Hawthorn infusion has beneficial properties. About hawthorn flowers, beneficial properties, contraindications, application. Hawthorn fruits - beneficial properties

Hawthorn is a tall shrub or small thorny tree from the Rosaceae family.

White or pink flowers hawthorns spread an unpleasant odor. The fruits are spherical or oblong, fleshy, red, sweetish, slightly astringent in taste.

Blooms in May-June. The fruits ripen in August - September.

Hawthorn grows in rare dry forests, mostly deciduous, on the edges, along river floodplains. Sometimes you can find several hawthorn bushes growing nearby in an open field.

There are a huge number of hawthorn species. According to some sources, there are about one and a half thousand of them. More than forty species grow in Russia alone, the most famous of which is hawthorn blood red, it is what is most often used for medicinal purposes.

To prepare medicines, not only hawthorn fruits are used, but also flowers and bark.

Collection and procurement of raw materials

To harvest flowers, you need to choose dry, sunny weather in late spring or early summer. It is recommended to dry flowers in the shade. Ripe fruits Hawthorn is harvested in the fall, when the leaves fall off and the fruits are especially visible on bare branches.

The collected raw materials are scattered on tin trays in a thin layer and placed in a heated but not hot oven. From time to time, the fruits are mixed, removing burnt ones, and the dried ones are poured into bags or plywood boxes.

Properly dried raw materials can be stored for up to eight years without losing their healing properties.

Medicinal and beneficial properties of hawthorn

In terms of medicinal and beneficial properties, hawthorn fruits are not much inferior to rose hips. They contain from 4 to 11% sugar, mainly fructose, so they can be eaten even if you have diabetes mellitus, as well as a complex biologically active substances- triterpene acids (oleanoic, ursolic and crategoic), choline and acetylcholine, quercetin, tannins, phytosterols, wine and citric acid, vitamins A, C, R.

Medicinal and beneficial features hawthorn have been known since ancient times. For example, in surviving ancient manuscripts one can find references to the fact that hawthorn was widely popular and was used in the treatment of a number of ailments, especially in cases of cardiac dysfunction.

During the Great Patriotic War, hawthorn fruits were used as a substitute for heart medications that were in short supply at that time.

A decoction of its leaves improves coronary circulation and enhances contraction of the heart muscle. Hawthorn fruits contain substances that affect heartbeat. Hawthorn extract is low-toxic and has a stimulating effect on the heart.

The use of hawthorn is especially indicated for elderly people who, with age, experience cardiac dysfunction caused by a weakening of the contractile function of the heart muscle, as well as circulatory failure in the coronary vessels of the heart.

Hawthorn is useful for young people whose hearts are stressed due to illnesses and stress.

Preparations made from hawthorn are not intended to directly lower blood pressure, but taking them normalizes heart contractions and has a beneficial effect on blood vessels, which helps normalize blood pressure. Hawthorn is also prescribed to patients who have had a myocardial infarction and to all heart patients.

The astringent properties of the plant are also used for diseases of the biliary tract and liver. The medicinal properties of hawthorn berries also have a positive effect on the human excretory system. In addition, it normalizes the functions thyroid gland and relieves shortness of breath.

Ursolic acid, which is part of hawthorn, has antimicrobial, vasodilating, and anti-inflammatory effects. Medicinal products with hawthorn also have an antitumor effect.

Use of hawthorn for medicinal purposes

Most often, hawthorn is used in the form of tinctures, infusions, and decoctions.. Infusions are perhaps the simplest medicine that can be prepared from medicinal plants.

Their only drawback is their short shelf life. Even in the refrigerator they can be stored for no more than a day. Therefore, every day you need to brew a new infusion.

Alcohol tinctures last much longer, and this is their undoubted advantage..

Hawthorn tincture with alcohol

Alcohol tincture can be purchased at a pharmacy, or you can prepare it yourself. Fruit tincture prepared from 25 g of fruit per 100 g medical alcohol or vodka and take 30-60 drops 3 times a day 15 minutes before meals. A tincture of flowers is prepared at the rate of 1 part flowers to 2 parts alcohol, infuse for 15 days and take 40 drops 3 times a day 15 minutes before meals.

Hawthorn tincture also has a positive effect on the walls blood vessels, relaxing them, resulting in a decrease in arterial pressure. If you start using the tincture in the initial stages of hypertension, you can completely normalize your blood pressure.

If you turn to this remedy at later stages, then it will need to be combined with other drugs that lower blood pressure.

Hawthorn infusion and decoction

For heart defects, neurosis, arrhythmias, as well as to improve blood circulation in the vessels of the heart, it is recommended to take an infusion of blood-red hawthorn flowers.

To do this, pour 3 tablespoons of dry raw material into 3 cups of boiling water, leave for half an hour, filter and take 1 cup 3 times a day.

For the same purpose, a decoction of fruits is used: 20 g of dry raw materials are boiled for 15 minutes in 1 glass of water, filtered, squeezed and the volume is brought to the original boiled water. Take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day.

