Dogwood is a shrub that produces bright red fruits in the wild, growing in a warm climate, cultivated in many countries of Europe and Asia (Ukraine, Russia, France, Bulgaria, Italy). It is common in nature, can grow in any weather conditions. At the same time, little known among ordinary consumers, it has not been widely used as a food or medicinal substance, which seems unreasonable, since it is one of the most beneficial berries for human health.
What is useful dogwood for the body?
Dogwood is a plant that has medicinal properties from bark to bones: it has a diuretic, choleretic, anti-inflammatory, bactericidal, astringent (treats poisoning) action. The berry normalizes the work of the gastrointestinal tract, normalizes blood pressure, strengthens blood vessels, normalizes metabolism, blood sugar levels.
A huge range of useful properties leads to the fact that the plant is used to create medicines, is included in the diet of diabetics, pregnant women, children, people with gastrointestinal disorders, high blood pressure. It is used in various forms: as jam, candied fruits, dried fruits, compotes, tinctures, which improves the taste of the berry, makes it a pleasant medicine for the whole family.
With diabetes
Extracts from this plant are used in the manufacture of medicines for people with diabetes, because the berries:
- help lower blood sugar levels;
- improve metabolism;
- reduce the level of cholesterol, the volume of glucose;
- improve digestion, intestinal motility;
- remove toxins, improve immunity.
With hemorrhoids
Dogwood is traditionally considered the best remedy for hemorrhoids. To get rid of this ailment, you need to pick the berries while they ripen (jam is also suitable), eat 2 glasses with seeds (or 1 - 2 jars of jam) for five days.
During pregnancy
Dogwood is useful and indispensable for women during pregnancy. It eliminates many unpleasant symptoms, treats many diseases without the involvement of medicines, which is so necessary for pregnant women. With it, you can quickly and easily:
- Eliminate heartburn, which often suffers from pregnant women.
- Strengthen the immune system, which will help to better fight colds and infections.
- Increase the level of potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamin E, in which pregnant women have a great need.
- Normalize the work of the digestive tract.
- Increase hemoglobin.
- Strengthen the work of the heart, normalize blood pressure, which will help prevent miscarriage.
- Prevent obesity - contains substances that contribute to the normalization of metabolism.
Reviews
Elena, 32 years old: “My mother-in-law ate dogwood from jam right with the bones to cure hemorrhoids. It helped her, the hemorrhoids went away, and the operation was avoided.”
Ira, 28 years old: “I bought dogwood last summer, I didn’t take it before. The seller said that it is healthy and tasty if you cook jam. I made jam in a bread maker, crushed the whole jar in a week. I didn't get sick all winter. More needs to be done this year!
Tonya, 45 years old: “All our childhood we ate dogwood right raw, I like the taste. Now I continue to buy from time to time - it helps with constipation and generally normalizes the work of the digestive tract.
Natalia, 50 years old: “It is necessary to take dogwood for hemorrhoids in the form of a decoction, compote or tea. It is good to brew powder from ground seeds, which is then drunk for five days. I took dogwood powder in parallel with the use of ointments, the result is good, it is excellent for the treatment.
Useful properties of dogwood berries
Dogwood is useful in any form - dried, dried, fresh, boiled, even the bone is suitable for the treatment of certain diseases. Let us consider in more detail the properties of the plant, having studied the composition and usefulness of a particular species and components. This will help to more accurately determine the application for each individually.
dried dogwood
Dried dogwood, like all dried fruits, has even more nutrients than its fresh or thermally processed counterpart; during drying, all vitamins remain in the fruits. The fruits are rich in:
- Fructose.
- organic acids.
- Carotene.
- Phytoncides (antibacterial action).
- Essential oils.
- Pectins.
- Vitamins C, A, R.
- Micro and macro elements.
Dried fruits are good for the treatment of sore throats, diabetes mellitus, as an antipyretic, diaphoretic, anti-inflammatory agent, for gastrointestinal disorders, to normalize blood pressure. Caloric content of cornel dried fruits - 44 kcal / 100 g.
