The many benefits of red raspberry leaf tea

For millennia, people have been using the leaves of the red raspberry (Rubus idaeus) to create a healthy, herbal tea. This concoction brings numerous benefits to people who drink it on a regular basis.

The bright red fruit of this species gets most of the attention. However, the leaves possess their own worth. The foliage is the main ingredient for brewing a therapeutic tea that is highly valued by women who are having issues with their reproductive system. In folk medicine, healers prescribed red raspberry leaf tea for patients who suffer from colic pain and diarrhea. It also helps wounds to close and mend properly.

The tea contains natural compounds that relax the muscles of the uterus. It is given to pregnant women so that they can have an easier time when they go into labor and deliver their babies.

The nutrients found in red raspberry are not just limited to its fruit. They are also found in large quantities within its leaves. It has important vitamins and minerals. The leaves have tannins and flavonoids, whose antioxidant activity stops oxidative stress that harms tissues and cells. They also contain ellagic acids, natural acids that neutralize cancer-causing particles and cause tumorous cells to destroy themselves.  (Related: Study investigates the anti-leukemia potential of Australian raspberry.)

Pregnant women should drink red raspberry leaf tea

The most common use of red raspberry leaf tea is to provide natural support for pregnant women. Drinking it helps shorten the labor period, prevents complications, and reduces the need for medical intervention during birth. Consuming it is recommended during all trimesters. The concoction helps manage nausea and vomiting during the first trimester, and assists in controlling the discomfort and pain during the second and third trimesters.

The fragarine in the leaves can help tone and tighten muscles within the pelvic region. The affected tissues include the ones that comprise the uterine walls. Relaxing these muscles could make it easier to deliver a child. A 1999 study conducted by Australian researchers at Westmead Hospital evaluated the effect of red raspberry leaf tea on pregnant women. It found that the participants who drank the tea during the last stage of pregnancy experienced a faster first stage of labor. The Westmead researchers repeated the experiment in 2000. This time, they measured the second stage of labor. They reported that participants who drank red raspberry leaf tea had labor periods that were shorter by an average of 10 minutes.

Other uses of red raspberry leaf tea

The tea shows other useful effects outside of assisting pregnant women. It can be consumed as a digestive aid that activates and organizes the process. This helps clear out constipation, diarrhea, and nausea, which are symptoms associated with premenstrual syndrome in women.

It replenishes the amount of potassium in the blood. High levels of the mineral can help fend off high blood pressure and reduce the chances of heart disease, thereby prolonging life.

Red raspberry leaves are packed with vitamin C, an important compound in immune cells. Sick people are encouraged to drink red raspberry tea as a way to bolster their immune system reactions. And, unlike many pharma medicines, the leaf-based natural remedy is safe for children to consume.

Other diseases can be alleviated by taking red raspberry leaf tea at regular intervals. It can prevent the onset of diabetes by ensuring that blood sugar levels stay normal. It can also remove acne, improve the sore sensation in throats, lift adrenaline-related fatigue, and treat colds and fevers.

If you plan to get yourself some red raspberry tea, get a certified organic variety from a trusted provider.

Sources include:

FoodsForBetterHealth.com

NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov