Red Clover Herb (trifolium pratense)

All of our herbs come from certified organic sources or trusted wildcrafters.

ENGLISH COMMON NAME: Red Clover

ALSO KNOWN AS: beebread, cow clover, meadow clover

LATIN NAME: Trifolium pratense

PLANT FAMILY: Fabaceae

PART(S) USED: Aerial parts

OVERVIEW: Red clover can be a common sight around meadows, parks, and fields during late spring. A low growing, short-lived perennial in the pea family, it has three lobed leaves and dark pink, densely packed flower heads. Red clover contains "isoflavones" which are changed in the body to "phytoestrogens" that are similar to the hormone estrogen.

TRADITIONAL USE: This plant is traditionally used in herbal medicine to treat menopausal symptoms (such as hot flashes and night sweats).

PRECAUTIONS & CONTRAINDICATIONS: Do not use Red Clover if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have any hormone-sensitive conditions (such as breast cancer or endometriosis). Red clover contains isoflavones which are converted to phytoestrogens in the body, which can act similarly to estrogen and cause hormone imbalance. Consult a healthcare practitioner before use, especially if you have a bleeding disorder or protein S deficiency, are on any medications (especially birth control, estrogen, anticoagulants, tamoxifen, or any medication changed by the liver), or have any allergies, especially to plants in the Fabaceae family (including beans, peas, and other legumes). 

This information is for educational purposes only, has not been evaluated by Health Canada, and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.