The color of the thorn. Blackthorn as a symbol of faith

Tart and healthy pleasure... With its tartness, thorns will drive out diseases and all bad “diseases” from the body. What are the beneficial properties of thorns and its contraindications? What important substances for the body does it contain? How to make healthy tea? Let's get a look.

basic information

Thorn (Prunus Spinosa L.) is a thorny, dense shrub that grows to a height of 1-3 m. Its fruits are small, round, dark blue in color, and have a tart, sour taste.

The shrub blooms in March, April and May with white flowers. This is a relative of the plum, which is why the sloe is sometimes called the “tart plum.”

In folk medicine, the bush is considered a panacea - it helps the digestive system and kidneys, and acts as a natural disinfection. The fruits can serve as raw material for a number of drinks, teas, wine, and jam.

The advantage is the ability to use almost all shrubs. Sloe leaves help with kidney problems. The healing properties of flowers include a diuretic effect and relief of urinary problems. The benefits of berries are to strengthen the body, stimulate digestion, help with cramps, vomiting and diarrhea.

Growth and collection

Wild thorn grows along the edges of meadows, along roads, on rocks, in forests... It looks for sunny and dry places with a lot of calcium in the soil.

All parts of the bush are collected for medicinal purposes. The flowering part is collected during full flowering. One way to collect flowers is to shake them onto a clean canvas, previously laid under the bush. The flowers then get rid of the leaves and branches, which also fall onto the canvas.

The fruits are picked by hand, always ripe and blue, into a basket or box. When collecting raw materials for harvesting, it is important to protect your fingers with thick gloves - a puncture with a thorn thorn can lead to the formation of an infected wound!

Drying and storage

The only way to prepare flowers for the winter is drying, carried out by spreading them in a very thin layer, in full sunlight. If the weather is bad, artificial heating is used to 40°C at a layer height of up to 2 cm. Carefully lift the flowers during drying.

The berries are dried artificially at temperatures up to 40°C. It is best to dry on sieves in layers up to 4 cm. They need to be mixed from time to time. Well-dried fruits are hard, wrinkled, and blue-black in color.

If the fruit is well dried, it does not stain your fingers when pressed. The bark and roots are dried in a similar way (pre-cut into small pieces).

Dried raw materials are stored away from light and dampness (in glass containers and paper bags), otherwise they become unusable!

Thorn is a small thorny shrub. This plant is called blackthorn, prickly plum, and also damson. It belongs to the genus Plum of the Rosaceae family.

The name goes back to the Proto-Slavic root and is translated as “thorn”. Blackthorn was known to the ancient Greeks and Romans. But his universal fame is associated with biblical legends. The crown of Christ was woven from thorn branches.

The growing area of the prickly plum is mainly located in temperate climate zones. These are steppes, forest-steppes, forests. Wild thorns often form impenetrable thickets. In the mountainous regions of the Caucasus and Crimea, the shrub grows at an altitude of up to 1500 meters. In addition, it can be found in Western European countries, Western Siberia, Asia, areas of the Mediterranean basin, and the northern part of the African continent. The prickly plum is valuable for its healing properties and is used in cooking.

Botanical description of blackthorn

The thorn plant is a tall shrub, the height of which reaches 3 – 5 meters. Some of its species are low trees up to 5 meters high. The branches grow in a horizontal direction. They are covered with numerous sharp and thick spines.

The shape of the matte, dark green leaves of the plant is obovate or elliptical, with a serrated edge. The leaves are about 5 centimeters long.

The blackthorn plum is very beautiful during flowering, when the bush is covered with a cap of white flowers even before the leaves appear. They emit a bitter almond aroma and attract many bees to collect their nectar and pollen. Therefore, the plant is considered honey-bearing. The start time of flowering depends on the area where the sloe grows. The shrub may bloom in April or May.

Blackthorn wood is very strong and hard, and has a reddish-brown hue. It is used for the manufacture of small turning and carpentry products. The roots of the plant go 1 meter deep into the soil and are densely branched, so that they extend far beyond the crown projection.

