Rubus idaeus

Family: Rosaceae

The Active Herbalist products featuring red raspberry leaf: Moon Cycle Support Tea

History & Growing:

• Red raspberry, one of most trusted herbal tonics and beloved fruit, is native to Eurasia, but grows wild and is cultivated in temperate regions worldwide. It is a deciduous shrub that can reach heights of 6.5 feet and features woody, thorned stems. White blooms turn into bright red berries in summer. Once established, the plant can spread and grow into a patch, with new plants popping up adjacent to the “parent.” New leaves harvested from young plants are recommended. Ripe, red fruits harvested in summer are delicious and nutritious!

Parts Used Medicinally: Leaves & fruits

Supplementation Forms: Tea, tincture, food herb, capsule, standardized extract, poultice

Taste: Astringent, Sour (mildly sweet/bitter)

Energetics: Cooling & drying

Actions:

• Astringent
• Antispasmodic
• Parturient
• Nutritive tonic

Organs & Body Systems Herb Acts Upon:

• Female reproductive system
• Digestive system
• Mucosa (and respiratory tract)

Constituents: phytosterols, polyphenols, flavonoids, tannins, magnesium, manganese.

Traditional Uses:

• Native Americans used red raspberry as a tonic treatment for diarrhea, sore throats and mouth ulcers. It was also a key remedy for women. Red raspberry was consumed to prepare pregnant women for childbirth, ease morning sickness as well as during menstruation to ease pains.
• Europeans also used the herb to help ease muscle spasms and to treat vomiting.

Current Uses (& Studies/Research):

• Reproductive system:
  • To ease menstruation pain & discomfort, for heavy menstruation.
  • To strengthen the reproductive system/uterus in preparation for childbirth
  • For uterine prolapse, and as a cooling herb during menopause
• Digestive system:
  • As an astringent herb, red raspberry is beneficial for toning lax or loose tissue in the gut
  • Red raspberry is a wonderful support herb for diarrhea or “leaky” digestive ailments. Supplementation can minimize excess fluid loss and help heal wounded or inflamed tissues.
• Cardiovascular disease and diabetes:
  • As a fruit, red raspberry is high in vitamin C and fiber
  • Studies have shown red raspberry leaf to have a hypoglycemic effect on women with gestational diabetes, leading to a reduced dependency on insulin
  • Studies “provide evidence that RR may offer clinically beneficial effects for the prevention and management of chronic diseases through improvements in glucose handling and insulin sensitivity, adiposity, lipid profiles, ectopic lipid accumulation, inflammation, oxidative stress, and cardiac health.”
  • Clinical trials have shown red raspberry supplementation can be beneficial for those with metabolic syndrome.
• Mucosa:
  • Red raspberry is an excellent herb for those who struggle with allergies or excess mucus.
  • Due to its astringent properties, red raspberry can ease inflammation in the mouth and throat, making it an effective mouth wash or gargle for ulcers and/or a sore swollen throat
• Nutritive tonic:
  • With its high mineral content, it is also indicated for those with anemia.

When to Reach for Herb & In What Form:

• Females: in the week leading up to and during menstruation as well as in preparation for childbirth.
• Males: as a nutritive herb and for digestive ailments
• Infusion is best!!

Dosage & Preparation:

• As a nutritive herb, Infusion form is preferred. Red raspberry can be consumed in relatively high amounts. 1-6 cups per day of the tea (1 tsp dried herb per 8 oz water) although 6 cups of tea in a day would be quite a feat to achieve! Generally 5-10 grams of the dried herb per day is a safe amount for health benefits; 3-5ml of tincture 1-3 times per day.

Contraindications:

• Red raspberry is one herb that is pregnant women are often encouraged to drink. It is generally considered safe in terms of consuming both the leaves and fruits.

Elemental, Planetary & Dosha Discussion:

• Water element plant under Venus rulership
• As a cooling, drying plant, this herb is somewhat vata in nature, and a wonderful remedy for the hot pitta dosha and the stagnation-prone kapha dosha. The vata dosha could be aggravated by it, so formulation is key, particularly in tonic use.

Citations & Recommended Reading:

• Raspberry Uses and Plant Profile Summary by Rosalee de la Floret
• Body Into Balance by Maria Noel Groves
• Evolutionary Herbalism by Sajah Popham
• Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine by Andrew Chevallier
• Cheang KI, Nguyen TT, Karjane NW, Salley KES. Raspberry Leaf and Hypoglycemia in Gestational Diabetes Mellitus. Obstet Gynecol. 2016 Dec;128(6):1421-1424. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000001757. PMID: 27824754.
• Derrick SA, Kristo AS, Reaves SK, Sikalidis AK. Effects of Dietary Red Raspberry Consumption on Pre-Diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Parameters. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Sep 4;18(17):9364. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18179364. PMID: 34501954; PMCID: PMC8431376.

Recipe of the Week: Nutritive Duo

• 1 tablespoon red raspberry leaf (fresh or dried)
• 1 tablespoon nettle leaf (fresh or dried)
• 10 oz water (hot or cold)

To make a cold infusion: combine ingredients, cover and let infuse overnight. Strain and enjoy the next morning.

To make a hot infusion: combine ingredients, infuse for 30-60 minutes, strain and enjoy!

*This blend is cooling and drying. Add an herb like licorice root or marshmallow if needed depending on your constitution.