Cloudberry stalks: benefits and harms, properties and uses in traditional medicine

Northern cloudberry - a distant relative of raspberries, blackberries, grows on swampy soils, in the tundra. The berry is pampered, but very useful. Healing not only fruits, but all parts of the plant: roots, stems, leaves. It is difficult to overestimate the he alth benefits of cloudberry stalks. It is no coincidence that they are used in medicine and cosmetology.

Where cloudberries grow and how the stems are harvested

The berry has many names. It is called "royal", "northern orange", "marsh amber" and much more. Cloudberry is a herbaceous plant, low (no more than 30 cm tall), cold-resistant.

It tolerates frost more easily than strong winds or heavy rain. Sharp temperature fluctuations are detrimental to cloudberries:

1. In our country it grows in the northern regions, in tundra forests, in swamps.
2. Meets in Belarus, in the Leningrad region, Pskov, Bryansk. In Belarus, the berry was listed in the Red Book, as it is scarce there.
3. In the Far East, residents know this berry, its beneficial qualities.

Outside of Russia, cloudberries grow in the B altic republics, in the Nordic countries:

• Finland;
• Sweden;
• Norway;
• Canada.

The Finnish €2 coin features cloudberries, which proves its value.

Each berry grows on a separate stalk, so it is impossible to collect handfuls. Cloudberry leaves with petioles are harvested in late spring or early summer, until the buds are set and during flowering.

The foliage is cut off from the bottom of the stem or from the middle, since the upper leaves did not have time to accumulate healing properties. Flowers are harvested simultaneously with leaves and petioles.

Leaves, cuttings, roots of the plant are dried in an electric dryer or laid out in a dark place with good ventilation. Dried raw materials are placed in canvas bags or clean, dry glass jars. Stored where dry, cool and dark.

Dry raw cloudberry retains medicinal properties for about two years.

When harvested

At the end of July, cloudberries are harvested in central Russia, but the plant is less and less common there. And in the northern regions, the berry ripens by mid-August.

Unripe fruits are reddish in color, ripe ones are bright yellow, even orange. It is necessary to have time to collect a miracle berry in 2 weeks. The fruits quickly overripe, in this state they cannot be harvested, they will flow, and will be unsuitable for transportation.

It is more convenient to pick a berry a little unripe, at home it will ripen in 3 days. A prerequisite for collection is that the fruits are plucked along with the perianth (leaves with petioles around the fruit). They are dried, treated with a cough decoction.

Useful properties of the plant

The taste of cloudberries is reminiscent of the taste of an orange with currants. The berries are sour, so they are rarely eaten fresh.

The berry has become famous and in demand because of its beneficial qualities:

1. It contains a lot of vitamin C.
2. Cloudberry fruits normalize blood pressure, stabilize blood circulation.
3. They contribute to the removal of free radicals from the body, increase immune strength.
4. Berries neutralize the harmful effects of bacteria, viruses.
5. Regulate metabolism (metabolism), restore strength.

Cloudberry saved the inhabitants of the North from scurvy. Wounds, burns were also treated with tinctures, lotions from the miracle berry. For the preparation of healing drinks, decoctions, infusions, not only miracle fruits were used, but also leaves with petioles.

Useful properties of cloudberry cuttings are in no way inferior to fruits:

• restore immunity;
• enhance mood;
• put a barrier to the blues;
• wake up appetite;
• make strong blood vessels and strengthen the heart.

Petioles are a valuable cough medicine for bronchitis, colds. A decoction of dried petioles - an expectorant, removes phlegm.

Indications for use

The use of miracle berries is not limited to folk remedies. It is widely used in traditional medicine, cosmetic industry:

1. In case of flu, colds, bronchitis, cloudberry stalks are taken as an antipyretic, anti-febrile, expectorant.
2. Avitaminosis, chronic fatigue, decreased immunity, stress, loss of strength - indications for the use of cloudberries. It invigorates, strengthens.
3. Development of rickets in children; scurvy residents of the north are treated with decoctions, infusions on cloudberry petioles.
4. The plant is effective in diseases of the cardiovascular system, lowering "bad" cholesterol, high blood pressure.
5. Impaired metabolism, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, diarrhea, dehydration - the reasons for the use of cloudberries.
6. Healing of wounds, burns will pass quickly if treated with cloudberries.

Frequently eating "northern orange" eliminates fermentation processes in the intestines, restores the natural microflora.

How to brew cloudberry leaves

Cough, whooping cough, bronchitis are treated with cloudberry leaf tea. It is also effective in treating urinary tract infections and brings down high fevers from colds.

For tea you will need:

• dried leaves with petioles - 1 cup;
• water - 250 ml.

Cooking.

1. Dry cloudberry leaves are poured with boiling water. Cover, insist for several hours (3-4).
2. Strain. Drink a quarter cup at least four times a day.

To enhance the healing effect, berries are added to the tea. The drink will be more aromatic, more palatable.

It is more convenient to prepare healing tea in a thermos. It becomes stronger because the thermos retains heat longer. Sometimes, for the purpose of prevention, a handful of dry stalks are added to ordinary tea, it acquires an exquisite taste, aroma, and becomes useful.

Contraindications

Sometimes there is an individual intolerance to cloudberries. It can cause an allergic reaction like hives. The fault is organic acids, which are abundant in the plant.

"Swamp Amber" should not be consumed by humans:

• from a diseased duodenum;
• gastric ulcer;
• enterocolitis;
• chronic gastritis;
• severe kidney disease.

Cloudberries should not be taken with blood pressure medications. Before treatment, you should consult with your doctor.

Procurement and storage

May, early June - the flowering period of the cloudberry plant. At this time, leaves, petioles are harvested. Berry picking time is limited to two weeks.

It is not easy to collect. Sometimes you have to walk more than one kilometer until you find a clearing with a berry.

You should not pick berries near busy highways, not far from industrial areas. The plant absorbs harmful emissions, substances. Such a berry will not bring any benefit but harm.

Cloudberries are harvested early in the morning or in the evening to keep the weather dry. It is important to take mosquito repellents with you, because in places of growth (swampy) there are always a lot of blood-sucking insects.

Because the cloudberry collection period is limited, the berries do not lie for a long time. They are being recycled:

• dry;
• freeze;
• grind with sugar;
• preparing jams, jams, compotes

The soaked berry is stored for a long time (all winter).

No wonder cloudberries are called the royal berry. Of course, fresh berries are he althier than frozen or in the form of jam. But even in such cloudberries there are many healing properties. Fragrant tea with petioles in winter will help to defeat any cold.

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