Raspberry is a nutritive herb and gentle tonic astringent with an affinity for the pelvic region and mucous membranes. This tonic astringent action is raspberry’s ‘headline act’ so to speak and this action is responsible for a lot of raspberry’s medicinal uses.

Rubus Idaeus is the most common medicinal variety in Western Herbalism, and in Australia, there are many native species we can use, such as: Rubus rosifolius, Rubus moluccanus, Rubus probus.

We mostly use the raspberry leaf in herbal medicine, but you can use the root as well, and of course the fruit are a delicious, highly nutritious food that is a great source of the prized anthocyanins antioxidants and a rich source of fibre at 7 or 8g/100g.

Raspberry leaf for birth and post-partum

Wild Raspberry is already well-known as a herb to support a healthy birth. Many women drink raspberry leaf tea in the last month of pregnancy to prepare the uterus for birth. But you don’t have to stop there.

Drinking it post-birth also helps the uterus return to its original size.

As a nutritive herb, wild raspberry is also a bioavailable source of nutrients for the new mama, or anyone else. Best prepared as a nourishing infusion or infused vinegar for its nutritive qualities.

Raspberry leaf for diarrhea and digestive system

Many people don’t realise raspberry leaf or root can also stop diarrhea.

Now, the regular caution here is that diarrhea is actually an intelligent response of the body helping you get rid of pathogens! Even if it feels awful, that sounds pretty smart huh!?

So we don’t necessarily want to stop infectious diarrhea at the first blast. If diarrhea goes on for more than 48-72 hours, or you’ve got chronic loose stools, raspberry leaf or root’s astringent action helps to tighten and tone the digestive mucosa and its anti-inflammatory properties help calm irritation.

Like a true goldilocks situation, you want to use just enough, not drying out the bowels so much the diarrhea turns to constipation (and remember, if chronic loose stools is a thing for you, don’t just use raspberry leaf, ask why, and address root cause).

Raspberry leaf could also be helpful in digestive formulas for leaky gut, gastroenteritis, irritable bowel (with damp relaxation pattern) and hemorrhoids.

Other uses for Raspberry Leaf

Raspberry’s leaf’s goodness doesn’t stop there. You could work with raspberry leaf in the urinary system, as a mouthwash for bleeding gums or mouth ulcers, as a toning face wash for acne and oily skin, hemorrhoids, and sore throats from post-nasal drip.

How to identify raspberry leaf?

There are quite a few varieties of raspberry leaf you can work with medicinally in Australia, mentioned above. Whilst all will be somewhat interchangeable, you might find some varieties are more astringent, so always taste and experiment with the variety you’ve got.

For full ID points and information, join the Home Herbalist Club.

How to harvest raspberry leaf?

Raspberries are covered in little thorns, so make sure to wear gloves and protected clothes, especially if harvested from a patch of raspberries.

ALWAYS remember to harvest ethically and sustainably, which includes: not taking more than you need, not harvesting at all if there’s only a few plants — remember, the plants aren’t just free medicine or here for us, raspberries provide food and habitat for other creatures and are of benefit to their ecosystem as well.

Having said that, sometimes raspberries get very weedy and it’s helpful to harvest them so they don’t dominate an area.

Typically the leaves are harvested before the plant flowers.

If using, you can harvest the root in the autumn, when it goes dormant (depending on species and location). Remove sections of lateral root (not the entire taproot), take no more than 20, 30% from any plant. And remember the root is more astringent than the leaf, so will have a stronger effect on the body. This can lead to too much tone or dryness in the body, so take care to not consume more than you need. The leaf is a gentler remedy and is more commonly worked with.

Raspberry Leaf Safety

R. Idaeus and native Australian Rubus species are all regarded as low-risk herbs with no significant toxicity at normal therapeutic doses.

Contraindications

• Constipation or dry/deficient bowel conditions, astringent herbs will aggravate dryness
• Iron-deficiency anaemia, tannins can chelate iron and inhibit absorption; avoid taking with iron-rich meals or supplements
• Medications where tannin binding may reduce absorption, general precaution; space doses apart
• Known allergy to Rosaceae family plants (rose, strawberry, raspberry, apple)

Pregnancy

• Fruit: Considered safe as food throughout pregnancy
• Leaf tea: Traditionally used to prepare the uterus in late pregnancy (after 36 weeks); this use is widely followed but is based on traditional evidence primarily from Rubus idaeus, use with the guidance of a qualified midwife or herbalist
• Root bark: Best avoided in pregnancy due to stronger astringent and potentially uterine-stimulating action in large doses
• First trimester: Exercise caution with leaf tea in therapeutic doses; small culinary amounts likely fine

For detailed info on Wild Raspberry leaf medicinal benefits and uses, including lots of images and how to ID and harvest it yourself, join the Home Herbalist Club. The Home Herbalist Club is your all-in-one, heart-led home for learning herbal medicine. A place to grow your skills, confidence, and connection to nature while caring for yourself and your family naturally.

