Pregnancy food safety · 3 entries
Herbs during pregnancy
Of the 3 herbs entries here, 1 is fine, 1 needs care and 1 is worth avoiding. Usually it's how something was cooked or stored that decides it, not the food itself — each entry says which, and why.
Every herbs entry, with a verdict
Sorted with the ones worth knowing about first. Avoid means skip it entirely; take care means it depends on how it was prepared.
Herbs to avoid
AvoidHere is a list of herbs that are unsafe during pregnancy: black cohosh, dong quai, ephedra, yohimbe, passion flower, roman chamomile, saw palmetto, goldenseal, pay d'arco and pennyroyal. It is also best to avoid aloe vera, barberry, basil oil, Devil's claw, feverfew, juniper oil, mistletoe and mugwort as they can cause uterine contractions. Autumn crocus and arbor vitae should also be avoided because they can cause birth defects. Try to avoid them in any form.
Possibly unsafe herbs
Take careThere are "possibly unsafe" herbs that you can consume only after approval of your doctor. American and Korean ginseng, evening primrose, feverfew, kava kava and senna, dandelion, chamomile, and nettles. There are no studies that prove that these herbs are safe or not, so better think twice before consuming them.
Almost all types of eatable herbs
SafeHerbs are great and can be a good addition to your meal, both fresh home-grown and store-bought. Wash well before eating or cooking.
Other categories
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