Raspberry Leaf

Raspberry leaf tea is a well know prenatal tonic. It tones your uterus as well as provides vitamins and minerals including calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium and vitamins A, E and the B complex that are easily assimilated.

Some people advise not to take raspberry leaf until the last 3 months of pregnancy but others say it is safe during the whole pregnancy. It has been suggested that during the first trimester one cup daily (or at least 5 times per week) is the ideal dose, two cups daily for the second trimester and three cups daily for the third trimester. I have been having raspberry leaf tea daily since a few months before conception.

A hot cup of tea might be the last thing you want in the middle of summer but I have discovered that iced raspberry leaf tea with nettle and peppermint is amazingly refreshing (and also helps to keep your fluids up on those hot days). You can make up a pot of tea the night before and put it in the fridge so you have super cold tea all day.

Here's a great blog post on raspberry leaf if you want to read more.
http://journeytocrunchville.wordpress.com/2008/07/28/red-raspberry-leaf-tea-what-every-pregnant-woman-needs/

And don't forget, you don't have to be pregnant (or female!) to reap the benefits of raspberry leaf.