Red Raspberry Leaves 100 g, 50 g, 25 g

Red Raspberry Leaves – 100 g ($12.99), 50 g ($8.99), 25 g ($5.99)

Benefits:
Raspberry leaf has been used in folk medicine for hundreds of years. It has astringent and stimulant properties and is a popular remedy for many ailments. The most common use of raspberry leaves is as a uterine tonic. It has the ability to relax tight uterine muscles and tighten relaxed uterine muscles. This has led to its use as a stimulant at the beginning of labor to make labor easier. Raspberry leaf also has been used for disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, the respiratory tract, the cardiovascular system, the mouth and throat, and for skin rashes and inflammation. It also has been used for influenza, fever, menstrual problems, diabetes, vitamin deficiencies, as a diuretic, and to purify the skin and blood. However, raspberry leaf is on the German Commission E unapproved list because these purported uses have not been documented.

Burns. Raspberry leaf contains tannins, which may stop burns from oozing. The tannins cause proteins in healing skin to cross-link and form an impermeable barrier. However, human data are lacking for the use of raspberry leaf to treat burns.

Diarrhea. The tannins in raspberry leaf prevent the flow of fluids into the intestines, which makes the stool more solid. Used as a tea, in doses of one to two cups, raspberry leaf helps to relieve diarrhea without stimulating contractions.

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Raspberry leaf contains tannins and flavonoids, which help the uterus relax to relieve menstrual cramps. At the same time as it relaxes the uterus itself, it stimulates the muscles that support the uterus. This may allow easier menstrual flow.

Sore throat. Its astringent properties justify using raspberry leaf tea as a mouthwash and gargle for mouth or throat inflammation.

Recommended Use
Raspberry leaf is used as a tea. It is available as a bottled beverage in many health food stores. (Do not confuse raspberry leaf teas with sweetened, raspberry-flavored drinks.) Raspberry leaf can produce a more consistent rhythm of uterine contractions during labor; it has been used by women in late stages of pregnancy. However, it should not be used by pregnant women because there are not enough sound scientific and safety data. It should not be used during breast-feeding. Raspberry leaf may produce changes in blood pressure (both high and low), and if used chronically may be carcinogenic due to its high tannin content.

Botanical Name: Rubus idaeus
English: Raspberry
Also, known as: American Raspberry, American red raspberry, Hind berry, Wild Red Raspberry, Gray leaf red raspberry
Habitat: North America and Europe
Origin: Ukraine
Harvested: Wild or cultivated
Parts Used: Leaves

General Information:
Rubus idaeus is a deciduous shrub growing to 6 feet by 5 feet at a medium rate. Red raspberry is our common raspberry. It produces canes that last two years, are sterile in their first year, and produce delicious berries in their second year. Grows in hedges, fields, abandoned lots, and thickets. Common throughout most of North America. In its first year, a new, unbranched stem grows vigorously to its full height of 5-8 feet, bearing large pinnately compound leaves with five or seven leaflets, but usually no flowers. its second year, a stem does not grow taller but produces several side shoots, which bear smaller leaves with three or five leaflets. Leaves are alternate and compound with 3 or 5 leaflets, mostly in 3s on flowering stems and pinnately in 5s on non-flowering stems. Leaflets are egg-shaped to oblong, the center leaflet is stalked and sometimes 2 or 3 lobed, the lateral leaflets stalkless and unlobed, typically 1.0 3.5 inches long, 1-2 inches wide, with a long taper to a slender, pointed tip and rounded to heart-shaped at the base. Edges are single or double-toothed, the upper surface dark green, sparsely hairy to smooth, lower surface silvery and densely hairy. Small, white, cup-shaped flowers grow in loose clusters of five at the tips and upper leaf axils of 1-year old stems. Flowers are white, around half an inch across with 5 mostly erect, oblong to narrowly spatula-shaped petals that tend to fall off early. Fruits, Fruit is around to cone-shaped cluster, about half inch in diameter of fleshy drupelets, turning purplish red and easily separating from the receptacle when mature.

To help differentiate plants from blackberries if berries are not present, raspberry brambles are much smaller than blackberry, averaging only 5 feet. Raspberries tend to have more prickles than blackberries, but blackberry prickles are more substantial.

How to use:
We make these suggestions to help you get the best benefit from the herbs that you’re choosing to improve your health. Also we make these ideas and recommendations so that consuming them easier and better fit into your lifestyle by adding them to the food that you already eat.
For the full health benefit, it is best to consume (or use the whole herb in poultices) the whole herb. All of the compounds in the herb act best together, as nature intends. Extracts draw out the most prominent beneficial compounds and may concentrate them. What is not extracted can be helpful in ways that we do not yet understand.

Cut Pieces or Powdered Herb:
There are different ways to use cut pieces or powdered herb.
Food Preparation: You can add powdered or pieces of herb (if the pieces you buy are bigger than you like, a coffee or herb grinder will quickly reduce) to any yogurt, smoothie, apple or other sauces, spreads, salads or other foods more familiar to you that don’t use heat. Heat can be damaging to the beneficial compounds in the herb. Other options like oatmeal, scrambled eggs, pasta sauce, soup, cookies and anything else that fits your lifestyle, but minimizing (by adding near the end of cooking) the heat is helpful.
Also, for children, you can mix powdered herb with honey or glycerin to make paste. The thicker the paste, the more potent and herbal in taste. The sweet taste of honey and glycerin will help medicine go down. The resulting liquid is called an electuary.
For seeds in general, but especially small seeds, it’s best to grind these to break the protective hulls a short time before consumption. This makes all the benefits available, rather than some remaining locked inside the hulls that are unbroken by insufficient chewing.
To make adding herbs even easier, you could add a week’s worth of your chosen herb(s) to an amount of, for example, yogurt that you would eat in a week. Mix thoroughly and eat this each day of the week. So you make once /week and just eat each other day.
Hot Infusion: The basic method for dried herbs and flower is, take 2-3 tablespoons of dried herb in a cup or teapot. Pour hot water over it and cover it with lid for 10-30 minutes. The heat from making tea can degrade some of the beneficial compounds in the herb. This method minimizes this effect. For the full health benefit, it is recommended to consume what is left over after making tea.
Decoctions: Decoctions are suitable for roots, barks, large seeds & berries, and other dense material. The simple way to make decoction is, in a saucepan, add 1 tablespoon of dried herbs to 1 cup of water, Bring the water to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30-60 minutes with the pot covered. Squeeze out as much as liquid as possible. Best practice is to drink the liquid and also consume the solid material that remains. Herb pieces can also be used.
Powdered Herb:
There are different ways to use powdered herb.
Capsules: HerbsCrafters makes capsules guaranteed to be filled with the pure herb with no filler or any other products. You can also use powdered herb to make your own capsules at home. These capsules are best taken with liquid to aid in digestion and absorption and to ensure it doesn’t stick in your throat.
Poultice: Poultice can be made with an herbal powder and liquid (mostly water) to form a paste which is then applied to the skin. This method is very helpful for skin conditions.
Herbal shot: Powdered herb can be mixed with water, fruit juice or other liquid to make herbal shot.

Tips:
You can sweeten your herbal decoctions with bit of honey, natural fruit juice, stevia leaves powder or licorice root powder.

Precautions:
You should consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using any herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications.
All information on this website is for educational purpose ONLY.
This information has not been evaluated by Health Canada.
This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.