Rich in many vitamins including B (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9) and C, rich in calcium and potassium, zinc and phosphorus, iron and magnesium, this tea might be a real blessing for pregnant women and for women with menstrual cramps.
However, pregnancy and this tea can be a tricky combo, but if drank in the third trimester the tea is perfectly safe. If one likes to start drinking it earlier – a consultation with a doctor might be the right thing to do. A cup per day is the safe dose for the beginning, the following weeks it you can move up to 3 cups per day. Besides the aforementioned conditions, the tea might also help with digestive functions and with heart health.
Recipe:
- 2 or 3 teaspoons of dry red raspberry leaf OR if you can use fresh ones
- Water of course
- Lemon or honey (this is by preference)
Boil the water and put the leaves in a tea ball in a cup. Fill it with boiling water, cover it and let it steep for around 6 to 8 minutes. Remove it, add honey or lemons by preference and take a sip!
B/C Vitamins: Briefly, all the B vitamins have many, many jobs like converting nutrients to energy, keeping our skin and hair nice and healthy, regulating hormones, regulating HDL cholesterol. Vitamin C is important in the vital procedures concerning blood vessels, connective tissues, bones and skin.
Calcium: Calcium has to be consumed because the body does not produce any on its own. Therefore, it is kind of important to get it from healthy food. Around 99% of our calcium is concentrated in bones and teeth; Helping the work of the nerves, the blood to clot and together with other minerals contracts muscles it is one of the most important components of our organism. It is so importantly vital to us that our body will use the one in the bones if we don’t consume it.
Potassium: Mostly important in smooth muscle function (intestines, heart, etc). Smooth muscle is subconscious. The potassium handles electricity, together with calcium and magnesium which regulate the impulses for these muscles’ movement.
Zinc/Phosphorus: The immune system is mainly run by zinc. Zinc also takes a part in production of proteins and DNA. Next to calcium, it is pretty popular in our organism, mainly present in bones and teeth.
Magnesium: The mineral has a support role in around 300 enzyme reactions in the organism: regulating protein synthesis, nerve function, muscle function, heart rhythm and controlling blood glucose, blood pressure as well as production of energy. It helps developing bones and aids the production of DNA and RNA
Iron: Iron has quite a few roles in our organism, perhaps creation of red blood cells being the most important one. Hemoglobin is the “main” carrier of iron, responsible to transport oxygen from the lungs to other body organs. If you have a lack of hemoglobin the condition is called Anemia. Tachycardias, exhaustion, restless legs, shortness of breath are most obvious signs of anemia. It is more common in women.
Keeping this analysis in mind, it is really easy to see how and why the tea can be of a big help. It does not work as magic you suppose, however the red raspberry leaf tea is a great natural and herbal tea to take part of our daily routines, just to make sure that everything is running smoothly.