By the way, an infusion of flowers often has a significant effect more effective than decoction from fruits.

It is very convenient and easy to make an infusion of hawthorn fruits. To do this, pour boiling water over whole hawthorn berries and leave overnight (8-10 hours). In the morning, the infusion is ready for use.

It is better, of course, to infuse hawthorn in a thermos. For a liter thermos, two handfuls of dried berries are enough, for a glass - about 20 berries. If you don’t have a thermos, you can use a regular saucepan, just be sure to wrap it carefully or put it in a warm place.

You can crush the hawthorn berries - then the infusion will be faster and you won’t need a thermos. The fastest recipe: pour a tablespoon of crushed berries into a glass, pour a whole glass (about 200 ml) of boiling water and cover for about half an hour.

Both the fruits and flowers of hawthorn can be brewed and drunk simply as tea. Especially delicious teas are obtained by adding dried rose hips, raspberries, strawberries, dried fruits and black currant leaves. It is useful to drink infusion and tea at night - then it has a calming effect, like a mild sleeping pill.

Hawthorn is also used for the preparation of pharmaceutical preparations - tinctures, syrups, extracts, as part of "Cardiovalen".

And of course, you can use hawthorn in cooking: you can use it to make fruit drinks, compotes, make preserves, jellies and sauces, pie fillings, etc.

Educational video about hawthorn

Hawthorn contraindications

Hawthorn can be taken without much concern as it is completely non-toxic. But still, you should take care of hawthorn if you have hypotension, bradycardia, during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Hawthorn is a small thorny shrub with bright red small berries; black or black berries are less common orange flowers(see photo). It bears fruit from August to September. The hawthorn fruit is somewhat similar to a very small apple, the size of which can reach from 0.5 centimeters to 4 centimeters. The fruits have seeds. Hawthorn bushes are widespread; they can be found in the park, in the forest, and near the house.

Beneficial features

Useful, yes, by the way, and medicinal properties hawthorn is due to the substances contained in its berries:

• carotene and vitamin A(carotene and vitamin A strengthen the immune system, protect the body from negative impact free radicals, and also to some extent protect from harmful chemical elements of the environment);
• saponin(saponins are able to enhance the secretion of glands, which helps to thin the mucus, that is, they have an expectorant effect, and in addition, saponins have a diuritic, sedative and mild laxative effect);
• phytosterol(phytosterol acts as an antioxidant during physical exercise; it is also considered a natural steroid that allows you to increase muscle mass, in addition, phytosterol can reduce cholesterol levels in the blood);
• choline(choline or vitamin B4 is necessary, first of all, for the normal functioning of the nervous system, in addition, it normalizes fat metabolism in the body and reduces the level of “harmful” cholesterol in the blood);
• thiamine(thiamine or vitamin B1 strengthens the immune system, helps improve the functioning of the cardiovascular system, as well as the gastrointestinal tract, in addition, thiamine normalizes the condition of the human nervous system),
• citric and malic acids(these acids strengthen the immune system, improve the functioning of the cardiovascular system, and have antioxidant properties),
• vitamin C or ascarbic acid(this vitamin perfectly strengthens the immune system, relieves the feeling of fatigue, and it is also involved in the process of hematopoiesis and in the activity of the cardiovascular system, in addition, ascorbic acid normalizes the activity of the nervous system),
• rutin or vitamin P(rutin strengthens the immune system, normalizes blood pressure, and also normalizes the activity of the cardiovascular system, has an antioxidant effect on the body, and in addition, vitamin P can inhibit the growth of cancer cells).

Hawthorn fruits are also rich in iron, zinc, calcium, copper, potassium, molybdenum, cobalt, that is, minerals necessary for the normal functioning of the body.

Hawthorn will be especially useful for diabetics, because it is able to normalize blood sugar levels, which is very important for diabetes! In this case, not only the fruits themselves are used, but also the leaves of the plant, making infusions from them.

It is worth noting that the medicinal properties of hawthorn fruits are widely used in home and professional cosmetology. Masks that contain it make the skin more elastic and also rejuvenate it, improving the functioning of blood vessels.

Application in cosmetology

Hawthorn has found application in cosmetology, where it is used as a cosmetic and part-time medicinal product for the face and hair, as well as for bathing.

Hawthorn for baths. To relieve fatigue after a hard day at work, as well as tone the body, you should prepare such a tonic bath. In a single container, mix dried hawthorn leaves and horsetail herb. Such herbal mixture You will need about six tablespoons, which need to be steamed with ten glasses of boiling water, and then boiled over low heat for another ten minutes. The broth needs to brew for a couple of hours. After this, filter the infusion and pour it into a bath of water.

But to get rid of tired legs and normalize blood circulation, you need to steam a couple of tablespoons of hawthorn infusion with five glasses of just boiled water. A quarter of an hour after infusion, filter the liquid and pour into special bath for legs, which must be taken for at least fifteen minutes.

