Summer is here and all across the country red clovers are in full bloom. In every state you will find these red clovers. Most people call them weeds but what they are in fact are herbs, herbs of which you can make herbal medicines and teas and soaps, shampoos, etc. They are in fact on of the first cultivated crops in history, all the way back to the 1800’s red clover has been used as an aid to preventing cancer and many other ailments. Today the national cancer institute is looking at red clover as an actual cancer treatment including prevention and cure of cancer. Red clover has the active ingredients of daidzein and genistein which actually help prevent the growth of cancerous tumors. The possible benefit of using isoflavones in the process of chemoprevention, which is cancer prevention, is also being investigated by epidemiologist in many Asian countries where a lot of isoflavone rich soy products are consumed by the majority of the population. Red clover also contains tocopherol, a form of Vitamin E that some studies have linked to reduced risk of heart attack and cancer.
You don’t have to be an herbalist to use red clover and get its benefits; in fact anyone can pick a handful of red clover flowers, wash them and then steep them in a cup of boiled water for five minutes. Using red clover and making an herbal tea with it is about all it takes for you to experience the healing properties of red clover. Red clover tea tastes sweet and very refreshing, especially on a hot summer day. Mixed with another flavor such as pear, strawberry, lemon, or especially mint red clover tea really takes on a vibrant color and taste that is sure to delight the taste buds of any herbal tea drinker. When you gather red clover do not gather it in places of heavy vehicle traffic or other pollutants and always wash your red clover before use to get rid of any pollutants, dirt or pollen. Fresh clover make the best tea, but if you want to preserve the clovers then a good way is to store them in the freezer in a airtight zip lock bag. Then when you want some clover tea, you have quick easy access to it. You can also dry the flowers in the shade on paper and store them in a paper bag hung up till they dry out. Then store the dried herb in an airtight jar in a dark cool cupboard.
Use about 1 tablespoon of dried herb per cup of tea. Add sweetener such as organic sugar or honey to taste. According to teabenefits.com, some of the health benefits attributed to red clover tea are the following:
• Red Clover Tea may help relieve symptoms of pre-menstrual syndrome in pre-menopausal women.
• Red Clover Tea appears to reduce bad cholesterol levels.
• Red Clover Tea may limit the development of benign prostate hyperplasia.
• Red Clover Tea may help reduce the build-up of plaque that contributes to heart disease.
• Red Clover Tea may help in the flow of blood to the arteries and to the veins.
• Red Clover Tea may help delay bone loss due to osteoporosis.
• Red Clover Tea may help in the overall efforts to treat tuberculosis and some sexually-transmitted diseases like syphilis.
• Red Clover Tea may help in treating inflammation and infection.
When wild harvesting red clover you want to take just the flowers, they are called red clover but the flowers are typically purple. Other names used for this particular clover is cow clover, clover, meadow clover, purple clover and red clover. Red clover also helps in high cholesterol, and menopause.
For more information:
Vitamin stuff.com red clover
Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)
Comments