🌿 Herbs & Spices

Alfalfa is a traditional galactagogue and a nutrient-rich herb. Culinary amounts (like sprouts in a salad) are considered safe; high-dose supplements warrant more caution.

Allspice is safe to use in cooking while breastfeeding. Despite its name, it's a single spice (dried unripe Pimenta dioica berries) with a flavor that combines notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. It's commonly used in Caribbean, Middle Eastern, and European cuisines. Normal culinary amounts are no concern.

Anise seed has galactagogue properties similar to fennel and is used in lactation teas. Culinary amounts are safe; high-dose concentrated extracts are not well studied.

Basil is safe in culinary amounts during breastfeeding. It's a nutritious herb and poses no risk to your baby at normal dietary levels.

Bay leaves are perfectly safe to use in cooking while breastfeeding. They're a common flavoring in soups, stews, braises, and sauces across many cuisines. Just remember to remove them before serving (they're too tough to eat). Normal culinary use is no concern at all.

Black pepper is completely safe during breastfeeding. It's one of the world's most commonly used spices and poses no risk at culinary amounts.

Blessed thistle is often paired with fenugreek as a galactagogue. It's generally considered low-risk when used as a tea, but evidence for effectiveness is limited.

Brewer's yeast is a popular galactagogue and nutritional powerhouse, rich in B vitamins, chromium, and protein. It's a common ingredient in lactation cookies and shakes.

Caraway seed is a traditional galactagogue used in European folk medicine, particularly in Germany and Eastern Europe. Culinary amounts in cooking and tea are considered safe.

Cardamom is safe to use as a spice while breastfeeding. It's a staple in Indian, Middle Eastern, and Scandinavian cooking, and is commonly used in chai tea, biryanis, and desserts. Some cultures specifically include cardamom in postpartum foods for its warming and digestive properties. Normal culinary amounts pose no concerns.

Cayenne is safe while breastfeeding. Despite the myth, spicy food doesn't make breast milk spicy or upset your baby's stomach.

Cilantro (coriander leaves) is safe during breastfeeding. It's a fresh, nutritious herb with no known supply concerns at culinary amounts.

Cinnamon is safe in normal culinary amounts. It's a delicious addition to oatmeal, baked goods, and warm drinks and poses no risk to breastfed babies.

Culinary cloves — used in baking, mulled drinks, curries, and spice blends — are perfectly safe while breastfeeding. The amounts used in cooking are tiny and well-tolerated. This is different from concentrated clove essential oil, which requires more caution. Add cloves to your recipes without worry.

Cumin is safe and actually has traditional use as a galactagogue in Indian and Middle Eastern cultures. It's a nutritious spice that's completely fine during breastfeeding.

Curry powder is safe during breastfeeding. It's a blend of spices — typically turmeric, cumin, coriander, and more — all of which are safe at culinary amounts.

Dill is a safe and pleasant culinary herb with mild galactagogue properties. It's widely used in cooking and is considered safe during breastfeeding.

Fennel seed is a traditional galactagogue used across many cultures. Culinary amounts in food are considered safe; concentrated supplements or large amounts of tea warrant caution.

Fenugreek is the most widely used herbal galactagogue and many moms report supply boosts. Evidence is mixed, and it can cause GI side effects and maple-syrup-scented sweat and urine.

Garlic is safe and delicious while breastfeeding! It can flavor your breast milk, which some babies actually prefer. No supply concerns at culinary amounts.

Ginger is safe and beneficial while breastfeeding. It's excellent for nausea, inflammation, and digestion, and culinary and tea amounts pose no risk to your baby.

Goat's rue is a galactagogue with a long history of use and is related to metformin. It may be particularly helpful for moms with low glandular tissue or insulin resistance.

Grains of paradise (alligator pepper) are safe as a culinary spice while breastfeeding. Related to ginger and cardamom, this West African spice has a peppery, citrusy flavor. In some Nigerian traditions, it's actually given to new mothers as part of postpartum recovery. Normal culinary amounts are perfectly fine.

Juniper berries used sparingly in cooking (a few berries in a stew or sauerkraut) are likely fine, but larger medicinal doses should be avoided while breastfeeding. Juniper has traditionally been used as a diuretic and uterine stimulant, and concentrated juniper preparations lack safety data for nursing mothers.

