Red Clover ~ Frugal Medicine

While Rebekah and I were out walking the other day, we came up on a beautiful patch of red clover.  We hurried home, grabbed a basket and the big girls and headed back to pick the lovely purple blossoms.

In only a few minutes we had filled our basket.  We took a few moment to watch all the butterflies visiting the clover as well.  Then we headed home to clean the blossoms before putting them in the dehydrator.

The blossoms took about 18 hours in the dehydrator set at about 95 degrees.  You don't want to dry them to quickly as they will loose their color.  And if it takes too long they can start to mold.  We will store the blossoms in a mason jar to use in our winter teas. (1tsp of dried blossoms to 8oz boiling water steep for 10 minutes, this can be taken up to 3 times per day)

RED CLOVER

Latin Name: Trifoolium pratense

Contains:

• antioxidant tocopherol
• anti-tumor compounds
• calcium
• chromium
• iron and copper salts (high concentration) 
• isoflavones (water-soluble chemicals that act like estrogens and are found in many plants)
• magnesium
• niacin
• phosphorus
• potassium
• protein
• thiamine
• vitamin C

As you can see red clover is very high in nutrients!  It really is a good herb for almost everyone.

Constituents (uses):

Women's reproductive health - Red clover is used for relief during PMS and menopause as well as to promote breast health.

Blood health - Red clover is known to help cleanse the blood by promoting urine and mucous production, improving circulation and stimulating the secretion of bile.  Supplementation with red clover  has also been shown to improve hemoglobin levels as well as the size and number of blood platelets.

Respiratory health - red clover is known for antispasmodic effect.  Basically this means that it supresses muscle spasms and therefore can help with asthma, wheezing, coughs and such.


Red clover tea is easy to make.  Put 1 tsp of dried blossoms in a tea ball or muslin tea bag.  Pour 8 oz of boiling water over and let steep for about 10 minutes.  Can be drunk hot or cold.  Drink a cup three times a day for maximum benefits.  Red clover can also be added to other herbs to create your own blends.  So have fun and give red clover a try.

Warnings:

Red Clover should not be taken by pregnant or nursing woman.  The isoflavones (water-soluble chemicals that act like estrogens and are found in many plants) have not been proven safe for these women.

Also those taking blood thinning or needing to avoid blood thinning medications should not take red clover because of its milk blood thinning properties.

While red clover is considered safe you should always check with an herbal professional before self medicating.  This information is for educational purposes only.


Linking up at the Homestead Barn Hop, Make Your Own, Monday, Traditional Tuesdays, Sustainable Ways,  Healthy 2Day Wednesday and Wildcrafting Wednesday.