative effects of raspberry tea on pregnant ladies. However, there are some side effects that are approved by the limited research, as follows;
- Drinking raspberry tea while pregnant has a laxative effect and can affect the bowel. The harmful point is that laxative abuse can result in irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS during pregnancy.
- This tea has a diuretic effect and helps your kidney make more pee or urine. As a result, you need to go to the bathroom more often, even at night, which doesn’t sound good to anyone.
- If you drink this tea in the first trimester or early stages of pregnancy, the chance of miscarriage will increase.
Who should not drink raspberry tea for pregnancy at all?
The following groups are those who should forget to drink raspberry leaf tea while pregnant and never try it, as this tea can put their pregnancy at risk. Ladies who have had;
- Premature labor before.
- Cesarean before (or are scheduled to have cesarean).
- Spotting or bleeding in the second half of pregnancy.
- An experience of labor lasting three hours or less before.
Drinking raspberry tea when pregnant is not a good idea for the mentioned groups. These ladies can enjoy drinking other types of tea, like traditional medicinal pregnancy tea, which can provide several health benefits.
Best raspberry leaf tea for pregnancy
As there are lots of brands of raspberry leaf tea, you may find it hard to choose the best raspberry leaf tea for pregnancy. It is advisable to consult your doctor to see what your healthcare provider recommends about purchasing raspberry leaf tea during pregnancy; this is the best way, as each pregnancy is unique, and a product that suits others may not suit you.
If you want to know what the popular choices are, read the below part. Here are 4 best raspberry leaf teas for pregnancy that are available on the market;
- Clipper Organic Raspberry Leaf Tea
- Hottea Mama The Final Push
- Origeens Organic Raspberry Leaf Tea
- Natures Aid Raspberry Leaf Tablets
Talk to your healthcare provider before trying the above-mentioned to see which one is best for you depending on your pregnancy circumstances.
Raspberry leaf tea recipe for pregnancy
Here is a simple recipe that you can use to make a safe raspberry tea for pregnancy. Considering that even if this tea is safe for pregnancy, you should consult your doctor before including it in your diet. Let’s see how to make a safe raspberry tea while pregnant.
Ingredients
- 2 cups boiling water
- 2 tbsp loose-leaf raspberry leaf tea
- 1 tbsp dried alfalfa leaf
- 1 tbsp dried nettle leaf
- Honey (if desired)
Instruction
- Take a tea ball or tea infuser and add red raspberry leaf tea, dried alfalfa and leaf, and nettle leaf to it.
- Place it in a mug or teapot, pour the boiling water, and let the tea steep for 10-15 minutes.
- Remove the tea ball or infuser and add honey to taste if you like.
Conclusion
Pregnancy has many dos and don’ts when it comes to diet. In other words, pregnant ladies should follow several guidelines to support a healthy pregnancy and give birth to a healthier baby. One of the things they should consider is drinking tea, like raspberry tea for pregnancy.
As we covered in this article on Hipregnancy, the number of studies on this tea is limited, and we don’t know everything about its safety or possible side effects. The only thing we can tell you is to consult your doctor before drinking this tea and follow all the guidelines we mentioned in this article.
Is there anything you want to mention about drinking raspberry leaf tea while pregnant? If yes, do share it with us via comment.
FAQs
1. Is raspberry leaf tea safe during pregnancy?
The number of studies about the safety of raspberry tea for pregnancy is limited. still, the availabe data shows that limited amounts during the second and third trimester are not harmful. It is best to consult your doctor before taking it to see whether you can drink red raspberry leaf tea during pregnancy.
2. What does raspberry leaf tea do in pregnancy?
Pregnant ladies can drink raspberry tea to induce labor, improve the immune system, protect cells from damage, reduce the amount of bleeding after delivery, and decrease the chances of interventions and complications of childbirth.