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Northwestern Russia is the homeland of edible honeysuckle. This plant is a shrub, reaching a height of 2 meters. Many types of honeysuckle have valuable decorative qualities, therefore, are not only common in the wild, they have become frequent guests of homestead land, parks and front gardens.
This plant is used not only in landscaping. The peoples who inhabit the natural range of its habitat, have long used honeysuckle to treat various diseases. We offer you to learn more about the beneficial properties of edible honeysuckle and contraindications to its use.
Use of honeysuckle fruit in traditional medicine
Practical medicine found almost all parts of the plant: roots, leaves, flowers, bark. But the true source of health are the fruits of honeysuckle - oblong, sweet-sour or sweet berries, reminiscent of the taste of blueberries.
Of the more than 200 species of wild and cultural honeysuckle, only a few are edible. Such species can be recognized by the color of the fruit - from blue to blue-black. Berries of poisonous species are usually painted in bright red and orange colors.
Composition of
berries Modern science explains the beneficial properties of honeysuckle fruits with their unique chemical composition. In addition to sugars and organic acids, they contain a large amount of vitamins:
- C - which helps strengthen the immune system and participates in most metabolic processes in the body;
- A - responsible for the state of the organs of vision, skin, hair and nails;
- B1 - helps strengthen and restore nerve cells;
- B2 - responsible for the health of the whole organism.
The mineral composition of berries is also diverse. They contain important for the normal functioning of the body sodium, potassium, magnesium, barium, iodine, aluminum, copper, manganese and strontium. The beneficial properties of honeysuckle berries are also due to the high content of pectins, anthocyanins and tannins. In this case, the caloric content of the fruit is only 30-32 kcal.
Use of
berries Traditional medicine recommends to fight many diseases with the help of tasty honeysuckle fruits. In the first place - with avitaminosis. Honeysuckle is an early crop and, depending on the variety, bears fruit in June — July. In fact, these are the first berries rich in vitamins and microelements, which help to overcome the consequences of a difficult autumn-winter period.
It is difficult to overestimate the benefits of honeysuckle in the treatment of hypertension and vascular diseases. This plant is a close relative of viburnum and, like her, contributes to lowering blood pressure. But, unlike viburnum, honeysuckle berries are slower, and the effect of their use lasts longer. Also, the fruits of this plant help to relieve headaches, which often suffer from hypertension, and vitamins A and B help to strengthen the walls of blood vessels.
Honeysuckle is an excellent antiseptic, so it can be used for various viral and bacterial infections: sore throats, flu, purulent wounds, conjunctivitis, infections of the digestive, respiratory and urinary organs. In addition to the destruction of pathogens, it will strengthen the immune system and will have an antipyretic effect.
In traditional medicine, the fruits of honeysuckle are also used to treat diseases of the female genitalia, constipation, metabolic disorders and many other diseases.
How to eat honeysuckle berries?
To achieve a stable health effect, the fruits of honeysuckle should be taken daily from the very beginning of fruiting 100 mg( approximately half a cup) a day. In addition, the beneficial properties of honeysuckle are practically not lost during freezing, drying and heat treatment, so you can indulge yourself with tasty jam, compotes, juices and fruit juice throughout the year.
Honeysuckle berries can not be subjected to re-freezing. Thawed, and then newly frozen fruits can cause disorder of the digestive organs. The same effect gives the joint consumption of berries of honeysuckle and gooseberry.
Contraindications
Despite the beneficial properties of honeysuckle fruits, there are also contraindications to its use:
- The effect of this plant is not well understood during pregnancy and lactation, therefore, it is better to avoid its use during these periods;
- honeysuckle fruits often cause allergies;
- in the treatment of children should carefully observe the dosage, since excessive consumption can cause them to appear rash( it is better to start with several berries, gradually increasing their number);
- do not recommend to use honeysuckle in gastritis, ulcers of the digestive system and during the exacerbation of cystitis.
