Blackberry leaves - useful properties and contraindications

A blackberry is a perennial shrub, which is a thicket whose branches look in all directions. This plant is very similar to raspberries in many ways: the leaves have thorns and blooms with the same small flowers. The berries are also collected as if from beads, but have a dark blue color. They begin to collect by the end of summer or at the very beginning of autumn.

This type of plant grows in mountainous areas, in fields, along roads and near rivers. Like raspberries, blackberries have many medicinal properties. But in private courtyards, unlike a relative, raspberries, you can not meet her often. Gardeners are scared away by thorns, and the thickets of this plant are difficult to process. But our ancestors were not so picky and found many uses for this berry bush. People call it “black raspberries”.

In folk medicine, all parts of this shrub are used: fruits, shoots, leaves and rhizome. Preparations based on its components are also used in official medicine. They can be found in pharmacies. These are teas, and herbal preparations, creams and dietary supplements.

Raw material preparation

Despite the fact that people are used to using mainly blackberry fruits, its leaves also have healing powers. The best time to harvest is the flowering period. At this time, the largest accumulation of nutrients occurs. It is best to choose young, but already formed leaves.

The fermentation process lasts a long time. The collected leaves are laid out in a thin layer on a flat surface. Then spend a rolling pin on them. Then all the leaves need to be rolled up into tubes and placed in a glass jar. After a few days, the leaves turn black. They will need to be removed and dried. You can dry them in a natural way or in an oven, at a temperature of no more than 40 degrees. Next, the leaves are crushed and poured into a jar for storage.

You can store in boxes and in cloth bags. The main condition is the lack of moisture. The shelf life of such a fermented mixture is 3 years. The healing properties do not change throughout the entire storage period.

Composition

Blackberry leaves contain:

• A large number of flavonoids.
• Organic acids.
• Essential and organic oils.
• Tannins.
• Minerals and trace elements: potassium, calcium, copper, zinc, phosphorus.
• Tannins.
• Fructose and sucrose.
• Amino acids.
• Glucose.
• Anthocyanins (antitumor substances that protect cells from internal mutations).
• Vitamins of group B, E, A. But the huge content of vitamin C is of particular value.

Such a rich and rich composition does not make blackberries high-calorie. It contains 34 kcal per 100 g. product. This is much less than grapefruit (35 calories) or watermelon (38 calories).

Healing properties

1. Blackberries are not in vain called natural aspirin. Salicylic acid, capable of fighting microbes, was found in its berries and leaves. Thanks to these properties, back in the days of the Roman Empire, a patch of blackberry leaves was used to heal wounds.
2. Phytoestrogens contained in the plant can have an effect on breast cancer.
3. The plant has anti-inflammatory, decongestant and anthelmintic effects. Helps in the absorption of many vitamins (e.g., C). Increases body defense and strengthens the walls of blood vessels.
4. Prolonged use of freshly prepared juice rejuvenates the body and reduces the risk of cancerous conditions due to polyphenolic formations that free the human body from free radicals.
5. The green parts of this plant in ancient times were used against diabetes mellitus and various kinds of inflammation of the urinary organs.
6. For women, blackberry tea is indispensable for menstrual pain, if there is an irregular cycle, and during menopause.
7. Cooked mixtures stabilize blood pressure and improve blood quality.
8. Tea on herbal mixtures with blackberries will prevent colds, lower temperatures and strengthen the body during viral infections. There is an opinion that it is useful to use it for neurotic diseases and for problems with shortness of breath, since the inflammatory process in the airways stops.
9. Children are recommended to give blackberry juice or weak tea once a day. In addition to stimulating the immune system, it serves to raise the level of hemoglobin and better absorption of iron.
10. Tannins help with diarrhea, as they have an astringent effect. Remove toxins from the digestive system. Slow down bleeding.
11. Leaves are rich in myritillin (natural insulin). Tea from blackberry leaves is useful to drink with diabetes, they lower the sugar content. He also normalizes and regulates metabolic processes in the body.
12. It is especially useful to use berries and blackberry leaves to pregnant women, but this should be done in small quantities and in the absence of contraindications. This will replenish the body with the necessary vitamins, give a boost of energy and positive.
13. Shrub joints treat rheumatism, rheumatism, arthritis.

Important! Using traditional medicine, do not exclude drugs and treatment methods prescribed by your doctors.

Leaf tea

For the preparation of drinks, you can use not only individual parts of plants, but also make a dried mixture of berries and leaves. To do this, 1 part of the berries take 2 parts of the leaves. All this is frayed and laid in a fabric bag. Dried for several days. You can use it as ordinary tea leaves. It is impossible to resist the aroma and taste of such a drink!

