Pregnant women should be sensitive to herbal teas

Dietitian Özden Örkcü from Üsküdar University NPİSTANBUL Brain Hospital touched upon the points to be considered while consuming herbal teas and made recommendations.

The increase in epidemics has increased the interest in herbal teas even more. Stating that herbal teas are used for many purposes such as slimming, body shaping, relieving joint pain and increasing breast milk, experts emphasize that pregnant women, kidney patients, those with palpitations and hypertension should definitely consult a specialist. Experts recommend that leaves, flowers and stems be prepared by soaking them in boiling water for 3-10 minutes, as the bioactive substances in its content are easier to release. According to experts, consumption of more than 1 gram of thyme tea per day leads to a risk of miscarriage in pregnant women.

Dietitian Özden Örkcü from Üsküdar University NPİSTANBUL Brain Hospital touched upon the points to be considered while consuming herbal teas and made recommendations.

The epidemic led to herbal teas

Stating that herbal teas contain bioactive components that have positive effects on health and have antioxidant properties, Dietitian Özden Örkcü said, “Teas containing polyphenol substances such as catechins, flavonols, flavones and phenolic acids have anticarcinogenic, antimutogenic and protective properties against cardiovascular diseases. Especially with the increase in epidemics, the tendency to herbal teas has increased even more.” said.

Pregnant women should be sensitive to herbal teas

Dietitian Özden Örkcü, 'The raw material of herbal teas is mostly obtained as a result of drying valuable parts of plants such as leaves, flowers, roots and fruits.' said and continued:

“One of the methods used in the preparation of herbal teas with water is boiling by boiling. Since it is easy to release the bioactive substances contained in the plants with this method, leaves, flowers and stems should be kept in boiling water for 3-10 minutes in general. Herbal teas can also be used for weight loss, body shaping, against depression, gastrointestinal symptoms, as an immune supporter, relieving joint pain or increasing breast milk. Expert opinion should be taken while consuming herbal teas. Pregnant women should be especially sensitive about herbal tea. Herbal teas can cause serious problems, up to the danger of miscarriage due to uterine contractions. Kidney patients may also be at risk due to the diuretic effects of herbal teas. It is absolutely necessary to consult a specialist and not to exceed the daily reliable overdose.”

Labeled product must be purchased

Pointing out that the use of uncontrolled, over-the-counter drugs that are not licensed, whose quality, efficacy and safety have not been demonstrated, that are not labeled and standardized properly, and that are sold over the counter, have increased, Örkcü said: , production and packaging permission must be specified. Consumption of herbal teas is increasing in the current autumn and winter seasons. However, it is observed that some herbal teas where herbal teas are sold are not clean enough. In this regard, consumers should definitely pay attention to buy labeled products.” said.

Thyme tea may lead to miscarriage risk

Emphasizing that the side effects of herbs and drug interactions that may occur when used with drugs are not fully known, Örkcü continued his words as follows:

“While consuming plants and plant products for treatment and prevention of any disease, it should be noted that potential interactions and side effects may occur when used with drugs. People with hypertension and palpitations should take care not to consume more than one or two cups of green tea daily. Although thyme seems harmless, it can cause low blood pressure because it increases the effectiveness of high blood pressure medication. For this reason, it is recommended to consume thyme tea 2-3 hours after the medication. In addition to being good for colds during pregnancy, consumption should not exceed 1 gram per day, as it is good for nausea. Otherwise, it may cause a miscarriage risk.”

Storage conditions are important

Stating that poor ventilation conditions during storage mostly lead to an increase in moisture content in the product, Örkcü said, “In this case, plant materials become more suitable for the development of molds and toxin production. It is recommended to keep the dried plants under suitable conditions for 1 year. It will be more appropriate to store it in places that are not exposed to sunlight, not humid, dry and do not rise above room temperature.” he said.