You can drink mint tea during pregnancy. The harmful effects of mint phytoestrogens on pregnancy have been greatly exaggerated

Mint is a herb that is not only healthy, but also aromatic. They put it everywhere: in tea, in main courses, in drinks, and in sweets. Rarely does a plant enjoy such popularity. Mint is used to treat many diseases, especially stomach diseases. And, of course, many expectant mothers are interested in whether mint can be consumed during pregnancy.

There are different types of mint

When it comes to mint, many people imagine thickets fragrant herb along the banks of rivers. This is watermint growing. There are also spearmint, Japanese mint, fragrant mint, swamp mint and many others. These are wild species of mint. There are also hybrids, that is, varieties bred by man. Most famous hybrid– peppermint, obtained by crossing water and spearmint (garden) mint.

Peppermint

Peppermint is widely used in pharmacology and in everyday life. It contains a lot of menthol, thanks to which the plant has analgesic, antispasmodic, and antiseptic effects. Peppermint owes its cooling taste to menthol. The inflorescences of mint are richest in it, the stems of the plant are the least rich. Menthol is the main component of essential peppermint oil.

In addition to essential oils, peppermint contains organic acids: ascorbic, caffeic, chlorogenic and others.

When should peppermint not be consumed by pregnant women?

For many expectant mothers, it becomes a revelation that mint is not allowed during pregnancy. At least, that's what most doctors say. It is believed that menthol, which is part of peppermint, can cause uterine contractions. In addition, mint contains analogues female hormones.

So, most doctors agree that it is better not to use mint during pregnancy. But there is no need to be upset. It is undesirable to take only medications containing a lot of menthol. It is also prohibited to use peppermint oil, especially in the first trimester. A pregnant woman should not self-prescribe medications containing menthol, for example:

• Corvalol (contains a lot of menthol);
• various mint tablets for a sore throat;
• alcohol tincture of mint;
• Zelenin drops;
• aerosols and inhalers containing menthol;
• validol (only with doctor's permission);
• cough medicines with menthol

Peppermint should not be consumed in any form by women who are prone to miscarriage.

And when is it possible

The expectant mother does not need to consume a lot of mint. If she adds a little to dishes, then nothing bad will happen. Peppermint is not very suitable for making tea, as it has too pronounced a cooling taste. It is better to add ordinary wild mint, collected from nature, into tea. You shouldn’t get too carried away; the plant still contains female hormones. It is better to brew only leaves, without flowers.

At first, you need to brew mint quite a bit to see how the body reacts. Who knows, maybe he will react to mint differently than expected. If everything goes well, then you can safely drink 1-2 cups of tea a day. It is better to add mint to green tea.

Mint in herbal medicine

Some people drink mint tea for pleasure, while others use it for treatment. Mint helps against many diseases. WITH medicinal purposes It’s better to brew peppermint, which you can buy at a pharmacy or grow on your own property.

For toxicosis

You can make a drink from mint that can reduce the manifestations of toxicosis. To do this, just brew mint leaves like regular tea. It is advisable to drink tea chilled, as a hot drink makes nausea even worse for some. However, some people, on the contrary, prefer hot tea. It would be nice to add lemon juice to a cold mint infusion.

For a sore throat

Expectant mothers also sometimes have a sore throat. And here again peppermint will come to the rescue. You need to make a concentrated infusion, for which 10 g of herb is brewed with a glass of water, the temperature of which is about 95 degrees. After the infusion becomes warm, you need to gargle. Do this procedure as often as possible.

For heartburn in pregnant women

Mint normalizes digestion, relieves gas, and relieves attacks of nausea. Good to drink Mint tea for heartburn in pregnant women. Unfortunately, this trouble often happens to expectant mothers, especially at later. The grown fetus puts a lot of pressure on the stomach, causing gastric juice to reflux into the esophagus. Mint reduces acidity, which reduces the symptoms of heartburn. True, this remedy does not help everyone, but you still need to try.

To prevent heartburn, just chew a few leaves. Or brew regular mint tea, which should be drunk chilled.

