Naturopathy The positive effects of the medicinal plant red clover

Red clover: between the medicine cabinet and feeding trough
If one believes that healing remedies of different eras, red clover is not a plant, but rather a product of the pharmaceutical industry. Flowers, seeds and leaves should help against worm infestation, rheumatism, gout, cough, liver complaints, menstrual cramps, ulcers and diarrhea. In addition, red clover is allegedly blood lipid lowering, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and even anti-cancer. Scientific evidence for this astonishingly wide range of applications is as rare as it is contradictory.

Not to be dismissed, however, is that red clover contains many unusual ingredients such as tannins and, above all, isoflavones, which can certainly influence the metabolism of humans and animals. This group of substances also includes phytoestrogens, which have a weak sex hormone effect in humans. They are also the reason why capsule red clover is often touted as an alternative remedy for menopausal symptoms. But even with this effect, the professional world is very different opinion.
The importance of red clover for agriculture, especially for organic farmers, is refreshingly clear. Because with protein contents of over 20 percent, it is a valuable feed for cattle, which the animals also like to eat. The up to two-meter-long roots loosen the soil in deep layers and form here a lot of valuable organic material, which benefits the soil fertility.

Wonder of nature: red clover. Picture: womue - fotolia

And it gets even better: red clover harmonizes beautifully on the field with valuable forage grasses such as Welschem or German ryegrass and is therefore usually cultivated in a batch as clover grass. The grass is very energetic and requires a lot of nitrogen, which the red clover, like all legumes, accumulates via its roots in the soil - and in large quantities. Up to 200 kilograms per hectare come together every year, more than the grass needs.
In organic farming, gold is worth it because subsequent crops such as grain or potatoes can use the excess nitrogen. In addition, flowering red clover is a covered table for insects. However, almost only certain bumblebee species can be livened up at the Kleenektar, because they have a long trunk, which is necessary for the narrow and deep calyx of red clover. Honeybees are barely noticeable with their short trunk.

The biggest enemy of the red clover is the dark Kleespitzmäuschen, a small black beetle with a short trunk, which completely nibbles leaves and flowers in heavy infestation. Whether he does this because of the many health-promoting properties of the clover has unfortunately not been investigated. Jürgen Beckhoff, aid