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Having a small, thoughtfully chosen collection of herbs on hand can be the difference between feeling panicked and overwhelmed, or calm and prepared when sickness strikes.

Herbs I’d never be without come cold and flu season:

1. Elderberry
2. Echinacea
3. Ginger
4. Garlic
5. Sage
6. Thyme
7. Licorice

(you don’t necessarily need them all, but make sure you’ve got herbs to support the immune system and herbs to help with symptoms of a cold and flu. Get my Confident Care Method in a soon-to-be-released new Herbal Cold and Flu Care course!! Join the newsletter to get first access and a discount!!

Let’s get into why:

Elderberry:

Over the past few years, elderberry has been a posterchild for cold and flu season… and honestly, for good reason! Clinically proven to effectively reduce severity and duration of flus, and with a long history of being the ‘people’s medicine chest’.

You’ve got to have it in the house though, as it’s most effective within the first 24 hours of illness. The syrup is beloved by kids, and pairs well with ginger and cinnamon in a decoction (tea).

Get recipe in this free Ebook

Echinacea

If Elderberry’s the posterchild of the 2010, then echinacea was the poster child of the 90s. It might surprise  you to know that echinacea wasn’t traditionally used to stimulate the immune system for cold and flus, but rather was a blood cleansing herb, specifically used for snake bite. Nevertheless, tingly echinacea root tincture is still a popular and effective antiviral herb you can turn to in your home!

Ginger

Spicy fresh ginger is a must-have for winter wellness because it supports circulation, helps warm the body from the inside out, and is especially helpful when you’re feeling chilled, congested, or run down. A simple ginger tea can be surprisingly powerful when you need something to help with fevers, nausea, body aches, gastro, coughs, and more.

Use ginger, and garlic, in this fire cider recipe

Garlic

You know how you get garlic breath? That’s not actually cause you ate garlic. It’s because your body eliminate the sulfur compounds through the lungs. AND that’s why garlic is so effective for respiratory viruses, because it gets the germ-killing antimicrobial action exactly where it needs to be. It’s pungency also helps warm the body, get the blood moving and stimulate the immune system.

It’s great eaten as raw garlic, paired with toast, or a spoon of honey to help buffer the stomach, as it’s too hot and irritating for some. We’re incredibly lucky something so powerful is  easily available at the grocery store.

Sage

Sage is one of my all-time favourite sore throat herbs with a long track record of use and it’s got a special affinity for the head and throat area! Sage’s astringent qualities help to reduce swelling and its antimicrobial action helps to kill pathogens (infection-causing microbes). Great to have on hand, or growing merrily in your garden come winter.

Learn more about best herbs for sore throats

Thyme

Gahhhh, I feel like again I have to say I wanna be BFFs with thyme.. but I can’t really say this about ALL these herbs (or can I!?).

Thyme is a powerhouse when it comes to respiratory support, especially for the lungs. Thyme can be taken as a tea, syrup, tincture, vinegar, herbal steam for coughs, congestion and sore throats. Also great for the digestive system if you suffer from digestive issues that can accompany cold and flus, or even gastro.  

You might notice a trend with these spices, but they’re all warming, which is helpful during the cold time of year (hahaha it does make me laugh, writing about ‘cold’ in the subtropics. But I tell you, as soon as it drops below 20, my jumper comes out haha).

It’s traditionally used to support circulation and digestion, making it particularly helpful when you’re feeling cold, sluggish, or depleted. Added to teas, broths, or herbal blends, cinnamon helps create that deeply nourishing, warming effect your body craves in winter.

Licorice

Licorice is soothing, moistening, and deeply supportive to dry and irritated tissues. Pairs really well with thyme for coughs, and goes well in teas for sore throats and everything else.

Honourable mentions

I didn’t want to give you a list of 13 winter essentials… but honestly, I’d also never be without cinnamon, lemons, honey and eucalyptus essential oil. Simple staples to have on hand.

What’s your plan this winter? Do you have the herbs you need on hand? If remedies need time to sit (like vinegars, or tinctures), have you started them off?

Hope this list helps you get started stocking your winter medicine chest. Any questions, come join my mailing list and ask away! I love answering our community’s questions.

Get small batches of herbs at Mudbrick Herb Cottage or Wildwood Organics, or a health food store local to you.

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Like the three horsemen of the apocalypse; air, heat and light are the enemies of your herbal shelf-life.

They, along with the original freshness and quality of your ingredients, will determine whether your herbs and remedies have a shorter or longer shelf-life.

So whilst the following is a general guide, always think about where it’s stored and how your herbs/ remedies are used. Ie. If your herbal salve’s sitting in a temperature-stable dark cupboard, it’s very different to in your hot car in summer!

What’s the shelf-life for dried herbs?

Dry herbs: 1 – 2 years,

Roots tend to last longer than aerial parts (leaves and flowers)

Powdered herbs: 2 – 6 months. Whole herbs last a lot longer than powdered herbs

Syrups: 2-4 months (or less),with lesser honey/ sugar ratio the shorter the shelf life

What’s the shelf-life for infused oils or herbal salves?