Mint for hypertension

High blood pressure is extremely dangerous for a pregnant woman. It can cause miscarriage early, and in the later stage – placental abruption and fetal death. Therefore, those women who have a tendency or hereditary predisposition to hypertension can drink little by little throughout pregnancy. green tea with mint.

In total, approximately 25 species and 10 subspecies of mint are known: horsemint, swamp mint, peppermint, mountain mint, curly mint, Japanese mint, orange mint, water mint... This is far from full list. The most commonly used mint is peppermint, sometimes called chilli mint, chilli mint, pepper mint, English mint, cold mint.

However, expectant mothers are often concerned about the question: is it possible to take mint? Which doses are beneficial and which are harmful?

Mint is prescribed to pregnant women as a sedative in small quantities, helps to sleep, reduces nausea and itching, bloating.

However, in large quantities it can provoke uterine hypertonicity and premature birth. The reason is the excess estrogen content in the plant. You should also be careful when using peppermint essential oil.

That is why the issue of using mint should be resolved individually with your doctor.

In any case, the extreme dose is no more than four cups per day.

Harm of mint during pregnancy

The dangers of using mint during pregnancy are as follows:

• Mint is contraindicated because it has the property of lowering blood pressure;
• For the same reason, you should not use mint at the final stage of pregnancy with varicose veins;
• Since it contains a significant amount of estrogens (female hormones), taking in large quantities can lead to uterine contractions, i.e. provoke

Useful properties of mint

Often expectant mothers are concerned about pigmentation on the face, or they would like to avoid it in the future. As a preventive and remedy For this purpose, you can wipe the skin of your face and body with mint infusion from the leaves.

Mint has diuretic, antiseptic, choleretic, antispasmodic, vasodilating, antiemetic, analgesic and sedative properties. This plant helps remove kidney stones and normalizes kidney function. gastrointestinal tract: helps relieve colic, eliminate stomach cramps; treats diarrhea, constipation.

It is also indispensable in dermatology (relieves skin inflammation), dentistry (removes bad smell, has an antibacterial effect)

Its usefulness has been proven for muscle and heart pain, varicose veins, and laryngitis.

Useful for pregnant women with stress, insomnia, nervous tension, physical or mental stress. However, you should be careful with the dosage to prevent the opposite result.

What mint products can be consumed during pregnancy?

Not only peppermint (as tea, tinctures), but also some derivative products from it can be consumed during pregnancy.

Essential oil
Despite the fact that the oil is very useful in the fight against anxiety, to improve appetite, it is used to stimulate mental activity, and is effective for treating colds, to improve intestinal motility, Pregnant women are strictly prohibited from using it both externally and internally. The fact is that mint oil contains menthol (up to 70%), which is prohibited during pregnancy, and large amounts of estrogens, the harmfulness of which for expectant mothers has already been mentioned above.

What are the benefits of mint?

A woman expecting a baby should not only monitor her diet, but also control drinking regime. And here reasonable questions arise: which drinks can be consumed and which should be excluded from the menu?

Today we Special attention Let's give it some mint tea. Let's consider whether it is possible to drink it during pregnancy and why herbal drinking is beneficial.

Beneficial properties of mint during pregnancy

Everyone knows, if not the taste, then the aroma of mint. The plant perfectly calms and normalizes sleep, and this is what you need during pregnancy. Moreover, mint tea is an excellent alternative to medications that are prohibited for expectant mothers.

Unlike essential oil, mint is allowed during pregnancy, but only in reasonable quantities. For example, 1-2 cups of aromatic drink will not hurt, but on the contrary, will be useful for pregnant women.

As you know, worries and fears about pregnancy and upcoming birth are inherent in almost all women. So: mint tea allows you to calm the nervous system, eliminate panic and anxiety of expectant mothers. This effect has a positive effect on the condition of the pregnant woman, and therefore on the well-being of the baby. After all, if the mother is calm, then the child is comfortable in his “house”.

In addition, the healing drink copes well with early toxicosis, which causes a lot of trouble for women. Mint tea improves functionality digestive system, and bloating, constipation and stomach upsets. What if a woman is harassed? frequent dizziness, then mint tea will cope with this symptom perfectly.

And for colds and various diseases a mint drink becomes simply an irreplaceable medicine, especially for pregnant women for whom medication treatment is contraindicated. The plant has anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and analgesic properties. That is why herbal tea effective for colds (and not only) diseases.

