As a nursing mom who wants to slim down quickly, it can be very tempting to go for quick fixes especially when you want to lose belly fat after delivery.
As we all know flat tummy tea is now the next big thing taking over women’s corner of the internet. I often stay away from all those quick fixes, especially when I had my first child.
Nowadays, flat tummy tea has taken off so quickly on women especially young women of childbearing age which makes me wonder about its effect on the mother and child.
So did some research to find answers to the question can I drink flat tummy tea while breastfeeding, the ingredients involved, and its health benefits. Read on
What is a Flat Tummy Tea?
Flat Tummy Tea is an herbal supplement formulated to be taken in the form of tea. It is usually sold as a “2-Step Detox Tea, “1 it includes two different kinds of tea:
- Activate – a debloat tea
- Cleanse – a body cleansing tea
Each of the tea has different kinds of herbs and spices that, when you mix them, are said to help ease bloating in pregnancy and detoxify the body.
Ingredients Involved
The ingredients involved in the preparation of Flat Tummy Tea can vary from the activated (debloat tea) to the ones found within the body cleanse (cleansing tea).
Activate Ingredients
Flat Tummy says that the ingredients used in the Activate tea help the body in metabolism and digestion. It also helps to reduce oxidative stress, and boost energy. These ingredients include:
- Peppermint leaf
- Lemon balm leaf
- Licorice root
- Dandelion leaf and root
- Cleavers leaf
- Fennel seed
- Green tea leaf
- Caraway seed
- Cardamom pods
Cleanse Ingredients
According to the Flat Tummy website, the seven Cleanse ingredients aid the body’s natural detoxification process. Some of these ingredients are also found in the Activate tea; while the rest are only found in this tea and they include:
- Senna leaf
- Peppermint leaf
- Cassia Chamaecrista pods
- Licorice root
- Caraway seed
- Dandelion Root
- Rhubarb root
Health Benefits
Flat Tummy stated that the ingredients found in the teas help reduce bloating, boost energy, support body metabolism, detoxify the body, and help decrease water retention.
Interestingly also, the tea help maintains a healthy immune system. However, the company is yet to provide any scientific backing to support these claims.
Peppermint Leaf (Mentha × piperita)
This leaf has been used for thousands of years, one of its health benefits is that it helps ease digestive disorders, and most of the research carried out is on the plant’s oil and not on the leaf.
That said, peppermint, generally, does offer some health benefits since it offers both antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-fungal properties.
Lemon Balm Leaf (Melissa officinalis)
Several types of research have been carried out on lemon balm for its numerous health benefits, and some of these health benefits include decreasing depression and anxiety, improved sleep quality, Reduced blood pressure, lower body mass index (BMI), all these health benefits helps the body feel physically and mentally strong.
Licorice Root (Osmorhiza)
Licorice root is often used as a sweetener, it helps protect the body’s cells from becoming impaired, or inflamed.
However, some scientists have warned that licorice isn’t always beneficial. The claim suggested that it can increase sodium levels while decreasing potassium levels.
Dandelion Leaf and Root (Taraxacum)
Although there is little scientific evidence for dandelion’s effects, some promote it as a diuretic which is maybe why it is added in Flat Tummy Tea, to aid reduce bloat by decreasing the body’s water weight.
Some scientific studies have also linked dandelion leaf and root with improved blood sugar control which helps prevent energy crashes in the body. It also provides the body with a healthier metabolism.
Cleavers Leaf (Galium aparine)
This leaf is known to be a climbing weed that goes by all sorts of names, such as grip grass and Velcro plant, due to its ability to cling to things.
One health benefit of this plant is that it helps to boost immunity and supports fluid retention. Another interesting benefit of this plant is that it’s very effective in removing heavy metals from the body, thereby reducing their toxic effects.
Fennel Seed (Foeniculum vulgare)
Many of us are familiar with fennel as a vegetable, including it in some recipes, but are less familiar with its seeds.
This plant is known to contain many healthy compounds, as well as being a great source of nutrients that includes potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, and zinc.
A lot of people in India serve this in tea form to help take care of bloating, heartburn, and other digestive problems.
Green Tea Leaf (Camellia sinensis)
A lot of people drink this tea for numerous health benefits. Among these health benefits are good digestive health and improved mental well-being, with little enough research to support claims relating to weight loss.
One interesting thing about green tea is that it contains caffeine. And like other teas such as high octane tea that contain caffeine, they help to boost the body’s energy but can be quite uncomfortable if you are sensitive to this ingredient.
Caraway Seed (Carum carvi)
This seed helps in weight reduction, a research that was carried out on 70 overweight and obese women found that consuming 30 ml of caraway extract per day led to a significant reduction in weight, body mass index, and body fat percentage without them needing to change their diet or level of physical activity.
