Wild strawberry - raw materials for cooking and medicine

The end of May and the beginning of June is the time when wild strawberries begin to blossom on the glades and fringes, on the slopes of river valleys and beams, in dry forests and between bushes. And somewhere closer to July of these flowers appear berries, which are so fond of adults and children. But not only strawberries are used in the people. Its leaves, which are collected during flowering, are also a valuable raw material for folk medicine. Also sometimes for these purposes use the rhizomes of this forest berries.

Fruits of strawberries are much less than those of her garden "colleague". But these berries contain a lot of valuable substances. This is essential oil, sugars, carotene, organic acids, vitamins B and C. There are also a significant amount of folic acid in them, as well as flavonoids, phytoncides, pectins, trace elements and tannins. Wild strawberries go to the food in fresh form, with cold milk or with cream. From its fruits prepare jam, jam, syrup, jelly and kissel. Also from the wild strawberries cook compotes.

And jam from forest strawberries to weld is not more difficult, than from other berries. To begin with, its fruits need to be prepared - cleaned and washed. Then they should be mixed with sugar in equal proportions and put glassware. So strawberries should stand hours 8-10. Then you can start cooking it jam. For this, the cooking basin is taken and the fruits that have been infused with sugar are transferred to it. All this is put on a slow fire and boiled to a boil. After boiling, the jam should be cooked for about five minutes and turn off the fire. Now this brew should completely cool down. This process - boiling for five minutes followed by cooling should be repeated up to four times. This is done to ensure that the berries are soaked in sugar. Well, the last time the jam is already cooked to the full. Then it immediately, still in a hot state, should be poured over cans and corked.

Another strawberry forest is an excellent raw material for marmalade. It can easily be cooked at home. And except for the strawberries for this you need only sugar, which should be taken in half less than berries. These berries need to be cleaned and washed. And then they should be put in a pan, preferably enameled, pouring with sugar and so leave to infuse. And the next day the process of preparation begins. The pan with its contents should be put on a small fire and cook until the sugar dissolves. Then the fire should be increased and cooked already marmalade on the full readiness, constantly mixing it at the same time. Then the ready marmalade should be decomposed in a warm form into pre-prepared cans. And when it cools down, the cans must be bandaged with parchment.

Also, strawberry forest is suitable for making syrup. Three-liter jar of these berries will need 200 grams of sugar. Strawberries need, of course, pre-clean and rinse. Then the berries should be put in this jar, pouring them sugar. Then this jar should be put in a warm place, preferably in the sun and let the berries brew for a day. After that, strawberries from the jar should be put in a bag of cloth and hang it so that the juice drips. To this juice, too, sugar is added (1 glass of juice - 150 grams of sugar) and all this is brought to a boil. Then the finished syrup should be allowed to cool. A cooled product should be poured into prepared dishes and clogged.

But wild strawberries are not only berries, but also useful leaves. They contain vitamin C, flavones, tannins and traces of alkaloids. The infusion of these leaves enhances the amplitude of the contractions of the heart and slows down its rhythm. It also lowers blood pressure and expands peripheral vessels. Infusion of leaves - it's also a good diuretic. And with his help, you can increase the contraction of the muscles of the uterus. Decoction of leaves or strawberries are used for rinsing with such diseases as stomatitis, tonsillitis, gingivitis. And, in general, this plant for medical purposes is used no less than in cooking.