Red raspberry leaf tea recipes? « Back to Group Discussions

[LightForest]

I know we've discussed this before here and there, but I thought it would be nice to have a dedicated spot for sharing our favorite RRL concoctions. Is anyone else drinking it regularly? Hot or cold? What else do you add, and what's your favorite brewing method?

I'll share my method, FWIW.

4 parts red raspberry leaf

4 parts nettles

1 part oatstraw

1 part alfalfa

Mix the herb blend well and add a handful to a pot filled with about 12 cups of boiling water. (I tie my herbs in a cloth square.) Add about 1/4 cup sugar. Let tea steep for about 30 or 45 minutes. Remove herbs and let tea cool a bit more before transferring to glass jars and refrigerating.

This much tea only lasts a day or two in my house. DH loves the stuff! I joke that he must have the most wonderfully toned uterus of any man in the world

[writermama12]

Great thread topic. I am new to this tea and bought a pound of a pregnancy herbal mix including RRL. I drink it a few times a week when I remember to. I don't know how long to steep though. It doesn't get bitter after 30 min?

[LightForest]

Originally Posted by writermama12 

It doesn't get bitter after 30 min?

Yeah 30-45 minutes is about the max I've steeped it without it getting too bitter for my taste. I think the added sugar really does help a lot.

[LightForest]

BTW writermama, do you know what else is in the pregnancy mix that you bought?

[jodieanneanton]

Originally Posted by LightForest 

This much tea only lasts a day or two in my house. DH loves the stuff! I joke that he must have the most wonderfully toned uterus of any man in the world

 My DH drinks mine, too!  

I make a mix of dried cut leaves that I use for my tea!  I make it by the cup and drink 1-2 cups/day depending on my memory.  :)

I don't use exact ingredients every time, but it roughly breaks down to this in a 4cup mason jar:

2  cups RRL

1 1/3 cup Nettles

1/3 c alfalfa

1/3 c spearmint leaf

Sometimes if I have, I throw in rosehips. Sometimes I forgo the spearmint and add dried lemon or orange zest both!  

I boil water and seep a good amt (??I don't know how much... a T, maybe more?) covered for 15 minutes!  :)  I usually don't need sweetening action, but if I am in a sweety sweet mood, I choose a quick squeeze of honey.  

YUM!

[cabbitdancer]

I've been making mine a cup at a time, since I've got teabags for the nettle and RRL. But I use one bag each of nettle and RRL and then a teaspoon of some caramel flavored ceylon, steeped for about 5 minutes before adding a spot of heavy cream. ;)

[MissMuffet]

Does anyone know if it's ok to drink RRL with green tea, being that the former is high in iron and the latter 'leeches' iron (or so I heard)? I'm a green tea junky so that's how I drink the RRL- a teaspoonful with a bag of green tea, steeped just for a few minutes.

[sunshinelove]

Originally Posted by MissMuffet 

Does anyone know if it's ok to drink RRL with green tea, being that the former is high in iron and the latter 'leeches' iron (or so I heard)? I'm a green tea junky so that's how I drink the RRL- a teaspoonful with a bag of green tea, steeped just for a few minutes.

I just read up on the topic and it seems that if you're a regular, long-time drinker of green tea your body adapts so that it doesnt leech iron (it happens in people who dont drink it that often though). Heres the link if you'd like to read more: http://www.amazing-green-tea.com/green-tea-and-iron.html

AFM: I bought a canister of pregnancy tea called "Bottom of the Ninth" by The Spoiled Mama, a small company based in San Francisco. It has a mixture of red raspberry, nettle, spearmint, oatstraw, orange peel, chamomile, rosehips and alfalfa. It is very good, a nice balance of flavors plus I can tell how healthy it is when I drink it. Heres a link: http://www.thespoiledmama.com/Bottom-of-the-Ninth-Sippin-Tea_p_8.html

[LightForest]

Are the rosehips for vitamin C? For those of you who blend your own teas, what proportion of rosehips do you use? I've tried adding them before but I don't think I put in enough - the flavor seemed unchanged to me.

[jodieanneanton]

I just throw in a little rosehips when I have some.  No change to flavor happens really.... I use it for the Vitamin C.

[herbsgirl]

Im drinking a strong bitter tasting raspberry leaf hoping that it will help strengthen my uterus. I started very seriously drinking about 25 weeks and Iv only missed 3 days in my 3 rd trimester  up to now. Im 35 weeks and Im up to about a cup of red raspberry leaf in 1 quart jar for 4 hours.   My body seems to get used to it, even though the contractions are hard, I cant feel them as much or something. I am hoping it will help with labor, delivery, and also afterwards, as I experienced alot of  uterine atony after my daughters birth. Hoping for a wonderful, fast delivery and good recovery God willing!
 

[writermama12]

Lightforest, the mix I bought online is called Blessed Beginnings Herbal Formula from Birthjunkie.com. It has RRL, spearmint, nettle, alfalfa, oatstraw, rosehips, fennel, and lemongrass. It tastes good without any sweetener. I love all types of tea though, especially green and oolong, so maybe I am used to the earthy flavor of teas. I usually steep it for a little under 10 min. But I am unfamiliar with herbal teas and don't know if the good properties can be released in a shorter steeping time or if a longer one is preferred. It seems like so far on this thread, there is a range.