Cardamom Pods (Elettaria cardamomum)
Cardamom is said to help in reducing inflammation, provide the most positive benefits for every human oral health, protect the body against periodontal infection and disease.
It has also been said that this seed helps the body metabolize sugars, however, there isn’t a lot of scientific evidence to say for sure whether this herb is effective for this purpose.
Senna Leaf (Senna alexandrina)
This herb has been approved by the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) as an over-the-counter laxative. This herb can also be found in other teas like ballerina tea.
According to researchers, long-term use of senna leaf—which is said to be over two weeks of use – is not recommended, nor is taking it in high doses, as it can potentially lead to heart failure, weak muscles, liver damage, and many other health issues.
Cassia Chamaecrista Pods (Chamaecrista fasciculate)
Also known as partridge pea or prairie senna is often used to help with the removal of solid waste, which is predominantly growing at high rates in areas like India where demand for this type of herb increases as much as 15% every year.
Another health benefit of this herb is that it helps reduce inflammation, decrease cholesterol and improve general immune function.
Rhubarb Root (Rheum rhabarbarum)
Just like many other Flat Tummy Tea ingredients, rhubarb root is a diuretic and laxative.
Scientific has indicated that this herb is not recommended for people with gout, rheumatism, epilepsy, or a trace of kidney or gall bladder stones.
Healthy Tip
While some of the herbs found in Flat Tummy Tea may bring out potential health benefits, they might also bring about a few health risks.
It is also unclear how much of these ingredients are in the tea, making it unsure whether this product offers an amount high enough to offer maximum benefits but low enough to be safe for consumption.
Read Also: How To Lose Belly Fat While Breastfeeding
Can I drink Flat Tummy tea while breastfeeding?
No, this is because the effects of the ingredients present in this tea are not fully known, hence experts recommend women to care for their body old fashioned by focusing on filling their diet with nutritious whole food sources and trying to limit the amount of processed food filled with factory-made ingredients.
It might interest you to know that the company itself warns that this product is not safe for every individual. According to their website, results from consuming products offered on the Site may differ from person to person.
Please do not use the available products on the Site if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding because the statements on the Site have not been evaluated by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). Also, the products offered on the site are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any kind of disease.
According to Susan Stalte, who is a registered dietician and nutrition expert she warned women against drinking the tea, which certain claims have said help you lose the bloat, while nursing.
She said “As a dietician and nutrition expert, I wouldn’t advise pregnant women or nursing moms to drink Flat Tummy Tea simply because it’s not a formally regulated product and when used for a long period the ingredients can cause harm to the body.
It is always recommended to be cautious about using products that aren’t formally regulated.
Unfortunately, when it comes to Flat Tummy Tea it’s quite surprising how people do the opposite, especially for postpartum moms who are struggling to get used to the changes of childbearing on their bodies.
Stalte further stated that it’s the lure of hope that draws women in. “This product is well known in all social media platforms because it promotes a quick fix — and of course, we all love a quick fix.
Since the effects of the ingredients present in this tea are not fully known, she advises women to take care of their bodies in an old-fashioned way instead of following fads.
Moms and moms-to-be should always focus on filling their diet with nutritious whole food sources and try to reduce any processed food filled with factory-made ingredients.
Another holistic nutritionist and childbirth expert, a resident professional at The Tot, by the Carley Mendes, shares her concern with Flat Tummy Tea lies in the loss of water weight.
According to her, drinking Flat Tummy Tea as a nursing mom is not advised, as the ingredients in this tea have a great effect in reducing water in your body, which has a significant impact on milk production.
Mint (listed as Mentha Piperita) is popularly known for its ability to reduce milk supply,” she says, “and cleavers (listed as Galium aparine) is commonly used by women to relieve engorgement and help dry up milk.
Carley Mendes further stated that ingredients like dandelion and senna are known diuretics and can result in dehydration in both lactating and non-lactating individuals.
But as every breastfeeding mom knows, each issue can be a problem during the breastfeeding period.
It is recommended to always consult your doctor before using the products available on the Site, or any dietary supplement.
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Conclusion
We hope this article has given us in-depth knowledge to answer the question can I drink flat tummy tea while breastfeeding?
It can be quite difficult not to seek quick fixes when you want to slim down or reduce belly fat. However, you don’t need to purchase any product to make instant, long-term changes to your postpartum body.
Always, keep in mind that any herbal supplement—even a product that claims to be 100% natural—is not necessarily safe for you and your baby.
You should seek professional guidance from your doctor before starting a flat tummy tea program. The doctor will help ensure sure that the herbal supplement you are taking is safe for you and your baby.
If you are planning on losing weight, try to book an appointment with a certified dietitian who can draft a personalized eating schedule that you are likely to stick to long enough to see real changes.