Fresh fruits have a specific sour taste, which may not be to everyone's liking. However, during drying, the sour taste disappears, the fruit becomes sweet, pleasant, which gives it an undeniable advantage over fresh. The berries are dried under the indirect rays of the sun on the street or in special dryers directly with the seeds.
dried dogwood
Dried dogwood (candied fruits) are boiled in syrup and dried fruits of the dogwood bush, which retain vitamin C for a long time, phytoncides (in terms of the content of useful qualities, dried and dried are identical). Therefore, dried dogwood is useful for prevention and treatment:
- SARS, acute respiratory infections, influenza.
- Angina, bronchitis.
- internal infections.
- external infections.
- Obesity (normalizes metabolism, promotes weight loss).
- Anemia, anemia (increases the level of hemoglobin).
To make candied dogwoods:
- Wash the berries, remove the seeds, sprinkle with sugar (1 kg of sugar per 400 g of berries), leave to insist (for a day) in a warm place (22 ° C).
- The berries will secrete juice, preserve it, and pour the pulp with syrup (for 1 kg of berries, 350 g of sugar and the same amount of water).
- The syrup should be hot (85 ° C), hold the berries in it for 5 minutes. Preserve the juice again, and dry the pulp for 15 minutes in the oven (at a temperature of 80 ° C).
- Cool the berries and repeat the procedure twice more (for 20 minutes at a temperature of 65 - 70 ° C).
- After that, the berries are placed over a heat source (30°C) for 4-6 hours for direct drying.
Bones
Berry pits are used for the treatment and prevention of gastrointestinal diseases, hemorrhoids, and diarrhea. To do this, the bones are ground in a coffee grinder (fried or raw) and applied in powder form. Cornel powder has no side effects, and therefore can be used in parallel with medications. Roasted seeds, ground into powder, are also used instead of coffee.
dogwood jam
Dogwood jam helps to cope with many colds, scarlet fever, tonsillitis, measles, flu. Therefore, the berry is shown to children as a tasty and effective medicine. Jam Recipe:
- Wash the dogwood, remove the stones.
- Divide the berries into "heaps", place each in cheesecloth.
- Blanch twice in boiling water.
- Alternate lowering into boiling water and cold water (then the berries will remain whole).
- Take sugar, water (1.5 kg of sugar, 0.5 l of water is taken for each kilogram of berries), prepare syrup.
- Place the berries there, leave for 2 hours.
- Next, put the pot with dogwood on the fire and boil until the mixture takes the form of jam.
- 3 minutes before the end of the cooking process, pour 3-5 g of citric acid into the pan.
- Heat the jars for blocking, sterilize, pour the resulting jam into it, roll it up, wrap it up - let it stand warm until it cools completely. The jam is ready!
Contraindications and harm dogwood
Dogwood is a useful product that has a tonic effect, and therefore there are a number of contraindications if such an action is undesirable for a person. It is contraindicated in those who:
- There is nervous excitement.
- Gastritis, acidity in the stomach.
- Ulcer of the stomach or duodenum.
- Individual intolerance.
- Constipation.
- Duodenitis (inflammation of the duodenum).
- Insomnia (do not use at night).
Photo: How dogwood grows
Dogwood is a shrub that grows in height and can reach 10 m (like a tree). It is distributed in many parts of Europe and Asia, has been cultivated by people since ancient times and is valued for its beneficial properties. It grows and blooms in a very unusual way: first, yellow or reddish flowers appear on the bare stems and branches of the shrub, which bloom and bloom when not a single green leaf has yet opened on the tree. Further, the flowers depart, the foliage blooms, yellowish fruits appear, which then ripen and turn red, acquiring the characteristic appearance of dogwood berries.
Video: All about the benefits of dogwood
Dogwood is a useful berry, which contains an amount of vitamin C that is 20% higher than the daily allowance for 1 person. Berries help to quickly assimilate iron, which enters the body with food, make blood vessels and tissues elastic. Vitamin A, which is part of it, has a beneficial effect on vision and skin elasticity. The berry has a lot of useful substances that you need to know and use for the benefit of yourself and your loved ones. For more information about the benefits of this berry, see the video:
