Red Raspberry Leaf — Its History & Medicinal Uses

By Rebecca Potter

Red raspberry leaves owe their Latin name, Rubus idaeus, to an old legend of the gods. When baby Zeus was crying, his nursemaid Ida searched for berries to calm him. All believed that raspberries were white, but when Ida pricked her finger on a raspberry bush, her blood turned the berries red. Hence “rubus” means red, and “ida” was the one responsible.

In Hellenistic Troy, raspberries were known to aid in fertility, and in the Middle Ages, it was a well-known female tonic, which still holds true today. Because it is such a nourishing and healing tonic containing fragirine, it does a fantastic job of strengthening and toning the muscles of the pelvic region, uterus and entire female reproductive system.

Unlike other herbs, it releases its constituents further down in the digestive tract than the stomach. This means the uterus receives most of the medicinal qualities. During every stage of pregnancy, it is used extensively to alleviate discomfort, cramps, and nausea. It also enriches breast milk, calms digestion, and prevents colic. It is an aid for women at every stage of life from puberty to menopause, and deserves its nickname- the ‘Women’s Herb’.

Men, don’t assume that raspberry leaves can’t help you too! Many men going through their mid-life crisis experience burnt out adrenal glands, and raspberry leaf tea helps greatly with the symptoms. It will also help replenish your blood with iron and strengthen your hair and teeth with its calcium, helping you look and feel great! Taken with red clover daily over several months, it can promote fertility in both men and women, as well as help prevent hypertension.

What’s one of the main objectives when you get a cold or the flu? Clean out the mucus! Raspberry leaf tea will do just that by thinning the mucus secretions and helping your body eliminate them. And you are getting a healthy dose of potassium, magnesium, trace minerals, pectin, and vitamins A, B, E, and C, especially important when fighting illness. In cases of stomach flu, raspberry leaves also help calm the stomach.

Do you have a bed-wetter? Here is another astringent herb that has really helped in that regard. The tannins present in raspberry leaves tone the pelvic region, which allows the bladder to regain control even during sleep. Have your child take a cup with dinner every night. These astringent qualities also come in handy for diarrhea, thrush, sore throat, canker sores, sore throats, inflamed gums, and urinary complaints.

So do you want to grow your own raspberry bush and have both delicious berries (berries of the gods even!) and natural medicine in your backyard? Even though they are native to North America, they can be grown almost anywhere. They will produce fruit on the second year, and pruning is very important. Harvest the leaves between late spring and mid-summer before the fruit ripens.

Dry them in the dark by hanging stalks upside down, and make sure they are well ventilated. When the underside turns grayish white, they are ready for use. (Make sure to use only dried leaves since fresh leaves contain a substance that causes stomach upset). And hopefully you’ve learned from Ida’s mistake to keep your fingers safe while handling the bushes.  In the meantime, we’ve done all the work for you by including raspberry leaves in our Essential Survival Herb Kit. It’s dried, packaged, and ready to be included in your daily health regime!

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Essential Survival Herb Kits Now Available!

The BRAND-NEW, totally exclusive Essential Survival Herb Kit comes with 9 of the most powerful and versatile herbs available. These organic/wildcrafted herbs are the perfect combination to have on hand for first aid, medical preparedness, and general natural healing.

Whether you are a total newbie with herbalism, you’ve dabbled in herbalism some, or you are an expert on herbs, this kit will help you:

• Become acquainted with 9 of herbs most useful for a wide variety of ills, including heart problems, circulation, skin eruptions, broken bones, stress, fevers, blood purifying, digestion, and much more,

• Learn about the specific properties and uses for each of these 9 herbs,

• Learn how to make your own herbal tinctures, fomentations, poultices, infusions, and decoctions in 3 concise, informative videos produced exclusively for Essential Survival by Master Herbalist Rebecca Potter,

• Feel more confident in taking the next steps in herbalism important for medical preparedness, such as growing your own herbs.

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Rebecca Potter is a lifelong student of herbalism, a lover of herbs and natural healing. She feels passionately about sharing her knowledge and experience with herbs to empower all to achieve the greatest possible health potential. She received her Master Herbalist degree from The School of Natural Healing, and teaches herbal classes in her local area of Salt Lake City. In addition to her herbal classes, Rebecca enjoys doing personalized herbal consultations, is involved in an integrative health clinic, and performs a variety of key functions at Essential Survival, LLC. Follow her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/iheartherbs for tips and ideas on herbal healing and nutrition.

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These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.  These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.  Anyone suffering from disease or injury should consult with a physician.

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Last updated by Julie Behling-Hovdal at May 15, 2013.