Anyone drinking red raspberry leaf tea? « Back to Group Discussions

[joyfulmomof2]

I drank lots of red raspberry leaf tea before my pregnancy, and I liked it a lot. Now...not so much. I really wanted to try to drink it regularly during pregnancy, but my prego taste buds are just not cooperating. I've tried  it plain, sweetening it w/honey, adding lemon, then yesterday, tried it iced and sweetened w/stevia (since my blood sugar was really high at GTT).

I thought about making a pitcher with some black tea bags and mixing it, and drinking it that way, since I like regular iced tea a lot. Has anyone done this? Would it negate the benefits of RRL?

[swelldoula]

I don't see why mixing it would cancel out the benefits... although, you might want to make sure the RRL is extra strong, or steeped a long time. I don't mind the taste at all, I've just been lazy about making it lately. I have been having some pretty intense (painful) braxton hicks, so I'm not sure if its the best idea for me to be chugging it by the gallon yet.

It's hot here in AZ already, so I'm really enjoying the iced tea version. My friend in Phoenix said that she would steep it overnight and drink it on ice the next day. Maybe you could try that and mix in some other kind of tea to mask the flavor. 

[eirual]

I just made a gallon (steeped with 5 tea bags) and chilled it in the fridge, then pour over ice, honey, and wedge of lemon to serve and it was delish!

during the second trimester I was drinking it hot every day, but started to slack off (like I do with everything that's good for me...routine just gets old).

[MovnMama]

I've been drinking quite a bit, and at a fairly heavy concentration, but just recently when I made it - it didn't taste like mud! I was so excited! I mean, that's the measurement of it tasting good - how NOT BAD it tastes. I don't think I would ever drink it at medicinal levels for the taste. I bought several pounds loose. Here's what I did. 

 I steep:

1 quart of hot water

1/4 cup of RRL

1/4 cup of Nettle leaf 

1-2 bags of peppermint tea (depending how strong the tea tastes)

1 tbsp of honey (stevia would probably work fine too - I've never had it). 

I refrigerate and serve cold. Also it tasted best when I last made it and that time, I made a gallon. The yield though, for me, is if I start with a gallon of water I end up with 3 quarts of tea (soaks into the tea and evaporates, is my guess). I drink about 3-4 cups (by volume) a day. If you cut it in half with cold water/ice, it really doesn't taste half bad! I mean, it's no pomegranate lemonade, but it gets the job done. 

For me, the peppermint tea is what really cuts the taste - I dislike it with lemon. That's just me though. 

ETA: The only reservation I would have about mixing it with black tea is the caffeine content, which (I would think) preclude drinking it in the afternoon/evening. 

PS at this concentration I DO have BH ctx come on and I'm sure it's due to the tea. I don't really get them otherwise. So bear in mind. 

[MamaInTheDesert]

I've been doing equal parts RRL and Nettles and 1/2 a part spearmint. Then I sweeten with honey or sugar. The spearmint REALLY helps with taste. I really should be drinking it more. I'm trying to remember to drink at least one cup a day.

[sraplayas]

Has anyone been trying Dandelion Root or Oatstraw in addition to RRL and Nettles? I understand that all of these are great during and after pregnancy.

I have been getting BH consistently for a month and not sure how much to drink based on this, thinking maybe if I mix the above teas together or rotate I won't have as much of a problem...

[OceanGypsy87]

I was getting a lot of bh from pure rrl, but when I did the mix with nettles, oatstraw, dandelion and marshmallow I didn't. I am starting pure rrl again now that I am in my third trimester and seem to be doing alright with it. 

[Momo123]

I also do a blend of RRL, nettles and alfalfa which I think tastes much better than just straight RRL. If I had oatstraw, I would probably add that too as it's a good nervine (good for stress). I have heard that peppermint/spearmint is nice if you like the flavor (I don't so I leave it out). I infuse it, then drink it iced. I do get some braxton hicks contractions, but I don't think they are caused by the infusion because I get them even when I don't drink it. I've been drinking the infusion since the beginning of my second trimester.

[LionessMom]

i also do a mix of rrl, nettles, and alfalfa. i would like to add oatstraw but i dont have any. i make it iced. i use a gallon kool aid pitcher with a lid. i tie my tea up in cheesecloth. 1 cup of each tea. put the bag in the bottom of the pitcher and then pour boiling water from my tea kettle over it until it is full. always put the lid on to keep the steam from escaping. you can steep anywhere from 2 hours to overnight. the longer it steeps the stronger it tastes. the more medicinal it is. i usually do at least 4 hours. or until the water cools enough for me to squeeze out the bag. then i put it in the fridge overnight. it can take up to 3 days to drink a gallon.

[sraplayas]

I am getting ready to buy some loose tea and wondering how much I need to get me through the pregnancy and say, the first month PP (I'm 28 weeks)?

I'm planning on buying: RRL, Nettles, Oatstraw & Dandelion Root. Not sure if I'll like the mix but going to try it, I also will probably try the Nettles by itself.

