Welcome to Herbal Teas Australia

I am often asked if herbal teas are safe for children to drink. The answer is a resounding yes! And they work amazingly well on animals too.

Europeans have generally grown up drinking herbal teas and recognise a wide variety of herbs such as Chamomile to drink at night to relax and help to sleep or to address colic in babies. Mothers would give teas made from Echinacea and olive leaf for colds and flu, Senna to help with constipation, Thyme and Sage for a sore throat, White Willow Bark for pain relief – the list goes on.

Many parents felt this was the safer option. Healthy, nutritious and delicious! Herbal teas are good for kids and great for everyone.

Herbal teas are great for pregnant women to drink as an alternative to caffeine drinks. Just as smoking affects a developing baby so does caffeine, whether it is coffee, tea, cola or energy drinks.

Herbal teas can be helpful during pregnancy for morning sickness, toning the ligaments of the uterus in preparation for childbirth and for blood pressure issues. I always advise to dilute the tea, using one teaspoon of herbs to a litre of water.
For morning sickness, Lemongrass & Ginger tea or peppermint tea (like our Tummy tea or Mint Magic tea) can help to relieve nausea.

In my Pregnancy tea, I have blended Raspberry leaf (one of the safest herbs to drink during pregnancy) with Lemon Myrtle and Lemon Balm. Raspberry leaf is rich in folic acid, iron and Vitamins A & C.

Raspberry leaf has a long tradition of use as it strengthens and tones the tissues of the uterus to make contractions easier. It also helps to check haemorrhaging during labour. Its medicinal properties help to strengthen pelvic muscles and ligaments to help facilitate an easy, normal birth.

Drinking Raspberry leaf in the early months of pregnancy can be very helpful for settling morning sickness too and then after childbirth, it can help get the tummy back into shape.
According to well-known herbalist, Hilde Hemmes, if taken regularly by older women, Raspberry leaf can help prevent and/or overcome a prolapsed uterus.

If blood pressure is an issue during pregnancy – high or low pressure – my Blood Balance tea is ideal. I have had excellent feedback from pregnant women with low blood pressure about how this has stabilised their blood pressure and stopped the dizzy spells and fainting. It is delicious to drink, and the herbs are safe for pregnant women. Ingredients are Hibiscus flowers, Hawthorn leaf, Rosehips and Lemongrass.

Many herbs are contraindicated throughout pregnancy, and this is usually because of the actions they have. Some are oxytocins, which means they cause uterine contractions. Herbs are very powerful, so it is always wise to use herbs with caution.

The following herbs should be avoided medicinally during pregnancy. However, some of these herbs, such as Rosemary and Cinnamon, are safe when used as food flavouring.
They are Aloe (no issue if used as a gel on the skin but should be avoided orally in pregnancy and breastfeeding mothers.) Barberry, Celery Seed, Devil’s Claw, Hyssop, Parsley seed, (ok as food flavouring but not medicinally) Pokeweed, Rue, Wormwood, Angelica, Black Cohosh, Cinnamon (ok as food flavouring), Golden Seal, Juniper(can be an irritant, especially if there is any kind of kidney issue), Rosemary and Sage (both safe as food flavouring), Thuja, Pennyroyal & Tansy.

Wormwood is an anti-parasitic herb and is best known as the basis of the potent and illegal French drink, Absinthe, a brew with narcotic and hallucinogenic properties that can damage the central nervous system.

Herbal tea blends are a great addition to a healthy eating plan. Whether it is to lose weight, help with digestive issues, stay alert, relieve aches & pains, regulate blood pressure, or help with circulation – drinking herbal teas makes a healthy alternative to drinking caffeine.

I suggest that customers make a pot of tea and make herbal tea and water their priority drinks each day. Allowing the tea to cool, pouring it into a drink bottle and sipping the tea during the day is a practical way to enjoy herbal teas.

Drinking 3-4 cups of herbal tea a day is quite adequate. I wouldn’t recommend any more than that.

No. Water is necessary for hydration and good hydration makes everything work efficiently. Water is the main transporter of nutrients around the body as it is the correct molecular structure to penetrate cells. When we put water into our mouth, the mouth lining and saliva glands start to absorb the water. That doesn’t happen with any other drinks, including herbal teas.