In recent years, health-preserving herbal teas have been sought after and favored by the petite bourgeoisie. However, like traditional Chinese medicine, these herbal teas possess certain medicinal properties. For instance, some herbal teas promote blood circulation, and improper consumption by pregnant women can lead to miscarriage. Below, we introduce 6 types of herbal teas that pregnant women must absolutely avoid.
Red Flower Tea
Red flower (safflower) has the effects of invigorating blood circulation, unblocking meridians, dispelling stasis, and relieving pain. It can be used for amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, lochioschesis, abdominal masses, and injuries from falls. However, pregnant women should avoid consuming herbal teas containing red flower.
Experiments have shown that red flower decoctions excite the isolated uteruses of mice, guinea pigs, rabbits, and dogs. After administration, the tension and/or rhythmicity of the isolated uterus significantly increase. In some cases, the excitation is so strong that it can cause spasms. The effect on a pregnant uterus is more pronounced than on a non-pregnant one. Therefore, pregnant women not only should not drink red flower tea but should also try to avoid red flower-related products, such as safflower oil.
Rose Tea
For women, drinking more rose tea can also make their complexion as rosy as the petals. This is because roses have a strong effect on promoting the flow of Qi and blood, resolving stasis, and harmonizing the organs. The symptoms we often refer to as a poor complexion, facial spots, irregular menstruation, and dysmenorrhea are all related to abnormal circulation of Qi and blood, with stasis in the uterus or face. Once the circulation of Qi and blood returns to normal, the complexion will naturally become rosy and health will be restored.
Women often experience emotional irritability before or during their menstrual period. Drinking rose tea can help regulate these emotions and soothe the mind. However, for pregnant women, because rose tea's effect of invigorating blood and dispelling stasis is relatively strong, it can lead to miscarriage.
Osmanthus Tea
In addition to its rich symbolism and ornamental use, osmanthus is also an excellent ingredient for scenting tea, extracting aromatic oils, and making candies and pastries. When tea is scented with fresh osmanthus flowers, it retains the flavor of the tea while acquiring a rich osmanthus aroma. It has the effect of regulating Qi and harmonizing the stomach after consumption. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that osmanthus has significant medicinal value. The ancients said that osmanthus is the "leader of a hundred medicines," so wine brewed from osmanthus was believed to have the effect of "drinking to live a thousand years." People with a weak or deficient spleen and stomach can drink osmanthus tea to warm the stomach.
Although osmanthus tea is pungent, slightly bitter, and neutral in nature, when combined with black tea and brown sugar, it can benefit Qi and nourish blood, strengthen the spleen and warm the stomach, expel wind and dispel cold, invigorate blood and resolve stasis. It is especially suitable for postpartum women, children, and those with anemia. However, pregnant women should try to avoid drinking osmanthus tea because osmanthus promotes blood circulation, and its strong fragrance can easily stimulate a pregnant woman's nervous system.
Peach Blossom Tea
Peach blossom tea is made by steeping peach blossoms in water to make tea. The brewing method is simple, and it can be used for beauty, nourishing the complexion, regulating Qi, and aiding digestion, making it a romantic spring floral tea. Peach blossoms are not just a tea; they are also a traditional Chinese medicine. Its medicinal nature is bitter and neutral, and its function is mainly to expel water, promote urination, expel intestinal parasites. In essence, it is a mild laxative.
Therefore, drinking peach blossom tea does not make you more beautiful or healthy; on the contrary, it can make you weaker and more unsightly, depleting yin blood and vital energy. Girls, in particular, should not drink it often, as it can affect menstruation and endocrine function, leading to increasingly dull and unattractive skin. Furthermore, because peach blossom promotes blood circulation, pregnant women should be especially cautious about drinking it.
Chinese Rose Tea
The roots, leaves, and flowers of the Chinese rose (rose chinensis) can all be used as medicine. They have the effects of invigorating blood circulation, reducing swelling, and detoxifying inflammation. They are used for conditions like blood stasis, irregular menstruation, amenorrhea, menstrual abdominal pain, and blood stasis with swelling. It is an excellent remedy for gynecological issues. For common gynecological diseases, folk remedies using single or proven formulas of Chinese rose are also very effective. Additionally, women often steep Chinese rose petals in water as tea or add them to other health teas to promote blood circulation and enhance beauty, helping one maintain a youthful appearance.
However, precisely because the Chinese rose promotes blood circulation and regulates menstruation, the dosage should not be too large. Prolonged or excessive consumption can cause abdominal pain and diarrhea. It is contraindicated for pregnant women. Furthermore, households with an expectant mother and a newborn should avoid displaying Chinese roses. The strong fragrance of flowers can stimulate a pregnant woman's nervous system, causing headaches, nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite. In severe cases, it can lead to fetal instability or even miscarriage. Therefore, during the early stages of pregnancy, it is best for pregnant women to minimize contact with strongly scented fresh flowers.
Snow Lotus Tea
Snow lotus tea is produced from the snowy mountains of the Tibetan Plateau, known as the "sacred herb" and "sacred flower of the plateau," and it has high medicinal value. The entire snow lotus plant is used as medicine, entering the liver, spleen, and kidney meridians. It is safe to use with no toxic side effects. It is primarily indicated for acute and chronic rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis-related joint pain, lung-cold cough, uterine-cold abdominal pain, amenorrhea, retained placenta, and incomplete measles rash.
However, snow lotus has the functions of promoting menstruation and invigorating blood, warming the uterus to dispel stasis, dispelling cold and dampness, strengthening sinews and yang, stopping bleeding, and reducing swelling. It is forbidden for pregnant women to use.
Herbal teas can help pregnant women have a more comfortable pregnancy, but some flowers and herbs are not suitable for them. Furthermore, one's constitution must correspond to the medicinal nature and properties of different herbs. Therefore, before drinking any herbal tea, it is best to consult a professional TCM practitioner to confirm your constitution and which herbal teas and tea additives are suitable for you.