Schisandra Far East: medicinal properties and contraindications, cultivation

Far Eastern Schisandra (also Chinese or Manchurian Schisandra) is a plant of the Schisandra family, a perennial climbing shrub. It entangles supporting structures like vines, so it is usually planted along fences and walls. The berries of Schizandra Far East are bright red, as seen in the photo below, small and very sour, which formed the basis of the name of this culture. The fruits of the shrub are endowed with many useful properties, thanks to which it is quite popular in Our Country, although it is not grown everywhere.

Where does lemongrass grow

Schizandra Far East grows mainly in China and the Far East. In Our Country, it is grown only in Primorsky Krai, Yakutia, Kamchatka, Sakhalin and Amur.

What is useful lemongrass Far East

It is difficult to overestimate the benefits of Schizandra Far East for the body. The high concentration of nutrients in the fruits of the shrub determines a number of useful properties of this berry:

• magnolia vine dilates peripheral vessels and lowers blood sugar;
• tones the nervous system as a whole, due to which it is prescribed in the treatment of depression, insomnia, chronic fatigue and drowsiness, irritability and attention disorder;
• lowers blood cholesterol levels;
• prevents the development of atherosclerosis;
• strengthens the immune system, which is why it is recommended to drink lemongrass tea during the activation of colds and viral diseases;
• stimulates hematopoiesis, which is useful for anemia;
• reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases;
• favorably affects the work of the gastrointestinal tract, cleansing the stomach of harmful bacteria;
• has a choleretic effect, which greatly facilitates the course of diseases of the gallbladder;
• helps in the complex treatment of malignant tumors.

Benefits of lemongrass far east for men

Separately, it is worth noting the following properties of Far Eastern magnolia vine, useful in the treatment of erectile dysfunction in men:

• prevention of premature ejaculation;
• increased erection;
• stimulation of sperm production.

In order to prevent the development of impotence, it is recommended to include in your diet teas from Far Eastern magnolia vine or other products based on it: jams, preserves, tinctures. In particular, the benefits of an infusion of lemongrass seeds, which are prepared as follows, have long been proven:

1. 10 g of lemongrass seeds are mixed with 50 g of water.
2. The resulting mixture is infused for 2 weeks.
3. After this time, the infusion is decanted through gauze or a sieve, after which it is poured into glass containers.

Recommended dose: 30-40 drops 3 times a day before meals. With more frequent intake of infusion, you can do more harm to the body than good.

Medicinal properties of Far Eastern magnolia vine for women

The benefits of the fruits of the Far Eastern magnolia vine are also obvious for the female body:

• the high content of polysaccharides in berries prevents the deposition of fat, so they are useful for those who want to lose weight;
• a decrease in body weight is also facilitated by the fact that the fruits normalize the work of the stomach, due to which hunger is slightly dulled;
• the antioxidants that are part of the berries help to remove toxic substances from the body;
• with regular consumption of lemongrass fruits in one form or another, the skin is rejuvenated, as a result of which wrinkles become less noticeable;
• in combination with other remedies, lemongrass helps in the treatment of female infertility;
• essential oils contained in berries strengthen nails and hair, reducing their fragility;
• crushed berries are often used as the main component of face masks.

Raw materials collection rules

The berries of Schizandra Far East are harvested only when they are ripe – this is evidenced by their rich red color. If you collect raw materials earlier, there will be no benefit from it.

Lemongrass ripens in late September – early October. It is important to harvest before the first cold weather.

The harvested crop is evenly laid out on fabric in a dark, dry place. For this, a canopy or attic is perfect. After 3-5 days, the berries will dry out, after which they can be dried in the oven at a temperature of 50-60 ° C. At higher temperatures, raw materials can be burned.

Store the crop in a closed container, in a dark and dry place. Useful properties of lemongrass persist up to 2 years.

Harvesting lemongrass of the Far East for the winter

In order to preserve the medicinal properties of berries from the vine of Schizandra Far East, it is recommended to dry them for the winter. In this way, raw materials are harvested as follows:

1. Whole bunches, undivided into individual berries, are laid out on a baking sheet, on which a layer of fabric or paper has previously been laid out. It is important to distribute the fruits so that they do not touch each other.
2. A baking sheet with raw materials is carried away on the face under a canopy or in the attic. In the second case, you need to make sure that the attic is adequately ventilated.
3. When lemongrass is slightly dry, you can separate the bunches by removing individual berries from the stem.
4. The stalks are discarded, after which the remaining fruits are laid out in a thin layer.
5. After that, the baking sheet is placed in the oven for 5-7 hours at a temperature of about 40-50 ° C.
6. The procedure is repeated for several days.

