Confused about tea for pregnancy, which is which?

Question

Hi, I have read about red raspberry leaf tea and how it is good to drink prior to conception because it strengthens the uterine lining...I bought some but then when I looked more closely at the tea bag I noticed it is "red raspberry" tea, not "red raspberry leaf" tea. Is there a difference? If so, is "red raspberry leaf tea" difficult to find in stores? The ingredients on the tea bag are as follows: hibiscus, rose hips, apples, elderberries, natural and artificial raspberry flavors (wheat, gluten-free)

Please advise. Thanks

Answer 1

You need to find out if this is actually necessary for you. Red raspberry tea is used to induce labor, which is pretty much the same thing as causing a miscarriage, so it must be used with tremendous care. Certainly don't drink it after ovulation (ie: in the 14 days before your next expected period) although I guess if it's supposed to build up the endometrium, you could drink it during your period and up until ovulation. Many boxes will actually say: do not drink if pregnant.

Answer 2

"natural and artificial raspberry flavors" indicates that there is no active raspberry in this tea. go to a specialist health store and ask for raspberry leaf tea, emphasise "leaf" as not all assistants are knowledgeable enough to know the difference.

Another alternative, if you know anyone who grows raspberries, is to ask them for some of the leaves - but check that they don't use chemical sprays or fertilizers first. They shouldn't, because this will transfer to the fruit that they will be eating, but there's no accounting for folks.