The healing drink also helps to cope with swelling and prevent varicose veins veins, which is so common during pregnancy. Also, mint tea is a great solution and intimate side question: increases libido in women.

Thanks to such healing properties, doctors not only allow, but also recommend drinking mint tea while carrying a baby. But in everything you need to observe moderation, since in case of various disorders and pathologies, healthy drinking can be harmful.

When can peppermint tea be dangerous during pregnancy?

Many people think that mint tea has no contraindications. But, alas, this is not so. The fact is that the properties of mint in some cases can be harmful. Therefore, before drinking tea, you should definitely consult your doctor.

To benefit from the mint drink, follow these recommendations:

1. This plant contains estrogens, which in large quantities can provoke either premature labor activity. Therefore, drink no more than 1-2 cups per day. After three to four days, take a short break (a day or two).
2. If you are allergic to mint, then it is better to refuse the drink, as this will negatively affect the baby’s condition.
3. If you have problems with blood pressure It is necessary to drink the drink carefully, especially for hypotensive people. The fact is that tea lowers blood pressure.
4. If you have problems with your kidneys or liver, you should also not get carried away with mint drink.
5. The plant has a negative effect on lactation, so recent months During pregnancy, mint tea should be excluded from a woman’s drinking diet.

In conclusion, I would like to note that mint tea can be both beneficial and dangerous. After all, herbal drinks, like all medicinal plants, must be consumed with extreme caution. Each body reacts differently to mint tea. But if you adhere to caution and moderation, it is unlikely to harm you. In addition, your body itself will tell you when you can drink it and when you need to stop drinking it.

This plant can be found everywhere: mint is sold both in pharmacies and supermarkets (both dried and fresh).

It is brewed as is or added to black tea to enrich the aroma. meat dishes and desserts, compotes... Even if your family is not a fan of herbal medicine, you have probably tried mint more than once, as a tasty ingredient or to calm your nerves or a raging stomach.

Did you know that the mint we use is called Mentha piperita (or peppermint, although herbalists can call it differently: chilli or chilli, English). And in wildlife There are many more mints - 10 subspecies, 25 species. Among them there are such interesting “names”: horse, curly, water, marsh, mountain, bergamot, orange, apple, Japanese mint.

Medicine (and cooking) uses shoots, leaves, and flowers of mint. This plant is rich essential oil, fats, sugar, vitamins and minerals.

But can pregnant women eat mint? The doctor has probably already warned you that certain previously safe herbs in interesting position can cause bleeding and even miscarriage...

Is mint dangerous for pregnant women?

Mint tea is recommended even during poisoning; it is given to small children... Can you drink it? Medicines are no longer recommended for you. And mint is, although a phyto, but a medicine! And, like pharmacy medicines, it has a number of “side effects” and contraindications. Doctors assure: one of them is pregnancy. Why? Contains mint a large number of hormones. They are familiar to you - these are estrogens. Increased quantity these hormones in the body can cause preterm labor.

But herbalists (as well as experienced obstetricians) often advise women expecting a stork to drink mint tea. For example, such a drink helps with typical “pregnant” problems - heartburn, nausea, bloating. Moreover, experts allow you not to limit yourself to a couple of sips or even one glass of aromatic tea - gynecologists recommend drinking up to 4 cups per day. But don’t buy mint at the grandmother’s market - you don’t know where this plant was picked (maybe in an area with low ecology, or even along the highway). Choose pharmaceutical mint - it is also packaged in disposable tea bags, there is no hassle with them - you don’t have to strain the tea every day.

In general, each doctor may have his own opinion about mint. True, there is one thing on which herbalists and gynecologists are unanimous: pregnant women should not take mint!

What about flowers and leaves?

Our mothers and grandmothers also drank mint tea during all three trimesters. This calms the nerves, and this drink tastes very pleasant (especially since this tea is a good alternative to coffee, which is prohibited in an interesting situation). Having searched dozens of women's forums where successful mothers open up about their pregnancies, you will not find anywhere about the harm that happened because of drinking a glass of mint tea. But there are many praises for this drink, which helped get rid of “green toxicosis”.

