Raspberry leaf is a girl's best friend! Seriously though, who would have thought the leaves of one of our favorite fruits would be so powerful? It's benefits to the female reproductive system are most commonly recognized as helpful during pregnancy, and you will find it in "pregnancy teas" in the tea aisle, however- these same benefits are helpful to us women at all stages of our reproductive lives.
Raspberry Leaf has been known to:
Alleviate symptoms of PMS
Improve fertility
Decrease pregnancy complications
This recipe includes a few of my other favorite women's health ingredients. Collagen peptides help make this tonic creamy and are known by many cultures for the wonders they do for your skin. When I was in Hong Kong, I saw collagen everywhere and learned that women steep a traditional collagen tea every morning for their skin health. Besides it benefitting our bones, hair, teeth and joint, it also is said to reduce cellulite and stretch marks. I use Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides powder in my smoothies and tonics including this one.
Coconut butter is such a delicious compliment to the raspberry leaf! It makes the tonic extra frothy and in regards to women's healthy- it contains iron, which many of us are deficient of. Additionally, the "good fat" in coconut oil has been said to aid in balancing hormones. Vanilla and almond extract give the tonic flavor and cinnamon adds an extra kick while helping to stabilize blood sugar. Adding any additional adaptogens will bring further benefits based on your personal needs. I add reishi to it because that is my go to anxiety relief adaptogen but you can add pine pollen or ashwaganda to aid in additional hormonal balance. Please note, as I have shared many times, I am not a nutritionist or doctor and am sharing knowledge that I have gained through my own research.
Ingredients:
2 c hot water
2 tbsp melted coconut butter
1 tsp cinnamon
10-20 g collagen peptides (remove for vegan option)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
1 raspberry leaf tea bag (I like this Yogi Tea) or 1 tbsp loose raspberry leaf
Optional: adaptogens such as reishi (anxiety relief) or ashwaganda/pine pollen (hormone balancing)
Method:
Warm up water for the tea while warming up the coconut butter. Put coconut butter jar in a bath of warm water for about 10 minutes to melt
Steep the raspberry leaf tea for 6-8 minutes
Combine the tea and remaining ingredients in a high speed blender
Blend on high and pour into a mug, top with a little extra cinnamon and enjoy