Spices. Spices certainly add flavour to a dish. But certain spices like fenugreek, asafoetida, garlic, angelica, and peppermint are best avoided during pregnancy. These spices can stimulate the uterus, resulting in contractions, preterm labour and miscarriage.
While it may be tempting to use lavender and peppermint oils to ease nausea and vomiting during your first trimester, many experts suggest avoiding essential oils altogether during that critical first 13 weeks of pregnancy, as there's some risk—however small—that they could cause uterine contractions that may adversely
Limit your intake of caffeinated teas
Black, green, white, matcha, chai, and oolong teas are all sourced from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. They contain caffeine — a natural stimulant that should be limited during pregnancy.While some oils are safe during pregnancy, many others are not. There is evidence to suggest that some oils, namely cinnamon, clove, rosemary, clary sage, and jasmine, can cause uterine contractions resulting in miscarriage or preterm labor.
Rooibos tea, in particular, is a good one to try because of its antioxidant properties; it's also caffeine-free. Other herbal teas may help alleviate morning sickness (ginger and mint), prevent insomnia (chamomile) and promote more effective contractions during labor (red raspberry leaf).
The following properly diluted essential oils appear to be safe for use during pregnancy: benzoin, bergamot, black pepper, chamomile (German & Roman), clary sage, cypress, eucalyptus, frankincense, geranium, ginger, grapefruit, juniper, lavender, lemon, mandarin, majoram (sweet), neroli, petitgrain, rose, sandalwood,
Cinnamon can be safely consumed during pregnancy when had in limit as a flavouring or a seasoning agent. Avoiding supplements and cinnamon-laden foods is a good idea. It's also better for women with high-risk pregnancies to avoid cinnamon altogether.
Sasha Watkins. There is no official advice that says you should stop drinking green tea during pregnancy. So there's no harm in enjoying a cup or two. However, you shouldn't drink too much green tea, as it contains only a little less caffeine than standard tea, depending on how it's brewed.
Studies found that taking ginger could reduce nausea and vomiting in some pregnant women. But pregnant women should be careful with ginger. Some experts worry that it could raise the risk of miscarriage, especially in high doses. Ginger seems to help with nausea caused by vertigo as well.
Pregnancy: Wintergreen is LIKELY SAFE in the small amounts found in food. But there isn't enough reliable information to know if wintergreen is safe to use in the larger amounts that are used as medicine. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.
Morning sickness affects over 65 per cent of women. While medication will help ease some symptoms, there are also some natural remedies to calm and soothe yourself. Try sipping herbal teas made with camomile, lemon balm and peppermint. If you have heartburn, avoid peppermint tea.
Peppermint tea: Peppermint is one of the most commonly used herbal medicines in pregnancy. Studies have shown it doesn't harm the mother or baby, although you should avoid very large amounts because it can promote menstruation.
