There are just too many choices sometimes, which can make it difficult to find a quick fix. My body was super ovary-acting this week and I needed something to help me feel better, but I had three different tea bags that all purported the same benefits, what was I to do? A side-by-side comparison, of course!!
I brewed Traditional Medicinals Raspberry Leaf, Yogi Women’s Moon Cycle, and Republic of Tea’s SuperHerb Raspberry Leaf at the same time. They ALL include organic materials, yay!
They claim: Tones uterus to aid in effective contractions. So when we think about toning other muscles … you’re using them in a stronger way, so don’t be surprised if it creates more intense sensations. That’s how it reacts for me, and if given the choice, I’d choose short but intense cramps rather than mild and long-lasting – just to get ’em over with. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Yogi’s Women’s Moon Cycle includes several different herbals, the most out of these three samples, and has a medium brew time of 7 minutes. This comes out as cloudy and copper-colored, smelling like a chai, mmmmmm. This has a light, spicy taste, and leaves nothing on the tongue when it finishes. I like this both with and without sweetener.
Republic of Tea’s Organic Raspberry Leaf SuperHerb Tea includes raspberry fruit flavor and rosehips. This had the quickest brew time at 5-7 minutes. It was VERY fruity smelling, making me feel a bit averse to it. Fortunately it had a lighter taste than it’s initial strong smell, but there’s a long aftertaste. And somehow I get a distinct banana taste! A little sweetener tones down the nanners, and wow this might be a nice addition to a smoothie!
Traditional Medicinals is the purist, with only red raspberry leaves inside. They recommend the longest brew time at 10-15 min, but that’s kind of standard for whole leaf tisanes. It’s brassy colored, and smells like a black tea, but with none of the caffeine. This simple flavor would be good if you were feeling nausea. Anecdotally, when I was pregnant, I had doctor’s approval to drink some of this during my third trimester and I went into a nice short 12 hour labor right on my due date! But that could have been from eating dates, or prenatal massage, or typhoon approaching, or Murphy’s law with our schedule, or that I’m Wonder Woman, or just plain dumb luck……. Anyhow, this was my personal favorite of the three.
Each tea offers its own perks, depending on what your personal comfort medicine is, each could be a nice fix.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Bagged Tisanes
Where to Buy: Traditional Medicinals
Gently nurturing and a friend of women. Supports healthy menstruation, tones the uterus and may be used for menstrual cramps.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Where to Buy: Yogi Teas
We combine Raspberry Leaf, traditionally used for centuries to address common menstrual discomforts, and Chamomile which has been used for centuries to help soothe the mind and body. Infuse harmony and comfort into the days of your monthly cycle with a calming cup of Woman’s Moon Cycle® tea.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Where to Buy: Republic of Tea
Red Raspberry Leaf is perhaps the most popular herb among midwives and herbalists. From fertility to pregnancy to nursing to even menopause, this herb can help women at virtually every stage of life.* It has been long revered for its ability to help tone uterine muscles and balance menstrual cycles. With a hint of vanilla and berry notes, this tea is reminiscent of a fruity parfait.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Raspberry Leaf from Traditional Medicinals
Traditional Medicinals offers a variety of tea blends to help ease whatever ails you. I got an opportunity to try their Raspberry Leaf blend. I most often encounter raspberry leaf as a component in other tea blends, but this time I am brewing up a cup of pure raspberry leaf on its own.
Raspberry Leaf is supposed to help ease the discomfort many women feel during that time of the month. I can’t speak to how it affected my discomfort, but I can reflect on its flavor. This tea brew up a yellow amber color and tastes, mildly fruity and slightly nutty. It has a surprisingly full mouthfeel, with just a hint of black tea astringency. There is a slightly more vegetal aftertaste that I don’t prefer, but it mellows out nicely when mixed with a dash of honey.
I like this tea as an herbal alternative to the usual herbal tea suspects of ginger, mint, and chamomile. The ease of their sealed tea bags makes this an easy choice to pack when traveling or stash in your desk at work.
Browsing the Traditional Medicinals catalog, I see many other flavors I want to try and ailments I would like to treat. Even if the healing effects are more mental than physical, I love the comfort of a flavorful cup of tea.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Traditional Medicinals
Description: Of course, the delectable fruit of Rubus idaeus is a well-known and well-loved summer treat, but it’s the raspberry leaf you’ll find in this tea. With a silvery under leaf that is reminiscent of the moon’s glow, European and Native American women have used raspberry leaf for thousands of years for menstrual support, menstrual cramps and during pregnancy as a healthy tonic to help prepare the womb for childbirth.* We love this tea for its gently nurturing properties, and its robust taste, which is reminiscent of a delicate and mildly fruity black tea.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Organic Turmeric with Meadowsweet & Ginger from Traditional Medicinals. . . . .
