The mulberry plant - its beneficial properties have been known for many centuries - allows you to use berries and other parts of the culture not only as a delicacy, but also as a remedy. Due to the high content of vitamins, useful components, sugars, fruit acids, minerals, berries can be included in the diet and treatment menu. An effective medicinal syrup is made from the fruit. From the greens, a useful decoction is prepared for ingestion or external processing. Roots, bark are dried for brewing and making ointments.
What is mulberry
This large tree belongs to the mulberry family. Ficus, breadfruit, cow tree are its close botanical relatives. Mulberry grows in large quantities in the territories of the middle and southern strips of the Russian Federation, in the countries of the CIS, Asia, the African continent, and North America. The berries of the tree have medicinal properties, they are used for these purposes. The beneficial properties of the leaves are used to keep silkworms; natural silk threads are made from their cocoons. Mulberries are similar in appearance to blackberries, they are black, red or white.
The taste is strongly sweet, has unique properties. White fruits are sweeter than black fruits, which have a pleasant sourness. Black berries, when consumed, tend to intensively stain hands and lips. The fruits are very juicy and soft. Berries are unsuitable for transportation due to the fact that they crumple during transportation. The aroma of fruits is weak, barely perceptible, peculiar. Mulberry is used for drying, making jams, drinks. The good properties of wood make it possible to use it for the production of musical instruments and household items.
Where does it grow
The homeland of the red mulberry species is North America, the black species of the plant originated from southwestern Asia. From there, useful mulberries began to be imported to the countries of Central Asia and the Caucasus. Comfortable for culture is a warm temperate or subtropical climate. In Russia, you can grow plants in the southern regions. Rare frost-resistant varieties are able to grow on the lands of the middle zone.
Composition and calories
The mulberry berry has a composition rich in vitamins, which is very useful for humans. Fruits contain vitamins A, B1, B6, C, B2, K, E, choline, folic acid. Many useful trace elements such as calcium, selenium, zinc, iron, copper, potassium are found in berries - this increases immunity and the body's resistance to viruses and infections. The calorie content of 100 g of this culture is 52 kcal. 13.6 g of carbohydrates, 0.7 g of proteins are contained in this volume of the product.
What is useful mulberry for the body
The berry has a minimum calorie content, therefore it is suitable for nutrition during weight loss, and it also helps to improve metabolic processes, has diaphoretic properties, and helps to eliminate intestinal and stomach disorders. Dried fruits are sweeter than fresh ones, but slightly higher in calories. Their beneficial properties are used in the manufacture of nourishing cosmetic masks for hair, face skin, hands. But relying on mulberry as the only remedy is not worth it: it can only accompany the main drug course.
In the councils of traditional medicine are widely used beneficial properties of mulberry:
- juice or infusion of berries is recommended as a means of removing sputum;
- mulberry serves as a powerful natural antioxidant;
- gruel from grated bark and sterile vegetable oil treat ulcers, eczema, dermatitis;
- during menopause, they drink a decoction of berries to relieve pain;
- mixed with flax and cloves, it is used as an effective remedy for worms.
Mulberry - its beneficial properties and effectiveness have been known for many centuries - will help with almost all health problems. The berry has a positive effect on the entire human body. The benefits of mulberry are expressed in its following qualities:
- Due to the high level of potassium, mulberry has diuretic properties. Mulberry berry helps to get rid of cardiac and renal edema. The use of mulberry is recommended for acute shortage of potassium in the body.
- This element is also necessary for heart disease. Gives effect in the presence of vascular diseases, stress, depression, neuralgia.
- It has an anti-inflammatory effect. The plant is used for diseases of the throat and the treatment of colds, it helps no worse than raspberry jam. Inflammations of various origins can be effectively cured with mulberries.
- Useful mulberry in the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Ripe fruits serve as an excellent laxative, unripe berries have astringent properties, so they will help in getting rid of diarrhea. Useful properties of mulberries will appear when you need to eliminate heartburn.
- Antimicrobial action will be effective in diseases of the kidneys and bladder. For treatment, drink a decoction of the fruit.
- The constant presence of red fruits in the diet tends to improve the patient's condition with shortness of breath and pain in the heart,
- By using white mulberry, it will improve the functioning of the nervous system.
- The bark, roots, leaves and fruits of the mulberry tree contain the substance riboflavin, which helps in the treatment of diabetes. This compound has the ability to break down glucose, normalize the production of hormones, which is vital for diabetics.
- Fruits have a beneficial effect in the complex treatment of hypertension, as they slightly reduce pressure.
Dry mulberry leaves are taken for making decoctions. They are used to treat respiratory diseases as an expectorant. This decoction relieves swelling well, works as a diuretic, and as a disinfectant, it effectively heals wounds and cuts. Scars do not remain if you constantly treat the problem area with a useful decoction of dried leaves.
The underground part of the plant in the form of an infusion or decoction should be used against cough, shortness of breath, and a decrease in the temperature that has risen. It will also help to remove toxins and excess fluid from the tissues of the body. A decoction of mulberry bark eliminates inflammatory foci, helps fight dysentery. Medicinal mixtures are made from the bark together with vegetable oil. The beneficial properties of mulberries are expressed in the healing of wounds. The use of such therapeutic ointments accelerates tightening without scarring.
A useful remedy can be prepared by evaporating fresh juice from berries, when black mulberries were taken for these purposes. The syrup contributes to the treatment of problems of the oral cavity, gums, throat. Also used to treat lichen. It has astringent and sedative properties, and is used as a hemostatic agent for uterine bleeding and problems after childbirth.
Harm and contraindications
In small quantities, mulberry helps with high blood pressure and type II diabetes, but in a larger amount it will only bring harm, and also cause diarrhea. The fruit is a strong allergen. People prone to it should eat it with caution. When eating tasty and healthy berries, you should not drink them with water and mix with other products in order to prevent fermentation in the stomach and bloating of the abdominal cavity. Berries are contraindicated for individual intolerance, low blood pressure, a weak stomach and a tendency to diarrhea.
What does mulberry look like
