Useful properties of forest raspberries
Raspberries are a favorite delicacy of all generations. This is a universal berry that is used by cooks, children also drink raspberry syrups with great pleasure when they have a fever and sore throat, and in pharmacy they use not only fruits, but also branches, leaves and roots of raspberries to prepare medicines.
This small shrub is a real treasure, which has a huge range of applications and many useful properties.
Description
It is customary to call raspberries a shrub, but in fact this plant belongs to the rose family and is a semi-shrub. Its branches are like rods. New shoots are light green with a greyish finish, while older shoots are becoming a light brown wood color and full of thorns. Raspberry foliage is bright. The outer plate has a rich green color, and the inner part of the leaf is almost white.
The plant blooms several times during the summer. Flowering begins in June and ends at the end of September. Inflorescences of small sizes, usually white, have a delicate pleasant aroma. The first fruits ripen by mid-June. They are bright red, pink and yellow. Usually they are rounded, but there are also elongated berries. The size of the fruit depends on the type of bush. Allocate according to the classification: wild, garden and forest raspberries.For example, a wild berry is much smaller than a garden berry, and it is more difficult to find it because of its small size. The raspberry bush is located in the middle tier. It can grow in swamps, forests and places where there is enough moisture.
Raspberries were first discovered by ancient Greek scientists in the 3rd century BC. At that time, it was collected in the forests and considered wild, and was eaten as a treat. Later it turned out that this plant has many useful properties. The forest plant was dug up and transplanted into gardens. For treatment, they began to use not only fruits and leaves, but also branches with roots.
In order to procure raw materials, it is necessary to collect them correctly and on time, taking into account the following nuances of collection:
- Berries should be picked as they ripen. Since they are very fragile, it is best to put them in a clean dish, as raspberries are usually not washed, so as not to crush the fruits.
- It is best to collect young leaves during the flowering period of raspberries.
- Branches need to be collected in the fall, when the leaves fall, that's when they are full of useful substances.
It is necessary to prepare each type of collection, observing certain rules:
- Raspberries can be prepared for the winter in various ways: freeze, dry in the oven, grind with sugar, preserve. But first you need to sort out the berries from leaves, sticks and insects. For harvesting, use only ripe and fresh fruits, as only they have many useful substances.
- Dry the leaves in a hot room that is well ventilated. Use only whole and healthy leaves for harvesting raw materials.
- Branches do not need to be prepared. But they must be stored in a dry place, such as in a paper bag or glass jar.
The chemical composition of raspberries
Wild raspberry berries contain a large number of different components, unlike other components of the semi-shrub:
- B vitamins;
- vitamin C;
- keratin;
- vitamin E;
- glucose;
- pentose;
- fructose;
- pectins;
- malic, salicylic, tartaric and citric acids;
- isoamyl and tartaric alcohols;
- protein substances;
- ketones:
- anthocyanins;
- catechins;
- fixed oils;
- diacetyl;
- essential oils.
There are not many components in the leaves of wild raspberry, but they also have a wide spectrum of action. They contain:
- tannins;
- vitamin C;
- phytoncides;
- pectin;
- flavonoids;
- salicylic acid.
Branches contain significantly less active substances:
- organic acids;
- quercetin;
- mineral salts;
- vitamins C and E.
Beneficial features
Due to such a large number of different substances, the spectrum of action of forest raspberries is very wide:
- The antibacterial effect is due to the variety of organic acids and phytoncides.
- The antipyretic effect of raspberries occurs due to the abundance of various vitamin and diaphoretic components.
- The anti-inflammatory property is characterized by the content of ascorbic acid in raspberries.
- The removal of harmful cholesterol, toxins and toxins from the body is due to the large amount of antioxidants and water.
- Antioxidant action is carried out due to flavonoids and other substances.
- Increases weakened immunity vitamin composition.
- The diuretic effect is due to pectin and mineral salts.
- The antianginal effect is carried out with the help of anthocyanins.
- The antidiarrheal effect of raspberries is inherent in the content of tannins in it.
- Improve the secretory activity of the acid.
- Vitamin C strengthens the vascular wall and heart muscle.
- Increase sweating ketones.
- Antioxidants perfectly quench thirst, and they also improve the supply of oxygen to the organs.
- Also, this berry has a tonic effect and uplifting.
- It also increases intestinal peristalsis.
Application and contraindications
Remember that wild raspberry is not the main medicine, which is why it should be taken only after consulting a doctor. It is effective in many diseases such as:
- Diseases of the cardiovascular system: ischemic heart disease, atherosclerosis, prevention of myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathy, hypertension.
- Diseases of the nervous system: stress, depression, emotional disorders.
- Gastrointestinal diseases: gastritis with reduced secretory activity, colitis, diarrhea.
- Diseases associated with a decrease in immunity, such as SARS, acute respiratory infections.
- Metabolic disorders such as obesity.
- Diseases of the urinary system: nephritis, urethritis and cystitis.
It is worth taking raspberry medicine carefully, as there are the following contraindications:
- Allergy is a dangerous condition that can occur when eating raspberries and lead to a life-threatening condition.
- Children under 3 years old are forbidden to take raspberries for medicinal purposes, since the final process of adaptation occurs only by the age of 5.
- An increase in body temperature above 38.5 degrees.
- Diseases of the stomach, especially gastritis and ulcers. Raspberry enhances secretory activity, which adversely affects the gastric mucosa.
- During pregnancy and lactation, take the berry with caution.
Forest raspberries will not contribute to the treatment of severe infectious diseases.
What is the best way to prepare raspberries for the winter?
Freeze
This is one of the best methods for harvesting raspberries for the winter, since with the help of a freezer you can save absolutely all the components that make up the berries. For freezing, you will need a clean container that you can close the fruit.
After placing the berries in the dish, close it tightly with a lid and place in the freezer. This is necessary so that there is no admixture of odors from other products. You can store until the next harvest of raspberries.
Fresh raspberries with sugar
This recipe perfectly preserves the beneficial properties of raspberries, but is harmful to those who are on a diet or have diabetes.
You will need 1 kg of sugar and berries. Pour the berries with sugar, then mix everything with a mixer, it is there that the fruits will be crushed, and the sugar will dissolve a little. The product should only be stored in the refrigerator.
Jam
Everyone knows such a delicacy from childhood. With the help of conservation, you can store raspberries for more than one year.
For 1 kg of raspberries, you need 1 lemon and 1 kg of sugar. You need to cook all the components for about 6 hours, then pour the composition into pasteurized jars and tighten the lid tightly.
Raspberry compote
This drink is very beneficial. You can store it up to 3 years. Of course, when boiling, some of the beneficial properties of raspberries are lost, but a huge plus is that with the help of compote you can enrich your body with vitamins all year round.
Pour 1 kg of fruits with 3 liters of water, add sugar to taste. Cook over low heat until boiling, and boil for 15 minutes. Next, you need to pour the compote into pasteurized jars and tightly close the lids.
There are many ways to prepare raspberries for the winter so that as few useful substances as possible are lost. The article outlines the most basic and proven methods.
Eat raspberries in your diet, heal your body with natural medicines, prepare a summer treat for the winter, but do not forget about dosed consumption so as not to harm your body.
In the next video, you will learn the beneficial properties, contraindications and traditional medicine recipes from wild raspberries.