My latest Sipsby box arrived and in it was several packages of this Organic Turmeric with Meadowsweet & Ginger tea by Traditional Medicinals. This isn’t something I would have ever picked for myself but I guess something in my profile suggested I would enjoy it. I guess that in and of itself warrants giving this a try.
Well it is not bad but it is also not a tea I would be all that interested in having again. I don’t often reach for herbals and this is a herbal through and through. When hot, there is a ginger burn, though just slightly and even that touch of burn is drowned out by a sweetness that I want to attribute to the Meadowsweet (but that is because of the name as I haven’t had this herb previously and when I tried researching what it is supposed to taste like, it just said “pleasant”). Before that burn and sweetness sets in though, there is a savory bitterness and that I think is contributed by the turmeric.
Each ingredient brings something different and for those that like these flavors, this could be a nice combination of the bunch. However, for me tea is about desserts and indulgence. This tastes like medicine to me which isn’t the indulgence I am looking for, though I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised when drinking a tea from a company called Traditional Medicinals.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Traditional Medicinals
Description
Inflammation might get a bad rap, but it really can be a useful signal after exercise. Our formula honors this indication with turmeric, a root praised by healers around the world. Reinforced by the power of meadowsweet— historically used much like turmeric—and ginger’s warming properties, our tea represents an herbal trifecta of ancient wisdom and soothing relief.*
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Organic Throat Coat from Traditional Medicinals. . . .
Ever since I was a kid I’ve had throat issues. I got strep throat almost every year. My mother is a nurse and she is really into organic and natural products. One day she came home with this tea and she told me to drink it before bed when my throat was bothering me this one time. The next morning I swear that I felt so much better. Ever since, I have always kept this tea on hand for when my throat started acting up. It works every time. If the issue is strep, it may not rid it completely of course (you need to see a doctor and get antibiotics) but it will definitely ease the pain and make it a little more bearable. This tea is very soothing and it tastes delicious.
This is a blend that comes in a pre-packaged tea bag. Although I am not usually a fan of anything in a tea bag, I prefer loose leaf, but this tea brews strong enough that I truly wouldn’t know the difference. This blend is absolutely delicious, seriously it is! Not only is it soothing on a sore throat or just great for overall throat health, it is tasty and not the stereotypical “medicine tasting” herbal tea. I can taste the marshmallow and licorice the most, followed by the medley of herbs. It doesn’t even need to be sweetened because the marshmallow and licorice root do the job. I think that this could even satisfy a sweet tooth, that’s how yummy it is!
Every household needs to have this in their cabinet. Drink it at night before bed when you feel a sore throat coming on (or daily, for ultimate throat help and protection!) and you will feel so much better in the morning! So many times I have felt a sore throat starting and the morning after I drink this, I feel so much better. Not to mention it’s marshmallow-y goodness is delicious!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Traditional Medicinals
Description
Slippery elm or Ulmus rubra (Latin for “red elm,” so called for its lovely reddish bark) is a beautiful, native North American elm tree. It’s the inner bark of this tree that is actually called “slippery elm” due to its, yes, slippery, smooth, and slimy-in-a-good-way properties. Combined with licorice and marshmallow root, we think this tea blend is like taking your voice to the spa—because we all need a little comfort sometimes so we can get back to being our best.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Roasted Dandelion Root from Traditional Medicinals. . . . .
I have been drinking Yogi teas spiced dandelion tea and really enjoying it. I decided to give this roasted dandelion tea a try. I was a little nervous that I wouldn’t enjoy it without the spicy flavor. I had no reason to worry, this tea is really delicious on it’s own. It has a delicious roasted, nutty flavor with just a slight bitterness. As a former coffee drinker, this tea kind of fills that void. It has a little more depth than other teas and kind of reminds me of coffee. But it is caffeine free, so it can be enjoyed at any time of the day.
Dandelion tea is so good for you. It helps detox the liver, and it is really good for digestion. I have noticed a big improvement with my digestion since I started drinking it. I try to get in one to two cups a day when possible.
If you were or are a coffee lover, I imagine you would really enjoy this tea. I think the key to cutting out a lot of the bitterness from the dandelion is roasting it. It tempers the bitterness and just gives it a delicious nutty taste. I have mine with a little bit of sugar and lately I’ve been using a vegan hazelnut creamer which compliments the nuttiness so well. I especially enjoy this tea when I’m dreaming of coffee and wishing I hadn’t given it up.
I’m really glad I’ve been expanding my tea collection. I used to only drink green tea, and making the decision to cut back on my caffeine consumption has really made me get brave and experiment and I am so happy, and my body is too!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Tradition Medicinals
Description
Pleasantly roasted, sweet and slightly bitter.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
