Intake of Ginger Tea During Pregnancy
In this Article
The first trimester of pregnancy can be hard on some women. Morning sickness, vomiting, and nausea can take a toll on a woman’s health and can become a cause of fatigue. Maintaining a healthy diet during this time is of utmost importance. Apart from including fresh fruits and wholesome grains in your diet, you may want to include certain herbal blends in your diet to combat nausea and vomiting. Ginger tea, for instance, is thought to relieve vomiting and nausea, and may even help with morning sickness during pregnancy. However, you may wonder whether drinking ginger tea is safe for expecting mothers. It’s a good thought. Let’s find out!
Is It Safe to Drink Ginger Tea During Pregnancy?
Is ginger tea good for pregnancy? Drinking ginger tea in moderation can be beneficial for pregnant women, especially during the first trimester, as it acts as a natural remedy for morning sickness. But pregnant women should not consume more than 1gm of ginger per day during pregnancy. In general, it is recommended that a woman should not exceed 1.2gm of ginger intake per day. In extremely rare cases, some pregnant women may become allergic to ginger tea during pregnancy first trimester and it may result in side effects.
Benefits of Ginger Tea for Pregnant Women
There are numerous benefits of ginger. Ginger tea and pregnancy makes for a great combo. Here are a few benefits of ginger tea when pregnant.
1. Helps With Morning Sickness
Ginger is considered a natural fortifier of the digestive tract and the respiratory tract. Additionally, it has soothing effects on the throat and can help prevent vomiting. In essence, there are a lot of doctors who recommend ginger tea for pregnancy nausea. Drinking the tea at night and right after waking up can help keep morning sickness under control.
2. Helps With Digestion
Like for morning sickness, most doctors recommend ginger during pregnancy due to the positive impact that it has on digestion. Your immune system will make digestion much harder, consuming a glass of ginger tea can help you improve and fortify your body’s digestive functions.
3. Improves Immunity
Ginger is packed with properties that are known to boost immunity. It is considered a great ingredient to add to food or tea when you are pregnant as it constantly combats numerous diseases and prevents illnesses.
4. Soothes the Throat
It is common knowledge that ginger is used to get relief from throat infections, this is due to the soothing properties that ginger possesses. If you have a sore throat during pregnancy, you may drink ginger tea.
5. Helps With Anxiety
Ginger has properties that relax the brain and is known to help manage anxiety. In limited doses, ginger tea can help you unwind.
6. Manages Blood Sugar
Ginger is a root vegetable rich in minerals that can help manage your blood sugar when taken in moderation.
7. Keeps Cholesterol in Check
The essential minerals present in ginger can help control your body’s cholesterol levels; it is recommended that you consume ginger in limited amounts along with a heart-healthy diet to help maintain healthy cholesterol levels.
8. Helps Muscles Recuperate
The soothing nature of ginger also helps your body recover from muscle fatigue. Drinking a cup of ginger tea during pregnancy can help your joints and bones, and help your body relax and recover from extreme fatigue.
How Much Ginger Tea Should You Drink While Pregnant?
Ginger tea must be consumed in moderation because if taken in excessive amounts, it can harm you more than it can help you. Most medical experts recommend that a pregnant woman should consume no more than a gram of ginger per day in any form. This means to limit the addition of ginger in your tea to a gram per day and add other healthy ingredients to the tea to maximise the nutritional value of ginger tea.
Best Ginger Tea Recipes for Pregnant Women
Here are some of the best recipes of ginger tea. You can consume these teas while pregnant but make sure you have tea only twice a day, even when adding ginger to it. Do not have your regular tea twice a day and have these teas too. Keep the number limited to 2 cups a day. Better yet, check with your nutritionist or gynaecologist about the consumption of regular tea and ginger tea during pregnancy.
1. Lemon Ginger Tea
Brew regular black tea on a low flame, grate a teaspoon of ginger and add it, squeeze half a lemon and add a teaspoon of honey. Stir and garnish with mint leaves.
2. Ginger Clove Tea
Add a teaspoon of grated ginger and 3-4 cloves to a saucepan with boiling water. Boil on a low flame for 5 minutes, then some tea leaves and continue to boil for an additional 3 minutes, Turn off the flame, strain the tea in a cup, stir in a teaspoon of honey and enjoy your hot ginger clove tea.
3. Ginger Green Tea
Heat a glass of water in a saucepan. Add a teaspoon of grated ginger to it and boil on low flame for 8 minutes. Pour the ginger-infused water in a glass, add 1 dip bag of green tea, let it steep for 3 minutes, remove the dip bag and drink warm ginger green tea.
4. Chamomile Ginger Tea
Add a teaspoon of ginger in a saucepan with a cup of water, bring it to a boil on a low flame, pour into a glass. Stir in a teaspoon of honey then dip a chamomile tea bag into it. Let it steep for about 2 minutes, remove the bag, and enjoy the warm chamomile ginger tea.
5. Tulsi Ginger Tea
Steep your regular tea, add a teaspoon of grated ginger to it and a few tulsi leaves and bring to a boil. Strain in a serving cup, stir in the honey. Squeeze some lemon juice and stir. Enjoy the tea.
Are There Any Side Effects of Consuming Ginger Tea?
Ginger tea is good for health but if consumed in excess, especially during pregnancy, it can cause blood loss. Ginger has blood-thinning properties, so if consumed in excess, it may impact the clotting of blood and cause excessive blood loss.
FAQs
1. Does Ginger Tea Help to Induce Labour?
No scientific evidence is there to support that ginger tea induces labour.
2. Can I Drink Ginger Turmeric Tea in Pregnancy?
Yes, you can consume turmeric and ginger tea during pregnancy in moderation.
3. How to Make Ginger Tea?
Here are the steps to make ginger tea while pregnant.
Ingredients:
- Fresh ginger root (1-2 inches)
- Water (2 cups)
- Honey or lemon (optional)
Instructions:
- Start by peeling and slicing 1-2 inches of fresh ginger root. You can adjust the amount based on your taste preferences.
- Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a pot.
- Add the sliced ginger to the boiling water.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer and let the ginger steep in the water for about 10-15 minutes. The longer you steep, the stronger the ginger flavour will be.
- After steeping, you can add honey or a squeeze of lemon juice to taste if you prefer a sweeter or tangier flavour.
- Strain the ginger tea into cups using a fine mesh strainer or a tea infuser.
- Your homemade ginger tea is ready to be enjoyed. Serve it hot.
While ginger tea is safe for consumption during pregnancy, but if you feel uneasy or sick after consuming ginger tea, talk to your doctor. Do not include excessive amounts of ginger in your diet as it can be harmful. Speak to your nutritionist for more information and have a healthy pregnancy!
References/Resources:
1. Morning sickness; mayoclinic.org; https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/morning-sickness/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20375260
2. Herbal Tea and Pregnancy; americanpregnancy.org; https://americanpregnancy.org/healthy-pregnancy/is-it-safe/herbal-tea/
3. The potential effects that ginger and ginger supplements may have during pregnancy and lactation.; cot.food.gov.uk; https://cot.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2021-05/TOX-2021-26%20Safety%20of%20Ginger%20Use%20in%20Pregnancy.pdf
4. Ginger; mothertobaby.org; https://mothertobaby.org/fact-sheets/ginger-pregnancy/
5. Herbal teas during pregnancy and breastfeeding; pregnancybirthbaby.org.au; https://www.pregnancybirthbaby.org.au/herbal-teas-during-pregnancy-and-breastfeeding
Also Read:
Herbal Teas in Pregnancy
Consuming Tea during Pregnancy
Drinking Iced Tea when Pregnant