Thorn is a winter-hardy and drought-resistant shrub. Gardeners speak of it as an unpretentious plant that is easy to care for. It is often used as a rootstock for plums and apricots, planted on crumbling slopes to strengthen the soil, and also to create hedges of thorns. To decorate the garden, it is recommended to plant terry, red-leaved, and purple varieties of blackthorn.

Prickly plum berries

The sloe berry is called monodrupe. In most varieties, their shape is round, with a diameter of up to 15 mm. The color of the fruit is blue-black, with a waxy coating. They are green inside, the flesh does not separate from the single wrinkled seed.

The ripening of prickly plum berries, as well as the appearance of flowers, depends on the region of growth and occurs in August or September, while they remain on the bush or tree throughout the winter months, until the onset of spring. The taste of damson is tart and sour. The astringency of the fruits decreases after frost, so that they acquire a more pleasant taste and become edible.

Chemical composition of berries

The composition of blackthorn berries varies depending on the geography of its growth, but the main components are invariably:

pectin;
sugars: fructose, glucose, sucrose;
organic acids;
tannins;
vitamins A, group B, PP, E, ascorbic acid;
microelements: iron, magnesium, calcium, iodine, phosphorus, sodium;
essential oils.

The nutritional value

The energy value of prickly plum fruits is on average 50 - 53 kcal per 100 grams. Protein content – 1.5 grams, fat – 0.3 grams, carbohydrates – 9.4 grams.

In addition, blackthorn berries include water, mono- and disaccharides, organic acids, dietary fiber, ash and starch.

Useful and medicinal properties of thorns

The healing, medicinal properties of most plants are contained in their individual parts: fruits, leaves, roots. The blackthorn is an amazing creation of nature, since the benefits of the thorn lie in its berries, and in the leaves, flowers, roots, and even bark.

Applications of blackthorn flowers

Flowers are collected at the height of flowering. They are dried in ventilated, dark places, stored in closed containers and most often used to prepare decoctions and teas. Sloe flowers are useful for:

liver cleansing;
removing toxic substances from the body;
normalization of metabolic processes;
blood purification;
increased diuresis;
treatment of chronic constipation;
relieving inflammation of the throat mucosa.

To prepare a healing decoction, 25 grams of dried blackthorn flowers are poured into 0.5 liters of boiling water and left for 10-15 minutes.

Application of fruits

The berries are consumed fresh and dried, and jams and preserves are also prepared from them. The beneficial properties of thorn fruits are especially valuable in the following cases:

for dysentery, ulcerative colitis, gastritis, constipation, nausea and other gastrointestinal problems;
in the treatment of liver and kidney diseases, for example, urolithiasis;
with vitamin deficiencies;
with cystitis;
with flatulence and slagging in the body;
for insomnia and irritability.

In addition, damsons help strengthen the walls of blood vessels, reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels, which reduces the likelihood of developing cardiovascular pathologies. Berries activate the body's immune defense, strengthen gums and prevent inflammation of the prostate gland.

Contraindications to eating berries

There are no serious contraindications to eating damsons. However, the harm of thorns can be felt by people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: high acidity of the stomach, gastritis, gastric ulcer.

It is important to know that you can only eat ripe damson pulp, without seeds. They contain potent poison. For this reason, canned tren fruits with seeds should not be stored for more than a year, since toxic substances from the seeds penetrate into the edible pulp over time. The same applies to preparing decoctions. Berries should not be left in water for a long time, otherwise the harmful components from the seeds will dissolve in the broth. This drink is dangerous to human health. Eating fresh berries and dishes made from seedless damson pulp does not cause harm.

Those who are prone to allergic reactions should treat blackthorn berries with caution. Another feature of sloe fruits is that they stain teeth blue, which is completely washed off only after a few days.

It is not contraindicated for expectant mothers and children to consume damsons. Moreover, the berry is useful for pregnant women suffering from toxicosis and attacks of nausea.

Proper collection and storage of berries

The ripening period for damson plums is from July to August. One fruiting bush can produce up to 15 kilograms of berries, which are well preserved during transportation and have a shelf life.

