Many of us associate July with the aroma of wild strawberries (see Wild strawberries). Perhaps not a single garden berry can compare with it in this. But strawberries are among the plants that are beneficial from the berry to the tips of the roots. And the State Pharmacopoeia includes not fruits, but leaves.
Collection times, drying rules and the benefits of different parts of the plant
The leaves are harvested in June-July so that the petiole does not exceed 1 cm in length, and dried in the shade. Drying is complete when the petioles do not bend, but break. The shelf life of such raw materials is 1 year, so you will have to collect fresh raw materials annually.
Leaves contain up to 280 mg% vitamin C, carotene, up to 9% tannins, traces of alkaloids, glycoside fragarin, flavonoids (rutin - 2.17%). Macronutrients (mg / g) accumulate in the leaves: potassium - 21.9, calcium - 14.7, magnesium - 4.5, iron - 0.6, and trace elements (iron, copper, zinc, selenium, bromine) are also concentrated.
In scientific medicine, the leaves are used as a mild diuretic. They are brewed in the form of tea (1 tablespoon per glass of boiling water) and taken several times during the day for edema, gout, kidney stones. Especially "successfully excreted from the body" uric acid and its salts, namely they are the "primary source of gout." They perfectly remove other toxins and excess fluid from the body. In combination with dandelion and a string of strawberry leaves, it is used to treat incipient atherosclerosis.
A whole plantcollected during flowering in combination with a raspberry leaf is used as an infusion for the prevention of stroke. Even just root can be useful: pour two tablespoons of the root with one bottle of beer and boil until half is left. This remedy is given to women to increase lactation.
Decoctions, infusions, juice
But the effect of the infusion is much broader. Considering that there is quite a lot of iron in the leaves, infusion and decoction in combination with other plants, it can be used for anemia, and due to the rather high content of vitamin C - as a vitamin remedy for winter and spring beriberi. Infusion of leaves when taken orally, it has a beneficial effect on the work of the heart - it slows down the rhythm, increases the amplitude of heart contractions, and has a vasodilating effect.
Leaf decoction strawberries have hemostatic properties and have long been used in folk medicine for uterine and hemorrhoidal bleeding.
A concentrated decoction of leaves (2-3 tablespoons per glass of boiling water) is a good remedy for inflammation and bleeding of the gums, rinsing for sore throat and bad breath. Steamed leaves - a wonderful compress for poorly healing wounds.
well and fruit good in any form and for people of all ages, especially children. They are given in their natural form with milk, cream, sugar or sour cream, as well as in the form of compote. The famous writer Vladimir Soloukhin said this about strawberries: "... Give it to the children, give it a lot ... Do not consider it a pampering or luxury, but consider it necessary as bread, cereals, potatoes ...".
In Russia wild strawberries and juice of them have long been used to quench thirst, improve appetite, at high temperatures. The reception was given 60-120 ml of juice or a glass of fresh berries. Pharmacies in Russia also sold distilled "strawberry water", which was prescribed in mixtures: it had invigorating properties. The patients were also recommended a wine tincture, consisting of 7.5 g of strawberry seeds, infused with 180 ml of white wine. They took it a tablespoon for urolithiasis.
Already at the beginning of the 20th century, an article on the treatment with strawberries was published in the "Russian Medical Bulletin". Traditional medicine today advises drinking fresh strawberry juice on an empty stomach, 4-6 tablespoons, and there are berries in their raw form for atherosclerosis, hypertension, neurasthenia, insomnia, peptic ulcer and urolithiasis, cholecystitis. Such an extensive list of diseases is explained by its wonderful composition. The fruits contain up to 50 mg% of ascorbic acid, up to 0.5% of folic acid, carotene, traces of vitamin B, up to 9.5% sugar, citric, malic and salicylic acid, up to 0.4% tannic and up to 1.5% pectin substances, anthocyanin compounds, salts of iron, phosphorus, cobalt, calcium; trace elements - manganese, copper, chromium. Folic acid stimulates the production of red blood cells. Therefore, do not miss the strawberry season, use the opportunity to saturate the body with useful substances for months ahead.
We store for future use
But this wonderful product can be preserved by extending the period of consumption of the miraculous berry.
At first, freeze in the freezer... The main thing is that the temperature is about –18 ° C. At the same time, almost everything is preserved in the berries.
Our ancestors dried berries... First, they are dried for several hours at a temperature of + 25-30 ° C so that they do not "flow" in a hot oven, and then they are dried at a higher temperature. Well-dried fruits do not clump, but crumble.
Finally, aromatic jam... Any housewife knows how to cook it. The main thing is to keep it in the dark, because it quickly loses its color, and with it the iron available to the body.
The use of strawberries today
Nowadays fresh strawberries prescribed as a dietary remedy. Infusions of fruits, as well as leaves, have a diuretic effect. Strawberry is included in the diuretic and diuretic preparations. Fresh berry juice (four to six tablespoons per day) has a sugar-reducing ability, therefore strawberry juice is recommended for diabetes.
Berries and juice from them are indicated for vitamin deficiency, disorders of lipid and mineral metabolism, gastritis, gastric ulcer, cholelithiasis and urolithiasis, atherosclerosis of the heart vessels, hypertension, pyemia, some joint diseases.
Renowned botanist Carl Linnaeus cured gout by consuming these berries annually during the fruiting season. It is useful to eat them for joint diseases, scurvy. In folk medicine, fruits for "dissolving" stones in the urinary tract were prepared as follows: 3.7 g of soda was dissolved in 180 ml of strawberry juice and taken in four tablespoons for 20 days.
Strawberries have a calming effect on the nervous system and in a mixture with other plants it is used for general neuroses, hysteria, insomnia, as well as for cardioneuroses and angina pectoris, anemia, scurvy and vitamin deficiencies. Infusion of fruits and leaves of strawberries is used to improve digestion and appetite, with enterocolitis, diarrhea and constipation. Strawberries have a pronounced choleretic effect, they are added to the fees for the treatment of liver diseases.
Cosmetologists assurethat you can remove acne and freckles with grated strawberries. Try it, it won't get any worse!
However, it must be remembered that not everyone can consume large amounts of strawberries. In some people, it can cause skin redness, rash, itching, dizziness, vomiting, and other unpleasant symptoms that quickly disappear. And many herbalists recommend treating children's diathesis by daily "eating" a glass of strawberries for a month!
