- Red clover - what medicinal ingredients does it contain?
- Meadow clover - what does it work for?
- Red clover and menopause
- Can red clover be used by men?
- Red clover - use in cosmetics
- Red clover in the kitchen
- Red clover - dosage, side effects, contraindications
- How to use a clover in a home medicine cabinet?
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Red clover is a common plant from the legume family. It is used to support the work of the digestive system, nervous system and to relieve menstrual pain.
Red clover , otherwisered clover( Trifolium pratenseL.), belongs to the bean family. It occurs all over Europe, Central Asia and North Africa, Australia and America, and in our country it is a common plant that is used as a medicinal plant, but not only. It is also used as a feed for cattle and horses, because it is an edible plant - all its parts are edible. Importantly, only the roots should not be eaten raw. They can be eaten after cooking.
Red clover - what medicinal ingredients does it contain?
The flowers and herb of red clover are rich in:
- flavonoids
- anthocyanin dyes
- phenolic acids
- tannins
- essential oils
- salicylic acid
- vitamin C
- vitamin E
- carotene
- plant estrogens (phytoestrogens)
- isoflavones
- cob alt
- copper
- calcium
- potassium
- manganese
- zinc
- iron
- silicon
- sulfur
Meadow clover - what does it work for?
Flower and herbal extracts regulate appetite, digestion and defecation. They stimulate the work of the liver and gallbladder. The infusion is recommended for the treatment of indigestion.
Red clover also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties - thanks to the high content of flavonoids and anthocyanins, it supports the circulatory system, strengthening blood vessels and reducing blood pressure. It also lowers the level of bad cholesterol, protecting against atherosclerosis.
It is recommended for women during menstruation as it soothes premenstrual tension and as a preventive measure against osteoporosis. Clover increases the amount of estrogen.
Plant extract accelerates wound healing and disinfects, killing bacteria, fungi and viruses. It is also recommended for supporting the treatment of upper respiratory tract infections. It works as an expectorant, so it can be used, among others. with bronchitis.
Clover extract may be slightly hypnotic. It definitely calms you down and soothes tensions.
Red clover and menopause
Isoflavones contained in red clover have a structure similar to estrogens, so they can bind with estrogen receptors, as a result of alleviating menopausal symptoms or reducing the risk of osteoporosis.
It has also been shown that isoflavones present in red clover stimulate the secretion of prostacyclin by the endothelium of blood vessels, which is an important factor in lowering blood pressure and, very importantly, inhibiting the formation of blood clots.
This plant has a soothing effect on the most burdensome symptoms of menopause, namely:
- reduces hot flushes and excessive sweating
- has a slightly sleepy and calming effect
- improves mood and concentration
- reduces joint and headache
- prevents heart rhythm disturbances, increases the elasticity of blood vessels
- restores proper vaginal hydration and protects against decreased libido
Can red clover be used by men?
Red clover supports the work of the cardiovascular system, increases the elasticity of blood vessel walls and lowers blood pressure, thus reducing the likelihood of cardiovascular diseases.
Red clover can also prevent the development of osteoporosis in men. The disease, although much more common in women, can also appear in men.
Clover extract alleviates the course of androgenetic alopecia in men. In this case, it works similarly to women - on estrogen receptors located within the hair follicles.
Phytoestrogens can also support the treatment of prostate cancer. According to the research, men after prostate cancer removal surgery who used 160 mg red clover extract for 20 days showed a higher degree of cancer cell apoptosis - apoptosis is a mechanism of controlled cell death.
Taking preparations with red clover may inhibit the rate of tumor growth, and may also reduce the likelihood of metastasis.
Red clover - use in cosmetics
Red clover also works very well as a preparation for acne, both in adolescents and adults.
Taken in the form of tablets, infusions or teas, it has an estrogenic effect and stabilizes the level of hormones, which in most cases are responsible for acne lesions. Additionally, infusions of this plant used to wash the skin have an anti-inflammatory and soothing effect on skin changes.
Red clover prevents androgenic alopecia and reduces ithair loss caused by hormonal disorders. It can be used both internally and externally, such as rinses.
It can also be used as a rinse in combination with other herbs - for example by adding linden and yarrow herb, we will obtain a preparation with anti-dandruff properties and strengthening of hair prone to falling out.
Recipe: 30 g of dried clover, 15 g of linden flowers, 15 g of yarrow herb. Pour a liter of water over everything and simmer it for a quarter of an hour. You can rinse your hair with the cooled preparation twice a week.
Red clover in the kitchen
Red clover has a high protein content. Its leaves can be eaten raw, but when cooked, they are easy to digest. As we have already written, the root should not be eaten raw, but cooked beforehand.
Red clover - dosage, side effects, contraindications
The recommended dosage of clover preparations is 500 mg in two doses. It is well tolerated by most people, but for some it causes unwanted side effects, such as:
- allergic reactions - most commonly rash or hives
- headaches and nausea, sometimes vomiting
- muscle pains
- inter-cycle spotting or dysregulation of the menstrual cycle in women.
How to use a clover in a home medicine cabinet?
- Red clover infusion
1 tablespoon of dried herbs should be poured with 1 cup of boiling water. Set aside for 30-40 minutes, then strain.
You can eat it twice a day.
- Red clover decoction
Pour 1.5 tablespoons of crushed clover herb into 0.5 liters of boiling water. Continue to boil the water, covered for 15 minutes, and then set aside to cool.
The decoction can be used to rinse the mouth and throat, and to make compresses for itchy skin, burns and bruises. It should be drunk 3 times a day, half a glass, preferably before eating.
- Red clover powder
Dry clover flowers can be successfully ground into a powder in a coffee grinder and taken 2-3 times a day for 1-1.5 g.
- Red clover tincture
50 g of dry flowers should be poured with 250 ml of 40-60% alcohol. Then set aside for 2 weeks in a closed jar, stirring occasionally. Finally, the tincture must be filtered.
The recommended dose is a teaspoon (5 ml) 2-3 times a day. In the case of digestive ailments, pharyngitis or stomatitis, you can drink the tincture 2-6 ml a little more often, becausethree times a day.
- Red clover wraps
A compress of fresh clover flowers works against itching and relieves pain in insect bites. Such a compress is made of a crushed clover flower - it is applied to the place of the bite for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Clover honey
Clover honey is very rare. Usually we find traces of it in multiflorous honey.
However, it is possible to obtain pure clover honey, which is obtained from both white and red clover. Depending on the color of the flower, a product with a different taste and slightly different properties is created. However, such honey has a calming and calming effect.