Red Clover Blossoms

Red Clover, Trifolium pretense. The blossoms are one of my favorite edible flowers. I call these bright magenta colored flower tops, “gum drops”! Just pop the sweet blossoms into your mouth while harvesting. Red Clover is a mineral rich plant that nourishes not only horses and cows, but people too. The high mineral content is supportive to the kidneys and builds red blood cells. It is a rich source of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, chromium, niacin, thiamine and vitamin C.

Getting to Know Red Clover

Red Clover is a perennial member of the pea family and blooms from Spring into Fall. The blossoms are ready to be harvested when they are large and still deep in color. The best time to harvest Red Clover is in the morning when the blossoms are still moist. The blossoms and leaves can be added to salads and dried for tea.

Red Clover is an Alterative herb, which means it detoxifies and purifies the blood, helping to remove metabolic waste from the body, reliving skin ailments like eczema, psoriasis, acne and other skin conditions caused by impurities in the blood and lymph. Red Clover is an excellent detoxifying herb taken internally as a tea or tincture and it can be added to oils and skin healing salves.

Red Clover is considered a mild lymphatic and was historically used for scrofula, a disease of lymphatic swellings related to a form of tuberculosis. It is also known for lowering cholesterol, boosting circulation, supporting the cardiovascular system, and reducing hypertension making it a great herb to add to heart tonic formulas.

Due to its phytoestrogenic properties, Red Clover is known to be an effective remedy for menopause and fertility due to its isoflavones and estrogen-like qualities. It is used in many menopausal herbal remedies to help reduce menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats. For hormone-sensitive conditions, such as breast cancer, ovarian cancer, or endometriosis, you should speak to your healthcare provider before taking red clover due to its estrogenic activity.

Red Clover may slow blood clotting and should be avoided by those with bleeding disorders.

Disclaimer:

Herbal supplements are not intended to prevent or cure any specific disease. Consult with your Health Care Provider, Herbalist, Nutritionist, or Registered Dietitian before taking an herbal supplement to determine the proper dosage and to clarify any contraindications for allergies, pregnancy, and/or interactions with medications.