But you can start harvesting thorns only after the first frost has occurred; until this time, damson plums are inedible. It is worth choosing elastic, strong berries, without inclusions of rot, cracks and sores. Damaged fruits are unsuitable for processing.

To ensure that the benefits of damson plums last for a long time, they can be subjected to minimal heat treatment. Store berries frozen or dried. In this form, their healing properties remain unchanged throughout the year. Fresh fruits must be consumed within 10 days.

Prickly, inconspicuous-looking thorn bushes are actually a source of healthy fruits. Skilled housewives prepare healing decoctions, sweet preparations and sauces for various dishes from them. Blackthorn fruits will appeal to those who know how to properly collect and store them. And decorative thorn hedges delight the eye from the beginning of spring until late autumn.

Thorn belongs to the rosaceous shrubs; the fruits of this plant resemble small ones in appearance, but this is the only similarity between the fruits of the thorn and plum trees. People often call blackthorn a prickly plum. The fruits of the tree are similar to plums, but in fact, blackthorn appeared much earlier than plum plants. And few people know that thorns have unique healing and beneficial properties. The main advantage of the thorn lies in its components, while almost the entire tree can be called useful parts, from the bark and roots to the juicy fruits. What is a thorn? What benefits and harms are most important for the human body?

Chemical composition of sloe

The composition of the thorn includes a lot of the most useful and irreplaceable components for humans, among them the leading role is assigned to:

dietary fiber;
organic acids;
amino acids;
fiber;
pectin;
essential oils;
tannins;
monosaccharides;
starch.

Sloes are also rich in vitamin and mineral components. First of all, it is important to note that thorns contain a unique content of vitamin A, as well as beta-carotene. In terms of the content of these components, thorns rank first among other fruit and berry crops. In addition to these vitamins, the fruits of the plant contain vitamins C, the entire subgroup B, E, PP. The chemical composition is also rich in the content of mineral components: molybdenum, cobalt, iron, copper, potassium, chromium, manganese, calcium, iodine, phosphorus, zinc, sodium, magnesium.

Despite the high and complete content of useful components, ter is a low-calorie product, per 100 grams. The fruit contains only about 55 calories.

What are the benefits of thorns for the body?

The rich vitamin and mineral composition of the plant proves its usefulness. How is the turn useful?

Sloe fruit has a laxative effect, which means it is effective for constipation. In addition, the fruits of the plant help normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as reduce the risk of developing gastritis, colitis, and gastric ulcers. Sloe fruits also help to get rid of flatulence; the product is indicated for use in cases of chronically increased gas formation;
The fruits of the plant have a cleansing quality, thanks to which the thorn is able to remove harmful components, slagging, toxic substances from the body, and also normalize the intestinal microflora;
Thorn is effectively used for weight loss. Nutritionists have developed several effective diets based on the fruits of this plant. It has been proven that the product helps improve metabolic processes, helps normalize the process of digesting incoming food, and fights the risk of fat deposits;
The healing properties of thorns are known to many healers. It has been proven that the plant has expectorant, anti-inflammatory, diaphoretic, and antibacterial properties;
The plant helps to cope with nervous disorders and general weakness of the body. The fruits are actively used for dizziness, shortness of breath, insomnia, nausea and increased irritability;
The anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties of sloe are reliably used in dentistry. It is recommended to rinse the mouth with a decoction of the fruit. In addition, due to its astringent effect, the plant is also used to treat gums, as well as the outer surface of the oral cavity;
People with heart problems are recommended to regularly enjoy thorn fruits, because they help the cardiac system work in a normal rhythm, strengthen the walls of blood vessels, and reduce the risk of developing many heart ailments;
The fruits of this plant are actively used to strengthen the immune system. Thanks to its fully fortified composition, the product helps stabilize the functioning of the defenses of the whole body;
Thorn reduces the level of harmful cholesterol in the blood and also helps lower blood pressure;
An indispensable product is thorn for men. This product normalizes the general condition of the prostate gland and helps prevent the development of adenoma;
And for women, thorns have invaluable benefits. Regular consumption of the fruits of this plant helps reduce the risk of developing nervous diseases, significantly alleviates a woman’s condition with PMS, and helps reduce pain during menstruation;
The fruits of the plant are also indicated for various liver diseases. Thanks to its cleansing properties, the product is indispensable for kidney and liver pathologies.