Hawthorn for hair. Here this plant is used to give strength to weakened curls and prevent dandruff.

To strengthen your hair, you will need to combine five milliliters of cognac and hawthorn fruit juice in a small bowl, as well as a couple of tablespoons of burdock root decoction. Rub the hair roots thoroughly with the prepared mixture, then wrap your head with a terry towel. After an hour and a half, the curls need to be washed.

Helps against dandruff next remedy. Pour a couple of tablespoons of yarrow herb and hawthorn inflorescences into a container with an airtight lid, and also pour about twenty-eight milliliters of alcohol into it. Pour the raw material into five glasses of water and take it to a dark room for infusion. After three days, filter the infusion. Given remedy It is recommended to use after each hair wash as a rinse. When the curls dry a little, the tincture should be rubbed into the scalp with massage movements. The herbal alcohol mixture is stored on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.

Hawthorn for the face. Masks based on a plant such as hawthorn help get rid of blackheads on the skin, relieve puffiness around the eyelids, and eliminate dryness or oily shine on the face.

To remove blackheads on the face and prevent their further appearance, you should combine calendula inflorescences with hawthorn leaves in equal proportions. Then take a couple of teaspoons from the mixture and brew one hundred and twenty-five milliliters of water that has just boiled. Leave for about an hour, and then filter. You need to wash your face with this infusion twice a day.

For dry skin types, this mask is suitable: grind fairly ripe hawthorn berries to a puree-like consistency, then add either natural honey, or olive oil (five milliliters are required per tablespoon of puree). Given cosmetic product will give the skin the necessary hydration, freshness and restore tone.

Against oily skin, it is good to use a mask with hawthorn and lemon juice. To do this, you need to crush the fruits of the plant into a puree and add freshly squeezed lemon juice (a quarter teaspoon of juice is required per tablespoon of berry puree). The mask is applied to the skin of the face, neck and décolleté. After twenty minutes, you need to wash your face with water at room temperature.

To relieve swelling near the eyelids, you need to chop the roots of parsley and pour juice from hawthorn fruits into them (in a ratio of 1:2, respectively). Mix the mixture well and spread on the skin around the eyes. After a quarter of an hour, the mask should be washed off with warm water.

Use in cooking

Hawthorn is not only healthy, but also tasty; it is often used to prepare culinary masterpieces (you can learn more from the video). Hawthorn berries will be excellent ingredients for making compote, jam, marmalade, juice and even kvass.

Dried hawthorn fruits added to flour give baked goods a special pleasant taste. Its flowers make very delicious honey. Wine made from hawthorn will also be quite pleasant.

How to brew and drink correctly?

Hawthorn is brewed as tea, decoction or tincture. For these purposes, use a regular teapot or thermos.

How to brew tea with hawthorn? For this, the leaves and inflorescences of the plant are taken. Tea with only one hawthorn is extremely rarely brewed. Mostly green or black tea, as well as other medicinal herbs, are also used.

How to brew hawthorn flowers? Combine equal amounts of loose leaf black tea and dried hawthorn flowers. This mixture only requires a couple of tablespoons. So, pour boiling water over the teapot for brewing, then pour the mixture into it, pour in about two hundred milliliters of boiling water, cover the teapot with a lid, wrap it in a towel and leave to brew for three minutes. Next, the tea needs to be filtered. This remedy is drunk for general strengthening of the body. You can add honey or a slice of lemon to tea.

How to brew fresh hawthorn? It is necessary to steam a couple of teaspoons of crushed fruits of the plant with a two-hundred gram mug of boiling water and boil over low heat until the raw material is reduced by half in volume. Then cool the broth and filter. Drink three times a day a few minutes before eating.

How to brew hawthorn correctly to preserve vitamins? In this case, it is best to use a thermos, since it allows you to preserve all the beneficial substances contained in hawthorn for a long time, and also retains heat inside for a long time.

How to brew hawthorn in a thermos? Unlike a regular teapot, not only the collection of flowers and leaves, but also the fruits of the plant are steamed in a thermos. Before adding raw materials, the thermos is doused with boiling water from the inside, then the berries are placed and boiling water is poured. The thermos should be kept open for about five minutes and then closed. How long to brew hawthorn? In this form, the tea is infused for about three hours.

How to brew hawthorn berries correctly? Approximately seven hundred and fifty milliliters of boiling water will require about twenty fresh and whole hawthorn fruits.

How to drink hawthorn brewed in a thermos? Here you need to know exactly what you are going to use it for. this infusion. If as sedative, which means you need to drink it in the evening about an hour before you go to bed. This tea is prepared in the following way. Pour one part each of dried hawthorn and fireweed into a thermos, and also throw in two mint sprigs. Steam the herbal mixture with three hundred milliliters of boiling water and let it brew for about three hours. Before drinking, add about twenty milliliters of honey to a mug of tea.

