Red raspberry leaves are high in many nutrients and may offer health benefits for pregnant and non-pregnant women alike.


Good Source of Nutrients and Antioxidants Red raspberry leaves are rich in vitamins and minerals.


They provide B vitamins, vitamin C and a number of minerals, including potassium, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus and iron. However, their most notable contribution might be their antioxidant properties (1, 2Trusted Source).


Red raspberry leaves contain polyphenols like tannins and flavonoids, which act as antioxidants in your body and can help protect cells from damage.


In addition, the leaves contain small amounts of ellagic acids, which have been shown to neutralize carcinogens and even contribute to the self-destruction of cancer cells (2Trusted Source, 3Trusted Source).


While more research is needed on the cancer-fighting potential of red raspberry leaves, current results are promising.


In any case, the leaves’ nutrient profile make red raspberry leaf tea a healthy choice.


May Be Especially Beneficial for Women, Red raspberry leaf tea is especially popular due to its possible benefits for pregnant women. However, it seems to help women in general.


In fact, it’s often referred to as the woman’s herb.

Some research supports the anecdotal evidence of women saying that the leaves help relieve premenstrual symptoms (PMS), such as cramping, vomiting, nausea and diarrhea (2Trusted Source, 4Trusted Source).


Red raspberry leaves contain fragarine, a plant compound that helps tone and tighten muscles in the pelvic area, which may reduce the menstrual cramping caused by the spasms of these muscles (4Trusted Source).


While there is currently no specific recommendation on the quantity to drink, sipping on some red raspberry leaf tea may relieve some of the discomforts of your menstrual cycle.


What’s more, one ounce (28 grams) of red raspberry leaves pack 3.3 mg of iron, which is 18% of the recommended daily intake (RDI) for women aged 19–50. Getting enough iron can combat the anemia often experienced by women with heavy menstrual cycles (2Trusted Source, 5).


SUMMARY

Rich in nutrients and antioxidants, red raspberry leaf tea may offer health and nutrition benefits and help relieve premenstrual symptoms.


Uses in Pregnancy

Herbal teas have been used by midwives throughout history to help with some of the negative symptoms associated with pregnancy and labor.


One study evaluated the use of herbal remedies in 600 pregnant women. It showed that 52% of women regularly used some kind of herbal remedy and 63% of women had tried red raspberry leaf tea (6Trusted Source).


While red raspberry leaf tea is typically recommended for the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, some women use the herbal remedy to help with nausea and vomiting in the first trimester as well (5).


Red raspberry leaf tea has also been used to strengthen the uterus, improve labor outcome and prevent excessive bleeding after childbirth.


May Help Shorten Labor, Many women claim that red raspberry leaf tea helps shorten labor.


The fragarine compound found in red raspberry leaves is known to help tone and tighten muscles in the pelvic area, including the walls of your uterus, which can help make delivery easier (4Trusted Source).


A study of 108 women showed that those who drank red raspberry leaf tea in the last stage of pregnancy had a shorter first stage of labor (7Trusted Source).


The study was repeated a year later among 192 women. It showed that red raspberry leaf tea did not shorten the first stage of labor but did shorten the second stage by an average of 9.59 minutes (8Trusted Source).


Reduce Interventions and Complications of Childbirth, There is some evidence to show that drinking red raspberry leaf tea may allow for a labor with fewer complications.


One study found that women who drank red raspberry leaf tea later in pregnancy had reduced use of forceps and other interventions, as well as a reduction in the likelihood of pre- and post-term labor (7Trusted Source).


Similarly, another study showed an 11% decreased use of forceps during birth for women who consumed red raspberry leaf tea in the last eight weeks of pregnancy (8Trusted Source).


The American Pregnancy Association also states that drinking the tea may reduce the need for interventions during childbirth (9).


It’s thought that an easier labor with fewer interventions could decrease the amount of bleeding in the postpartum state (4Trusted Source).


SUMMARY

Red raspberry leaf tea may help strengthen your uterine walls, decrease labor time and reduce the use of birthing interventions.