Today’s guest post is from Gillian of The Haas Machine.
During pregnancy, there numbers of overwhelming pieces of nutritional advice. Most women know that they should be taking a prenatal vitamin, getting their fill of healthy proteins, & eating colorful (organic, if possible) fruits & vegetables, but what about encouraging women to drink more herbal tea?
Pregnancy tea has been said to substantially increase a woman’s health throughout pregnancy, as well as lessen the pain & bleeding during & after birth. Postpartum, it helps to tone the uterus & build a healthy milk supply. And even though it’s promoted for pregnant ladies, anyone could benefit from the massive amount of nutrients found in this tea.
Although some sources believe Red Raspberry tea to be unsafe during the first trimester, my midwife has recommended that I drink a cup or two each day because of its proven benefits (the recommendation is that you drink 1 cup a day for the first trimester, 2 a day for the 2nd, & 3 a day for the 3rd, although the more the merrier!) Of course, please check with your midwife or care provider before drinking it, just to be sure.
I’m pretty picky about my tea flavors, so I was a bit nervous after ordering my herbs. I was pleased to discover that the tea is very mild, earthly, & leaves no funky aftertaste. You can serve it hot or chilled over ice. My preference at this point is to drink it at room temperature or just a bit hot.
Here are some of the incredible health benefits:
Red Raspberry Leaves: Contains Vitamins A, B, & E, Calcium, Phosphorus, Iron, & an acid neutralizer. It nourishes, strengthens, & tones the uterus & has been shown to shorten labor, reduce premature labor, & lessen bleeding after birth.
Stinging Nettles: This herb is an all-around nutrient-rich herb. It is considered to be a blood cleansing & blood building herb due to its high iron content (which also helps fight anemia & fatigue) & Vitamin K. It is very nourishing to the kidneys & liver & can help to prevent or relieve vascular problems like hemorrhoids or varicose veins, which are common during pregnancy. Nettles also help build up milk supply in nursing mamas & even help prevent PMS & menopause symptoms. Stinging Nettles are also a wonderful solution to seasonal allergies, so if you suffer from those while pregnant & would rather not take a medication for them, Nettles can be your solution!
Alfalfa: Contains Vitamins A, B12, D, & E, as well as Calcium, & Phosphorus & also helps increase milk supply.
Rosehips: Contains the entire Vitamin C Complex. Good for preventing or relieving vascular problems, & boosts the immune system. This herb is especially recommended for Rh-women & for fighting off infections.
Spearmint: This herb is especially soothing to the stomach, aids in digestion, may help normalize blood sugar.
Although you can definitely purchase high quality pregnancy teas already assembled, if you’re going to be making & drinking a lot of it, it is more cost effective to buy bulk herbs & mix your own tea. I purchased my herbs through Mountain Rose Herbs for a fraction of the cost of buying a box of already-assembled tea.
Ingredients:
2 cups Red Raspberry leaves
2 cups Stinging Nettles
½ cup Alfalfa
¼ cup Rosehips
½ cup Spearmint
Directions:
Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl until well incorporated. I like to keep the majority of the tea in a large glass container, while leaving a smaller glass container on my counter so I remember to drink it every day.
To prepare the tea for drinking, use a quart-sized jar & place ¼ cup of the tea into the jar (make sure that you mix the tea well before scooping because the Rosehips especially have a tendency to fall to the bottom). Fill the jar all the way with boiling water & let it steep, covered, for at least 20 minutes, up to 4 hours. Then, strain the tea with a fine mesh strainer (you can strain it several times or even use large tea bags if you don’t like to have any loose herbs in your tea).
You can make several batches of tea at once if you prefer, but make sure you store it in the fridge if you’re not going to drink it within the day. Refrigerated tea keeps well for up to 5 days.
Recipe adapted from
www.anaturalhomebirth.wordpress.com
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[…] by July 2014. Completed. I guest posted for The Live-In Kitchen (Lavender Almond Tea Cakes), & A Mama’s Story (Pregnancy Tea) & Lindsay from The Live-In Kitchen guest posted for me (Chocolate Chip Banana […]