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Peppermint tea in pregnancy?
- Up to two cups of mint tea are no problem during pregnancy.
- Very much mint tea stimulates the metabolism and, in extreme cases, can even trigger contractions and lead to premature births and miscarriages.
- Do not drink mint tea if you suffer from heartburn.
- Do not use mint oil during pregnancy.
contents
- Increased need
- An all-rounder
- Late discovery
- application
- Good for pregnant women?
- The dose makes it
- Which combinations are suitable?
- And while breastfeeding?
Increased need
Being pregnant is not easy, for many reasons. One of them is: you have to drink far more than usual, because the liquid transports the nutrients that the baby needs. The more fluid you take up, the more blood you have, the more water you put in - and that does the fetus well. At the same time, you must pay more attention than usual to what you drink: alcohol is of course taboo, caffeine only in small doses, but also some once healthy drinks can have unwanted consequences in large quantities.
In pregnancy, sufficient fluid should be absorbed to ensure nutrient transport. But peppermint tea should only be consumed in moderation. (Image: goir / fotolia.com) An all-rounder
Peppermint tea is popular worldwide. No wonder: it helps against indigestion, against flatulence and gastritis. Peppermint helps when the gall bladder cramps, the tea boosts the production of bile fluids and ensures that they can flow. The same applies to the stomach, where it promotes the pouring of the gastric juice and helps to empty the stomach and to stimulate the appetite. In the intestine, it causes flatulence and thus ensures that abdominal pain caused by flatulence disappears.
He also helps against the symptoms of a flu and a cold. In the mouth and throat of the tea fights germs and it works against coughing as well as for sore throat and frees the respiratory tract. In short: Peppermint tea is a home remedy for many ailments, which can also be purchased everywhere and also tastes good.
Late discovery
Peppermint is not a "natural" plant, but a cross between mint and spearmint, discovered by biologist John Ray in 1696 in a garden. Today, there are countless forms that differ in appearance, potency and taste. Black Mint refers to dark green, white mint light green variants.
Peppermint loves a temperate climate and grows wild here, in southern Germany as well as in England. There are breeding crops in the Balkans, Spain, the Northeastern United States and South America, among others. In Germany, the cultivation centers are located in Munich, in Franconia, Lower and Upper Bavaria, in the Upper Palatinate and in Thuringia.
application
The peppermint leaves contain the essential peppermint oil and can therefore be used for tea and as a spice, for example for lamb dishes and desserts. The older the leaves are, the more menthol they contain. It is harvested once in summer before flowering and once in autumn. Most leaves are sold dried or processed into peppermint oil.
As a medicinal plant peppermint is very popular, but the leaves have too low a dose of active ingredients to be considered a regular medicine. They only get this quality if they have 1.2 percent or more of essential oil. In addition to the oil, the peppermint also contains tannins and flavonoids.
The essential oil contained in the peppermint leaves contains active ingredients that, for example, can stimulate the production of bile acids and thus help with digestive problems. (Image: yanadjan / fotolia.com) On the one hand the oil serves as a flavor carrier, on the other hand it is also inhaled for colds or it is smeared on the skin in case of infections. The rubbing of the temples helps against migraines as well as other headaches. A cold is a subjective effect, as the cooling effect is perceived as pleasant by the sufferers, while the mint does not help with the swelling. The active ingredients also have a calming effect, which is why peppermint tea helps to fall asleep, against nervousness, anxiety and stress.
Good for pregnant women?
In small quantities, ie up to two cups a day, no negative effects of the tea for pregnant women are to be feared. The tea helps especially against the symptoms of the first phase of pregnancy, especially against nausea and vomiting. Pregnant peppermint tea can also be used to treat unpleasantness caused by the pregnancy: flatulence, diarrhea, cold or falling asleep.
The dose makes it
The menthol in the peppermint oil warms the body and stimulates the metabolism. Like plants with similar effects - ie cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, chilli and basil - it speeds up contractions. In the worst case, the uterus is so stimulated that it comes to a miscarriage.
Panic mongering is missed. The oil is present in the dried leaves in such a small amount that with a consumption of two cups of the tea per day no unwanted effects occur. All pregnant women should abstain from peppermint oil. Do not take mint tea if you suffer from heartburn because it stimulates the production of stomach acid.
Which combinations are suitable?
During pregnancy, you should not take mint tea with other medicines that stimulate the circulation. Anise stimulates the uterus in large quantities, under no circumstances may you use aniseed oil. The same applies to verbena, angelica and fennel. All these herbs are harmless in small doses and as a kitchen spice for pregnant women.
Meanwhile, using the herbs together increases their effect on the uterus: a small dose of peppermint plus a small dose of vervain and a small dose is quite a big dose. So use all these herbs sparingly.
Some herbs are not recommended during pregnancy - this includes verbena. Especially in combination with z. As peppermint it has a strong stimulating effect on the uterus. (Image: bilderhexchen / fotolia.com) A tip: If you like to drink lots of mint tea and you do not get enough for two cups a day, then mix the mint tea with other teas that are good for your pregnant body. Very good is rooibos tea. Firstly, it is mild and secondly it contains a lot of iron, which you need in pregnancy to an increased extent. Black tea, on the other hand, should be consumed only slightly, like pure mint tea, because too much caffeine is not good in pregnancy. Chamomile tea is also suitable for mixing, which also prevents inflammation.
For pregnancy teas you can mix peppermint with lady's mantle (regulates the hormones, helps against nausea), lemon balm (for tension and stress), sea buckthorn, St. John's wort and lemongrass. Soothing are lavender flowers.
Mint tea (cooled) goes perfectly with banana milk and peach juice. You can mix dried peppermint leaves in yoghurt or make a smoothie with mint tea, carrots and lemon.
And while breastfeeding?
While you can take peppermint in moderation during pregnancy, you should abstain from it during the nursing phase. Mint tea slows down milk production (Tip: To increase it, you can use fenugreek instead). In addition, the mint tea steam in the infant can trigger allergic reactions and even cause respiratory distress. (Dr. Utz Anhalt)