GUIDE
Herbal Tea During Pregnancy
WITH CAUTION — some herbal teas are safe, others should be avoided.
Ginger, peppermint, and rooibos teas are generally safe. Avoid teas with unknown herbal ingredients, and limit all tea to moderate amounts.
Be prepared from day one
The Short Answer
Some herbal teas are safe and even beneficial during pregnancy, while others should be avoided. The challenge is that herbal teas are not regulated as medications, so safety data varies widely. Stick to well-studied options like ginger, peppermint, and rooibos, and avoid teas with herbal ingredients you can't identify.
Regular (non-herbal) tea — black, green, white, and oolong — is safe in moderation but contains caffeine. Count it toward your 200mg daily caffeine limit.
For a complete overview, see our complete food safety guide.
Safe Herbal Teas
- Ginger tea — well-studied, effective for nausea, safe up to 4 cups daily
- Peppermint tea — safe, may help with nausea and digestive discomfort
- Rooibos tea — caffeine-free, rich in antioxidants, safe during pregnancy
- Lemon balm tea — generally considered safe in moderate amounts
- Citrus teas — orange, lemon, or lime-based herbal teas are safe
- Decaffeinated black or green tea — minimal caffeine (2-5mg per cup)
'Moderate amounts' generally means 1-3 cups per day.
Teas to Avoid
- Licorice root tea — may affect cortisol levels and is linked to preterm birth in large amounts
- Parsley tea in large amounts — can stimulate uterine contractions in high doses
- Pennyroyal tea — toxic and can cause miscarriage, never consume during pregnancy
- Blue or black cohosh tea — uterine stimulants, avoid entirely during pregnancy
- Dong quai tea — can stimulate the uterus, avoid during pregnancy
- Sassafras tea — contains safrole, which is considered potentially harmful
- Unknown herbal blends — if you can't identify all ingredients, skip it
This list is not exhaustive — when in doubt, ask your provider.
Why This Matters During Pregnancy
Herbal teas occupy a gray area in pregnancy safety. Unlike pharmaceutical drugs, herbal products are not required to undergo clinical testing for safety during pregnancy. The FDA classifies herbal teas as foods, not drugs, so they don't go through the same regulatory process.
This doesn't mean herbal teas are inherently dangerous. Many have long histories of safe use and some (like ginger) have been studied in clinical trials during pregnancy. But it does mean that for some herbal teas, we simply don't have enough data to be confident about safety.
The herbs that are specifically flagged as unsafe tend to be those with known uterine-stimulating properties (emmenagogues) — herbs that were traditionally used to bring on menstruation or induce labor. These include pennyroyal (which is actually toxic), blue and black cohosh, dong quai, and large amounts of parsley.
Ginger stands out as the best-studied pregnancy-safe herbal tea. Multiple randomized controlled trials have shown it reduces nausea and vomiting during pregnancy without adverse effects. ACOG includes ginger in its recommendations for managing morning sickness. For more ways to manage nausea, see our pregnancy nausea remedies guide.
Tips for Safe Tea Drinking
Read ingredient lists carefully. Many commercial "herbal blend" teas contain multiple herbs, and you want to be able to identify all of them. If a blend contains an unfamiliar herb, look it up or skip it during pregnancy.
Brew tea in moderate amounts — 1-3 cups per day of any single herbal tea is a reasonable guideline. Don't use herbal teas as medicinal treatments in high doses without consulting your provider.
For regular (caffeinated) teas: black tea has about 40-70mg of caffeine per cup, green tea about 25-45mg. Two cups of black tea or three cups of green tea per day keeps you within the 200mg limit if you're not drinking other caffeinated beverages. See our caffeine guide for a complete breakdown.
Non-alcoholic alternatives for social settings: sparkling water with herbs, fruit-infused water, and caffeine-free herbal teas can help replace alcohol at gatherings. For overall nutrition guidance, see our best foods for pregnancy guide.
This guide is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider with any questions about your pregnancy.
