The Best Tea for Pregnancy: Nettle, Raspberry & Peppermint

Herbal Teas in Pregnancy

There is a load of foods we should and shouldn’t consume during a pregnancy. The internet is full of studies, scholarly articles, opinions and marketing. It can be challenging to navigate what is the truth. Some studies have variables that produce outcomes that may seem to say one thing, but is actually diverting from the intended study.

So, you should do lots of reading if you are interested in loose leaf teas and combining some of your own during your pregnancy (or for someone else).

Is it safe?

How I usually determine for myself if a herbal tea is safe to consume during pregnancy a combination of the following actions:

Preliminary search on the internet
Seek the plants main benefits that have been proven in studies
Determine what part of the plant contains these benefits
Study both sides of the coin (safe or not safe) and gain the information from both perspectives
Consider what I know about other plants in a similar family (or closely related)

This helps me to make my own notes from what others have studied and/or experienced.

From there, you can make a decision yourself if you want to take the next step, and trial it for yourself

Why is it the Best Tea for Pregnancy

The methods above is how I landed on this tea, that I like to call the best tea for pregnancy.

It all came from the maintained energy I experienced in my first trimester, the hormones I could calm significantly in my second trimester, and the soothing cool and fresh feeling I felt each day as I drank this tea.

Energy in First Trimester

From the moment I knew we were expecting our first baby, I checked that the vitamins we take each day is sufficient to cover me in this pregnancy. I am not one to recommend supplements, but I can stand behind this great brand that has changed our health since I was a kid. Read more about Nutrilite if you are searching for a good vitamins supplier.

As a supplement to my daily iron (and folic acid) vitamin, I made nettle leaf tea.

I have been drinking nettle leaf tea long before this pregnancy. I have studied its benefits, and foraged some of of our very own nettle here in the pacific north west of Canada.

Drinking more nettle and having it daily during the first trimester really impacted my energy levels. I did not once feel tired or low on energy. Now that says something…

Hormones in Second Trimester

During my second trimester, I could feel my hormones were a bit stronger. There were days when I would respond bigger than I was used to.

I remembered reading that raspberry leaf tea was taken by ladies during their period to aid cramps and hormone levels. Now, I had already been drinking raspberry leaf tea before the pregnancy. However, I increased my intake in the first and second trimester to help with my overall mood and hormones. I could tell the difference when I skipped it for a day or two.

Nettle Tea Benefits

This is the primary ingredient in this tea. I focus on it specifically for the folic acid and calcium contents, which are essential during a pregnancy.

It also contains:

Vitamin C, D, K
Zinc
Magnesium
Selenium
Fatty Acids

woman scooping nettle leaf tea into teapot

Nettle tea can be especially helpful to prevent muscle spasms and cramps. For more information on other herbs that can aid your pregnancy, read this post Motherlove Herbal Company.

In the springtime, I forage nettle leaves from a park nearby our house. You can watch the process of me gathering and drying nettle leaves in the oven.

Raspberry Tea for Pregnancy

Raspberry tea is know to help build the uterus muscles and ready your body for labour.

The leaves of the raspberry plant are vitamin rich in:

calcium
iron
vitamins C, E, A, and B complex
phosphorus
potassium

It is also said to decrease morning sickness and the changes of a hemorrhage in labour.

Birds Eye view of raspberry leaf tea scooping into teapot

Peppermint Tea for Pregnancy

Peppermint, the fresh taste that makes it easier to sip on nettle and raspberry tea. There are some warnings about consuming large amounts, so I’m only listing half the amount in comparison to the star ingredients: nettle and raspberry leaf.

It is also beneficial for:

boosting your mood
aiding indigestion
relieving muscle and joint pain
increased energy levels
better breathing as the bronchial muscles are soothed

Watch my latest tea talk here

You can watch my latest tea talk and discussion about the benefits of this tea in pregnancy here on Youtube.

Recipe for best pregnancy tea

This tea has been my go to this entire pregnancy and I can stand behind its benefits.

Recipe and directions

I mix the following parts into my 500ml teapot:

2 parts nettle
2 parts raspberry leaf
1 part peppermint tea
1 part chamomile (ocassionally)

Let it steep for 5 minutes and enjoy!

Iced tea

If you are pregnant in the summer, you may be more interested in consuming this as iced tea.

Steep the tea as directed above, let’s cool and pour into jars or bottles to keep in your fridge. That way you will have a healthy iced tea ready when needed.