The use of the turn is very different. But the basis of the fruits is prepared into jams, compotes, decoctions, and infusions. The pulp, as well as the juice of fresh fruits, is actively used in cosmetology. The pulp of the fruit helps cope with purulent and inflammatory processes on the skin, eliminates acne and acne.

Harm

When it comes to delicious berries - sloe, the beneficial properties and contraindications of this product are individual. Despite the uniqueness and usefulness of the thorn, it also has contraindications for use. Sloe berries should not be consumed for diseases and pathologies such as:

gastritis with high acidity;
allergic reaction or individual intolerance to the product;
gastric ulcer in the acute stage;
increased stomach acidity.

Sloe berries have certain harm. This circumstance mainly concerns the staining of tooth enamel in a bluish tint during consumption of berries. The benefits of sloe for gums are great, but the juice of the fruit can stain tooth enamel in a bluish tint, and this color is washed off only after a few days.

It is important to know that when preparing a decoction of sloe berries, it is strictly forbidden to leave them in liquid. The seeds of the fruit contain a toxic substance - amygdalin. If amygdalin interacts with the aquatic environment for a long time, then it subsequently provokes the appearance of toxic components in the liquid, which accordingly cause intoxication in the body of the person drinking the decoction.

Applications of thorn fruits

The beneficial qualities of thorns, the benefits and harms of which have been fully proven, are not lost when preparing various dishes. Most often, the fruits are used to make sweet jam, compotes and other preserves. In addition, sloe berries can be used as an additional ingredient when preparing main courses or salads. Pastilles, marmalade, smoothies, and cocktails made from sloe fruits have amazing taste and aroma.

berries;
various fruits;
non-starchy vegetables;
any varietal greens;
hard cheeses;
lean meat;
grain crops;
cereals.

What can be prepared from thorns?

There are a lot of options for tasty and healthy thorn dishes.

Sloe compote

To prepare a healthy drink you will need to take about 200 grams. thorn fruit, 1.5 l. clean water; sugar about 100 g, citric acid - at the very tip of the knife.

Place the fruits of the plant, thoroughly washed and cleared of foreign components, into a small saucepan, add the required amount of water and citric acid to the saucepan. Bring the resulting mixture to a boil. Afterwards, add the required amount of sugar, then bring the liquid to a boil again and cook for about 25 minutes.

After preparing a healthy compote, the liquid needs to be strained.

Sloe decoction

To prepare a healing decoction, you need to choose dense and whole fruits. The decoction is prepared per 500 ml. Take about 2 tbsp of clean water. spoons of fruit. Pour boiling water over the berries, cover the container with the broth with a tight lid and let the liquid steep for an hour. After the specified time, the broth must be strained from the berries.

Winter preparations made from thorn fruits are more popular. What can be made from thorns for the winter?

Jam with seeds

To make healthy jam, you will need to carefully sort out about 2 kg. thorn fruit. The berries need to be divided into 2 (halves) parts, and the core of each berry must be removed. Add 500 grams of prepared berries. Sahara. Leave the resulting mixture in this state for 1 night, without stirring anything.

In the morning, see if the juice has released from the berries. If there seems to be little juice, then you need to add a little boiled water. Place the resulting mass on low heat, first bring to a full boil, and then cook until the fruits are completely cooked. At the end of cooking, add vanilla and to the finished jam to your own taste.

Pour the prepared jam into sterilized jars, cool, and store in the refrigerator.

