Turner

Someone once in ancient times saw that the thorn bushes do not burn in the fire. “Magic!” Our ancestors said then. But after many centuries, researchers have objected to them: “No! Essential oils!”. It turned out that under the influence of high temperature on the stems of the plant essential oils appear, which create a “magical” protection against the flame. That is why the thorns burn very slowly and very faintly smoke.

At different times, attitudes toward thorns changed from deification to damnation, people either believed in the power of thorns to protect from evil spirits, then they called him the embodiment of evil. Today, the attitude towards thorns is more restrained. In many countries, they love wines and jams from it, and researchers have unsuccessfully continued to study its role for our body and say that all parts of the shrub can be useful for humans: from roots to tart fruits.

Biological characteristics

The sloe (blackthorn, spiny plum) is a thorny shrub from the Rosaceae family, common in different regions of Europe, in western Asia and even in northern Africa. In the wild, it usually grows on the outskirts of forests, in meadows, peatlands, mountain slopes, where it can reach 4-8 meters in height.

In April, even before the appearance of green foliage, prickly blackthorn branches adorn delicate white flowers. Then small rounded berries appear on the shrub, which ripen by October. The ripe blackthorn fruits resemble small plums: the outside is the same dark blue, and the inside is soft green and juicy. Thorns are wild relatives of cultivated plums. Hence the other name of the culture – prickly plum, and the similarity of the fruits.

Chemical composition and nutritional characteristics

Fruits of thorns, like other wild berries, contain a very large amount of nutrients. Some of them are unique and are contained exclusively in dark-colored wild berries.

The succulent, acidic thorns are a rich source of carbohydrates, organic acids, pectin, nitrogenous substances, tannins, coumarins, catechins, flavonoids, mineral salts, essential oils and even unsaturated fatty acids. In these forest berries, scientists found linoleic, oleic, palmitic, stearic and eleostearic fatty acids. Thorny fruits are useful due to the presence of vitamins (including A, C, E, B) and minerals in them. The pulp and peel contain a lot of fiber, as well as beneficial flavonoids and steroids. These berries belong to low-calorie foods, as 100 g of fresh turn contains a little more than 50 kcal.

How are different parts of the turn useful?

The useful properties of thorns were known in ancient times. The flowers and fruits of blackthorn for many centuries have been used in folk medicine. And as modern research confirms, not in vain. These parts of the plant have astringent, antioxidant, diaphoretic, antipyretic, laxative and diuretic properties. They can improve the functioning of the stomach and remove toxins from the body. Flowers, leaves and blackthorn bark contain substances that help to eliminate toxins from the body. Routine-rich flowers are considered beneficial for cleansing the blood. Herb plants use this ability to treat furunculosis, erysipelas, rashes and pustules on the skin.

People with impaired kidney function, with stones in the urinary system, feel the benefits of the turn flowers. A decoction of flowers and leaves is well taken to remove excess fluid from the body, treatment of spasms in the bladder and stomach. Herbalists advise tea from thorns with nephritis, cystitis, urolithiasis, and compresses with the use of herbs of thorns accelerate wound healing. You can cure corns or soothe inflammations on the skin, using an ancient recipe: to make a mush from berries and apply it to a sore spot. The result of such procedures will be noticeable through the 2-3 of the day.

Thorn flower preparations may be helpful in treating the respiratory system. Thorn flowers are known for expectorant properties, which makes them useful for colds and coughs. In addition, they perfectly reduce body temperature during fever, strengthen immunity. Herbal infusion of thorns is prepared from 40 g of flowers and a glass of boiling water. The tool is insisted for at least 40 minutes and taken three times a day, 150 ml. At elevated temperatures, it is useful to drink tea from young blackthorn branches. Traditional healers use this remedy as often as teas from the more popular raspberries. In folk medicine, an aqueous infusion of flowers of thorns is also used as a means to improve appetite, restore metabolism and cleanse the liver, and a decoction of thorns helps fight nausea.

Drinks from different parts of blackthorn are incredibly beneficial for the nervous system. They are good to drink for people suffering from insomnia, nervousness, people prone to depressive states, as well as with a noticeable decline in vitality. For the treatment of female diseases, traditional healers often used a decoction from the bark of a thorn bush. For the treatment of inflammation in the organs of the female reproductive system, vaginitis or candidiasis, alternative medicine recommends drinking a decoction from the bark, as well as using it for douching. With a decoction of thorns, women once got rid of pain during menstruation, and also reduced the manifestation of PMS. But for men’s health, berries that prevent the development of adenoma are more useful.

Ripe blackthorn berries also have an incredibly wide range of beneficial properties. Like other parts of the plant, in folk medicine they were used for fevers, abdominal pains and to cleanse the blood. Our ancestors, though they did not know that the thorns contained a huge amount of tannins, which have an astringent effect, but they knew for sure: to get rid of diarrhea, you need to eat some tart berries. And even traditional healers advise hepatitis to be treated with the juice of thorns.

It is known that the juice of these forest berries has pronounced antibacterial and antiviral properties. Therefore, it is useful to take for the treatment of intestinal disorders caused by viruses, bacteria and parasites. These blue berries were once the beloved fruits of pregnant women, as sour thorns helped get rid of toxicosis. Do not forget that the turn contains vitamin A – the main vitamin for the eyes. Therefore, people suffering from glaucoma, myopia, diabetic retinopathy, it is advisable to include these tart berries in their diet. Tart fruits are no less useful for people whose work is connected with computers and all kinds of harmful effects on the eyes.

