5 Teas You Should Drink And Avoid On Your Period

Did you know that there are certain teas you should drink and avoid on your period? On my life long journey with tea, I’ve come to realize that every tea comes with its own set of side effects other than being a warm hug in a mug. 

What I didn’t know is that certain teas can affect my period in both a beneficial and/or a negative way.

I’m not kidding! They can influence everything from the length of your cycle, to those nasty cramps and mood swings!

So I figure, once I’m drinking tea, might as well drink some period tea that can help me live a bit more comfortably for a week. I researched and found the best tea to drink before and during your period, and the teas to avoid on your period altogether. 

Psst! This blog post contains affiliate links in it which sends me a bit of extra money if you use them… at no extra cost to you!

Why Drink Period Tea?

Not only can you drink tea during your period, but it’s one of the things you should be doing!

Staying hydrated is one of the best things you can do for yourself on your period to ease those pesky menstrual cramps and actually make your period end faster. Drinking water might be counter-intuitive as you already feel bloated with water weight. But the more water you drink, the better you’ll feel.

If you’re dehydrated on your period, you’ll just end up feeling worse – low energy, headaches, muscle aches, and you guessed it, cramps! This is because there isn’t enough oxygen reaching your red blood cells and brain.

So by drinking more water your body is in better condition and you’re actually flushing out your system. Water helps prevent your blood from thickening which can alleviate bad cramps, back aches, and also make your period end faster.

The recommended amount of water to drink during your period is 8 to 10 glasses of water a day. That can be kind of hard to do, especially if you aren’t used to it. So a great way to getting the recommended amount of water is to drink tea.

Tea is essentially steeped warm water. So not only is tea good to drink to add to your daily water intake, but there are also specific period cramp tea to help alleviate even more symptoms. So while we’re drinking tea, why not make it some beneficial period tea while we’re at it!

So say hello to faster and less painful periods! Read more about being dehydrated on your period.

Quick Disclaimer!

The problem with most of these home tea remedies is that there aren’t enough studies done on them yet. It’s hard to see the full scope of the side effects. With that in mind, it’s a good idea to limit consumption of all these teas until further studies are done. 

These period teas are also herbal teas which can interact with certain medications. It’s also best to discuss with your doctor first if you have any underlying condition.

The Best Tea For Your Period

There are 5 main period teas (well tisanes) that help with different aspects of our periods. The top period tea I always have at home are chamomile, hibiscus, rose petal, ginger, and raspberry leaf tea.

Like I said, each tea will affect your period differently and have other added side effects. It’s important to find the one that works best for you, know when to drink it, and how much.

FYI, tea doesn’t just have the ability to make or break your period. Like did you know it can also help you live longer!? 

1. Chamomile Tea: The Pre-Emptive Period Cramp Tea

Chamomile tea is probably the least controversial tea to drink because it has the least amount risks.

For centuries, the chamomile flower has been known as a soothing tea. I always drink it after supper or before bed to help relax after a long day of work.

It turns out there’s a reason for this. Chamomile contains glycine which is a known chemical used for reducing muscle spasms and relaxing nerves.

To take full advantage of chamomile as a period cramp tea, it’s recommended to start drinking it about 2 weeks before your period. 

Where To Buy Chamomile Tea?

In the U.S.: Shop Amazon.com
In Canada: Shop Amazon.ca

2. Hibiscus Tea: The Bitter Regulator

Hibiscus tea is an example of a tea that can either be your best friend or worst enemy. Depending on the person, hibiscus tea can be beneficial or risky to drink. So before brewing a cup, make sure it won’t have any negative side effects for you.

The hibiscus flower, like chamomile, is one of those that has been around for centuries. Along with helping with painful cramps during your period, it can also help regulate it.

You see, hibiscus affects your estrogen levels which can induce menstruation. Because of this, it’s important to not combine it if you’re taking birth control pills, drink it if you’re trying to get pregnant, or are breastfeeding.

Another potential bonus of brewing a cup of hibiscus period tea on your period is that it might help with those period munchies. Hibiscus is known to help manage weight gain because it lowers your blood sugar which decreases your appetite and motivates a healthy metabolism. Now you don’t have to worry about over eating during your time of the month!

Love the idea of hibiscus tea but hate the taste? I put together 5 delicious ways to enjoy a cup of hibiscus tea, like why not make it into a latte?!

Where To Buy Hibiscus Tea?

In the U.S.: Shop Amazon.com
In Canada: Shop Amazon.ca

3. Rose Tea: Tea For Period PMS

I hadn’t heard of rose tea until a few months ago when rose tea lattes suddenly became popular. As it turns out, rose tea is so much more than its cute pink facade, it’s actually good for you! 

Along with nipping menstrual cramps in the butt, it has a few other beneficial properties. There aren’t enough studies to know the full scope yet, but the results are looking promising. 

So far what we know is that it definitely has an effect on moderating hormones. This is good news for us ladies because most of our period problems can be associated with our hormones being out of wack. 

Knowing this, rose tea has the ability to help with mood swings, keeping us in a better psychological state (that means potentially saying goodbye to those period blues!).

Also linked to our hormones are those undesirable period breakouts. Rose petals are already used in several skincare products for a reason so I can only imagine that steeping them will have similar positive effects. 

The problem is that there haven’t been studies with steeping rose petals yet, but I’m staying positive and it’s worth trying!

Watch out though, there are two types of rose teas: rose petal and rosehip tea. The one you’re interested in for possible PMS benefits is rose petal tea.