By the way, nursing mothers do not often praise mint. This plant suppresses milk production in the breast. So until you plan to wean your little one, don't overload on this drink!

In general, there is no need to refuse this tea. But also drink it in liters.

Mint as a medicine for pregnant women

• As mentioned above, mint protects against both vomiting and nausea. So during the 1st trimester, it won’t be a bad idea to keep a couple of mints or chewing gum in your pocket. Yes, you can also make tea for yourself - but it is not available in transport, in a store or at work.
• Toxicosis is especially rampant in the morning. Prepare yourself a healing drink in the evening. Pour 2 teaspoons of mint (leaves), yarrow, valerian (roots), marigold (flowers) into 2 cups of just boiled water. Strain after 30 minutes. Drink 6 times a day, 50 ml at a time.
• If every breakfast and lunch immediately after entering the stomach begins to “tumble” there, when serving food, flavor it with fresh mint leaves.
• You can drink mint tea at a later date. Especially if an enlarged belly threatens you constant constipation. The aromatic drink will help both from “congestion” in the intestines and from bloating.
• This plant can also be yours personal cosmetologist. Is your skin peeling, and on your stomach is it stretched like a drum, and its elasticity has decreased? Prepare a rub for the body or face: pour 1 tablespoon of mint with a glass of boiling water, let it brew.

Other effects of mint that are no less interesting to you include antiseptic, vasodilating, bile- and diuretic, analgesic, antispasmodic, and of course, sedative. Aromatic teas remove stones, stop intestinal colic and stomach cramps, and help with diarrhea. Dentists recommend mint as a remedy against bad smell from the mouth, and skin doctors use this plant to treat inflammation and itching.

There is hardly a person who has not at least once in his life tasted aromatic mint tea or seen this plant. There are more than 25 varieties of it, but we most often come across peppermint; it is often added to baked goods, main courses, and brewed teas. Surely many people know that plants need to be used carefully and competently; they can both help and harm. This applies to all medicinal plants; mint should also be used with extreme caution during pregnancy.

Why mint is useful, why it can be dangerous during pregnancy

Exactly this interesting place in the discussion, because peppermint is both prohibited and recommended during pregnancy. Such a contradiction can lead to a dead end, so let’s look into the situation together. So, doctors do not recommend overindulging in mint teas because of the plant’s ability to affect the course of pregnancy, since it contains phytoestrogens. But if you drink tea from this plant in moderation, it can be very useful for all mothers. Many gynecologists and obstetricians advise drinking mint tea while pregnant to get rid of nausea, heartburn, and bloating.

This prescription is quite common, the main thing is that the tea is brewed from pharmaceutical preparations, which exclude various impurities. The amount of such a drink should not exceed 3-4 cups per day, in addition, you should pay attention to the rest of the liquid that enters the body, do not forget that its excessive amount can cause swelling.

Peppermint has analgesic, sedative, antispasmodic, antiseptic and diuretic properties. It is successfully used to remove stones, remove intestinal colic or stomach cramps, it relieves constipation and diarrhea, which are familiar to almost all expectant mothers firsthand. Mint can help with colds, coughs, laryngitis, muscle and heart pain. For insomnia or stressful situations she is an indispensable assistant, calming and organizing work nervous system.

If you are concerned about toxicosis, you can prepare a decoction of peppermint, valerian roots, marigold flowers and yarrow herb, all ingredients are taken in 2 teaspoons and poured into 2 cups of boiling water. The mixture is infused for half an hour, then it can be strained and taken 50 milligrams 6 times a day. To avoid nausea while eating or immediately after it, you can add 2-3 mint leaves to the dish; it will enter the body along with food and prevent nausea and vomiting. To improve the condition of your skin, you can use the following recipe. Take 1 tablespoon of mint, pour a glass of boiling water, let it brew. You can wipe the skin of your face and entire body with this decoction; it will increase elasticity and eliminate flaking.

As you can see, when used correctly, mint is very useful for all pregnant women. Judging by surveys, there is not a single case in which a mother or baby was harmed by this plant. However, after the birth of the baby, it is better for nursing mothers not to drink mint tea - it can significantly reduce milk production.