To improve the work of the cardiovascular system, it will also be useful to consume at least a few berries a day. These fruits rich in nutrients strengthen the walls of blood vessels, and also regulate the rhythm of heart contractions. In addition, they have the ability to lower cholesterol and maintain healthy blood pressure. Thorn berries are good for people with rheumatism and gout. These juicy fruits improve digestion, treat constipation and diarrhea, relieve bloating and dispersion.

German researchers have confirmed that thorns help treat inflammation in the throat and mouth. Scientists say that gargling with juice from fresh berries or infusion from the leaves of the plant will help cure inflammation of the tonsils. And with laryngitis and tonsillitis in children, it is useful to drink a syrup of thorn flowers (2 handfuls of flowers to fill in 450 g of sugar and pour 4,5 liters of boiling water). To get rid of bad breath, and at the same time cure gum disease, it is enough to chew several fresh berries daily. But at the same time, one must be prepared for side effects from such treatment – for some time the teeth will turn blue.

Not so long ago, researchers have proven that thorns can help overcome obesity. In fruits and other parts of this plant, scientists have found a substance that improves metabolic processes and prevents excessive accumulation of adipose tissue.

Side Effects and Precautions

Acid thorny berries should not be consumed for gastritis with increased acidity of the stomach and ulcers. In some cases, anthocyanin-rich berries can cause allergies. Well, do not forget that ripe fruits contain a high concentration of natural dyes. The blue pigment from blackthorn berries is easily absorbed into the tooth enamel and is completely washed off only after a few days.

If you do not adhere to the rules, a decoction of these wild berries can also be harmful. After brewing, a drink of thorn berries must be filtered, removing berries and seeds. It is the bones that are potentially dangerous to humans. They contain amygdalin – the same substance that is in apricots and cherries. With prolonged contact with water, amygdalin enters into chemical reactions and turns into a dangerous poison. Therefore, an improperly prepared broth of thorns can cause severe poisoning.

How to prepare

In different situations, different parts of the shrub can be useful for a person. But in order to get the maximum benefit from the flowers, fruits, herbs or bark of the plant, you need to know what and when to harvest.

Flowers, often used in traditional medicine recipes, are prepared by experienced herbalists when they are just beginning to unfold. It is important to collect flowers with fresh petals, without any signs of wilting, then they contain the most useful components. This part of a blackthorn is usually dried in a place protected from direct sun, and then stored in the dark in a hermetically sealed container.

Once the turn has finished blooming, it’s time to harvest its leaves. As a rule, this time is in the middle of summer. Dry thorny greens on the same principle as the flowers. Keep away from moisture.

The branches for tea and medicinal decoctions are most useful to collect at the end of spring or at the beginning of summer. The branches are collected in small bundles and dried in a suspended form. This part of the plant retains its beneficial properties throughout the year.

The bark is usually harvested long before the flowering of the shrub begins – in early spring. The collected raw materials are first dried in the open air for a week, then dried in the oven. Thornbark can be stored for about 3 years.

Fruits can be harvested at different times. Some prefer to pick sourish berries immediately after ripening – in September or October. Others like the taste of black berries, which they acquire after the first frost. In both cases, the dried fruits are equally useful and retain their medicinal properties until the next year.

In late autumn, when the shrub will shed its leaves, you can take up a shovel and harvest blackthorn roots.

Use in cooking

Blue blackthorn berries make delicious jams, syrups, compotes, jelly, alcoholic beverages, and from herbal fruits and leaves make herbal tea. The ripe thorns are used to produce thorny gin, which in many countries is commonly used as a digestif. Some prefer to add fresh blackthorn flowers to sugar, and add the resulting syrup to drinks and pastries as a natural flavor. The uniqueness of thorny berries is that even after heat treatment, they do not lose their beneficial properties. According to many gourmets, the berries become the most delicious only after the first frost, when they freeze slightly and get a sweetish taste.

Berries of a thorn are perfectly combined with different groups of food. They can be mixed with other berries and fruits, add to salads from non-starchy vegetables or greens. Sour sloe well emphasizes the taste of hard cheeses, low-fat meats, cereals and cereals.

Thorn berry dishes are very popular in countries of Old Europe and Asia. Blue tart fruits are often added to baked goods, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. For many centuries, the British have remained faithful to tradition and have made gin from the turn, while Italians and Frenchmen are liqueurs. True, Italians use ripe berries for the drink, and the French use the young buds of the plant.

Beauty

The pulp of ripe black berries contains a large amount of healthy ingredients. Rich in tannins and vitamin C, the thorns extract helps to maintain skin elasticity, and thorns oil effectively prevents stretch marks. Berry gruel masks treat acne, acne, pustules and inflammations on the skin.

The turn is one of the traditional plants of Britain and Ireland. Even today, the inhabitants of these countries, as well as their distant ancestors, believe in the magical abilities of the bush. Believe in the power of thorns and the descendants of the ancient Slavs. True, no longer magical, but healing. Moreover, scientific studies confirm the healing properties of this plant.