Could This Tea From Starbucks Really Induce Your Labor?

As for the pineapple addition to the drink, eating the fruit is another common, nonmedical trick that people suggest for getting labor started (some people also swear by it when trying to conceive). Starbucks’ Passion Tango tea blend also contains hibiscus, which Rachael Jones, a nurse practitioner and VP of clinical client strategy at family-building company Win, says has been touted as a way to “stimulate uterine activity.” She similarly cautions, though, that these claims are anecdotal.

“There’s no scientific evidence proving that any food or drink, including this tea, can bring on labor,” she tells Glamour.

As for Kenneth, she did not immediately go into labor upon drinking the tea. She tells Glamour, though, that it’s possible making that Starbucks stop helped her in other ways.

“After I made the video, many viewers commented saying that it helps tone your uterus for labor just like red raspberry tea is supposed to do,” she says. “I may never truly know if it helped by itself, because I did partake in other forms of labor prep, but in the end, I progressed from a 4 centimeters to a 10 in two hours and only had to push for 10 minutes.”

Much like many other tricks people swear by to induce labor, it’s hard to say whether this particular Starbucks tea does much at all. But it’s unlikely to hurt you. McManus did caution that pregnant people should avoid hibiscus in early pregnancy, but says the small amounts in the drink won’t do harm to you in later trimesters. (If you are worried, check with your doctor.)

“Most herbal teas, including this Iced Passion Tango Tea, should be safe to consume in reasonable amounts during pregnancy and breastfeeding—meaning one or two servings per day,” she says.

The most important thing may be that ordering this viral tea—along with eating dates, walking a lot, getting a pedicure, or having sex—is something you can do while in the end of your pregnancy to feel as if you have any hand in when labor starts at all, which can help mentally, if anything.

Also, it gives you an activity to do besides just sitting around waiting to pop. Sometimes, that’s worth the price of a Grande, or even a Venti.