4. Ginger Tea: Period Cramp Tea

Ginger is actually a root not a plant but you can still make tea out of it. This is one of the easiest teas you can even make with fresh ginger at home for the best results possible (you can also use freeze dried ginger which is what I use).

Ginger is a known anti-inflammatory so it’s no surprise that it also helps relieve menstrual cramps. In fact it was as effective as a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) for reducing period pain.

Another study found that ginger can also help with reducing your flow. Similar to hibiscus tea, ginger can also help regulate your period by balancing your hormones.

To make ginger tea you can use fresh or even freeze dried ginger (what I use). Check out my turmeric and ginger tea recipe for a immune boosting and period power drink.

Simply drink it two to three times a day during your period for best results. You have to try it for at least three consecutive menstrual cycles (that’s how long the study was).

Where To Buy Ginger As A Period Cramp Tea?

Amazon.com: Freeze Dried Ginger
Amazon.ca:  Ginger Tea

5. Raspberry Leaf Tea: A Hidden Gem For Our Periods

I found raspberry leaf tea marketed online as “a woman’s best friend”. If that’s really true (which I think it is) then why don’t more women know about this supposed miracle tea!? It’s the only period tea that the sole benefit is described as helping women have better periods.

I had no idea this tea even existed before researching and stumbling upon this review on TheKitchn. If all the other tea options fail, I don’t think this one will (but again you have to find something that works for you).

Raspberry leaf tea is exactly what it sounds like – it’s the leaves from a raspberry plant. It’s packed full with different compounds that help us period better.

Raspberry leaf tea contains tannins and fragarine which help with PMS symptoms like cramping, vomiting, diarrhea, and nausea. But it also helps balance our hormones (alleviating major PMS mood swing symptoms).

It’s also a period cramp tea. Like chamomile tea, it is a muscle relaxer that can reduce uterine contractions. You’ll want to drink this period cramp tea before and 2-3 times a day during your period to lessen or reduce cramps.

Unlike hibiscus tea, raspberry leaf tea isn’t dangerous for women trying to get pregnant either. In fact, it’s the opposite. It’s actually good to drink during your first trimester to deal with morning sickness. But even beyond that it can prevent miscarriages, and make labour shorter and easier!

Don’t think this tea is side effect free just yet. Studies show that raspberry leaf is an estrogen supplement. Which as we know for women, too much estrogen can lead to a different set health problems. Best to ask a medical professional before trying this one, and everything in moderation gals!

Where To Buy Raspberry Leaf Tea?

In the U.S.: Shop Amazon.com
In Canada: Shop Amazon.ca

Bonus: Spearmint Tea For PCOS

Spearmint tea, can be very beneficial for people with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) as it can have antiandrogenic properties. Unfortunately, there’s only one study study from 2010).

There is a possible connection between spearmint tea and hormonal acne as well. The thing is, there aren’t any concrete studies on this yet – a lot of the results are simply anecdotal (like this positive story!).

But it might be worth trying for a few weeks and see if you notice a difference. It’s recommended to drink 2 cups a day everyday. You might start seeing results after one month, but more likely it can take 2 to 3 to see results.

P.S. you want to make sure to buy spearmint NOT peppermint tea. Often when you have mint tea, it’s peppermint because it’s stronger in mint flavour but spearmint has all the period tea benefits!

Shop Spearmint Tea For Periods

In the U.S.: Shop Amazon.com
In Canada: Shop Amazon.ca

Teas Bad For Your Period: Black Tea

I’m very disappointed to report that at the top of the list of teas that are bad for your period is black tea. Period tea does not include teas that are high in caffeine (like black tea). Our periods are not caffeine friendly. For years I was under the impression that caffeine was good for our periods, and I’m not exactly sure why.

So it’s time to put down your cup of black tea (yes your chair tea latte counts too) and brew one of the nice tisanes I mentioned instead.

You shouldn’t drink caffeinated tea during menstruation because the caffeine can actually make your menstrual cramps worse. You see, caffeine is anxiety-inducing, which causes your muscles to contract even more.

If it’s too hard to cut off caffeine altogether, switch to green tea for the week. It’ll cut your caffeine consumption down by half which should be enough to make a difference. Plus green tea is quite healthy for you as it’s loaded with antioxidants and even promotes blood flow.

Here’s the full scope of our periods relationship with caffeine. 

Caffeine & Your Menstrual Cycle

Caffeine doesn’t just have the ability to affect you when you have your period, but it can also affect the length of your actual cycle.

A study from 1999 studied the affects of caffeine on menstrual cycle and found that those with a higher caffeine consumption had shorter cycles (24 days or less). Black tea doesn’t have anywhere near as much caffeine as coffee, but if you drink a lot of black tea it’s possible that it can affect the length as well.

Read more about the study.

You might also be interested in 5 Coffee Alternatives To Keep You Going All Day Long

If All Else Fails: It’s A Hug In A Mug

Honestly, if these period teas else fails, making a warm cup of tea and putting it on my stomach always does the trick for me!

I should probably invest in a heat pack one of these days, but for now my nice warm cup of tea does the trick!

Shop Tea For Period On Amazon

More Tea Resources!

• Top 10 Best Teas For Anxiety To Stay Calm & Stress Free!
• Learn About How Tea Can Help You Live Longer
• What are the benefits/ risks to hibiscus tea

Don’t Be A B! Help Others Drink Tea!

Last update on 2024-12-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API