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The beneficial properties of bracken fern have been known for many centuries, because this plant has been growing on the planet for more than 400 million years. Many legends are associated with it, and its leaves look like the open wings of the king of birds – an eagle. Unfortunately, people often do not pay attention to such unusual plants, but the value of bracken for the human body can not be overestimated.
What is useful bracken fern for humans
Even in ancient times, the fern was valued for its beneficial properties. For more than one hundred years, it has been present in the diet of many peoples of oriental cultures.
The plant “from tops to roots” is used in cooking, cosmetology, medicine. It is excellent for diets, as it has a low calorie content, while being easily digested.
Bracken fern grows almost everywhere. Young leaves that have not yet blossomed, the so-called snails, are suitable for food. At later dates, the plant becomes poisonous, and it is dangerous to eat it.
Calorie bracken fern
Bracken leaves are low in calories, so they are often used in many diet dishes. Nutritionists recommend adding it to salads and as a side dish to meat dishes. Decoctions of this miraculous plant are very useful.
Calorie bracken – 34 kcal per 100 g.
As for nutritional value, it looks like this:
- fats – 0,4 g;
- proteins – 4,55 g;
- carbohydrates – 5,54
The proteins that make up bracken are in many ways similar in their properties to crops such as oats and wheat. In addition, in terms of the amount of protein, the fern is not inferior to such common crops as mushrooms, cabbage and potatoes.
However, the main feature of the plant is a high concentration of biologically active elements.
Vitamin content
The rhizome and leaves of bracken fern contain the following useful substances:
- carotenoids (lutein, carotene);
- lipids;
- steroids;
- tannins;
- glucosit and thiaminase.
- organic acids (vanillic, cinnamic, coffee, aspartic, nicotinic, coumaric, etc.);
- carbohydrates (arabinose, xylose, fructose).
Among other things, bracken fern holds a leading position compared to other plants with a high content of vitamins. Scientific studies have confirmed that the plant contains:
- copper;
- Vitamin E
- magnesium;
- calcium;
- potassium;
- iron;
- ascorbic acid.
Benefits of bracken fern
It is difficult to overestimate the healing properties of bracken fern. The advantages of the plant include:
- Frequent consumption of properly cooked young bracken leaves strengthens the immune system.
- The substances included in its composition help the cardiovascular system.
- The plant helps to normalize blood sugar, which means it is effective in diabetes.
- Saturates the body with iodine compounds, improving the functioning of the endocrine system and the thyroid gland.
- Helps strengthen bone tissue.
- Favorably affects the nervous system.
- Promotes the removal of radionuclides.
- Increases human performance.
- Slows down the aging of the body, therefore – prolongs youth.
- Saturates the body with useful fiber, which is positively reflected in the work of the digestive system and metabolism.
For children
Orlyak is often used in the treatment of children. Its poisonous properties are used as an antihelminthic. And the presence of nutrients helps in the treatment of diathesis and rickets.
For adults
Traditional medicine in the treatment uses not only the leaves, but also the rhizomes of the bracken fern. Decoctions are prepared from them, which help with coughing. The roots are also used as a wound healing agent.
The leaves, which are able to heat up arbitrarily, are used as a wrap for sciatica and rheumatism. In addition, leaf decoctions are used as a solution for washing with wounds: this helps to stop bleeding, eliminate pain symptoms, and heal wounds.
Benefits of bracken fern in food
Today bracken fern is often used in cooking. A properly prepared plant has a pleasant taste and retains all the beneficial properties that nature has awarded it.
Salting the delicate leaves of the plant has gained particular popularity. According to the method of preparation, it resembles salting mushrooms, and the taste of a salted plant is similar to them.
Whatever it is planned to cook from the fern, its shoots must be boiled for 10 – 12 minutes. Water is slightly salted and drained after cooking. The product prepared in this way can be fried, pickled or stewed.
Traditionally, fern was cooked in a copper bowl. It was believed that this helps to preserve all the valuable properties of the product and improves its taste. Now on sale there are options for dishes that can successfully replace old copper basins.
Stewed fern with onions and meat of various kinds is very tasty. To do this, the shoots boiled for 30 minutes are combined with stew, onions are added and stewed together until fully cooked. It is good to add soy sauce to such a dish: it will add zest to the dish and make it more refined. It can be consumed both hot and cold.
In addition, Far Eastern bracken is used in the preparation of soups, cabbage soup, side dishes and other traditional dishes. Some cooks even make desserts from the plant.
Very often stewed fern is combined with rice. Then oriental notes are felt in the dishes.
There are many cooking options. If you wish, you can always find something that suits your taste and will benefit the body.
Limitations and contraindications
Using bracken in home healing, you must be very careful and not get carried away. The benefits and harms of using bracken fern in human treatment are not equivalent. It should be understood that the plant is poisonous, and if it is used excessively, poisons can accumulate in the body and bring an effect completely opposite to what was expected. In addition, there are categories of people who are contraindicated to use ferns. These include:
- hypotension (people with low blood pressure);
- pregnant or lactating mothers;
- persons with chronic diseases during their exacerbation;
- Small children.
Despite the fact that this plant contains a huge amount of vitamins and other valuable elements, the poison in its composition should not be discounted. An overdose in the use of bracken fern can provoke the following symptoms:
- severe pain in the temporal or occipital region;
- dizziness;
- nausea, and in some cases, vomiting;
- a sharp decrease in blood pressure, up to fainting;
- slow heartbeat;
- respiratory depression, shortness of breath.
If the overdose is too large, then even a fatal outcome is possible. To prevent this from happening, you should strictly adhere to the dosages, follow the recommendations for using the plant indicated on the packages and in the recipes.
Bracken fern can bring both benefits and harm to health. Therefore, if previously the plant was not part of the human diet, then before using it, you need to consult a doctor who will tell you how best to use the herbal product to get the maximum benefit and at the same time avoid negative consequences.
Conclusion
Useful properties of bracken fern can help in the fight against many diseases, and in addition, add variety to the daily menu. However, due to the poisonous properties of the plant, care should be taken, and it should also be taken into account that adding the plant to the diet should be organically included in the system of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Then the Far Eastern bracken, with all the richness of its healing properties, can become one of the bricks in building good health.
