Red Raspberry leaf - cut, organic

Herbs: Red Raspberry leaf - cut, organic

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Common Name: Red raspberry leaf
Latin Name: Rubus idaeus
Origin: USA

Seven years ago there was a flurry of warnings over the web not to use large amounts of raspberry leaf(only European raspberry) during early pregnancy. I always take the safe road, so I cautioned pregnant ladies to only drink a cup or two a day of raspberry until they were 5 months along. Now trusted researchers go on record as saying that Raspberry is safe for pregnant women. Here are two sources that are respected and helpful. Debi Pearl
GrowingLife.com
AmericanPregnancy.org

Excerpts from The How the Herb Book

Red Raspberry is used as a basic herbal foundation for all female organs and problems. It is in many female combinations.

Strengthens wall of uterus and entire female reproductive system.
Decreases profuse menstrual flow.
Good during all months of pregnancy. Alleviates morning sickness and nausea. Has been used as a preventative for hemorrhaging during labor. Assists labor, makes delivery easier and relieves after pains. Tones and regulates before, during and after childbirth.
Increases and enriches milk for lactation, can be combined with marshmallow tea.
Raspberry tea is mild and pleasant to taste. It is good for stomachaches and bowel problems in children. For diarrhea in babies.
Soothing to stomach and bowels and cankerous conditions of mucous membranes in the alimentary canal.
High mineral and vitamin source.

Has been used in the following:

Nausea	Antacid
Childbirth	Colds
Coughs	Diarrhea
Digestion	Female problems
Fevers	Flatulence – gas
Flu – influenza	Gastritis
Labor pains	Decreases menstrual flow
Miscarriage	Mucous membranes
Afterpains of childbirth	Nursing
Pregnancy	Strengthens and tones uterus

Case History

L. was terribly nauseous during the first trimester of her pregnancy. She felt weak and was receiving B-12 shots from her doctor. She started drinking 3 to 4 cups of Red Raspberry tea every day, the nausea went away. She was able to start eating again, and felt the tea helped her during deliver too.

Excerpts from Nutritional Herbology

Red raspberry leaf tea is one of the most renowned herbal teas. It has a wide reputation as a female tonic for relieving excessive menstrual bleeding. For pregnant women, it is used to relieve nausea, prevent nausea, prevents spotting, to tone the uterus in preparation for childbirth and to reduce the pain of childbirth.

Because of its widespread availability in pleasantly flavored teas, the astringent leaves are administered to children to treat diarrhea, flu, and vomiting.

Contains astringent compounds that relieve pain and shrink inflamed tissues, especially in the female reproductive system. It also contains bitter compounds that relieve smooth muscle spasms. Red raspberry is an excellent herb source of manganese. It has been used to treat morning sickness, nausea, dysmenorrhea, false labor, colds, flu and fevers.

Red Raspberry is high or very high on the following nutrients:

Calcium	Iron
Magnesium	Manganese
Niacin	Selenium
Vitamin A	Vitamin C

Excerpts from Practical Herbalism

The renowned Quaker herbalist, Henry Box, is quoted as saying, "A tea made from Red Raspberry leaves is the best gift God ever gave to women. Its utility in travail is surprising. As a drink before and after confinement, it is unequaled by any other agent. If the pains of childbirth are premature, it will make all quiet. When timely, it will occasion a safe and easy parturition. If the mother is weak, it will abundantly strengthen her, cleanse her and enrich her milk. It is perfect safe under all circumstances."

Red Raspberry leaf tea has been taken freely during all phases of pregnancy, and particularly during the last trimester to tone the uterus, and prepare the body for delivery. Dr. Christopher summed it up thus:
"When taken regularly in pregnancy, the infusion will quiet inappropriate premature pains and produce a safe, speedy, and easy delivery. Raspberry leaves stimulate, tone, and regulate before and during childbearing, assisting contractions and checking hemorrhage during labor, relieving after-pains, then strengthening, cleansing, and enriching the milk of the mother in the post-deliver period."