I have no idea how much to buy! Also, I really like MRH--does anyone have a better recommendation?

[MovnMama]

IMO a good baseline for a medicinal brew of any tea is 1tbsp tea to 1cup water. How much of each you want to drink and how freqently is what you decide - then just do the math.

For me, starts a 18-20ish weeks, and planning for a little time post partum, I bought 1lb nettle and 2lb RRL (figuriing to do jus RRL during the end of the third tri). I also live kinda out there and bought a bigger quantity to save on shipping and overhead.


HTH!

[tinams8]

I bought a lb of loose organic RRL. I have some of the pregnancy teas in bags for at work too. I don't know what is wrong with me this pregnancy, but I am really struggling to drink it. I just made the RRL for the first time two days ago and stuck it in the fridge. I need to either dilute it way down and add something else, or drink it like shots. I haven't decided which to do. I don't like mint anymore, it reminds me of morning sickness.  I am seriously considering mixing the tea with orange juice. 

[Nicole730]

I am usually a big tea drinker and this pregnancy I have a strong aversion.  I am going to try the  RRL though and hopefully I will be able to get it down.

[PrincessSputnik]

There are a couple of herbal Stash teas that I've been mixing my RRL/Nettle blend with on days that I just don't want to drink another cup of the stuff. Mango Pomagranate and Blueberry White tea work nicely. Teopia also has a white pear ginger tea that goes nicely with RRL...

[AndtheStars]

I drink a quart of strongly infused RRL and nettles at least 5 days of the week.  I mix a couple TBS of frozen lemonade concentrate in to help with the taste.

Sraplayas, this may be too late but I ordered 3 lbs of nettles and RRL at the beginning of the 2nd trimester.  I started out with a 1/2 cup and 1/2 cup infusion in the 2nd tri and moved up to 3/4 cup and 3/4 cup infusions in the 3rd tri.  I ended up with about 4 times more nettles than RRL cause they weigh less by volume I guess.  I didn't really think about that.  Depending on how strong you are going to make your infusions, I'm guessing a lb of RRL and .3 - .5 lbs of nettles will get you through the pregnancy plus a little for PP.  Or PM me and I will ship you nettles because I have WAY more than I'm ever going to use.  Seriously.

[joyfulmomof2]

Originally Posted by PrincessSputnik 

There are a couple of herbal Stash teas that I've been mixing my RRL/Nettle blend with on days that I just don't want to drink another cup of the stuff. Mango Pomagranate and Blueberry White tea work nicely. Teopia also has a white pear ginger tea that goes nicely with RRL...

That actually sounds really good! I hadn't thought of using flavored white tea. :-)

[sraplayas]

Sraplayas, this may be too late but I ordered 3 lbs of nettles and RRL at the beginning of the 2nd trimester.  I started out with a 1/2 cup and 1/2 cup infusion in the 2nd tri and moved up to 3/4 cup and 3/4 cup infusions in the 3rd tri.  I ended up with about 4 times more nettles than RRL cause they weigh less by volume I guess.  I didn't really think about that.  Depending on how strong you are going to make your infusions, I'm guessing a lb of RRL and .3 - .5 lbs of nettles will get you through the pregnancy plus a little for PP.  Or PM me and I will ship you nettles because I have WAY more than I'm ever going to use.  Seriously.

You are so sweet!! You know I just placed an order last night for the herbs! Oh well, I bet some other mama might really be able to use them.:) That was really kind of you, though.
 

[AndtheStars]

Yeah, so I've got a lot of nettles....does anyone want some?  Please PM me.  They are organic, ordered from Mountain Rose Herbs. 

[MovnMama]

Originally Posted by AndtheStars 

I drink a quart of strongly infused RRL and nettles at least 5 days of the week.  I mix a couple TBS of frozen lemonade concentrate in to help with the taste.

Sraplayas, this may be too late but I ordered 3 lbs of nettles and RRL at the beginning of the 2nd trimester.  I started out with a 1/2 cup and 1/2 cup infusion in the 2nd tri and moved up to 3/4 cup and 3/4 cup infusions in the 3rd tri.  I ended up with about 4 times more nettles than RRL cause they weigh less by volume I guess.  I didn't really think about that.  Depending on how strong you are going to make your infusions, I'm guessing a lb of RRL and .3 - .5 lbs of nettles will get you through the pregnancy plus a little for PP.  Or PM me and I will ship you nettles because I have WAY more than I'm ever going to use.  Seriously.

Andthestars, can you clarify how much water you are infusing with your 1/2 cup + 1/2 cup measurements? I'm starting to feel like maybe my infusions should be stronger, and the information on the www is so varied.

I'm infusing 1/4 cup RRL and 1/4 cup nettle to 1 hot water and a loooooooong steep, and I do get BH ctx from this (which I DO NOT get when I'm not drinking it, so I feel there's a pretty strong correlation) and I'm happy about the BH because my impression is that they are good exercise for the uterus. 

Thanks for any info!

[Sharlla]

i bought a big bag of RRL on vitacost.  and just brew with green tea