How About Herbal Teas During Pregnancy?
QUESTION
Dear Fitness Expert,
I've just become pregnant and like to drink herbal teas (mostly decaffeinated but some half and half decaffeinated and flavored black tea). Are there any teas that are dangerous to the baby or that I should avoid?
ANSWER
Because the safety and effectiveness of herbal supplements really have not been studied in pregnancies, it is always necessary to be cautious. You need to speak with your OB/GYN first and foremost. But the March of Dimes, United Way and a score of other health organizations urge mothers to avoid herbal supplements during pregnancy.
Many mothers-to-be like to drink herbal teas during their stage of morning sickness. Just because something soothes your stomach, however, does not mean it is safe. Dr. Roger Jones of the Family Methodist Hospital in Cedar Hill recommends avoiding herbal products simply because we do not fully understand the correlation (and long-term affects) of herbs and pregnancy.
But many of my Olympic friends relied on herbal teas in the early stages of their pregnancy so they might continue training. All of these women, however, stressed that they drank highly diluted teas "just to be safe." For further research, check out this website.
-- Alex
Alexandra Allred
Alexandra Allred is a former member of the US Women's Bobsled team, is an accomplished martial artist, and continues to teach kickboxing while juggling her career as a full-time writer and mother of three. She has interviewed hundreds of athletes, models, actresses, trainers, doctors, and health/fitness experts as she sought to find answers to her own questions about working out while pregnant, arranging breast-feeding around a training schedule, diet when pregnant and breastfeeding, and encouraging her whole family.
Alex is the author of ten books, including Atta Girl! A Celebration of Women in Sports and Entering the Mother Zone: Balancing Self, Health & Family. We're excited to have her on board!
