Raspberry Leaf Tea as a Folk Remedy

The common garden raspberry is part of the rose family. The raspberry grows from late spring to midsummer and typically blooms in the spring. Raspberries are more popular to grow for their berries then they are for a tea but the raspberry leaf can make a great tea. The raspberry plant is a bush that can grow about 4 feet tall and has beautiful leaves on branches with sharp pickers on them. The leaves can be harvested anytime during the growing season.

Raspberry leaves have been used for centuries for folk remedies. The curative powers of the raspberry leaves are still used today for various intestinal problems, diarrhea in particular. Drinking raspberry leaf tea has been shown to alleviate cramps, bronchitis, and sore throats.

To make a tea with raspberry leaves it is best to use dried crushed leaves and let them steep in cold water to a few hours. The boil the mixture for ten minutes and strain it. You can drink as much as three large mugs of the tea daily.

The tannins in raspberry leaf tea have an astringent affect which give the tea it's anti-diarrhea and anti-inflammatory capabilities. Raspberry leaf tea is rich in potassium, calcium and phosphorus.

Raspberry leaf tea has been used in folk remedies to treat wounds and purify blood. Raspberry leaf tea promotes the flow of bile. The raspberry leaf tea is also valued for its ability to aid nausea and stomach upset. Folk remedies believed the raspberry leaf tea could strengthen gums and alleviate the symptoms of flu and tonsillitis. To make a tea for a sour throat take equal parts of raspberry leaves and dandelion root about a half teaspoon each and pour boiling water other them. Let the mix steep for about ten minutes and drink three times a day for best results.