How to brew dried hawthorn? Throw a handful of dried plant fruits or a collection of berries, leaves and twigs into a thermos, and then pour five glasses of water that has just boiled. Stir the mixture and leave slightly ajar for about fifteen minutes. Afterwards, close the thermos, wrap it with a towel and leave to infuse for exactly eight hours. How to drink brewed hawthorn? A quarter glass three times a day, five minutes before you sit down to eat.

Is it possible to brew hawthorn and rosehip together? Adherents of traditional treatment claim that it is possible. This tea will be especially useful for those people who have low blood pressure. But the proportions of the two ingredients will be different (more rose hips are needed).

How to brew rosehip and hawthorn? Throw about fifteen grams of dried rose hips and about eight grams of dried hawthorn berries into a thermos. Steam with five hundred milliliters of boiling water and leave to steep overnight. Drink in the morning like regular tea, preferably not while eating.

Hawthorn tincture - homemade preparation

How to make hawthorn tincture at home? You can prepare the tincture in several ways: with vodka, with alcohol and with moonshine.

Hawthorn tincture with vodka at home. You will need one hundred and fifty grams of dry berries of the plant, which need to be checked for rotten and spoiled ones, and then crushed using a coffee grinder or in another way convenient for you. Next, transfer the ground hawthorn fruits into a glass container and pour five glasses of vodka. Seal the container and take it to a room where it will not be penetrated sunlight and where it will be cool. A tincture of dry hawthorn at home will be ready in exactly twenty days. Once every two days, the container with the contents must be shaken. At the end of the infusion, the liquid should be filtered. The shelf life of the product is four years. Hawthorn tincture with vodka should be stored in a fairly cool and dark place.

Hawthorn tincture with alcohol at home. This tincture is made in exactly the same way as vodka, but with no big difference. Fresh fruits are required here. Pour a glass of crushed fresh berries of the plant into a two-hundred-gram glass of seventy percent alcohol. And everything else is as described above.

Alcohol and vodka tinctures from hawthorn at home are recommended for those people who:

• insomnia;
• heart diseases;
• high pressure;
• dizziness;
• increased cholesterol levels in the blood;
• nervous system disorder.

How to use? Twenty drops daily three times a day a few minutes before eating. Treatment lasts about a month.

Hawthorn tincture on moonshine at home. You will need to place a glass of crushed fresh berries of the plant in a deep container and pour a glass of triple distilled moonshine, and then seal it hermetically. Infuse the product for at least three weeks in a room where the sun's rays will not penetrate. The tincture must be shaken once every two days. At the end of the infusion, filter the liquid and pour into a clean container. It is recommended to take for tachycardia, hypertension and vegetative-vascular dystonia.

Making hawthorn tincture at home is not at all difficult. The main thing is to carefully adhere to the specified proportions and storage conditions of the product.

Hawthorn benefits and treatment

Hawthorn is widely used to treat many ailments. Not only its fruits are useful, but also its flowers and bark. They make excellent vitamin teas, tinctures, and decoctions.

Hawthorn has antispasmodic and vasodilating properties, thereby increasing blood flow to the heart and brain. It also has a weak diuretic property, reduces cholesterol levels, and makes the walls of capillaries and blood vessels stronger.

Hawthorn decoction helps improve sleep, has a beneficial effect on cardiovascular system And general state the whole body. It is used for vascular spasms and heart defects. Hawthorn helps overcome atherosclerosis, dizziness, and angina. It has a tonic effect on the heart, makes its muscles stronger, and helps get rid of pain, so it is very useful for older people to take an infusion of hawthorn as a preventive measure for the development and exacerbation of cardiovascular diseases.

Hawthorn infusion calms the nerves and helps cope with stress.

Hawthorn is also used for diseases such as herpes, fever, shortness of breath, and it also helps cope with dyspepsia and unpleasant manifestations menopause. It fights thyroid problems, obesity, epilepsy, various allergies, and rheumatism.

Due to its ability to regulate blood sugar levels, hawthorn is recommended to be taken when ill. diabetes mellitus, as mentioned earlier.

To maintain a normal immune system, you should also turn to hawthorn, because it is rich in vitamin C and other necessary for the body vitamins.

The use of hawthorn fruits has a positive effect on brain function and, in general, improves memory.

IN folk medicine Hawthorn has found widespread use in the treatment of liver and gall bladder diseases.

The health benefits of hawthorn largely depend on the vitamins and minerals it contains. In folk medicine, this fruit plant is used to treat many diseases.

For example, due to the antioxidant properties of hawthorn, it is used for oncology. The fruit plant resists the appearance of malignant tumors and helps to recover after a course of chemotherapy.

Hawthorn is good for the kidneys. The plant helps cleanse the internal organ of stones and sand, thereby helping to restore normal kidney function.

