Raspberry leaves come from the same shrub that produces raspberries, the well-known red fruits packed with flavor, vitamins and antioxidants. Before the fruit ripens, the prickly shrub’s coarse, lobed leaves are collected, dried, and sifted.

Raspberry leaf has traditionally been considered a women’s herb. Modern herbalists often recommend raspberry leaf to regulate menstrual cycles and as a late pregnancy tea to strengthen and tone the uterus to shorten labor and ease delivery. The leaves are nutrient-dense and contain tannins that act as a mild astringent that may be used internally to ease diarrhea or externally as an eyewash, mouthwash, or poultice for minor wounds, rashes, or ulcers.

As a tea or infusion, dried raspberry leaves have a mild, pleasantly astringent taste that combines well with honey or fruit juices. Medicinally, the longer raspberry leaf tea steeps, the more tannins are extracted. It may also be encapsulated as a cut and sifted herb or herb powder.