Important secrets of using thorn fruits

How to choose the right healthy fruits? Sloe berries are harvested after the first frost has struck. Preference should be given to strong and elastic fruits that are free from sores and cracks. For winter processing, you should not select fruits that have spots of rot.
The norm of useful consumption of sloe. Nutritionists recommend not to get carried away with consuming the fruits of the plant. It is advisable to feast on healthy fruits no more than 2 times and within 1 week, while one serving of berries should not exceed 100 grams.
Useful storage of sloe berries. To get the maximum beneficial qualities from the “blue” fruits, it is recommended to subject them to less heat treatment. Sloes can be stored in various variations: freezing, drying, drying - in this storage option, the berries retain their beneficial qualities for 12 months. But fresh sloe berries cannot be stored for more than 10 days.

Thorn is a shrub whose botanical name is Prúnus spinosa. Distributed in the southern part of Russia, in warm climates. In folk medicine it is used for the treatment and prevention of vitamin deficiency, diseases of the stomach and intestines. The plant has:

immunostimulating properties, supports the functioning of the immune system;
detoxifying properties, participates in blood purification, normalizes liver function;
bactericidal, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, inhibits the growth of pathogenic microflora;
diuretic and diaphoretic properties, increases the removal of fluid from the body;
laxative properties, powerfully stimulates intestinal motility and eliminates constipation.

The greatest benefit is concentrated in the small blue berries that the plant bears at the end of summer. The berries contain:

organic sugars, glucose and fructose;
organic acids, malic acid, beneficial for the immune system;
vitamins C and E, beneficial for blood vessels, heart and bones;
beta-carotene and coumarin, beneficial for metabolism;
catechin, essential oils and alcohols have a stimulating effect;
mineral salts, trace elements beneficial for the nervous system, bones, and circulatory system;
fatty oils, tannins.

Sloes contain fatty acids:

oleic,
eleostearic,
stearic,
linoleic,
palmitic

Useful trace elements and mineral salts have a beneficial effect on the nervous system, strengthen the walls of blood vessels and normalize blood pressure. Sloes are a distant relative of bitter almonds; the seed kernels also contain alkaloids and derivatives of hydrocyanic acid. The seeds are not eaten as these chemical compounds are poisonous to humans. The berries are suitable only for chronic gastrointestinal diseases; acute forms, especially if there is internal bleeding, are contraindications. Potential harm can occur from prussic acid poisoning, but this requires eating incredibly large quantities of the bitter seeds. It is more beneficial for health not to eat fresh berries, but to prepare them:

compote or decoction;
infusion of water or alcohol;
sloe wine;
jam, preserves, marmalade;
jelly or extract.

Not everyone likes the taste of berries in their pure form, although this does not reduce their beneficial properties. Fresh berries can also be used as a laxative; they act quickly and relieve constipation in 2-3 hours.

The sloe is a distant relative of the plum. The trunk is from 1.5 to 8 meters in height, the branches are directed horizontally, decorated with thick, durable thorns. Young branches are covered with thin fluff. The shape of the leaves is oval, young leaves are pubescent. Old leaves are matte, thick and dense. The sloe emits a subtle and pleasant smell, which intensifies during flowering. Flowering occurs from late May to early June; the flower has five white petals. The smell of a flowering tree is similar to the smell of almonds and has a hint of tart bitterness. After flowering, fruits and single drupes are set. The shape of the fruit is round, diameter is from 10 to 15 mm. Ripening occurs at the end of August, beginning of September, the fruits remain on the branches throughout the winter period, serving as food for birds and small animals. The fruits are also edible for humans, they have juicy green flesh and a pleasant tart taste with a slight bitterness. Medicinal recipes with sloe most often contain berries rather than roots or leaves. The most delicious fruits are after frost, when ripening occurs due to low temperatures, bitter substances are destroyed, and the true taste is revealed. The fruits replenish the lack of vitamins and microelements, have medicinal properties, stimulate the immune system and increase the body's resistance to bacterial, viral or fungal infections.

