The sweet fragrance of a field of red clover is one of the everyday pleasures of summer. The reason clover smells good enough to eat is that it is -- red clover flowers are not only edible but healthy. Although it is safe to munch on the fresh blossoms -- as long as they have not been treated for pesticides -- they can be difficult to chew and digest. Dried flowers and extracts are a more efficient way of getting red clover's health benefits. Consult your doctor before taking red clover.
Features
Red clover -- botanically known as Trifolium pratense and also called cow clover, meadow clover, purple clover and trefoil -- is a low-lying plant that grows in light sandy soil in open spaces such as pastures and meadows. The round, fluffy-looking blossoms range from reddish to purple in color. Originally native to Europe and Asia, red clover now flourishes in the United States.
Traditional and Contemporary Uses
Red clover flowers have been used in Chinese and Western folk medicine alike, and have been employed as a sedative, a blood purifier, a cough remedy and a treatment for menstrual problems. Clover has also been used as an herbal remedy for ailments as diverse as jaundice, cancer, whooping cough and asthma; in poultices, it has been used to speed wound healing and as a treatment for psoriasis, eczema and other skin problems. Red clover is currently being investigated for treatment of several conditions, including premenstrual syndrome, menopausal symptoms, and cardiovascular disease.
Constituents and Effects
Red clover flowers contain isoflavones, including biochanin and daidzein, which have mild estrogen-like effects. Carbohydrates, beneficial flavonins, and saponins are also present, along with the minerals calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium, and the vitamins niacin, thiamine and vitamin C. Drugs.com -- which offers medically-reviewed information to consumers -- credits red clover with antioxidant properties, and characterizes it as an alterative agent, causing beneficial changes in the body over time. Red clover has been endorsed by the North American Menopause Society as a treatment for menopausal symptoms. In a placebo-controlled study published in 2002 in "Maturitas," researchers found that a red clover isoflavone dietary extract decreased the incidence of hot flashes in menopausal women by 44 percent. Blue Shield Contemporary and Alternative Health reports that red clover flowers may help prevent breast and prostate cancer, but says that that more study is needed.
Dosages and Precautions
According to Drugs.com, the normal dosage of red clover is 4 g a day of dried flowers, or 40 to 80 mg of standardized isoflavones. You can also take red clover three times a day as a tea. Add 1 c. of boiling water to 2 to 3 teaspoons -- roughly 10 to 15 g -- of dried red clover flowers, cover and allow to steep for 10 to 15 minutes. Red clover may interact with blood-thinning medications. Don't use red clover if you are pregnant, breast-feeding, or have had breast cancer. Consult your doctor before using red clover.
References
- Drugs.com: Complete Red Clover Information
- Blue Shield Complementary and Alternative Health: Red Clover
- "Maturitas"; Isoflavones From Red Clover Significantly Reduce Menopausal Hot Flush Symptoms Compared With Placebo; P.H. van de Weijer and R. Barentsen; July 2002
- Herb Wisdom: Red Clover Benefits and Information
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