Infused oils

Infused oil: 6months – 2 years, depends how fresh oil is when started

Herbal salves: 1 -2 years, depending on oil and storage

Cream or lotion:  week to months, depending on preservative

What’s the shelf-life for tincture and other Extracts?

Here’s the shelf-life for herbal remedies from shortest to longest

Teas, infusions and decoctions: 24-48 hours (store in fridge if want it to last longer)

Herbal vinegars:  1 year

Oxymel: 1 year

Glycetracts/ glycerites:  1 year

Infused honey: 1+ year

Electuaries: 1 year

Hydrosols: 1 -2 years

Herbal capsules: 6 months – 1 year

Elixirs: 2 years

Tinctures:  2 – 5/10 years, depending on storage and usage.

How to tell if your herbs have gone bad?

I always recommend being a remedy-detective. By that I mean, know what your herbs and remedies look and smell like when you’ve made them. Lock that knowledge in your knowledge box, so that over time, your nose and eyes will be your ultimately shelf life detectors.

If something smells off, is fuzzy or has visible signs of mould growing on it, then absolutely discard. With some remedies, you’ll have the beginnings of mould growth before it’s really visible as well, not to make your paranoid, but even if it looks okay-ish, if you can’t remember when you made it…. might be time to ditch it.

Herbal storage tips for longer shelf-life

I cover this in more depth in my Mastering Herbal Teas course, that’s a great resource to check out, but in general, top tips are:

• Store in cool, dark, dry places
• Use airtight glass jars
• Label with date made

Ready to learn more about herbal medicine-making this year? Join my last online course for the year, Make your summer apothecary: 3 week medicine-making course. Starts October 21

PS – Getting your senses involved in home herbalism is an absolute gamechanger and can make you a way better herbalist. We cover this extensively, in such a fun, hands-on way in my Embodied Herbalism: Herbal Tastes course.

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This recipe takes a herbal and wholefoods approach to supporting iron and mineral levels in the body.

Nothing in the body works in isolation and rather than relying on isolated vitamins and minerals, this syrup incorporates iron and mineral-rich foods that also contain many bioavailable cofactors that are necessary for optimum iron absorption, such as copper, vitamin C and magnesium.

Ingredients

• 1 litre water
• 3 tablespoons yellow dock (Rumex Crispus) root
• 3 tablespoons nettle (Urtica Dioica)
• 2 tablespoons dandelion (Taraxacum Officinale) root
• 2 tablespoons alfalfa (Medicago Sativa)
• 2 tablespoons dried apricots
• ½ – 1 cup raw honey
• ¼ cup Brandy (optional: preservative)
• ¼ cup Fruit concentrate (for flavour) (up to ½ cup if plain fruit juice) – sour cherry, pomegranate are delicious (or to taste)
• 2 tablespoons Blackstrap molasses
• 2 teaspoons Nutritional yeast
• Spirulina powder (optional)

Optional: 3 tablespoons dandelion leaf, 3 tablespoons raspberry (rubus idaeus) leaf, 1 tablespoons horsetail (Equisetum) (short term herb) 1 tablespoons rosehips (rosa sp.), 1 tablespoon seaweed,  ½ tablespoons fennel (foeniculum vulgare), 1 teaspoon spirulina powder  (if you include all these, maybe increase water to 5/ 6 cups and adjust other ratios as needed)

Directions:

1. Add the herbs, dried apricots and water to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Then lower heat, cover with lid and simmer for 1 hour. Over this time, even with lid on, the liquid should reduce a bit to make a more concentrated tea (to roughly 2.5 cups).
2. Strain herbs (pressing gently with a spoon to extract most of the liquid) and pour liquid back into pot.
3. Add remaining ingredients and mix  (start with ½ cup honey and once combined, add more if needed).
4. Pour into a bottle and label with ingredients and date made

Shelf life: iron syrup will last up to a month in the fridge (maybe longer). Discard if taste changes, goes fizzy, smells fermented  or any signs of mould (I’ve never seen any of this, just mentioning)

Suggested use: adults –  2- 4 tablespoons. Reduce dose if get loose stools.

Can drink as is, or dilute with water.

Drink away from dairy as dairy inhibits iron absoroption.

(Rosemary Gladstar’s (recipe  which this recipe is based off) had a suggested dose of 4 – 6 tablespoons)

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We can use this annual time to ensure we’re living the lives we most want to lead.

Before we get to the questions, let’s take some time to set ourselves up:
The following are best answered from a place of stillness and quiet. So make sure you set aside some time for yourself where you won’t be distracted. If it’s part of your practice, or you think it would help you, you can use ritual, such as lighting a candle, sitting outside, making a cuppa, starting with breathwork – whatever would feel supportive and familiar to you.

In case you couldn’t see the images, the questions (more prompts are in the images)

⭐ What do you value most in life?
⭐ Does your life currently reflect those values?
⭐ Who are you now?
⭐ Who do you want to become?
⭐ What small changes can you make to better align with the life you most want to lead?

I really hope these questions prompt clarity and insight.

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