blueberries ordinary - vaccinium uliginosum

Heather family (Ericaceae).

The botanical characteristics. Deciduous, well-branched shrub with erect stems round. Tselnokraevye leaves, lanceolate or obovate, bottom-greenish-gray, streaked with good emerges. Flowers regular, white or pink corolla, and 1 - 2 in the leaf axils. Blossoms in May - June. Fruit - a bluish blue berry languishing.

Spread. In Russia, it found everywhere on the mossy wet soils, peat bogs, wetlands pine forests. In North America, blueberries have long been cultivated. It is also engaged in cultivation in Germany and Poland.

Chemical composition. Berries contain carbohydrates, preferably fructose, ascorbic acid, carotene, vitamin PP, organic acids (benzoic acid, citric acid, malic acid, oxalic acid), pectins, tannins, antotsiad, iron, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, copper, calcium, cobalt.

Leaves - tannins, flavonoids, nitrogen-free substances.

Application. In folk medicine blueberries are used as a tonic, appetizing, krovostimuliruyuschee, radioprotective, glucose-lowering, as well as an antipyretic, antiscorbutic, vitamins, laxatives, normalizing the activity of the digestive tract, choleretic and diuretic.

Useful berry anemia low hemoglobin formation, low number of cells, diseases of the gall bladder, acidosis, including diabetic. The presence of pectin in blueberries, tannin makes it indispensable in case of poisoning, radionuclide contamination of food and water.

Contraindications to the use of plants, both in the treatment plan, and in the food have not been established.

preparation

• A decoction of the leaves of blueberry: 1 tbsp. l. dry powdered leaves pour 1 cup boiling water and boil for 5 minutes. Insist 30 minutes, strain and drink 0.5 cups 3 times a day before meals with diabetes, anemia.
• Infusion of berries Blueberry: 1 tbsp. l. dried berries Pour 1 cup boiling water and insist 30 minutes. Filter and drink a quarter cup 3 - 4 times a day before meals with anemia, leukemia, diabetes, acidosis.
• A decoction of the leaves and stems of blueberries: 1 tbsp. l. dry raw material crushed to a size smaller tea leaves, pour 1.5 cups of water and boiled for 5 min and then for an hour insist. Filter and drink 0.5 cups 3 times a day before meals with diabetes.

Use blueberries in the diet

Blueberry berries have a pleasant sweet-sour taste, but maloaromatny. They are eaten fresh, dried, canned. Of these, prepare compote, jelly, preserves and jams, juices, fruit drinks, jellies and candy, mashed potatoes and broths.

Blueberries with sour cream and carrots

The berries are washed, allow to drain and mix with sour cream and finely grated carrots. sprinkled xylitol or sugar if necessary.

Natural Canned Blueberries

Washed berries spread out in hot sterilized jars, pour the boiling water, sterilized in a water bath (0.5 liters - 20 minutes). Banks sealed, stored in a cool place.

Blueberries mashed with xylitol (for diet)

Washed and Dried berries knead a wooden pestle and mixed with xylitol. Heated to complete dissolution of xylitol (about 70 - 85 ° C) and laid into sterilized jars. Cover caps and sterilized in a water bath (0.5 L - 20 min). Sealed jars and store in a cool place.

• Blueberry - 1 kg
• Xylitol - 450 - 500 g

Jam

Berries are sorted out, washed carefully, 70% ethyl poured hot (80 - 85 ° C), a sugar syrup, is maintained therein 3 - 4 hours, and then cooked until tender. Decomposed into sterilized jars and store in a cool dry place.