Red Clover Tea And Its Benefits

Red Clover Tea

Red clover is a wild plant with wild properties. It has the healing properties of an herb, the proteins of a legume and the vitamins and minerals of foods. Red clover is wonder-herb that can help those suffering from cancer, psoriasis, menopause, respiratory concerns and high cholesterol.

What is Red Clover?

Red clover is a naturally growing herb that is also considered a legume. The leaflets of red clover, Trifolium pratense, are arranged in groups of three. The flower blossom heads are red, pink or pinkish-purple and resemble small yarn balls. The diameter of the flowers is between 0.5 and 1.25 inches and the height of red clover typically reaches 16 inches.

What is Red Clover Tea Good for?

Often enjoyed by roaming cattle, red clover has health-boosting benefits. It contains nutrients such as niacin, calcium, potassium, chromium and magnesium, plus it has Vitamin C. These, along with other properties make red clover tea good for:

  • easing cancer
  • whooping cough
  • asthma
  • respiratory issues
  • skin conditions
  • hot flashes
  • osteoporosis
  • bronchitis
  • cholesterol
  • indigestion

Red clover tea has been shown to be an active part of a healthy diet. It helps you through many stages and challenges of life and can be enjoyed daily.

What Does Red Clover Tea Taste Like?

Red clover is a sweet-tasting tea. The aroma is attractive and once you add red clover tea to your dietary intake, you will find yourself looking forward to the sweet, dessert-like tea.

Tea Pairings

Since red clover is sweet and full, you may find that you enjoy the flavor of honey, over sugar, added to your beverage. To add a little zest to the red clover tea, pair it with mint. This pairing also helps tame the sweet flavor if it is too much for your desires. It also pairs well with nettles and red raspberry leaf. Try pairing red clover with other teas that you enjoy such as chamomile, green tea or spearmint. You may be surprised and delighted by the combinations you create!

Healing Benefits of Red Clover Tea

Red clover tea has many benefits, but also comes with many cautions. Red clover contains isoflavones which mimic estrogen in the body. While this is beneficial for those suffering from a decrease in estrogen, for example, women in menopause, an estrogen increase may be risky for others. People who take estrogen-replacement medications should use caution before consuming red clover and speak with their physician. It has also been shown to cause a reduction in fertility in animals who graze freely on the herb, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. All that being said, red clover tea does many wonderful things for health, including:

  • reducing LDL, or bad cholesterol and elevating HDL, or good cholesterol
  • increasing bone mineral density and slows bone loss which may show improvements for those with osteoporosis
  • protecting against heart disease by showing blood-thinning properties
  • slowing hot flashes and night sweats in menopausal women
  • stopping cancer cells from growing
  • preventing cancers such as endometrial and prostate
  • eliminating coughs such as whooping cough and those from bronchitis and asthma
  • reducing skin conditions such as eczema, rashes and psoriasis
  • elevating moods in those suffering from sadness or depression

The additional nutrients in red clover such as Vitamin C and calcium also support heart-health and boost immunity. Other properties such as chromium, niacin and potassium also help the body’s cells function properly. Nutrients move freely into the cells and toxins are removed efficiently.

Red Clover Tea

Biochemical Profile of Red Clover

The essential property in red closer are the isoflavones. These are responsible for improving cholesterol, slowing bone loss, slowing the progression of cancer cells, and reducing hot flashes. The isoflavones are also the estrogen-like properties that can cause infertility, a reaction in women with breast cancer and interact with those taking hormone replacement therapy such as birth control pills. The other chemicals contained in red clover include Vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, niacin, chromium, phosphorus, potassium and thiamin. Being a part of the legume family, red clover also contains protein.

Are There Any Side Effects From Red Clover Tea?

Since red clover contains estrogen-mimicking chemicals, side effects may occur. These can include decreasing the effectiveness of birth control pills, infertility, increased bleeding, increase in blood clots or it may slow blood clotting in others, and interfere with breast feeding. It should not be used by pregnant or breast-feeding mothers. For the most part, red clover is safe when taken for up to a year. However, general side effects such as headache, nausea, rash, muscle ache and vaginal bleeding may occur.

Red clover does bring with it drug interactions. It may interfere with estrogen replacement medications. Red clover also may slow down how quickly the liver breaks down medications. These include, but are not limited to medications such as amitriptyline (Elavil), haloperidol (Haldol), ondansetron (Zofran), propranolol (Inderal), theophylline (Theo-Dur) and verapamil (Calan, Isoptin). Red clover may also speed up how quickly the liver processes medications such as omeprazole (Prilosec), lansoprazole (Prevacid), and pantoprazole (Protonix), diazepam (Valium), carisoprodol (Soma), and nelfinavir (Viracept). Those taking medications for cancer such as Tamoxifen (Nolvadex), should also use caution or avoid red clover tea. Blood thinning medications may also be at risk as red clover may increase bleeding.

Dosage and How to Make Red Clover Tea

Red clover tea can be purchased in pre-made tea bags, you can purchase the dried clover, or you can harvest the herb. You can choose just the red clover flowers, or you may also want to add in a few of the leaves. Then, steep 1 to 2 teaspoons of the dried, crushed herb in 8 ounces of boiling water for 30 minutes. Consume two or three cups a day in between meals. You can use the tea bags on your skin to help alleviate rashes, eczema or psoriasis, but always check with your doctor first, especially if you have open wounds.

Who Can Benefit From This Herbal Tea?

People who are looking to improve their overall health and wellness by boosting immunity, lowering cholesterol and strengthening bones, will benefit from red clover tea. This same group should not be at risk for estrogen concerns such as infertility and breast cancers. Women suffering from menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats may experience some relief with red clover tea.

What We Like About This Herbal Tea

Red clover is a natural, wild-growing herb that can be harvested or purchased. It’s sweet flavor makes it easy to tolerate and it also combines well with other favorite teas.

Did You Know?

  • Red clover florets can be stripped and added to salads for a unique taste.
  • You can grind the florets and use them in conjunction with wheat to boost the protein content of breads or muffins. It also adds a sweet taste to your treats.
  • Red clover is Vermont’s state flower.