Flower

Red Clover (has a safety note)

BotanicalTrifolium pratenseAlso calledMeadow clover, Cow clover, Wild clover

Sweet, pinkish-purple meadow blossoms brewed into a mild, honeyed tea, valued in Western Ayurveda for clear, cool skin.

* Safety note: Contains plant estrogens and may interact with blood thinners; read the cautions before use. Read the cautions

Red Clover, flower

Red clover is the round pink-purple blossom that dots summer lawns and hayfields. Pull a single floret and you can taste a tiny drop of nectar at its base. Dried and steeped, the blossoms make a pale, mild tea with a faint grassy sweetness, a little like hay in the sun.

It is not a classical Ayurvedic herb. Modern Ayurvedic teachers describe it as sweet and cooling, and in Western Ayurveda it is grouped with the herbs that support rakta dhatu, the blood tissue, and clear skin. Like peas and beans it is a legume, and it contains plant compounds that act a little like estrogen, which is why the cautions below matter.

Ayurvedic Properties

Not described in classical Ayurveda; modern Ayurvedic writers describe it as sweet and bitter in taste and cooling, with a sweet post-digestive effect (Frawley and Lad, The Yoga of Herbs, and other modern Ayurvedic teachers).

RasaTastes
  • Sweet
  • Bitter
ViryaHeating or cooling
Cooling
VipakaPost-digestive effect
Sweet
AgniEffect on digestion
Neutral for agni

Little direct effect on digestion.

GunaQualities
  • Light
  • Soft
TridoshaEffect on Vata, Pitta and Kapha
  • Vata: decreases, in moderation
  • Pitta: decreases
  • Kapha: decreases, in moderation
  • decreases (calms that dosha)
  • increases (can aggravate it)
  • neutral or balancing
  • not known
  • V Vata · P Pitta · K Kapha

Sweet and cooling, red clover is most at home with pitta. Vata and kapha types can enjoy an occasional cup, vata with a little warming ginger and kapha in lighter, weaker brews.

Traditional Uses

  • Traditionally used to support clear, calm skin.
  • Traditionally used to support rakta dhatu, the blood tissue, in Western Ayurvedic practice.
  • Traditionally used to support a cool, settled system in the hot months.

How People Use It

  • TeaSteep 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried blossoms in a cup of just-boiled water for 10 minutes. The tea is mild and lightly sweet.
  • TopicalA cooled, strained infusion can be used as a simple skin wash or compress. Patch-test first.
Try This

Summer Red Clover and Rose Tea

A pale, mild cup for a hot afternoon.

  • 1 teaspoon dried red clover blossoms
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried rose petals
  • A few fresh mint leaves
  • 1 1/2 cups just-boiled water
  1. Place the red clover, rose and mint in a teapot and pour the water over them.
  2. Cover and steep for 10 minutes.
  3. Strain and let it cool to room temperature. Pitta types do well with it slightly cool, but not iced.
  4. Sip it slowly in the shade, as an occasional cup rather than a daily habit.

Pairs Well With

Cautions

  • Avoid red clover if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. It may not be safe.
  • Red clover contains plant estrogens. Avoid it if you have a hormone-sensitive condition, such as some breast cancers, or if you take hormone therapy, unless your doctor approves.
  • Red clover may increase the risk of bleeding with blood thinners such as warfarin and with antiplatelet medicines. Talk with your doctor if you take these.
  • Red clover may interact with other medicines, and problems have been reported when it was taken with methotrexate. Check with your doctor if you take any regular medication.
  • The safety of using red clover over a long period is not known.
  • Please consult a qualified practitioner or your doctor before using red clover.

In Our Shop

Organic Red Clover Blossom

Organic Red Clover Blossom, from $7.00. Weighed and packed by hand at our Rockville Centre studio.

Shop Red Clover →

From the Journal

Sources and Further Reading

This page shares how herbs are traditionally used in Ayurveda and other herbal traditions. It is for general education only and is not medical advice. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, and herbs are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Please talk with your doctor or a qualified practitioner before using herbs, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or managing a health condition.