Beneficial features

The main benefit of sloe is its antibacterial properties. Passing through the gastrointestinal tract, the substances kill pathogenic microorganisms and promote recovery from intestinal infections. These same properties can cause harm. Exposure to even small amounts of alkaloids and coumarin, which thorns contain, can cause a deterioration in the patient's condition. Contraindications – berries are not recommended for use in acute forms of internal organ diseases. The effect of astringents is beneficial only if the mucous membrane normally tolerates such a chemical composition of the juice. If there is erosion on the mucous membrane of the stomach or intestines (erosive colitis or gastritis), then the harm from blackthorn will consist in deepening the erosion to the underlying layers of tissue. The more severe the disease, the less concentrated the therapeutic agents should be, then recovery will be beneficial. For example, sloe wine, when consumed regularly in a patient with mild gastritis, will cause an ulcerative form of the disease within a year, and blackthorn juice will cause an improvement in well-being. Contraindications and use must be agreed upon with the attending physician so that the benefit to the patient outweighs the harm. Recipes for using berries:

Juice.
Sort through the berries, wash, add 100 g of granulated sugar to 1 kg of fruit, boil for 10-15 minutes, pour into jars, and roll up. Thorn is used as a remedy for constipation.
Medicinal syrups.
Mash the berries to a puree, pour the porridge into jars, add hot boiled water, leave until the juice separates. Strain. Medicinal syrups are made with or without added sugar. Sugar is added at the rate of 1.5 liters of syrup - 1 kg of sugar, you need to mix the liquid until a homogeneous mass is obtained.
Medicinal fruit drinks.
Take the syrup, dilute it in a ratio of 1:7, drink chilled. The benefit of fruit juice for the digestive system is to prevent constipation. The liquid has an astringent and soothing effect.

Sweets and confectionery with blackthorn jam are delicious, and their benefits are expressed in replenishing the deficiency of vitamins and minerals.

What does it treat?

From cystitis, pyelonephritis, prostatitis.

For spastic or atonic constipation.

For antiseptic treatment of the oral cavity against candidiasis, stomatitis, gingivitis.

For accelerated tissue regeneration, for the healing of pustules, cuts, wounds, ulcers. As a symptomatic remedy - for psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, eczema - external medicinal compresses.

To normalize metabolism, against obesity, against diseases of the endocrine system.

To reduce blood vessel tone and blood pressure.

From gastritis, enteritis, from helminthic infestation and giardiasis.

Contraindications

Harm necessarily occurs if the confectionery product or wine was prepared incorrectly. In order for the plant to be edible, you need to wait for frost, and only then collect it. Unripe berries produce a large amount of essential oil and bitterness; this not only spoils the taste of the product, but can also harm the digestive tract. Blackthorn cannot be used for medicinal purposes:

children under 12 years old;
pregnant and lactating women;
patients with acute pyelonephritis, pancreatitis, cholecystitis, ulcerative gastritis, colitis;
patients with irritable bowel syndrome, anal fissures, hemorrhoids;
patients with acute cystitis, urethritis, prostatitis;
for those who have an individual allergy to any substance that is part of the sloe.

Harm to health will also occur if you consume thorn products after surgery, if you have a fever with a temperature above 39 degrees, or if you have food poisoning. The benefits of eating blackthorn during pregnancy have not been proven, so it is better to refrain from this experiment.

» Plums

Humanity in the process of evolution has learned to benefit from almost everything. The thorn, known from biblical legends, was no exception, because it was from its thorny branches that the crown for Jesus Christ was woven. Despite the sad glory, this plant has medicinal properties, and its fruits are used in cooking. Let's take a closer look at this plant, what benefits and harm it can bring to the human body.

Thorn is a fairly tall shrub, growing up to 3.5-4.5 m in height.. Some species are presented in the form of low-growing trees up to 5 m high. The thorny branches are completely covered with sharp spines.

The plant blooms in April-May, depending on the region of growth. The sloe blossom is very beautiful– at first, white flowers abundantly cover the branches of the bush, and after a while the leaves open. During flowering, bees collect pollen and nectar, so the plant is classified as a honey plant.

Sloe leaves reach a length of 5 cm and have an elliptical shape with jagged edges.. The brownish-reddish wood of the shrub is used to make a variety of small-diameter carpentry and turning products and is valued for its strength and hardness.

