Attention all y'all with XX chromosomes: You need to try this!

I love me a good cup of tea. I drink just about every flavor and variety of tea, especially in the winter. One tea I hadn’t ever heard of growing up was Red Raspberry Leaf Tea! 

I started drinking this Red Raspberry Leaf Teawhen I got pregnant. My midwife suggested it because red raspberry leaf helps tone the uterus. It's also good for non pregnant women. It helps regulate cycles. It's surprisingly tasty too. You can add a bag of mint or lavender tea to it for an even better tasting tea!

Red Raspberry Leaf tea is supposed to tone and strengthen the uterus. It doesn’t MAKE you have contractions, but it helps make them more focused and productive. Remember, the uterus is basically a big system of muscles. 

Yogi Woman’s Raspberry Leaf tea is a gentle way to support the female system. Raspberry Leaf has been traditionally used by midwives and Western herbalists during pregnancy, as well as to help ease the discomfort of menstruation and to support the uterus. Enjoy the pleasant, earthy-sweet cup of Yogi Woman’s Raspberry Leaf for comfort and support at all stages of life.

I took the following information about Red Raspberry Leaf from WebMD

“Red raspberry leaf is used for gastrointestinal (GI) tract disorders, including diarrhea; for respiratory system disorders, including flu and swine flu; and for heart problems, fever, diabetes, and vitamin deficiency. It is also used to promote sweating, urination, and bile production. Some people use it for general "purification of skin and blood.”

Some women use raspberry leaf for painful periods, heavy periods, morning sickness associated with pregnancy, preventing miscarriage, and easing labor and delivery.

Red raspberry leaf is applied directly to the skin for sore throat and skin rash.

In foods, red raspberry fruit is eaten and processed into jams and other foods. Red raspberry leaf in small quantities is a source of natural flavoring in Europe.

How does it work?
The chemicals in red raspberry might have antioxidant effects and help relax blood vessels. They might also cause muscles to contract or relax, depending on the dose and the muscle involved. This is the theory behind red raspberry’s use in easing labor and delivery.”

Of course, Raspberries provide high levels of vitamins and other nutrients while being delicious and tasty! 

Red Raspberries can help with inflammation too. Along with tart cherries, red raspberries can help with gout. 
According to Livestrong.com:

“The Berry Health Benefits Network discusses tests that were performed at the Medical University of South Carolina’s Hollings Cancer Center that showed that the body easily absorbs ellagic acid, which contributes to cell death in certain kinds of cancer. The cancers noted as being most readily affected were esophageal, tongue, lung, colon, liver, skin and breast cancer.”

I also took Red Raspberry Leaf while lactating. It’s supposed to be a galactagogue and it’s included in many blends of milk producing supplements. I’m not sure if it helped with that since I was taking so many other supplements, but it certainly did not hurt. Plus, I really liked the taste. 

Anyway, if you have any “female issues” or are pregnant or nursing, check with your doctor or midwife if taking red raspberry leaf can help you at all. 

Do you take any sort of supplements?