Does hawthorn increase or decrease blood pressure? Experts tend to agree that this plant can normalize blood pressure. In this regard, hawthorn is very often used for hypertension. You will need to combine the fruits of hawthorn, rose hips, rowan, chokeberry and chokeberry in equal quantities (just remove the seeds first) and twist using a meat grinder. Brew a teaspoon of berry picking with a two-hundred-gram mug of boiling water and drink instead of tea.

Hawthorn for cardiac arrhythmia. Steam a couple of teaspoons of a collection of dry inflorescences and leaves of the plant with two hundred milliliters of very hot water and leave for about two hours, and then filter. Drink a quarter glass three times a day about thirty minutes before you sit down to eat.

Hawthorn at bradycardia. You need to pour about half a glass of alcohol into about ten grams of the plant’s berries and leave for exactly ten days. The liquid should be stored in a dark glass container. Drink ten drops three times a day.

Hawthorn at tachycardia. Place about fifty grams of dried inflorescences of the plant in a thermos, steam with six hundred milliliters of water that has just boiled, and let it brew for about thirty minutes. Drink instead of tea three times a day.

Hawthorn at extrasystoles. Place one hundred grams of the plant’s berries in a saucepan and pour five glasses of water. Boil over low heat for about a quarter of an hour, then cool and filter. Pour enough boiled water into the resulting broth to obtain the original volume. Drink twenty milliliters three times a day after meals.

Hawthorn at VSD(vegetative-vascular dystonia). Steam a couple of teaspoons of dried berries of the plant with a two-hundred-gram cup of boiling water and leave to infuse for a couple of hours in a fairly warm place. Afterwards the infusion should be filtered. Drink a couple of teaspoons three times a day.

Hawthorn at pancreatitis. You will need to brew three tablespoons of dried flowers of the plant with six hundred milliliters of boiling water and leave for half an hour. Drink a couple of teaspoons three times a day.

Hawthorn at gastritis. With 240 milliliters of water that has just begun to bubble, you need to steam five grams of hawthorn and mint. After half an hour, the infusion will be ready for use.

Hawthorn at insomnia. In the morning, steam a handful of plant fruits with five hundred milliliters of boiling water and leave until evening, and then filter. Drink at night before bed along with honey (add to taste).

Hawthorn at neurosis. You need to pour twenty grams of dried berries of the plant with two hundred milliliters of water and boil over low heat for about fifteen minutes. Then filter and pour in enough boiled water to return to the original volume. Drink a couple of teaspoons three times a day.

Hawthorn for reassurance. In one container, combine dried rowan berries, ground hawthorn and rosehip berries, dried apples and raspberry leaves in equal quantities. From this collection you will need twenty grams, which should be steamed with five glasses of boiling water and left to infuse. Drink in the evening before bed for about three weeks.

Hawthorn at gout. Vodka tincture will help here: pour twenty grams of crushed fruits of the plant with half a glass of vodka, leave for three days, and then filter. Drink a couple of teaspoons, washed down with one hundred milliliters of warm boiled water, three times a day, an hour before eating. Treatment lasts exactly two months.

Beneficial properties of hawthorn for men. Hawthorn tincture for potency. Two hundred gram glass fresh fruits crush the plants and pour one hundred and fifty milliliters of vodka and leave for about three weeks in a dark place. Drink no more than twice a day after eating, ten drops diluted in twenty milliliters of water.

Hawthorn at prostatitis. First you need to make a dry mixture of ten parts of hawthorn and rose hips, five parts of marsh herb, four parts of chamomile flowers, three parts of lingonberry and birch leaves, dandelion roots, knotweed grass, two parts of grass medicinal clover and wintergreens. Next, steam a couple of tablespoons of the mixture with five hundred milliliters of boiling water, leave for about eight hours, and then filter. Drink a quarter glass up to five times a day.

How to take hawthorn for weight loss? You need to brew a couple of teaspoons of dried hawthorn fruits with two hundred milliliters of very hot water and leave in a fairly warm place for about a couple of hours. Afterwards the infusion should be filtered. Drink two tablespoons three times a day about ten minutes before you start eating. But, in addition to taking the infusion, do not forget about physical exercise and dietary nutrition.

Harm of hawthorn and contraindications

It is very important to observe moderate consumption of hawthorn so as not to experience harm from taking it, since excess of it can cause vomiting, nausea, dizziness, and heart rhythm disturbances, which is extremely undesirable for those who suffer from heart defects.

The use of hawthorn is also contraindicated for those people whose blood pressure is below normal. In addition, fruits should be avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding(lactation), in any case, their use should be agreed with a doctor.

Hawthorn infusion should not be consumed on an empty stomach, as this can lead to cramps in the intestines or vomiting.

Hawthorn is contraindicated for chronic constipation, therefore, it is not recommended to use it, so as not to aggravate the condition.