Mixtures with other medicinal plants are prepared similarly. Two teaspoons of dried leaves are brewed in a glass of boiling water for 15-20 minutes. Then the leaves are removed and tea can be drunk. To improve the taste, you can add lemon.

Blackberry jam

Such a delicacy is cooked from ripened fruits and leaves. It attracts with rich purple color and indescribable aroma. And the leaves are added with bitterness jam. If there is a desire, then dessert can be supplemented with lemon or quince, useful for the body. According to the recipe, for cooking jam you will need: 2 kg of blackberries, about 200 gr. young leaves, 1l. water, 2 kg of granulated sugar. Rinse berries and leaves. Allow water to drain. Boil the leaves in water for 20 minutes. After the specified time, remove the leaves. Dissolve two glasses of sugar in two glasses of broth, boil the syrup. Run berries into it and boil for 10 minutes. Boil not much. After that, cool to a comfortable, room temperature. Then boil again and add grated lemon to it, you can with the zest. Cook for about 10 minutes. Put the finished product in jars and tighten tightly. So they can be stored for several years.

Folk broth

It is used as a diaphoretic and effective diuretic. It is prepared in a ratio of 1 to 10. Helps with gastric bleeding and dyspeptic disorders, skin rashes. To do this, the slurry from the leaves is applied in the form of a compress. So eczema, lichen and purulent boils are removed.

1. Against cough. To prepare a cough drink, you need to take an equal amount of dried leaves of blackberry, coltsfoot, linden and raspberry. Brew in the usual way. For greater benefits, you can add natural honey. Such an infusion will contribute to the separation of sputum, relieve cough, sweat.
2. For healthy hair. If you wash your hair with broth at least 2 times a week, this will accelerate hair growth and give it a thicker look.
3. With an upset stomach. A collection of mint leaves, blackberries, chamomile and raspberry inflorescences will help. Everything is taken in equal portions and brewed. No more than 2 small spoons of the mixture fall on a glass. Insist 10 minutes.
4. With bleeding (hemorrhoids, stomach). Approximately 10 grams are taken per 200 ml of water. young shoots and leaves. All this needs to be brewed.
5. With inflammation of the throat and gums. It is useful to rinse the mouth and throat with infusion, or use it as a daily rinse.
6. Infusion from nervous disorders (can be used with menopause). Two tablespoons of dried leaves pour 0.5 liters. boiled water. Cover tightly and leave for 6-7 hours. Then strain through a sieve and refrigerate. Apply 1⁄4 cup, 4 times a day. Continue treatment until all symptoms of nervous exhaustion completely disappear.
7. Infusion to strengthen the body's defenses and increase immunity. One tablespoon of carefully dried leaves you just need to pour a mug of boiling water. Then cover tightly and let it brew for 20 minutes. The prepared infusion is divided into 3 parts. Take one, 3 times a day.
8. A therapeutic agent for poisoning and inflammation. Pour one tablespoon of dry and chopped leaves into a thermos. Pour 200 ml of boiling water there. Let it brew for 3-4 hours. Strain the infusion from suspensions. Keep refrigerated. Take 3 times a day for 100 g. before meals. Treatment is carried out before the removal of the inflammatory process. Usually, it takes 10 days.
9. Fresh leaves are widely used in cosmetology. From the greens of “black raspberries” it is advised to make masks for hair growth and root strengthening. Balms fight oily skin on the head. A decoction of leaves brightens the skin of the face.

Contraindications

• Do not use without consulting a doctor.
• Contraindication is children's age (up to 3 years).

Also, people with allergies, intestinal and gastric disorders, chronic diseases of the bladder and in the postoperative period need to abstain from therapy with blackberry leaves.

Moderate use is recommended for people with high acidity (acetone), suffering from kidney disease.

Note! If you have serious or chronic diseases, consult a doctor before using preparations that contain blackberries, or drinking berries and juice in pure form. Uncontrolled use or individual intolerance to the product can lead to nausea, vomiting and even poisoning!

Blackberry is a very useful plant, the components of which can be used not only for saturation and goodies, but also as an effective therapeutic agent with a wide spectrum of action. Blackberry tea calms the nervous system and strengthens the body's defenses. Baths with leaf supplements also have a healing effect.

The naturalness of this environmentally friendly product, its taste (application in cooking), a huge range of actions, ease of preparation of raw materials, infusions and drinks, accessibility - this is the smallest list that we can make in favor of using blackberries and its components. Folk methods of treatment have saved for centuries all generations of people. Therefore, to forget about this branch of medicine will be not only great stupidity, but also a manifestation of disrespect for the traditions of the ancestors, neglect of the gifts of nature.

Video: picking blackberry leaves