It is found in steppe and forest-steppe zones, on the edges of forests and cutting areas, steep river banks and along roadsides, often forming impenetrable thickets. The roots of thorn bushes strengthen slopes well and prevent soil erosion, so they are planted along river banks and in ravines. In landscape design, shrubs are used as hedges.

The plant's habitat includes Western Europe, Asia Minor, Iran, Tatarstan, Ukraine, the European part of Russia, Crimea and the Caucasus, and in the mountains the shrub is found at an altitude of 1200-1600 m above sea level.

Sloe fruits are black and blue in color, round in shape and about 12 mm in diameter.. The outer part of each fruit is covered with a bluish waxy coating, and inside there is one wrinkled bone.

Calorie content and chemical composition

The chemical composition of sloe varies depending on the geographic region, but the base remains the same. The fruits contain:

glucose, sucrose and fructose;
pectin;
tannins and aromatics;
organic acids;
vitamins A, C, E, B₁, B₂, PP;
iron, potassium, calcium, sodium, phosphorus, magnesium, iodine, cobalt, zinc, manganese, chromium;
essential oil.

The energy value of fresh sloe fruits is 49-54 kcal per 100 g.

The tart and sour wild plum berries ripen in July-August, but they are not picked at this time because they are practically inedible, due to their high tannin content.

Fruit harvesting usually begins after the first frost. During the freezing process, the chemical composition of sloe fruits changes - the amount of organic acids and tannins decreases, the berries lose their astringency and become tasty.

From one adult damson bush, up to 12-15 kg of fruits are collected, which are characterized by good shelf life and transportability.

Beneficial properties of terene for the human body

If in many medicinal plants one part has healing power, then the thorn is unique in this regard - not only its berries, but also leaves, roots, flowers, branches and bark are used for medicinal purposes.

fruit fruit

Sloe berries are eaten fresh, and also dried or prepared from them into jams, preserves, and pasteurized juices. The fruits of this fruit have many beneficial properties.:

normalize microflora and improve intestinal motility, relieve flatulence;
remove harmful substances from the body and reduce slagging;
relieve insomnia, increased irritability, nausea and shortness of breath;
reduce and normalize patients’ weight. A specially developed diet includes sloe berries, which help burn fat deposits and normalize metabolic processes;
strengthens the walls of blood vessels, lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels in the blood, reduce the risk of developing heart disease;
improve kidney condition and liver for various pathologies;
strengthen the immune system, mobilizes the body's defenses;
are a prophylactic against the development of prostate adenoma, normalize the functioning of the prostate;
strengthen gums;
reduce menstrual pain.

Flowers and leaves

Sloe flowers are collected during their full bloom, dried in a dark, ventilated area and stored in tightly closed jars (glass or tin) out of reach of sunlight. They mainly use a decoction or tea from flowers, which have medicinal properties.:

cleanse the blood and remove toxins from the body;
get rid of skin purulent and erysipelas inflammations, help with furunculosis;
cleanse the liver, normalize intestinal function;
contribute restoration of metabolism;
have a calming effect for insomnia and neuralgia;
serve as a diuretic and a diaphoretic.

Healing tea is brewed from sloe flowers: 25 g of flowers are poured into 0.5 liters of boiling water and the container with the drink is wrapped for 10-15 minutes to infuse. Tea made from thorn flowers is drunk as usual without strict dosage, and is also used for external use as lotions.

Decoctions of thorn leaves have the same properties as flower decoctions.. To prepare them, the leaves are plucked in mid-summer, after the bush has finished flowering. They are dried and stored in the same way as flowers, and the prepared decoctions are drunk like regular tea.

Roots, shoots and bark

The roots are dug up in the fall and dried for 2-3 weeks in the open air. and then dried in the oven. Dried roots can be stored in canvas or cotton bags for up to three years.
Twigs and young shoots are collected in early summer, dried in the open air and stored for a year.
The bark is removed from the bush in early spring until the plant blooms. Drying and storing the bark is carried out similarly to harvesting the roots.

Decoctions of roots, branches and shoots have antipyretic, anti-inflammatory and diaphoretic properties, so they are taken for colds and flu.

