Red Raspberry Leaf Tea
Women of all walks of life can benefit from brewing red raspberry leaf tea: immune system, moon time, and pregnancy
&
birthing.
Red Raspberry Leaf Tea
Red raspberry leaf tea is most often recommended during pregnancy, up to 63% of midwives recommend red raspberry leaf to their clients. It helps shorten labour with no side effects to baby, keeps mama hydrated, and these women are less likely to have an intervention and induction like artificial release of membranes, forceps / vacuum, c-section.
The research is somewhat divided about how much red raspberry leaf consumption during pregnancy can benefit a woman in labor, but recent clinical studies have concluded that:
“The findings suggest that the raspberry leaf herb can be consumed by women during their pregnancy for the purpose for which it is taken, that is, to shorten labour with no identified side effects for the women or their babies. The findings also suggest ingestion of the drug might decrease the likelihood of pre and post-term gestation. An unexpected finding in this study seems to indicate that women who ingest raspberry leaf might be less likely to receive an artificial rupture of their membranes, or require a caesarean section, forceps or vacuum birth than the women in the control group.”
There may not be strong medical or clinical history of using red raspberry leaf tea, but it has been used by many midwives and birth workers. Some skeptics suggest that shortened labour is a placebo effect, but isn't that a good thing? So you're drinking a relatively inexpensive tea, staying hydrated, no side effects, and you'll have a more positive labour experience... win win win in my books.
The real benefit here is the nutrition content of the tea. Pregnancy demands a lot of nutrients like iron, B-vitamins, vitamin C, and magnesium... which are all present in the tea! Also red raspberry leaf tea is high in anti-inflammatory tannins and can have a soothing affect on the digestive system.
Ingredients
Prep time: 5mins | Brew: 5mins
- 4 cups dried organic red raspberry leaf
- 1 cup dried alfalfa leaf
- 1 cup dried nettle leaf
- ½ cup dried dandelion leaf
Herbs makes approx 8 gallons worth of tea
Brew
Mix all ingredients together and store in an air-tight container.
To brew a cup: Pour 8 ounces of boiling water over 1 tablespoon of the tea mixture and let steep for at least 5 minutes before drinking.
To brew a gallon: Add ¾ cup tea mixture to a pot with 1 gallon of boiling water. Stir and let steep as it cools. Strain out the herbs and store in a pitcher or glass jar in the refrigerator to consume cold as desired.
Fun twist: Add frozen raspberries and lemon slices to cooled lea and keep refrigerated or in a water bottle.
Sweeten with honey, maple syrup, or fruit chunks like pear, pineapple, orange
Article inspired by Wellness Mama https://wellnessmama.com/60256/red-raspberry-leaf-tea/