Contents
Useful properties of blackcurrant are used by the people for the treatment of many diseases. Official medicine does not recognize the plant as medicinal, although as a vitamin supplement. Tincture on the leaves of blackcurrant is fragrant and pleasant to the taste.
The benefits and harms of infusion of currant leaves
Official studies of the properties of currant leaf infusion have not been conducted. Therefore, information about its healing effect came only from the experience of using it in traditional medicine.
The beneficial properties of currant infusions can be judged by the substances and trace elements contained in the plant. The berry bush is famous for its large amount of vitamins. Currant leaves contain up to 400 mg of ascorbic acid per 100 g of raw material. In different periods of plant development, the content of chemical elements changes in quantitative composition. But their set remains unchanged:
- Ascorbic acid is a natural antioxidant. Participates in redox processes in cells.
- Vitamin A – promotes the development of immunity, affects the health of the mucous membranes (eyes).
- Phytoncides – negatively affect pathogens.
- Essential oils have a beneficial effect on the digestive system, remove excess phlegm from the bronchi and lungs.
Among other things, the plant contains a complex of minerals: sodium, potassium, manganese, magnesium and others.
In folk medicine, an infusion of blackcurrant leaves is recommended for the treatment of beriberi. Use alcohol preparations based on currants and as an antirheumatic agent. In diabetes, water infusions of leaves and branches are recommended.
The antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties of parts of the shrub help with coughs, bronchitis and any inflammatory diseases.
How to make a tincture on the leaves and branches of currant
To prepare a medicinal tincture, plant materials are harvested in May. Before fruiting, it is the leaves that contain the greatest amount of substances useful to the body.
Currant greens are harvested in dry, clear weather. You can use the shoots and foliage of garden blackcurrant if the site is located away from highways. But the most valuable are wild shrubs. Currant in nature grows near streams and swamps. Its leaves have a rich musky aroma. No wonder the name contains the root “currant”. Wildcurrant tincture is more fragrant than horticultural tincture.
It is advisable to prepare the tincture in a dark glass container. Fresh leaves are placed in a jar and poured with alcohol or other alcohol-containing product. It is recommended to insist the remedy for medicinal purposes for at least three weeks. Most sources contain information about different periods of liquid infusion. But the general rules for the preparation of infusions from plant materials indicate the need for long-term exposure of funds. Substances must not only be saturated with a liquid substance, but also give away useful components.
If branches with bark are used to prepare the infusion, then the liquid is brownish in color. Leaf infusion may be light yellow or greenish.
After the required period of infusion has elapsed, the liquid is drained, and the leaves and branches are squeezed.
Recipes for tinctures on currant leaves and branches
Most alcohol tinctures are prepared according to a standard recipe. Leaves and twigs can be used fresh or dry. It is important that the alcohol-containing liquid be of a high degree of purification, without fusel oils and the content of industrial types of alcohol.
Tincture on currant leaves on vodka
Currant leaves make excellent aromatic vodka, which you can drink at a feast. To prepare 1 liter of drink, you need to fill the jar with young greens by a third. Add to content:
- 0,5 tsp lemon peel;
- 1 — 2 cloves (seasoning);
- 1 Art. l sugar;
- 1 liters of vodka.
Close the jar tightly. Infuse in a dark place for 7-10 days. Strain the liquid through cheesecloth and squeeze out the contents. Seal the container tightly and store in the refrigerator.
Tincture on currant leaves on moonshine
Fans of homemade tinctures prepare drinks based on moonshine from currant leaves. It is believed that the leaves give the drink a pleasant aroma, hiding the natural smell and aftertaste of the homemade drink.
The recipe for moonshine tincture on blackcurrant leaves has several options. A simple infusion is prepared by pouring moonshine into a jar filled with fresh bush greens. You can improve the taste of the drink by adding berries or spices.
To prepare a fragrant drink, you need:
- 30 currant leaves;
- 200 g ripe berries:
- 1 st. Sahara;
- 800 g of purified moonshine.
At the bottom of a clean, dry container, plant components are laid in layers, sprinkled with sugar. Pour moonshine and insist for three weeks in a dark place. During the infusion period, the container must be shaken 1-2 times. Strain the finished drink, squeeze the berries and mix with the liquid.
Leaves give the infusion a pleasant aroma, and berries – color. It is important to keep the drink well corked.
Tincture on currant leaves on alcohol
The recipe for making alcohol tincture from blackcurrant leaves differs little from the usual infusion of medicinal herbs. But you should not drink such a drink undiluted.
To prepare a liter of currant alcohol, you need:
- 500 g of young leaves of black currant;
- 100 g sugar (optional)
- 500 g alcohol 96%;
- 500 g of water.
Rinse the greens, dry and lightly knead. Fold the plant material in a jar and pour alcohol. Insist a little more than a week in the dark. Strain the finished tincture and dilute with water.
If the product is used as a therapeutic or prophylactic, then you can not dilute it with water. The home remedy is used in small doses (1 tsp) to be added to hot drinks for colds and flu.
Tincture on currant branches
The taste of tincture on blackcurrant twigs is more tart than when using greens. If lignified currant branches are used, then the infusion acquires a pleasant golden brown hue.
Branches for making a drink can be harvested after picking berries. The remains after pruning the shrub are also suitable. The main thing is that the branches are healthy, without obvious signs of fungus and pest activity.
To prepare a drink, the branches are cut into pieces of 1,5 – 2 cm and placed in a container, filling it no more than a third. Pour vegetable raw materials with alcohol. You need to insist the branches for at least a month. At the end of the period, the liquid should be filtered and diluted with cold boiled water.
Противопоказания
Restrictions on the use of blackcurrant leaf tincture relate to contraindications associated with the use of alcohol-containing liquids. The leaves of the plant do not contain harmful substances, therefore, in aqueous infusions, they can be used externally and internally, if there is no individual intolerance.
Alcohol tinctures are contraindicated:
- children;
- pregnant women and during the period of feeding a child;
- with alcohol dependence;
- with gastritis and peptic ulcer;
- in cardiovascular diseases.
Terms and conditions of storage
Blackcurrant leaf tincture on vodka should be stored for no more than a year in a cool place. Be sure to seal the container tightly. Alcohol-based tinctures without adding water can be stored in a dark place for up to 3 years.
Conclusion
Tincture on blackcurrant leaves is popular with connoisseurs of home remedies. Fragrant alcoholic drink, according to reviews, soft and pleasant to the taste. But do not forget that the abuse of even such a useful infusion can lead to undesirable consequences.
