Raspberries are the fruits of Rubus idaeus, a thorny shrub belonging to the Rosaceae family.
Rather common in the mountainous forests of Europe and temperate Asia, where it grows spontaneously, raspberry is grown in different regions with a mild climate for its tasty and fragrant fruits.
If eaten fresh as a table fruit, raspberries provide the body with excellent amounts of citric acid, vitamins (in particular C and K), fiber and fructose (hence the indication for diabetics, who must not exaggerate with their consumption).
In phytotherapy, raspberries are recommended for their vitaminizing, antioxidant, tonic, astringent and anti-inflammatory properties; infusions and decoctions of leaves [rich in tannins and flavonoids (rutin)], are instead known for their diuretic, astringent (recommended in the treatment of diarrhea) and anti-inflammatory (useful in the presence of stomatitis, intestinal inflammatory states and, in gargle, in sore throat). Raspberry leaf preparations are instead contraindicated in gestation, as they stimulate contractions of the gravid human uterus.
