There are just too many choices sometimes, which can make it difficult to find a quick fix. My body was super ovary-acting this week and I needed something to help me feel better, but I had three different tea bags that all purported the same benefits, what was I to do? A side-by-side comparison, of course!!
I brewed Traditional Medicinals Raspberry Leaf, Yogi Women’s Moon Cycle, and Republic of Tea’s SuperHerb Raspberry Leaf at the same time. They ALL include organic materials, yay!
They claim: Tones uterus to aid in effective contractions. So when we think about toning other muscles … you’re using them in a stronger way, so don’t be surprised if it creates more intense sensations. That’s how it reacts for me, and if given the choice, I’d choose short but intense cramps rather than mild and long-lasting – just to get ’em over with. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Yogi’s Women’s Moon Cycle includes several different herbals, the most out of these three samples, and has a medium brew time of 7 minutes. This comes out as cloudy and copper-colored, smelling like a chai, mmmmmm. This has a light, spicy taste, and leaves nothing on the tongue when it finishes. I like this both with and without sweetener.
Republic of Tea’s Organic Raspberry Leaf SuperHerb Tea includes raspberry fruit flavor and rosehips. This had the quickest brew time at 5-7 minutes. It was VERY fruity smelling, making me feel a bit averse to it. Fortunately it had a lighter taste than it’s initial strong smell, but there’s a long aftertaste. And somehow I get a distinct banana taste! A little sweetener tones down the nanners, and wow this might be a nice addition to a smoothie!
Traditional Medicinals is the purist, with only red raspberry leaves inside. They recommend the longest brew time at 10-15 min, but that’s kind of standard for whole leaf tisanes. It’s brassy colored, and smells like a black tea, but with none of the caffeine. This simple flavor would be good if you were feeling nausea. Anecdotally, when I was pregnant, I had doctor’s approval to drink some of this during my third trimester and I went into a nice short 12 hour labor right on my due date! But that could have been from eating dates, or prenatal massage, or typhoon approaching, or Murphy’s law with our schedule, or that I’m Wonder Woman, or just plain dumb luck……. Anyhow, this was my personal favorite of the three.
Each tea offers its own perks, depending on what your personal comfort medicine is, each could be a nice fix.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Bagged Tisanes
Where to Buy: Traditional Medicinals
Gently nurturing and a friend of women. Supports healthy menstruation, tones the uterus and may be used for menstrual cramps.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Where to Buy: Yogi Teas
We combine Raspberry Leaf, traditionally used for centuries to address common menstrual discomforts, and Chamomile which has been used for centuries to help soothe the mind and body. Infuse harmony and comfort into the days of your monthly cycle with a calming cup of Woman’s Moon Cycle® tea.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Where to Buy: Republic of Tea
Red Raspberry Leaf is perhaps the most popular herb among midwives and herbalists. From fertility to pregnancy to nursing to even menopause, this herb can help women at virtually every stage of life.* It has been long revered for its ability to help tone uterine muscles and balance menstrual cycles. With a hint of vanilla and berry notes, this tea is reminiscent of a fruity parfait.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Mayan Cocoa Spice Tisane from Yogi
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Spice Melange
Where to Buy: Yogi
Tisane Description:
Embark on a journey to the ancient Mayan temples, where prized cocoa beans were ground and mixed with spices to create a sacred beverage that symbolized fertility and prosperity. We’ve taken this combination into the modern era by combining Organic Cocoa Shells, which supply antioxidants, with the traditional Ayurvedic warming and invigorating spices of organic Cardamom, Clove and Cinnamon Bark. Enjoy this rich tasting and enlivening blend any time of day for a delicious treat.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
Even though this Mayan Cocoa Spice Tisane from Yogi isn’t marketed as a “chai” … because it has many of the “usual” spices of a masala chai blend, I decided to categorize it as a chai. And even though this is a tea that can be purchased at my local Chuck’s Produce and it’s a bagged tea, it’s not too bad.
It’s actually pretty good.
Perhaps it’s the cacao that won me over here. I love the spiced chocolate taste of this, it reminds me a bit of a mild Mexican hot chocolate. The chocolate is good and strong (which makes the chocoholic in me very happy) and the spices don’t overwhelm the chocolate, instead, they enhance the chocolate-y flavor. Especially nice is the chicory, which lends a “coffee-esque” sort of flavor to the cup without coffee’s bitterness, and coffee and chocolate seem to go together very well. And so it would seem that chocolate and chicory work equally as well together.
The other spices are well portrayed in this melange too. The cinnamon is the strongest of the spices, but it isn’t an overpowering taste. The cardamom and clove add a nice background of warmth, and the ginger and black pepper add just enough “kick” to this to spice it up without becoming too spicy (although, I can’t help but think what an interesting taste it would be if there was just a hint of cayenne or something stronger in this!)
My biggest issue with this blend is the stevia in the blend. I don’t like it when any tea or tisane includes stevia or other sweetener in it, because I like to decide how sweet or not sweet I want my beverage to be. I don’t like that predetermined for me. And the stevia does impart a slightly “funky” taste to the cup, fortunately, the spices are strong enough to curb this funkiness a little bit, so I’m just getting a wee bit of funky, and its not enough funky to stop me from sipping on this spicy chocolate drink.
Not a bad beverage. It’s not something I’d buy again, but, if it were offered me, it’s not something I’d turn down. I liked it.