Types and best varieties

To date, about one hundred species of hawthorn have been bred. The most famous and widespread are the following varieties:

1. Green meat hawthorn. This type The plant also has another name - chokeberry. This name is due to the fact that this hawthorn has deep black berries, but the fruit pulp has a greenish tint. The inflorescences of the plant are white with black stamens. The crown is covered with thorns. Green hawthorn is common in Kamchatka and Sakhalin.
   
2. Hawthorn ordinary. This type of bush plant can reach approximately five meters in height. It is moderately hardy and quite frost-resistant. Best suited for cultivation in the Moscow region and central Russia (especially in clayey or rocky areas). Hawthorn fruits are characterized by a rich scarlet hue with yellowish pulp inside. Suitable for decorating hedges.
   
3. Hawthorn monopistillate. A shrub plant with a dense crown. This species grows upward very quickly, so it is used as a hedge. But it’s not just its beautiful appearance that has made the hawthorn famous. It is also famous for its healing properties.
   
4. Hawthorn semi-soft. Can reach eight meters in length. The crown is quite thick and completely covered with fairly sharp spines. It begins to bear fruit six years after planting. The fruits are reddish-orange with bright yellow flesh. Since the berries and leaves of semi-soft hawthorn are very beautiful, the plant is used as garden decoration.
   
5. Hawthorn Siberian. Also called blood red hawthorn. It can grow as a fruit tree or shrub with long (about four centimeters) spines. It grows to almost six meters in height. It blooms from May to July with snow-white inflorescences. Hawthorn berries are round in shape and rich red in color. If this type of plant is more than seven years old, its fruits are edible.
   

As for hawthorn varieties, here too the breeders have done a great job. Let's consider only the main plant varieties that are often grown:

1. Hawthorn "Arnold". Widely distributed in the regions of Siberia. The plant is about six meters long and produces a bountiful harvest. Hawthorn berries are orange in color, edible, moderately juicy, with a sweet and sour taste. Fruits can be consumed fresh or processed.
   
2. Hawthorn "Chinese". This variety is considered large-fruited, grows up to six meters in height, has no thorns on the crown, and grows in Korea and China. Also found in the Far East. The plant likes to grow in wooded areas near a river and where trees such as walnut, poplar and ash grow. For the plant to fully grow, this variety requires a lot of sunlight. The leaves of the “Chinese” hawthorn are bright green, covered with fine hairs, and have a sharp tip..
   
3. Hawthorn "Crimean". Grows in Crimea in the form of a fruit tree. Very often found near deciduous shrubs. Prefers to grow near slopes or rocky areas. In folk medicine, inflorescences and ripe berries of this plant variety are used to treat certain diseases (nervous system disorders, problems with the cardiovascular system).
   
4. Hawthorn "lyudmil". A fairly tall fruit tree with gray straight shoots that lack thorns, late period ripening (ripens towards the end of September). The berries are large, spherical, reddish-orange tone. The fruit pulp is yellowish and quite juicy.
   
5. Hawthorn "Maksimovich". Belongs to a decorative variety. It grows in the form of a tree that reaches seven meters in height. The crown of the tree somewhat resembles the top of an egg. The leaves are green in color and begin to fall off towards mid-October. Hawthorn blooms for about eleven days with large, snow-white inflorescences. Begins to bear fruit in last month summer. The berries are edible and are used in alternative medicine. A tree of this variety can grow on both open area where sunlight hits, and in a semi-shaded area.
   
6. Hawthorn "Paul Scarlet". It belongs to a decorative variety of trees whose height reaches about four meters. It begins to bloom at the last spring month. The inflorescences are umbrella-shaped, quite large and shaggy. The leaves are rich dark green in color and grow on hairy branches. The crowns of hawthorn are round and dotted with thorns. The berries resemble the shape of an apple and are colored burgundy or silver..
   
7. Hawthorn "redflash mao". A shrub plant, reaches seventy centimeters in height, frost-resistant, loves sunlight, shade-tolerant. Hawthorn leaves are ovoid, greenish in color. The berries are edible, large, round, slightly flattened, reddish, with large gray warts, appear after the twentieth of September. The fruit pulp is slightly reddish, quite sour.
   
8. Hawthorn "plum-leaved". Seven meter tree with strong roots, fairly dense crown and well-branched branches. In summer, young leaves are colored green, and with the arrival of autumn they change color to red or orange. This variety is characterized by a bountiful harvest. The berries are round in shape, rich red in color, appear in early September.
   

As you can see, there are quite a lot of varieties and varieties of hawthorn. And they all differ from each other in the size and color of the fruit, the ripening period and the amount of harvest.

Growing: planting and care

To grow hawthorn in the country, you need to choose the right place and land for planting the plant in open ground. First of all, it should be said that this plant loves sunlight very much, so the area where the hawthorn will grow should be well illuminated by the sun. As for the soil, it must be fertile and without stagnant water.

Planting a plant such as hawthorn in open ground can be done either in spring or autumn. In the first case, the plant is planted after the soil has thawed and warmed up. But planting hawthorn in the fall is carried out with the arrival of leaf fall and before the first frost.

