The healing properties of cloudberries and the rules for the use of royal berries

Cloudberry is a berry native to the marshlands of the northern regions. It is very popular in the Scandinavian countries, the Baltic states, in the north of Russia, in the Far East, in Belarus, in Siberia, whose inhabitants have long appreciated the medicinal properties of cloudberries. In appearance, it resembles raspberries, differs from the latter only in bright yellow-orange color.

The berry belongs to the Rubus family. It grows in the wild in swampy areas, tolerating low temperatures. It is very difficult to cultivate it. Finding cloudberries is not difficult. The fruits grow on upright stems, each of which has only one fruit. The plant blooms in May-June. The berries are red at first and turn golden orange as they ripen. The berry picking season is very short and ends in mid-August.

The healing properties of cloudberries

Cloudberry for its color and high content of vitamin C is called northern orange or marsh amber. It tastes like an orange and currant... Many people do not like to eat it fresh because it tastes too sour.

For residents of the northern regions, cloudberries are a real storehouse of vitamins. A variety of delicious dishes, drinks are prepared from it, and added to home cosmetics. The benefits of the plant are due to its chemical composition, which is a unique collection designed to strengthen and heal the human body, created by nature.

Cloudberries contain 84% water and 6.4% fiber. The berry contains 8% proteins, 74% carbohydrates and 20% fats. The calorie content of 100 g of fruit is 40 Kcal.

Berries contain many useful substances:

• coumarins;
• flavonoids;
• carotenoids;
• phenolcarbolic, malic and citric acids;
• phytoncides;
• vitamins of group B, E, PP, C, A;
• tannins and pectin substances;
• alimentary fiber;
• β-carotene;
• α-tocopherol;
• minerals (potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, iron).

The northerners know very well how cloudberries are useful. They appreciate its fruits for their undeniable help to the body:

• berries stabilize blood pressure;
• normalize blood circulation;
• remove free radicals;
• stimulate the body's defenses;
• suppress the action of pathogenic microorganisms;
• increase the coagulation properties of blood;
• normalize metabolism;
• relieve cramps and spasms;
• improve the regenerative capacity of the skin;
• reduce capillary permeability;
• remove excess fluid from the body;
• tone up muscles;
• help to recover from exhausting physical and mental work.

The carbohydrates in berries are a source of energy. Coumarins have antispasmodic properties. Tannins are astringents, phenolcarbolic acids are natural antiseptics.

Coumarins and phytosterols are useful for tumors, diseases of internal organs, connective, lymphatic tissue, and disorders of the bone marrow.

Due to the large amount of tocopherol, cloudberries restore blood supply to the lower extremities, eliminating cramps, and has a positive effect on vision.

Reliable assistant to the traditional healer

The healing power of the plant's berries helps with numerous health problems. What diseases cloudberry helps to cure and how, is shown in the table.

Cloudberry in cosmetology

Cloudberry is also irreplaceable for cosmetology. Oil is squeezed out of the seeds, which is part of tonics, gels, shampoos. The fatty acids found in the seeds tone and tighten the skin, relieve swelling and inflammation, eliminate dandruff, and improve hair condition.

Cloudberry juice contains fruit acids, which, when added to a face cream, help to improve skin color and even tone.

Northern orange and pregnancy

Cloudberry during pregnancy is allowed for use, since the tocopherol contained in berries has a beneficial effect on the development of the fetus. It constantly renews the cells of the body, starts the growth processes. This is very important for the child's body growing inside a woman.

In addition, a shock dose of ascorbic acid contained in cloudberries strengthens the immune system, preventing the expectant mother from getting sick while carrying a baby. It is allowed to eat 100 grams of berries 2-3 times a week (in the absence of contraindications). This rule also applies to pregnant women.

Nursing mothers should definitely consult with an obstetrician-gynecologist about the allowed amount of berries that can be consumed, because the baby may have an allergic reaction or an upset stomach.

Benefits of sepals, stalks, and cloudberry leaves

Not only the fruits themselves are valuable, but also the sepals of cloudberries have useful properties. Leaves, roots, stalks, sepals of this northern plant are used for the preparation of various remedies. Cloudberry stems and sepals are not inferior to fruits in their chemical composition and medicinal properties. They also help to increase the body's defenses, improve mood, eliminate blues, strengthen the heart and blood vessels. Sepals and cloudberry leaves help cough in bronchitis, tuberculosis, whooping cough, promoting the discharge of phlegm.

Cloudberry leaves have a bactericidal, diuretic, anti-inflammatory effect, restores the pH level, stop bleeding (both external and internal), help with puffiness, increasing the outflow of fluid, soothe irritated intestinal and stomach mucous membranes, relieve inflammation in cystitis and nephritis.

The best recipes using leaves, roots, sepals

Residents of the northern regions have long learned about the many medicinal properties of cloudberries. They actively use every part of the plant.

Help with burns and purulent wounds

Fresh cloudberry leaves smeared with fish oil are used to treat purulent wounds and moderate burns that cause blisters on the skin. Compresses are changed several times a day as pus is released.