Decoctions from the bark are drunk instead of regular tea.– they help cleanse the blood and get rid of skin irritations. When diluted with boiled water, decoctions are used for douching for female inflammation.

Contraindications and possible harm to human health

Thorn fruits have no special contraindications for human health. Those who are concerned about stomach problems should reduce their consumption of berries.:

gastritis;
stomach ulcer in the acute stage;
increased stomach acidity.

People with severe allergies will have to stop using teren., although such cases are quite rare.

Fruits cause particular harm to tooth enamel - After eating sloe, teeth turn bluish. This looks extremely unaesthetic, and the blue stains from the teeth are completely washed off only after a few days.

After preparing a decoction of thorn fruits, the berries must be removed. With prolonged contact of fruit seeds with water, toxic components are formed in the liquid that can cause poisoning.

Eating thorn berries not contraindicated for children and pregnant women, and the latter is even useful for toxicosis and attacks of nausea.

Fresh berries can cause stomach upset, sweet preserves and jams are an undesirable gain of excess body weight, but only if these products are consumed in excess.

Recipes with prunes

Sloe fruits are used to prepare sweet preparations for the winter (jam, marmalade, marmalade), as well as all kinds of sauces, seasonings, wine and vodka liqueurs and liqueurs.

Jam

The most popular is thorn fruit jam. You need to cook the sweet delicacy according to the same principle as with any other berries.:

Sort and wash 1 kg of thorn fruit, let the water drain.
Remove the seeds from the berries.
From 1.5 kg sugar and 2-3 glasses of water cook the syrup.
After the sugar has completely dissolved, add sloe to the boiling syrup. boil and remove the pan from the heat.
Cool the jam to room temperature and cook it again, bringing to a boil and boil for 2-3 minutes.
The third time Boil the jam and cook over low heat until fully cooked. During cooking, stir occasionally and skim off foam.
Ready jam hot pour into dry sterilized jars and roll up with tin lids. After cooling, remove the jars for storage.

Sloe juice

To obtain juice, use a juicer into which sloe fruits and sugar are loaded. (for 1 kg of berries take 100 g of sugar). The juice is poured into jars, then sterilized and sealed with tin lids. After the jars have cooled to room temperature, they are stored in a dark place.

Sloe kvass

To prepare a refreshing drink you will need 3-4 liters of water, 0.5 kg of sloe berries, 0.5-1 glass of any honey and 15-20 g of yeast:

Grind the washed and pitted fruits to a puree. add water and boil for 40 minutes.
Received strain the broth, add yeast and honey to it.
Leave to ferment for 10-12 hours at room temperature.
After that bottle and put it in the refrigerator.

Simple thorn liqueur

Preparing a classic sloe liqueur takes a lot of time - it will take 4-6 months to age the liqueur. Fans of strong thorn drinks use a faster recipe. For it you need to take 1 kg of sloe, 200-300 g of sugar and 1 liter of vodka. Instead of vodka, you can use ethyl alcohol, diluting it with water to a strength of 40-45%, as well as inexpensive cognac or purified moonshine:

Sort the berries, remove rotten and spoiled ones, wash and remove seeds.
Peeled pulp mix with sugar and put in a glass jar.
Tie the jar with two layers of gauze and place it on sunny windowsill.
After 2-3 days add vodka, mix the berries and place the jar in a dark place at room temperature (cupboard or pantry).
Keep the liqueur for 14 days, and shake the jar with its contents daily for the first week.
In two weeks strain the drink and bottle it. Seal tightly and store.

Sloe liqueur can be stored for up to 5 years, and the strength of the alcoholic drink is 30-32%.

Conclusion

A thorny thorn bush with inconspicuous berries turned out to be a useful plant upon closer examination. You can use it to prepare alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, sweet preparations for the winter, seasonings and sauces for various dishes.

The fruits of thorns and all kinds of decoctions prepared from different parts of the plant are beneficial for the human body. Their use is not limited to certain dosages - Healing infusions are drunk like regular tea.. The main condition for preserving the therapeutic effect of sloe is compliance with the timing of the collection and drying process of raw materials.