What's Red Clover Good For?

by Rebecca Andrews, MA, MS

The sun is blazing down from blue skies above and I’m surrounded by the gentle buzzing of honey bees. These busy little workers are popping from one purple-pink colored flower to the next, filling the pockets on their hind legs with the yellow pollen needed to make delicious honey. I follow the cardinal rules of foraging: never take from a meager supply; never take more than 1/3; and leave the strongest plants to reproduce themselves. The bees won’t mind sharing a few clovers with me, and I hum a little song to harmonize with their buzzing melody.

Red clover is increasingly rare in the wilds; I mostly end up buying rather than foraging for this one, but occasionally get lucky enough to come upon a profusion of it.

What does the science say about red clover (Trifolium pratense)?

Hoffman reports in Medical Herbalism that red clover is “alterative, expectorant, and antispasmodic.” He goes on to say that “red clover is a useful remedy for children with skin problems. It may be used with complete safety for any case of childhood eczema, and can be effective for other chronic skin conditions as well, such as psoriasis…. Red clover’s expectorant and antispasmodic actions give this remedy a role in the treatment of coughs and bronchitis… As an alterative, it is indicated as part of a holistic approach for a wide range of problems.”

Alteratives are herbs that help restore the body to optimal balance or wellness, possibly due to the synergistic actions of a rich supply of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.

Safety: Hoffman notes that red clover might increase the potency of anticoagulant pharmaceuticals.

An herbalist’s experience

Herbalist Robin Rose Bennett relates several amazing stories of the support red clover offers in her book The Gift of Healing Herbs - including a woman who no longer needed a hip replacement after using red clover and another woman who dissolved a large breast lump after using red clover and a few other herbs. Here are a few quotes from her book:

“I use red clover quite regularly as an infusion to nourish, strengthen and soothe my nervous stem, keep my skin clear, and support my immune and hormonal health."

“Red clover is also an adaptogenic nerving, nourishing the nervous system slowly yet definitively… Red clover supports the health of our endocrine system, including our adrenal glands.”

“Red clover has also been shown to cause cancerous cells to be replaced with healthy ones, and to help prevent cancerous cells from metastasizing. Red clover improves lymph circulation, boosting the strength and effectiveness of the immune system.”

Uses 

Red clover is wonderful as a nourishing infusion, drunk regularly; as a breast massage oil; as a poultice; and as a bath herb. It’s one of the herbs that goes into the triple-infused oil in my Breast Butter product.

Infusion: For an infusion, add 1 oz red clover to 1 quart water and bring to a simmer. Turn off heat and cover. Allow to infuse for 15-30 minutes. Alternately, place herbs in a large canning jar and pour low-boiling water over them. Cap and leave to infuse overnight. Drink 2-4 cups daily or as desired. For a more intense infusion, reduce water to a pint per ounce. For a lighter “tea” use more water and less herb.

Massage oil: For a massage oil or the base for a body butter, use 1 part herb to 2 parts of oil. Organic extra virgin olive oil is good for skin. Jojoba is also lovely. Castor oil has an affinity to the breasts, but is very sticky to work with. Try adding a small amount to your other favorite base oil.

Gently heat the oil in a double boiler. Keep it below the simmering point. I add more water as needed and typically infuse on low heat for 4-6 hours. Strain out the herbs (called the marc) and allow the oil to fully cool before bottling and capping it. Moisture from condensation can cause rancidity and mold.

For a folk method, infuse dried or fresh herbs in oil out of direct sunlight. Remove the cap regularly to allow moisture to escape and heck regularly for water in the oil. After 6 weeks of infusion, strain out the marc. Let the oil sit for a day or so and you might find water has separated out. Use a siphon to draw the oil out of the jar, leaving the bit of watery-oil mix at the bottom of the jar behind. You can use this watery part on yourself in the next day or so.

Massage this oil onto breasts, neck, underarms, and inner thighs - all of those areas rich in lymphatic channels. Consider a daily or weekly breast massage that’s based in nurturing care - instead of only a monthly, fear-based, breast-self-exam. You’ll grow familiar with your breasts and how they change throughout your cycle. Touching yourself with loving care and plant goodness - rather than only checking to see if something is wrong - has the potential to be some powerful mind-body medicine.

Poultices and Compresses: For a poultice, take the herbs from your infusion and apply directly to the body where you desire lymphatic support. Cover the herbs with a warm towel or hot water bottle. A compress is similar but will use a wet, warm cloth the was soaked in the infusion and wrung out somewhat. You can use this compress right over your poultice and then cover that with a folded, dry, bath towel to hold in the heat and moisture. Lie back and relax… soak in the plant-powered-love… and think about your body growing in wellness. <3

Herbal bath: You can simply place red clover blossoms in a cloth tea bag or old cotton sock. Tie up tightly and place under running bath water. A tea bag works well because you can tie it to the faucet. You could also simply let the bag soak in the bath. Feel free to add other favorite blossoms such as rose petals or chamomile.

Our red clover blossoms are organically sourced from Albania and carefully packaged in non-BPA packaging.

References:

Bennett, Robin Rose (2014). The Gift of Healing Herbs: Plant Medicines and Home Remedies for a Vibrantly Healthy Life. North Atlantic Books: Berkeley, CA.

Hoffman, David FNIMH, MD (2003). Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine. Healing Arts Press: Rochester, VT.