What Raspberry Leaves Are Good For
Most everyone loves raspberries, but not everyone is familiar with what raspberry leaves can bring to the table. The raspberry itself is not only delicious when eaten fresh from the vine, but is great in desserts, with ice cream, in smoothies, and has a host of uses as well.
So we pick raspberries, knowing we have something both tasty and highly nutritious, not realizing perhaps that we are leaving some good things behind. It is not only the raspberry itself that is packed with nutrients, but the raspberry leaves, bark, and roots of the plant are as well. If one had to choose between eating the berry, the leaves, the bark, or the roots, we all know how that vote would go. But more and more are becoming aware of the value of raspberry leaves.
The raspberry is a member of the rose family, and rose hips are of course well known as an excellent source of vitamin C. The raspberry is as well, and raspberry leaves contain many of the same valuable nutrients as are found in the berry. Raspberry leaves are rich in citric acid, iron, potassium and calcium compounds, fructose, and besides vitamin C, vitamins A, B and E.
Many Benefits To Many Species - Raspberry leaves are very good for humans, dogs, cats, and horses. The leaves are no doubt good for other animals as well, but commercial supplements containing raspberry leaves can be found in pet stores and feed stores. In all cases the leaves have special benefits for females of the different species. Cats, dogs, and horses are usually fed raspberry leaves in shredded or powdered form, in small amounts. Humans don't eat the leaves, as they are not particularly tasty, but drink raspberry leaf tea.
Raspberry leaf tea is especially potent when it comes to benefiting the female reproductive system. It is both a safe and recommended drink to be taken during pregnancy, can make menstruation less painful, and is also a recommended herbal tea to help the transition into menopause. Raspberry leaves make a tea that is much healthier to drink than regular tea as it contains no caffeine.
There are many claims with respect to the benefits of drinking raspberry leaf tea. It is known to soothe sore throats, and ease the symptoms of colds and fevers. All it takes to make a cup of raspberry leaf tea is to pour a cup of boiling water over a teaspoonful of dried leaves and let it steep for 15 minutes. Both domestic and wild raspberry leaves can be used.
Dogs And Cats Benefit - The raspberry leaf is a parturient, a property which is particularly noted in toning the muscles of the uterus, making the birthing process easier. This is not only true for humans, but for dogs and cats as well, and raspberry leaf supplements are sometimes given to pets during pregnancy to ease the birthing process. The leaves act as a general tonic for female reproductive organs.
Horses Do As Well - Horses benefit as well, not only pregnant mares, but any horse, especially those who tend to be excitable can often be calmed down by feeding a supplement containing raspberry leaves. Whether or not as steady diet of raspberry leaves would be good for a horse (who would very likely eat them) is debatable. Raspberry leaves contain selenium, which a horse needs. But if the horse already has selenium in its diet, from a selenium or mineral salt block for example, too much of the mineral could be very harmful. Just as a cup of raspberry leaf tea is good for a human, a small amount, over time, will be good for horses, dogs, and cats. The raspberry is indeed a very useful plant. More so than most realize.