‘Is lemongrass tea safe during pregnancy, ‘can lemongrass pose health hazards to a pregnant woman’, ‘what are the side effects if it’s not safe’! If these are questions in your mind, then you must read this article to get all the answers…
During pregnancy you have to be careful about your diet and you should be well informed about the herbs that are to be avoided. Lemongrass tea, although known for its health benefits, can pose health hazards to pregnant women. Before analyzing the topic whether lemongrass tea safe during pregnancy, we shall present you some facts about this herb.
Lemongrass, scientifically known as Cymbopogon, is native to Brazil but is widely cultivated across Asia and the US as well. The tea is known for its body cleansing and antimicrobial properties. Lemongrass tea induces sleep naturally and it’s an excellent remedy for digestive tract disorders, nausea and menstrual cramps. It’s also capable of lowering high blood pressure and high blood glucose. Despite possessing so many health benefits, drinking lemongrass tea is not safe during pregnancy.
Why is Lemongrass Tea Not Safe During Pregnancy
Is lemongrass tea safe during pregnancy? Here’s the explanation for this. Lemongrass tea should never be consumed as a detox tea during pregnancy. The herb has reverse effects on body and it might give rise to toxic effects in body. The chemical beta-myrcene present in the herb hinders normal development of the fetus. If you are used to drinking lemon grass everyday, then you need to stop it during your gestation period.
Consuming high doses of lemongrass tea might cause severe retardation in growth of the fetus. From these facts you can see that lemongrass tea is basically detrimental to health of the developing fetus. Your baby might also be born underweight if you have consumed lemongrass tea excessively during pregnancy. Statistical reports have also shown that perinatal mortality rates are considerably high owing to excessive consumption of lemongrass tea. You also need to restrict drinking lemongrass tea while breastfeeding your baby.
Women who suffer from low blood pressure during their pregnancy must completely avoid lemongrass tea. The herb, although known for its blood pressure alleviating properties, should be restricted completely when you are under medication. It interferes with other medicines and your blood pressure might fall much below normal levels. Similar effects become evident in your body when your blood glucose level is high.
You have to be much more cautious regarding this while being under external dosage of insulin or any other types of medication for diabetes and thyroid gland disorders. Risks of developing hypoglycemia are high due to consumption of large amounts of lemongrass tea everyday. The pathway of the enzyme cytochrome P450, that catalyzes oxidation of various types of organic substances in our body, is severely hampered due to excessive consumption of lemongrass tea during pregnancy. This further leads to complications in kidney and liver of expectant mothers.
Lemongrass tea side effects become dangerous when you continue drinking the tea throughout your gestation period. Thus, you should be aware of the herbs that are safe during pregnancy and those that are not. Some other herbs that are more likely to pose a threat to you and your baby are anise, rosemary, mugwort, horehound, vetiver, yarrow, licorice, fennel, catnip, comfrey, woodruff, coca lobelia, etc. All these herbs contain certain chemical compounds that are detrimental to the health of pregnant women. Apart from this, you should also be careful while applying lemongrass oil on your skin. Stop using lemongrass oil if you have experienced allergy and irritation on your skin.
From the explanation provided in the content above, I’m sure the side effects of lemongrass tea during pregnancy are clear to you. To be on the safe side, you must consult your doctor before consuming any type of herbal supplements during pregnancy. Taking any kind of risk during pregnancy is definitely not something wise. If you are intensely fond of herbal teas, then have ginger tea, red clover, and thyme instead of lemongrass tea.
