Email This Article
One of my all-time favorites: Red Clover Tea
June is the time when red clover starts to flower here, and I often pick a handful from along the driveway when I go down the hill with my pup to get the mail or the newspaper.
When my kids were little, they used to earn summer money by picking and drying it to sell to my clients for $1 a bag. Those days are long gone, but you can pick it yourself if you have access to a yard or field where it grows wild. The flowers are slightly sweet, which is why the bees love it for honey-making. You can pull apart a flower or two and add it to salad or top a cup of your own tea, hot or cold, but my favorite use for red clover is as an iced herbal tea.
Here’s how to make it: Pick the flower and the top leaves, and pour about a quart of boiling water over a handful of flowers. You can add honey or xylitol, or just enjoy its own natural sweetness. You can brew it for as little as 10 minutes, but I like to cover and steep for at least 4-6 hours, and as long as overnight. Strain and refrigerate, or pour right over ice. Of course you can also add some wild mint, lemon balm, or a few dandelion leaves for extra taste or nutrition.
Red clover is not just pleasant; it’s a wonderful tonic with many nutritional benefits. It is rich in minerals, including calcium, magnesium and potassium, as well as Vitamin C and Vitamin E.
Traditionally the flowers have been used for a wide variety of ailments, including a liver and digestive aid, and for spasmodic coughs and asthma. More recently, red clover has demonstrated some promise as an anti-cancer agent for prostate cancer, relief of menopausal symptoms and breast health for women. Used externally, it is soothing to the skin.
Got extra? Dry it thoroughly and save it for a time when you can’t pick it fresh.
Fran Sussman has been in holistic care since 1988 and in private practice since 1993. Apart from one-on-one consulting, Fran is sought after as a speaker, workshop leader and meditation teacher. She writes a column on Holistic Health for The Times Herald Record, and has been featured frequently in Natural Awakenings magazine. Read more »
