Bracken
Plant composition: carotene, vitamin E, ascorbic acid, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, cobalt, copper, iodine. Bracken is considered an excellent supplier of carotene.
According to some nutritionists, bracken can be dangerous to humans because of the high content of carcinogens (in particular ptakiloside), but there are no studies proving that the substances contained in it affect the human body more than coffee or fried meat-also, by the way, carcinogens.
Application
The medicinal properties of this fern are almost limitless. Decoctions based on leaves and roots of orlyak are used as a potent analgesic. The high content of iodine in this plant contributes to the normalization of metabolism and helps to significantly reduce weight. It is also used as a sedative for strong excitement and high pulse.
Bracken has long remained one of the staple foods of the indigenous people of Siberia, the Far East, American Indians, Japanese, Koreans and Chinese.It was added to salads and snacks, dried for seasonings. However, in its raw form it is poisonous, so before use it was always soaked in boiling water until the bitterness completely disappeared.
Methods of preservation and collection
The most popular way to store fern is salting, but most often it is boiled, since the shelf life of the bracken after collection is only 12 hours, and the first stage of salting must begin immediately. In addition, the process of harvesting is not easy-salting takes place in three stages, lasting 1, 2 and 3 weeks, respectively, between which it is necessary to drain the old brine and pour a new one.
Collection of bracken is carried out in early spring, until the leaves have opened. You can only tear off shoots that have reached 20-25 cm. in Order not to harm the plant, cut the shoots from one beam should not be more often than once in 2-3 years.
Dogrose
Plant composition: vitamin E, riboflavins, folic acid, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, copper, citric and malic acid, tannins, tannins, Tocopherols. According to the content of vitamin C, rosehip is a real record among berries after Actinidia.
Rosehip is a well-known folk remedy for many ailments, but it has contraindications. Despite the storehouse of nutrients, berries can provoke an attack of gastritis or exacerbate heart failure.
Application
Since the beginning of autumn, rosehip tea has become a popular item on the menu of cafes and restaurants. Useful properties of this drink are undeniable, but you should take care of the cooking process, so as not to lose valuable substances berries. Rosehip infusion helps to cope with the symptoms of ARI, strengthens the circulatory system, increases immunity, fights insomnia and lowers cholesterol in the blood. For medicinal purposes, tinctures, syrups and oils from rosehip are also used, which treat cracks, trophic ulcers and the manifestation of dermatosis.
Methods of preservation and collection
Value are all parts of the plant, but to preserve the useful qualities it is necessary to observe some simple rules. It is recommended to harvest in September-October, when the fruits are poured bright red or orange, and the berries are elastic and smooth to the touch. Rose hips can be easily dried at room temperature and frozen, but it is not recommended to "roast" berries in the oven, for heat treatment it is better to use a special dryer. Also from the fruits of rose hips prepare jams and syrups. Leaves and flowers begin to store in the summer, long before the fruit ripens. Rosehip roots are dug in late autumn. They are washed and dried in the air together with the leaves and flowers. The shelf life of rose hips is extremely small-all12 months.
Birch brunki
Ingredients: betulenic acid, betulol and betulene, resinous substances, alkaloids, flavonoids, fatty acids, vitamins C, PP and A, tannins, carotene, iron, calcium and magnesium.
Surely many have heard the incomprehensible phrase "birch brunki", but did not even realize that it is "buds" that appear in early spring on the branches of trees. Plucking them in childhood, we had no idea how much nutrients stores this product.
Application
In Russia, it was customary to prepare a tincture on brunki, which was used not only for therapeutic purposes, but also to raise the mood. For colds traditionally brewed tea from birch buds.
Since ancient times, oils and ointments were made on the basis of birch buds. Due to the high content of essential oils in brunki and antibacterial effect, this product is still valued in cosmetology and medicine.
Unfortunately, birch buds are unreasonably forgotten in cooking: since ancient times in Russian cuisine they were used as a little spicy seasonings for meat and fish dishes.
Methods of preservation and collection
At the end of February it is time to collect birch buds. It is necessary to catch the moment when they just began to swell – after the appearance of leaves, time is already lost. Weather plays an important role here: it is recommended to choose a clear and Sunny day.
To prepare birch brunki for the winter, they must be dried at room temperature, and it is best to store in a glass container or in canvas bags, but not longer than two years.
Honeysuckle
Ingredients: succinic, malic, oxalic and citric acids, vitamins A, B1, B2 and B9, C, tannins, anthocyanins, pectin, potassium, magnesium, iron, silicon, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, iodine, zinc, manganese, strontium, copper.
This sweet berry with a peculiar sour and bitter notes can often be found in suburban areas, but you should beware of its wild and ornamental counterparts. Honeysuckle is a relative of Wolfberry, subspecies of bushes with yellow or red berries are poisonous. But blue and black honeysuckle fruits can be safely eaten, they are very useful for health.
Application
Honeysuckle is widely used for medical purposes – in this plant everything is useful. Infusion of bark improves the gastrointestinal tract and has a pronounced antibacterial effect, so it is used for gargling and even used against fungus. Infusion of the fruit is a source of vitamins that reduce fever in colds and support the heart and blood vessels. Iodine, which is part of the berries, preserves the normal functioning of the thyroid gland. Extract of honeysuckle is struggling with skin diseases and the decoction of the bark strengthens the hair.Infusion of flowers is used to relieve spasms in the stomach and for the treatment of conjunctivitis.
In addition to its unique medicinal properties, honeysuckle has a pleasant taste and is well established in the preparation of homemade wine or liqueur.
Methods of preservation and collection
The main thing in collecting honeysuckle – do not miss the moment: the fruits of this shrub ripen for only a few days in late June – early July. Berries are very tender, they are easy to damage when collected and they quickly deteriorate, so it is recommended to immediately eat them or prepare for the future: put the crop in the freezer or wipe with sugar and store in this form.