Diuretic, anti-inflammatory, hemostatic, expectorant

Dried sepals and leaves in the amount of a tablespoon are poured with 2 cups of boiling water, insisted, filtered and consumed once a day. You can simply add dried cloudberry leaves to your tea.Before brewing cloudberry sepals, they should be chopped.

Internal bleeding

To stop internal bleeding, an infusion of dried leaves is used. A tablespoon of raw materials is poured with a glass of boiling water, insisted for several hours before cooling. The resulting infusion is divided into 3 parts, which are drunk during the day. In case of kidney disease, gout, gastritis with low acidity, the same infusion is taken 4 times a day, 100 ml.

Anti-inflammatory decoction

Dried roots and leaves of cloudberries are mixed and ground in equal parts. Take a tablespoon of the resulting mixture, pour a glass of boiling water. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Then it is filtered into a glass, brought to full volume with boiling water. Drink a quarter of a glass for cystitis, inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, diarrhea, diabetes.

Antitussive agent

Dried cloudberry sepals are mixed with a similar amount of dried leaves. Pour a tablespoon of the mixture with a glass of boiling water, cover with a thick terry towel, leave for 5 hours to infuse. Strain, divide into 3 equal parts and take during the day. Boiled cloudberry leaves are good for coughing children. Only the dosage of the medication should be agreed with the pediatrician.

Raw material procurement rules

The preparation of medicinal raw materials is carried out at different periods of the plant's life, so that the berries, roots, sepals, leaves accumulate a maximum of useful substances. Collection starts in May or June. At this time, cloudberry leaves are harvested. This should be done immediately after bud set and throughout the flowering period. The leaves must be taken from below or from the middle of the stem, since the upper leaves by this time have not yet accumulated a sufficient amount of nutrients and do not have all the necessary medicinal properties of cloudberries. At the same time, flowers are harvested.

Cloudberry fruits begin to be harvested in the middle of summer 40 days after the plant blooms.

They take fruits that have begun to change their color from red to orange-yellow. If the cloudberries are not collected at this time, then after 2 weeks they can only be eaten, but the berries are no longer suitable for harvesting, since even the slightest touch of the delicate skin immediately breaks. Sepals are also stored along with the berries, tearing them off after collecting the fruits.

The roots are harvested after the end of the plant's life cycle. They are dug up in September or October. Wash, remove dead roots, cut across and dry in a dark, well-ventilated place or in special dryers for vegetables and fruits.

The finished raw materials are poured into linen bags, glass jars or thick paper bags, removed for storage in a dark place with low humidity.

The leaves and sepals, stalks of cloudberries retain their beneficial properties for 2 years, and the roots - for 3 years.

The best ways to preserve berries

Cloudberries can be dried, frozen, wiped with sugar, cooked into useful compotes and jam. For adults, an excellent drink and at the same time a medicine is cloudberry tincture.

Soaked cloudberry

The fruits are placed in a glass container, filling it 2/3. The container is filled with cooled boiled water to the top, covered with gauze. They are removed to a cool room, where the temperature does not exceed +5 degrees. In this state, soaked cloudberries can be stored throughout the entire winter period.

Cloudberry in syrup

The berries are combined with granulated sugar in equal amounts and left overnight. In the morning, the cloudberries will give juice, which is brought to a boil over low heat. After that, the juice is cooled, then another boil is carried out and the resulting delicacy is rolled up in jars or bottles. This is a quick cloudberry jam, the beneficial properties of which have long been appreciated by residents of the northern regions.

Freezing

All the healing power of cloudberries remains after freezing.The berries are slightly dried to remove excess liquid (otherwise, when frozen, they will just burst), then they are laid out on a tray in one layer and placed in the freezer for several hours. After that, it is poured into a bag and removed for further storage at sub-zero temperatures.

Cloudberry honey

This recipe combines double benefits for the body. The irreplaceable healing properties of the northern berry are complemented by the benefits of honey. To prepare honey from cloudberries, berries are placed in layers in a glass container, each layer, pouring honey. The resulting workpiece is covered with a lid, but not rolled up. Store cloudberry honey at temperatures up to +4 degrees.

All the beneficial properties of cloudberries are preserved during heat treatment by 85%, but provided that the exposure to temperature lasts no more than 15 minutes.

Northern berry harm

Despite all the benefits of the northern cloudberry, there are a number of restrictions, because of which it should either not be included in the diet at all, or strictly limit the use of these berries.

Restrictions on the use of berries stem from its beneficial properties. Cloudberry lowers blood pressure, increases blood clotting, increases the acidity of gastric juice. Therefore, you can not use it for hypotension, gastritis with high acidity, stomach ulcers, inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, a tendency to form blood clots, varicose veins. You should also remember about the possible allergy to berries. For children, cloudberries are introduced into the diet in the form of compotes and jelly after a year, fresh berries can be given after three years of age.

Cloudberries can rightfully be called the royal berry. Its harm is much less in comparison with the immeasurable benefits for the human body. However, it should be used very carefully (especially the first time), listening to your own feelings. It should be remembered that berries, sepals, roots, cloudberry leaves have useful properties and contraindications. If the body does not show negative signs, it means that there is an opportunity to make an invaluable contribution to your own health, replenishing the diet with the "northern swamp orange".

Collecting cloudberries - video