It grows in a coniferous forest in coniferous or mixed forests, less often in steppe meadows and in the forest-steppe. Kostyanika lives on glades and fringes of forests of Siberia, the Far East and in the European part of Russia.
Kostyanika: useful properties
Both the fruits themselves and the leaves of the bones have properties useful to our body. . The latter contain alkaloids, tannins and micronutrients such as iron, zinc, copper and manganese. Also, the leaves of the bones are rich in routine, flavonoids and ascorbic acid, which is also very abundant in the berries of the plant.
Berries also contain tannic and pectin substances, sugar, carbohydrates, phytoncides, organic acids and tocopherol.
Kostyanika, as well as many other useful plants, is widely used in folk medicine. The most commonly used berry juice and various decoctions of the leaves of the plant. Has a bitter properties of protistocidal and antiscorbutic character. For these purposes, you should take juice from these berries. Such a juice is useful for anemia, anemia. The juice from the fruits of the plant significantly improves the metabolism, excretes toxins from the body, strengthens the walls of blood vessels and reduces the amount of cholesterol.
Bone leaves help with seborrhea and other diseases of the scalp. Decoction of the leaves is prepared this way: three tablespoons of crushed leaves per 400 ml of boiling water. Steamed raw material is heated in a water bath for a quarter of an hour. Washing the head with this decoction removes skin itching and prevents strong separation of dead cells and tissues.
Various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, hemorrhoids, hernia, choking, delay of the menstrual cycle - an occasion for the use of bones.
Infusions from this plant are shown with pain in the heart, with colds and cystitis.
In diseases accompanied by an increase in temperature, it will also be beneficial to use the fruit of the bones, since they have antipyretic effect.
With rheumatism and gout, make lotions from the leaves of the plant. Leaves can be applied to the eyes with their redness and inflammation.
In Tibetan medicine there are also recipes that include the leaves and stems of this plant.
Recipes of traditional medicine
Recipes, in the preparation of which is used kostyanika:
- Decoction of leaves. It is necessary to take a tablespoon of crushed leaves and pour them into a glass with hot water. Mixture for ten minutes to boil. Next, strain the chilled broth and take it on a tablespoon three to four times a day. This product is perfectly stored in the refrigerator for five days.
- Leaves of bones (50 g) pour vodka (0, 5 liters) and put in a dark place for three weeks, after which the infusion pass through cheesecloth and put in the refrigerator. Method of consumption: take a maximum of three times a day for one teaspoon.
Kostyanika in cooking
Fruit bones are very often used for cooking. For example, mix them with sugar and cream - it turns out, in the end, a real treat. Berries are also added to milk with honey.
The fruits of the plant are used to make all kinds of compotes, jams, from them they cook tasty jam. They are also used for making home-made wine, which turns out to be a rich color and has a tart taste.
It is difficult to re-read the dishes, in which the bones are added: these are the fruit drinks, syrups, kvass, juices, jelly, seasonings, jellies, mousses and even vinegar.
Long-term storage of bones is also possible, for this you need only to pour it with sugar. But the most useful is to use berries in fresh form, since any treatment kills useful properties to a greater or lesser extent.
Very delicious kissel from the fruits of the plant:
You will need: sugar - 100 grams, potato starch - 40 grams, water - 1 liter, kostyaniki - 1 glass.
Pound the berries with a pestle made of wood. Starch is dissolved in a glass with water. In the remaining water, cook a little berry gruel. Separate the resulting pulp and bring the water with the berries to a boil, then add sugar and starch (already diluted). Wait until it boils, and can enjoy a drink.
Prepare such an unusual drink, like kvass, from the fruit of the bones.
Take: the fruits of the plant - 4 cups, sugar - 200 grams, yeast - 10 grams, water - 3 liters.
Prepare berries as in the previous recipe. Next, the broth must be filtered, put sugar, and then cool. In a cold broth, add the yeast. In two or three days you will get a delicious drink.