Indicated Usages - Internal:

Amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea	Diabetes
Canker sores, mouth ulcers	Diarrhea
Hemorrhoids	Indigestion
Menorrhagia, Excessive bleeding	Leukorrhea
Morning sickness	Parturient
Nausea (children)	Pregnancy
Urinary tract infection (UTI)	Thrush
Miscarriage, labor pains (premature)	Menstrual cramps

Indicated Usages - External:

Bleeding gums	Eyewash
Hemorrhoids, piles	Sore throat
Wounds, burns

From Our Reading and/or Experience...

Red Raspberry is one of our favorite flavors in teas.
We use it often in tea and tincture combinations. Of course, it can be used in many other types of remedies. For instance, it can easily be ground up, and used in capsules.
It can be used to benefit anyone: men, women (including before, during or after pregnancy, and nursing), children and animals.
It can be used as often as you would like, and in any way you choose.
As is the case with most herbs, Red Raspberry should be stored in a dark, dry, and cool place. Refrigeration or freezing is great, but certainly not necessary. Following these suggestions will delay the loss of its highly valued nutritional and medicinal properties.

Customer Reviews

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Raspberry Leaves For Horses
by Amber on Mar 30, 2010

I also decided to try raspberry leaves for my mare, in place of the usual commercial supplement available to horses (mostly to reduce the cost).

The recommended dose is 3.75grams once a day. Loading dose is 3.75 twice a day for two weeks. The raspberry leaves take about a month to start kicking in. My mare's worst time is spring, so I start her on the leaves about a month before. There have been some warning about horses becoming too used to the herbs, so take them off the leaves when they really don't need them. (For us, I take the leaves away in fall, through winter, and start again a month before spring.)

I've noticed a big difference in my horse. She doesn't try to attack the other horses very often, and we don't have much trouble with her being more interested in the other horses than she is in working. She's calmer, and not as rude. I've noticed that when I run out and have her off the leaves for a few weeks, she goes back to her normal, angry self.

One thing to watch out for is the selenium. It says on the site that raspberry leaves are high in selenium. If you are in a high-selenium area, or feed a selenium supplement (or any of your food/supplements have selenium in them), do make sure you aren't feeding a high dose. Horses need selenium, but too much will kill them. They need about 3mg a day, but as much as 2mg over that amount can lead to selenium poisoning.

Anyway, raspberry leaves have been an effective alternative to conventional mare supplements/drugs, and I've noticed a big difference in my horse's behavior when she's on them.

They can also be given to geldings. It is supposed to calm them down as well.

Red Raspberry - cut
by KW on Mar 22, 2010

Ladies, I bought this tea thinking it would be tasty, not knowing the effect it would have on my body. For years my menstrual cycle has been so heavy that in first 2-3 days I couldn't leave the house (I am 36). I began drinking this tea about 2 weeks before my next cycle, I can not tell you (it to me was nothing short of a miracle) my flow was so light. Unbelievable! A normal cycle used to last me about 8-10 days! Thanks Bulk Herb Store! I feel like I have my life back after 13 years! Oh, and it was super tasty, I love the mint flavor!

Works for Horses and Humans
by Ksenia on Jan 27, 2010

I bought the raspberry leaf as an inexpensive alternative to a commercial red raspberry leaf product used to calm mares. My mare has improved in temperament. She is a lot more tractable and willing, and less bad tempered and angry. We have not had any falls or accidents with the mare, and she has not kicked or bitten us since we used it. My training was not working before and she was getting more dangerous with each passing month, but now it looks like the same training is finally starting to be effective.

From my reading about a similar mare and my experience with my mare, it looks like one can expect to see results within about 3 months of feeding a small scoop (what is known as a 1 oz. scoop, which is about a heaping tablespoon) each day. Probably feeding more, and more often, would be more effective but I was trying to watch my costs. Also it is important to watch the diet of the horse. Try to eliminate corn and oats which cause horses to be excitable, etc. Rice bran is good to feed along with the raspberry leaf.

When I read about the benefits of raspberry leaf on this site, I tried some raspberry tea. I have ADD, and sometimes suffer from mild depression and anxiety. I took 8 fish oil pills a day, the psychiatric dose for depression. Since I started drinking the raspberry leaf tea regularly, I have been able to stop the fish oil pills completely. I am happier, my mood is more positive, my mind is alert and focused, and I am not as forgetful. I have been offering it to family and friends, and they comment that they like the taste, and like knowing that it is more healthy than regular tea. The baby seems to enjoy the tea with fresh goat milk and honey, and so now she can drink hot tea just like the rest of us. Also, as a nursing mom, I am happy that this is building up my milk supply. I was so pleased with the tea that I gave it to friends and family for Christmas and they liked the gift. A great, non-clutter gift that doesn't break the bank.

