Red Clover tea is brewed from the blossoms of the Trifolium pratense plant. One or two teaspoons of the blossoms are steeped in boiling water for between five and thirty minutes and can then be sweetened to taste. Red clover is also available in powdered form, in tinctures, extracts and topical ointments and creams.
Red clover tea can be used for any number of health benefits. It has been used for centuries to help women with problems ranging from premenstrual syndrome to menopause, and has recently been found through research to have a number of other health benefits as well.
Red Clover Tea Folk Remedies
Red clover has been used for centuries for many purposes besides treating menopausal and premenstrual symptoms. It has also been used as a fertility herb for women, with the belief that the herb helps to restore the natural pH of the vagina to help make conception easier. It has also been used for respiratory illnesses, such as bronchitis and asthma. It is also used topically to help with rashes, eczema outbreaks and burns.
Red Clover Tea for Women’s Health
Women have been using red clover tea for many years to deal with menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and vaginal dryness. A 2002 study published in Maturitas, a scientific journal that publishes research concerning mid life health, found that women that consumed red clover daily had a significant reduction in hot flashes, up to 44 percent.
Red Clover has also been found to help women prevent osteoporosis, or bone loss. A 2004 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found women that consumed red clover tea for a year had a significantly lower loss of bone density than those that did not.
Red Clover Tea and Cancer
A 2009 study from Cancer Prevention Research found a link between red clover and a decreased risk of prostate cancer. This study was a “test tube” study and was not completed on humans, and more research needs to be done to determine a certain link.
Side Effects of Red Clover Tea
Because of the isoflavones, or hormone-like chemicals that are in red clover tea, it should not be consumed by anyone that is pregnant or breastfeeding. Women that have had breast or ovarian cancer also should not consume red clover tea. People taking Coumadin should avoid red clover as it does contain trace amounts of coumarin, from which Coumadin is derived. As with all herbs, people should check with a health care provider before treating themselves. It may be worth checking into red clover tea as a health supplement for all of its many health benefits.
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