Culinary lemongrass — the stalks used in Thai curries, soups, and stir-fries — is perfectly safe while breastfeeding. It adds wonderful citrusy flavor and is a staple of Southeast Asian cooking. This is very different from concentrated lemongrass essential oil, which requires more caution. Normal cooking amounts are no concern at all.

Milk thistle is used as both a liver support herb and a galactagogue. It's generally well-tolerated, though breastfeeding-specific evidence is limited.

Moringa is a nutrient-dense plant widely used as a galactagogue in Southeast Asia and the Philippines. Preliminary evidence is promising, though large clinical trials are limited.

MSG is safe during breastfeeding. Despite old myths, MSG does not cause health problems and is recognized as safe by all major regulatory agencies.

Nutmeg is safe in culinary amounts — a pinch in baked goods or a dusting on eggnog poses no risk. Very large amounts are toxic to anyone, but normal cooking use is perfectly fine.

Oats are a beloved lactation food with a long tradition of supporting milk supply. They're nutritious, safe, and a staple in lactation cookies and oatmeal bowls.

Oregano the herb in cooking is perfectly safe, but concentrated oregano oil is a different story — it's potent enough to potentially reduce milk supply and cause other effects.

Paprika is safe during breastfeeding. It's a mild, flavorful spice with no known concerns at culinary amounts.

Parsley is totally fine as a garnish or in cooking, but large amounts — like parsley tea or concentrated supplements — are traditionally associated with reducing milk supply.

Peppermint in large amounts — like supplements, essential oils, or strong herbal teas — can reduce milk supply. Culinary amounts in food and gum are generally fine.

Red raspberry leaf is a popular uterine tonic and traditional galactagogue, commonly used in pregnancy and postpartum teas. It's generally considered safe in tea amounts during breastfeeding.

Rosemary is safe in culinary amounts. Concentrated rosemary oil or very large supplement doses are traditionally listed as anti-galactagogues but culinary use is fine.

Saffron used as a culinary spice in normal cooking amounts is safe while breastfeeding. It's been used in traditional medicine and cooking across Persian, Indian, and Mediterranean cuisines for centuries. In some cultures, saffron milk (kesar doodh) is specifically given to postpartum mothers. Avoid mega-doses — very high amounts (over 5 grams) can be toxic, but normal cooking uses a tiny fraction of that.

Sage is an anti-galactagogue — it's traditionally used to dry up milk supply during weaning. If you're trying to maintain supply, avoid large amounts of sage or sage tea.

Shatavari is a traditional Ayurvedic galactagogue with some supportive evidence. It's widely used in South Asia and is considered generally safe in culinary doses.

Spearmint has weaker anti-galactagogue effects than peppermint but may reduce supply in large amounts. Culinary use is fine; regular spearmint tea is worth watching.

Chinese star anise (Illicium verum) used as a cooking spice is generally safe in small amounts while breastfeeding. However, use caution — Japanese star anise (Illicium anisatum) is toxic and has been found as a contaminant in some star anise products. Star anise tea specifically has been associated with toxicity in infants and should not be given directly to babies or consumed in large quantities by nursing mothers.

Stinging nettle is a nutritious herb rich in iron, calcium, and vitamins. It's a traditional galactagogue and safe in food and tea amounts during breastfeeding.

Sumac (the culinary spice, not poison sumac!) is safe while breastfeeding. It's a tangy, lemony spice widely used in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking. It's rich in antioxidants and adds a pleasant tartness to salads, meats, and hummus. Normal culinary amounts are completely fine.

Tarragon used as a culinary herb is safe while breastfeeding. Its distinctive anise-like flavor is a staple of French cooking, wonderful in chicken dishes, sauces, and vinaigrettes. Normal cooking amounts are perfectly fine. Concentrated tarragon oil or supplements are a different matter and should be avoided.

Thyme is safe in culinary amounts and is a nutritious herb rich in vitamin C and antioxidants. No supply concerns at normal dietary levels.

Turmeric is safe in culinary amounts and is a wonderful anti-inflammatory spice. High-dose curcumin supplements haven't been well studied in breastfeeding.

Za'atar — the Middle Eastern herb blend of thyme, sesame seeds, sumac, and sometimes oregano — is completely safe while breastfeeding. All of its components are common culinary ingredients with no breastfeeding concerns. Enjoy it on flatbreads, in salads, with eggs, or however you like it.