Raspberry leaf tea and raspberry tea flavors: know the difference

There are two types of raspberry tea on the market: yummy raspberry flavored teas and medicinal red raspberry leaf teas. Each serves its own purpose.

Raspberry flavored tea

There’s a lot to love about raspberry – what with its unique, playful blend of sweet and tangy notes. When added to a cup of tea, raspberry flavor gives it a cheerful, refreshing edge, while retaining the strength and texture of your favorite tea base. Raspberry flavored teas are generally crafted with black tea or green tea bases, though delicate caffeine-free versions are also available today in the form of raspberry flavored rooibos. Raspberry teas can contain dried raspberry bits, raspberry leaves, or natural raspberry flavoring.

Red raspberry leaf tea: not just about the taste

Raspberries certainly pack a punch with their sweet-tart, almost candy-like scent and taste. But in the realm of tea drinking, it isn’t just the berries that take the cake. Raspberry leaves have a long history of use in medicinal drinks, especially those intended to promote digestive, respiratory and uterine health. Herbal raspberry leaf teas are believed to benefit pregnant women. However, raspberry leaf teas don’t share the delicious sweet-tart notes of their fruit based counterparts.

Is red raspberry leaf tea safe during pregnancy?

Red raspberry leaf tea is not only safe to drink during pregnancy, it can actually work wonders. There’s plenty of anecdotal evidence to suggest that it reduces morning sickness during the first trimester. Studies have found it to be most effective during the second and third trimester. Good for uterine health in general, red raspberry leaf tea helps strengthen the uterus during pregnancy. Regular consumption can prevent a variety of pregnancy-related complications like preterm labor and postpartum hemorrhage. Drinking this herbal tea can also reduce the duration of labor and increase the chances of a normal delivery, without too many interventions being required.

Tasting notes and reviews

Raspberry flavored teas are “very fragrant and bright”, and generally “delicious with or without sweeteners”. Raspberry imparts an “enticing aroma” to black tea, making it “wonderfully fruity”. Raspberry flavored green teas are “yummy, with the barest hint of green underneath”. In all-herbal blends, the presence of raspberry gets a little more prominent, with a “tart beginning”, and a “pleasantly sweet aftertaste”. Most raspberry flavored teas taste great hot or cold. However, do not expect any raspberry taste in raspberry leaf teas, as they are used mostly for their medicinal properties. Most people mention that the flavor is “mild”, some say the tea tastes “more like echinacea tea”.

Tea tips

Raspberry flavored iced teas make delicious and refreshing summer drinks; make sure you don’t go through a raspberry flavored herbal blend without trying it iced! Try mild flavored raspberry leaf tea with honey, lemon and other flavorful additives (refer to our article on what to put in your tea for extra flavor).

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