How to take lemongrass far east

The sour taste of the berries is the reason that lemongrass is not as popular as many other berries, however, it is also used in cooking. Usually from the fruits of the shrub are made:

• juices;
• morsy;
• liqueurs;
• jam;
• jams;
• syrups;
• tinctures;
• tea

In addition, the berries are used as part of pastries from sweet dough, where the sourness of the fruit is compensated by sugar.

How to brew lemongrass root

Almost all parts of this shrub are used in cooking. The root of Schizandra Far East has also found its application.

Brew it like this:

1. 15 g of the root are thoroughly crushed.
2. The crushed raw materials are poured into 1 tbsp. boiling water and cover with dishes on top.
3. The root is infused for 5-8 minutes, after which the drink is ready to drink.

The resulting infusion of lemongrass root helps with weight loss, as it improves metabolism and promotes faster removal of toxins from the body. In addition, the root of this shrub increases energy expenditure, making weight loss faster.

Tincture on lemongrass Far East on vodka

Far Eastern magnolia vine tincture is made in different ways, and you can use not only berries, but also seeds.

Seed tincture is prepared according to the following scheme:

1. Seeds pour 50 ml of vodka.
2. They are insisted for 15 days in a dry, dark place.
3. The resulting tincture is decanted, after which it is ready for use.

Recommended dosage: 3-30 drops 35 times a day.

Berry tincture is made like this:

1. The berries cut into 4 parts are separated from the seeds.
2. The resulting mass is poured into 100 ml of vodka.
3. The mixture is infused for 10 days, after which the tincture is ready for use.

To prepare the tincture, not only ripe fruits are taken, but also dried berries. Recipe:

1. Berries dried for the winter are poured with vodka in a ratio of 1: 5. A bottle with dark glass is usually used for this.
2. The container is closed and cleaned in a dark, dry place for 1-2 weeks.
3. During this time, the bottle is shaken at least once a day.
4. After this time, the tincture is filtered with gauze, after which it is kept for another 1-2 days.
5. If necessary, the drink is filtered again – it should be clean, transparent.

Dosage: 2 times a day, 30 drops. The course lasts 3-4 weeks.

This tincture helps with chronic fatigue and distracted attention.

Far Eastern lemongrass jam

There are many lemongrass recipes, however, they are very similar to each other in many ways. One of the most popular is also considered the fastest:

1. 1 kg of berries are washed in running water and poured into a basin.
2. They are covered with 1,5 kg of sugar and left for 24 hours.
3. After that, the fruits sprinkled with sugar are checked for the presence of juice. If it is not enough, you can pour ½ tbsp into the basin. cold boiled water.
4. The mixture is then boiled over low heat until the sugar crystals are completely dissolved.
5. After the formation of syrup, the berries are boiled for about 6 minutes. The mixture is then removed from the stove.

The completely cooled jam is heated again for 5 minutes, after which it can be poured into sterilized jars.

Healing tea

Almost all components of the shrub are used to make tea: bark, berries, young branches and leaves.

The cooking recipe is as follows:

1. The above fresh or dried raw materials are crushed and mixed in equal proportions.
2. 1 tsp the resulting mixture is poured 1 tbsp. boiling water.
3. The contents are well stirred and left to infuse for 10-15 minutes. To do this, the container must be covered from above.

Far Eastern lemongrass tea is an excellent tonic in the fight against colds.

Contraindications for use

The benefits of Far Eastern magnolia vine are undeniable, however, in some cases, excessive consumption of the berry can also be harmful. That is why it is desirable to consult a doctor before taking the fruit.

Lemongrass is contraindicated:

• pregnant women (may cause miscarriage);
• when breastfeeding;
• persons with individual intolerance to berries, as evidenced by pronounced allergic reactions;
• people with injuries of the skull or spine;
• with epilepsy and mental disorders;
• with gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers;
• with high blood pressure (but with hypotension, the berries will benefit the body).

In addition, it is not recommended to give Far Eastern lemongrass to children under 10 years old.

Growing and caring for lemongrass Far East

This is an unpretentious high-yielding horticultural crop, the cultivation of which will not be difficult. Shrub care involves the most basic procedures: weeding, watering, pruning, loosening the soil.

It is better to plant a crop in the shade or partial shade, in areas well protected from the wind. Harvested, as a rule, 4-5 years after planting, not earlier.

Plant seeds in autumn. It is recommended to soak them in water 2-3 days before planting. Planting material is sown in small furrows, after which it is sprinkled with a thin layer of humus (about 1,5 cm).

For more information on how to grow Far Eastern lemongrass, you can learn from the video below:

Conclusion

Schisandra Far East is a berry with an extensive list of useful properties. The fruits of this shrub contain many vitamins, mineral salts and other microelements, due to which regular moderate consumption of lemongrass helps to increase the overall tone of the body. At the same time, before starting to take berries, it is recommended to consult a specialist, since the high content of acids in fruits can be more likely to harm gastritis and other gastrointestinal diseases.