Is Rooibos Tea Safe for Pregnant Women?

There`s so much information out there on what pregnant women should or should not consume. It leaves them confused about what is actually safe for them. Wondering which teas are safe during pregnancy? There`s one here: it`s rooibos tea!

Rooibos tea is a South African tea that is also called red bush tea because it is cultivated from the red bush. It is caffeine-free, has high anti-oxidant qualities, and combats free radicals, assuring you of beautiful skin. It`s also loaded with calcium, aids digestion, and combats stomach issues. Trust this tea to help your body absorb iron, which is an essential mineral for pregnancy and postpartum. That`s not all to the goodness of this amazing tea, as it contains less tannin content than black or green teas. You can rely on it for treating nervous tension and respiratory ailments. It is also great for weight management.

Not many people know this, but technically, rooibos is actually not a tea; it’s a herbal concoction made by brewing the leaves of Aspalathus linearis. It is popular for its earthy taste and warm woody flavor.

11 Health Benefits of Drinking Rooibos Tea During Pregnancy

Prevents Neurodegenerative Diseases

Rooibos tea possesses dietary antioxidants that can protect your brain and our baby`s from neurodegenerative diseases. It also prevents inflammation and oxidative stress. So you can rest assured of healthy brains as you sip rooibos tea.

Has Antioxidant Properties

Rooibos tea detoxes the liver because it contains antioxidant properties. It`s got fermented and unfermented varieties that have superb antioxidant content, enough to combat free radicals released in the body during oxidative stress. This pregnancy-friendly tea also lowers inflammation and prevents cell damage. Green rooibos tea particularly contains aspalathin and nothofagin which are super effective antioxidants for detoxing and improving bone health. That`s not all, as rooibos tea also contains quercetin, a potent antioxidant for boosting immunity.

Aids Weight Loss

Rooibos tea is rich in antioxidants and contains low calories. It also reduces inflammation and blood sugar levels. What`s more? It reduces hunger and inhibits stress hormones. Rooibos tea will also help you decrease the secretion of leptin, the enzyme required for controlling appetites and regulating satiety levels. You sure know your appetite can be during pregnancy. Be sure to consume rooibos tea regularly when you`re pregnant so you can put your weight in check.

Zero Caffeine

Caffeine is not healthy for you at this time. Although it has some health benefits, it also has some adverse effects like heart palpitations, headaches, sleeplessness, and anxiety which are some of the most discomforting conditions for you at this time. Rooibos tea is caffeine-free. Its tannin content is also less than other teas, so you`re sure it won`t interfere with iron absorption.

Improves Bone Health

You probably didn`t know that fermented rooibos tea has a potent inhibitory effect on osteoclasts — the bone cells that absorb bone tissue during healing. You can rest assured that rooibos tea will take care of your bone health and your baby`s all through your pregnancy.

It`s Got Antimicrobial Effects

Did you know that rooibos tea restrains Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mutans, Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, Candida albicans, and Escherichia coli? Yes it does! So you can enjoy an infection-free pregnancy; good news, isn`t it?

Improves Heart Health

Thinking of how to improve your heart health and your baby`s at this crucial time? Think rooibos tea. This tea will help you reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Why? It contains dietary antioxidants that reduce inflammation and protect the heart. It also helps to improve cholesterol levels and reduce oxidative stress. What more do you need for pregnancy health?

Reduces Cancer Risk

Rooibos tea has chemoprotective properties. Its antimutagenic and antitumor activities of the tea regenerate coenzyme Q10 — that`s some level of certainty that you can combat cancer all through your pregnancy and after.

Combats Type-2 Diabetes

Pregnant and at risk of type-2 diabetes? Rooibos tea is the answer. This amazing tea contains an antioxidant called aspalathin which has an anti-diabetic effect. Aspalathin expressly reduces inflammation resulting from high blood sugar. Suppressing diabetes during pregnancy is vital for your health and your baby`s.

Combats Flu

You know how disturbing the flu can be during pregnancy. Pregnant women can drink rooibos tea to combat cold and cough and trust that its chrysoeriol content will do the work. Chrysoeriol is a compound that treats respiratory disorders. Sip some rooibos tea when next you have a cold.

Beautiful Skin

The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of this tea make it effective at preventing toxins from damaging the skin cells. Ever considered having beautiful skin during pregnancy? Well, you can. Just drink some rooibos tea already. It`ll help you combat toxins and free radicals.

Rooibos tea is also rich in ascorbic acid, an isolated form of vitamin C. You sure know that vitamin C is great for anti-aging, skin brightening, and reducing hyperpigmentation. The astonishing vitamin C also boosts the production of collagen, a vital protein in the skin structure. Of course, your baby`s skin health is not left out in all these wonders.

Some Rooibos Tea Facts

• In 1930, Le Fras Nortier discovered how to germinate rooibos seed. With the support of commercial farmer Olof Bergh, he developed cultivation methods that boosted the commercial growth of rooibos tea.
• The rooibos plant has green needle-like leaves and grows to a height of about 1 to 1.5m.
• Rooibos is harvested annually between January and April.
• The branches of the rooibos plant get cut at about 30-40cm above the ground, using a sickle or a harvesting machine, then it gets bound into bundles and taken to the processing area where it is cut into the required lengths and laid out in the processing yard for water to be added to it and getting it properly aired afterward.
• The inhabitants of the Cederberg region used rooibos tea medicinally.
• Early Dutch settlers drank rooibos tea in the late 17th century as an alternative to black tea which was more expensive.

Pregnancy Facts you Probably Don`t Know

• Many women undergo a change in skin tone during pregnancy.
• The heart grows during pregnancy, working harder, and pumping more blood for the growing baby.
• Some pregnant women lactate in late pregnancy at the sound of someone else’s baby crying.
• Pregnant women have a heightened sense of smell that enables them to avoid foods they shouldn’t eat.
• Pregnant women have less oxygen in their blood, which is what makes them more forgetful.
• Humans are the only mammals who do not ingest their placenta after birth.
• Some pregnant women develop a linea nigra during pregnancy. The linea nigra is a dark, vertical line that runs down the abdomen. It may or may not vanish after birth.

Now that you Know…

Rooibos tea is packed with nutrients for you and your baby all through your pregnancy. It is also a wholesome and tasty alternative to caffeine-filled beverages and those that contain toxins. Its antioxidants and numerous properties will enrich your skin, bones, heart, and entire health. What are you waiting for? When will you have a sip of this wondrous tea? By all means, drink this tea in moderate quantities. If you experience any side effects, speak with your doctor.