As Halloween has just come and gone, it’s the time of year to be reminded of a good old fashioned herbal remedy. Apart from its medieval reputation as a means of vanquishing evil spirits and witches, red clover has a veritable bunch of other attributes.

The flowers contain plant chemicals called isoflavones, which are a type of phytoestrogen (plant estrogen). This substance binds with the estrogen in the body, and can help relieve menopausal symptoms. By contrast, in younger women it inhibits the effect of the body’s natural estrogen, and can therefore help with problems such as fibroids.

Studies have shown that red clover diminishes the hot flushes associated with the menopause. It also reduces blood fats - one of the causes of heart disease.

Another study recently published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition indicated that the intake of red clover improves bone density, and therefore reduces the risk of osteoporosis.

Many other benefits of red clover have been known for centuries. It’s a mild sedative, and is an expectorant, so it can soothe the symptoms of bronchitis. It also has blood cleansing properties, which helps with inflammatory skin complaints such as eczema and psoriasis.

Red clover contains daidzein and genistein, both of which have anti-tumour benefits, and it has a high content of vitamin E which protects the body against cell damage, so it’s a good natural protection against cancer.

If you want to see what red clover can do for you, take one 430mg capsule 3-6 times a day, or pour the contents of the capsules into hot water to make a red clover tea.