To plant hawthorn in open ground, you should dig a hole about eighty centimeters wide and up to forty centimeters deep. After the seedlings are planted, they should be watered abundantly and humus should be added to the soil.

As for caring for hawthorn, you need to regularly weed, fertilize and water the seedlings. The soil needs loosening and mulching. It is also necessary to remove dry and broken branches. The plant only needs to be watered once a month. If there is a severe drought, the bush needs to be watered twice a month.

With the arrival of cold weather, young seedlings should be covered with burlap to prevent the branches from freezing. At a more mature age, hawthorn does not need to be covered for the winter.

The fruit plant can be propagated by seeds and cuttings.

Planting hawthorn cuttings. To do this, you need to take only young shoots, which are cut at an angle of forty-five degrees. The cuttings are planted in soil mixed with peat and sand. In order for plant cuttings to take root, the soil should be thoroughly moistened.

Planting hawthorn seeds is one of the most complicated ways growing this plant. First you need from unripe fruits remove all the seeds and immerse them in a one percent solution of potassium nitrate for a day. Afterwards, the seeds should be placed in a dark box and taken to a cold room where the temperature will not exceed two degrees Celsius. They are stored for about eight months. Growing hawthorn from seeds is characterized by rather slow plant growth. Seedlings are planted on permanent place when they are three years old.

Hawthorn is the name given to the fruits of a thorny bush, which is used for food and for making medicines. They contain substances that are beneficial to the human body, such as organic substances with acidic properties. Their positive impact on, nervous system, vessels, reproductive function. Read about other benefits of hawthorn and how to use it in this article.

Chemical composition of hawthorn fruits

For the purpose of therapy, the fruits and inflorescences of hawthorn are used. Let's look at what's inside them.
Although the full composition of these plant organs has not yet been studied, it has been proven that stored in berries:

• phenolic compounds;
• tannins;
• organic substances with acidic properties;
• carotenoids;
• pectins;
• fixed oils;
• glycosides;
• Sahara;
• vitamin substances (,)
• micro- and macroelements (, Se, B and others);
• nitrogen-containing substances.

The inflorescences contain:

• flavonoids;
• carotenoids;
• tannins;
• nitrogen-containing compounds;
• organic substances with acidic properties.

Other organs also have valuable properties. So, the leaves contain about six organic acids, essential oil, flavonoids. The seeds contain fatty oils, amygdalin, hyperoside.

Did you know? It has long been believed that hawthorn not only therapeutic effect, but also mystical. So, the ancients were sure that the plant was able to protect them from diseases, and their homes from evil creatures. That's why they hung hawthorn branches over the entrance doors to their houses..

What is good for the body

Having studied chemical composition hawthorn berries, you can find out what benefits they bring to the body. In general, the vitamin A content in fruits indicates that they have a positive effect on organs, skin, system, reproductive function. Beta-carotene is an excellent antioxidant. Vitamin C increases protective forces body, promotes absorption.

Except this effect, preparations from the organs of the medicinal shrub are also drunk when drinking too much and to improve reproductive function.

But not all women can use even such a seemingly harmless one as hawthorn, since it can bring both benefit and harm. So, products from this medicinal shrub are strictly prohibited for ladies and women who practice.

Folk recipes

In this section we have selected for you the most common healing recipes. The selection includes a variety of dosage forms: decoction, infusion, tincture, .
We would like to point out right away that hawthorn brings both benefits and harm, so you should check with your doctor how to take them.

Decoction

The decoction, along with tea, is most often used for therapeutic purposes. It is important to know how to brew hawthorn correctly so that it becomes effective for blood vessels and the nervous system.

For this purpose, a tablespoon of crushed berries is placed in an enamel-coated container. Then add 200 ml of boiling water and place the container in a water bath for a quarter of an hour. Then the broth is brought to room temperature and passed through a fine strainer or gauze. The cake is squeezed out. Add enough boiled water to the broth so that the volume of liquid is 200 ml glass.

Drink half a glass of the decoction twice or three times a day. Recommendations for use: half an hour before use.

Hawthorn decoction, in addition to heart problems, also helps with cough, shortness of breath, high blood pressure.

Fruit infusion

The infusion is drunk for diagnoses of “heart failure”, when the heart muscle does not work at full strength, “ ischemic disease heart", for the preventive purpose of myocardial development, angina pectoris, and atherosclerosis.

To enhance the contraction of the heart muscle, prepare an infusion according to the following recipe: mix one glass of crushed berries with a glass of boiling water, leave to infuse for 30 minutes. Drink after straining, adhering to the following regimen: 0.5 glasses daily in the morning and before bed.

Prepared for preventive purposes such an infusion: Place a mixture of one teaspoon of crushed hawthorn berries and a teaspoon of motherwort in a glass of boiling water. Leave to infuse for 60 minutes. After straining, drink a third of a glass. Recommended administration time is 60 minutes before meals.

