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Raspberries are small, sweet berries that a lot of us use for culinary purposes. While red raspberries are the most popular ones, there are other sorts like blue raspberry, black raspberry, and wine raspberry. Herbalists call raspberry the “woman’s herb” due to the multiple health benefits it offers. Apart from the fact that raspberries are really tasty, they have a lot more to offer the human body. The fruit and its leaves have been used for centuries on account of their medicinal benefits.
The therapeutic benefits of raspberry leaves have been identified as early as 1597 (1)! It was first mentioned in a book called “The Herbal” or “A General History of Plants (2).” Even today, both the fruit as well as the leaves are used as medicine in different parts of the world. Hence, brewing a cup of raspberry leaf tea may be a great idea in case you want to reap the benefits of this magical herb.
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Raspberry leaves are used for issues related to the stomach and intestines like Gastrointestinal (GI) tract disorders and diarrhea. Some people use it for issues that concern the respiratory system like flu and swine flu. People use raspberry leaves for certain other reasons like it may help heart diseases, fever, diabetes, vitamin deficiency, and purification of the blood (3).
Raspberry Leaves Are Rich In Nutrients And Antioxidants
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The leaves of red raspberries are a great source of vitamins and antioxidants. Even though they contain a large number of nutrients, they are more used for their antioxidant properties (4) (5).
Why are antioxidants important? Antioxidants protect the cells of our body from damage due to metabolic activities. It not only helps in making you healthy internally but it also keeps your skin young and healthy as well (6) (7). Raspberry leaves contain polyphenols like tannins and flavonoids (8). Research suggests that raspberry leaves exhibited antioxidant, antimicrobial and anticancer activity (9).
Benefits Exclusive To Women
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While women have been using raspberry leaf tea claiming to get relief from premenstrual symptoms for years, there aren’t a lot of studies that prove its effectiveness scientifically. However, there are a few studies that support this usage for the relief from cramping, nausea, and diarrhea that occur in connection with menstruation. Also, the leaves will help in combating anemia that can be caused due to heavy bleeding during menstrual cycles (10).
Raspberry Leaf During Pregnancy
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A study that was conducted among 108 pregnant women showed that those who consumed raspberry leaf products had shorter labor (11). Later, when this study was repeated, it was found that it did not shorten the first stage of labor but it did shorten the second stage. This study was conducted among 192 women and it was found that consuming raspberry leaf tablets shortened the particular stage by an average of 9.59 minutes (12).
Apart from these studies, research also shows that consuming raspberry leaf products reduces the usage of forceps and other interventions and lowers the chances of pre-term as well as post-term labor (13).
Even though there is so much evidence that supports the consumption of raspberry leaf, it’s important to check with your doctor before doing so. This is an inevitable condition when you’re pregnant or if you have any serious health condition. Each one of our body is different and your doctor will be able to guide you with what you should consume according to your medical condition.
Have you tried raspberry leaf tea during your pregnancy time? How effective was it for you? Share your experience and opinions with our readers in the comments section below.
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