Boosts overall well-being in pregnancy
by Angel on Nov 10, 2009

My experience with Red Raspberry leaf was all in hindsight...meaning I didn't realized that it helped me at the time!

I took red raspberry leaf with our 4th pregnancy (in 2008), though not too consistently. During my third trimester, though, I used it almost daily. I went into labor two weeks before my due date, and made a giant to-go cup with me to bring as I drove to meet my midwife. I chugged that almost 2 quart thing of tea within an hour that afternoon, and by early evening my labor completely stopped. I always wondered how and why it stopped after being supposedly so real. After doing more research, I realized that drinking the red raspberry leaf tea beforehand stopped my false labor! I actually had my baby 4 days past my "due date" :)

This pregnancy, I have been drinking a quart a day from the beginning (the Mama's Red Raspberry Brew), which is about 3 big glasses a day (sometimes more). I have more energy this pregnancy, seem to have stayed healthier, and am able to run around, homeschool and take care of our home without being depleted when my hubby gets home.

Also, I have seasonal depression in the winter/dark months which starts to creep up in the fall, and becomes a dark cloud over me for about 4 months. This is the first time I have enjoyed seeing the leaves fall, and I am truly looking forward to the winter months. That is a first for me! The vitamins and minerals in the tea, I believe, have contributed to it.

God Bless and Thank you so much!

Great for Women
by Donna J. on Aug 24, 2009

Hi, my friend gave me Red Raspberry leaf tea because I was having a lot of issues with my pregnancy. I was having a lot of pains. Within days of me drinking 2 pots a day, my pains lessened dramatically. I still had issues, and was on light duty with my pregnancy, but it made such a difference. I drank while in labor, and had the best delivery out of my 3. I gave some to my neighbor and she’s been buying it because she noticed a big difference with her monthly cycle. Thank you, so much.

Helps with Delivery
by Jill on Aug 24, 2009

My first labor was 10 hours long and I pushed for 2 hours and did it all natural. It was very painful for several hours towards the end. My sister-in-law had an 8 hour labor with one of her children but said it was not that bad. I thought "How could that possibly be?" She said she had drunk Red Raspberry Leaf tea throughout the pregnancy. So I gave it a shot with my next pregnancy.

I drank it from the second trimester all the way to the end, at least two cups a day. My labor was INCREDIBLE. I delivered at home (as with my first). I had two midwives who were partners. One of them didn't even make it! My labor was only 2 hours long and I pushed ONE time! I am expecting my third and am about to purchase more of this woman's wonder herb! Lord willing, the next labor will go as smoothly as the last!

Pain free with red raspberry
by Brandy on Mar 19, 2009

Red Raspberry Leaf is amazing. After a friend's recommendation and reading about it on your website I started keeping a gallon of Red Raspberry Leaf tea in my refrigerator, and drank it constantly. I added Peppermint or Spearmint for flavor, and soon added in Siberian Ginseng (for the unique stresses of my husband being deployed to Iraq), and Passion Flower (for insomnia and to help prevent a second experience with toxemia). Low energy and a poor immune system has plagued me for years, but despite being a very stressful time, I felt energetic and stayed remarkably healthy for the "home stretch" of my pregnancy . With my first delivery my blood pressure was at stroke levels, lasted 24hrs, and I narrowly avoided a Cesarean. My second delivery was only about six hours long, was far easier than I ever thought childbirth could be, and this time around my blood pressure was only slightly elevated after the baby was safely born. My post-partum bleeding was light and lasted less than two weeks (it was at least twice that long after my first delivery). I've continued to drink this tea pretty regularly and just had my first cycle. That was the lightest, shortest cycle I've had since I was a very young teenager, and it was the very first cycle I've ever had that was totally pain free! I'm thoroughly impressed, and eager to share this herb with everyone I can.

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