For angina pectoris, drink an infusion that has been left in a thermos for .

Hawthorn infusion should not be drunk on an empty stomach, as this can cause stomach cramps.

Alcohol tincture

Alcohol tincture is sold in pharmacies, but you can also make it yourself. Here's how to cook homemade hawthorn tincture:

1. Take 25 g of berries and mix with 100 ml or.
2. Store the container with liquid in a place without light and humidity for a month.
3. After infusion, drink 30-60 drops three times a day. It is recommended to take it 30 minutes before starting.

Alcohol tincture is prescribed for uneven heartbeat, angina pectoris, cardioneurosis, minor pressure surges, conditions, stress, epilepsy.

Hawthorn tincture can have both benefits and harm. It should be taken with caution and in recommended doses, after consulting a doctor. If you take it on an empty stomach, it will provoke stomach or intestinal spasms and vomiting. If you drink it after taking it, you may develop intestinal ulcers.

They drink tea for heart ailments, prostatitis, general fatigue, and stress. It is prepared from 20 grams of berries per glass of water just brought to a boil. Drink twice a day - before and before. The appointment is scheduled 30 minutes before. Add to taste.

Also, for heart failure, the following collection is very useful:

• black - 100 g;
• fruits - two tablespoons;
• mint - one tablespoon;
• hawthorn berries, motherwort, valerian, chamomile flowers - one teaspoon each.

Brew as a simple tea drink.

Contraindications and side effects

Like any means that produce healing effect, preparations from hawthorn have a number of contraindications. So, they should absolutely not be accepted:

• women exercising;
• children under 12 years old;
• people whose body reacts poorly to the plant.

Those who take them at the same time should drink hawthorn decoctions, teas and tinctures with caution. sedatives and drugs that slow the heart rate. This combination can lead to an enhanced effect.

If a person from a group for whom these drugs are contraindicated takes them, or drinks too large a dose, a side effects. A person may feel ill, feel sick, vomit, or have a sharp drop in blood pressure. You may also experience dizziness and general weakness, drowsiness. Reactions are possible.

Consumption of hawthorn for a long time in excessive doses leads to depression of the nervous system and slowing of the heart rate.

Did you know? Hawthorn has been used as a medicinal plant for five centuries. It began to be used as astringent. Later, already in the 19th century, its blood purifying effect was discovered. And since the twentieth century, hawthorn has established itself as a medicine for cardiovascular diseases.

Now you know the benefits of hawthorn and what can be made from its fruits. Remedies from its organs are very useful for various ailments. However, you need to be very careful when using them, since they have a number of contraindications and can provoke many side effects. Self-medication in this case can provoke serious consequences for good health. Therefore, before starting treatment folk remedies You should consult your doctor.

In the article we talk about hawthorn, talk about its beneficial properties and use for the treatment of arrhythmia, tachycardia, high blood pressure and elimination of menopause symptoms. You will learn how to make a tincture from hawthorn fruits and how to use it, whether it is possible to take medicines based on the plant during pregnancy and childhood.

Common hawthorn or prickly hawthorn (lat. Crataegus laevigata) is a shrub or small tree of the Hawthorn genus of the Rosaceae family. Used as an ornamental and medicinal plant, the fruits are eaten. Hawthorn is a good honey plant, but it is difficult to obtain pure honey - the bush grows in small areas.

The Greek name for hawthorn “κραθαιος” means “strong”, which characterizes the plant’s durable wood and longevity - the age of some representatives can reach 400 years.

What does it look like

Appearance of hawthorn. As we have already said, hawthorn is a shrub or small tree with an asymmetrical crown. The height of the plant reaches 3−8 m, less often - 12 m. The bark is light gray, the branches are reddish-brown or olive in color. The plant has long spines, reaching 0.6−2.5 cm in length. But in cultivated species they are few in number.

The buds of the bush are round, ovoid, 2−3 mm in length. The leaves are obovate, thin, glabrous, 2−6 cm long, 2−5 cm wide. Paper-like at the base, dense closer to the middle. The leaves are dark green, with a lighter shade on the underside. Upper leaves jagged, the lower ones are solid, the rest are three-lobed, crenate-toothed. Petioles are tomentose, 0.8−2 cm long.

Hawthorn inflorescences are erect, sparse, consist of 6-12 flowers, have long bare axes and pedicels. The flowers are white or pink, reaching 1.2−1.5 cm in diameter. The calyxes of the flowers are oval-triangular, prostrate. The flowers have 18–20 stamens with red anthers and 2–3 styles.

The fruits are ovoid, ellipsoidal or almost spherical, red or red-brown in color; yellow and whitish berries are rarely found. They reach 7-10 mm in diameter. Hawthorn fruits are juicy in taste and have 2-3 seeds inside them. The bones are convex, with 2–3 grooves, up to 7 mm in length and up to 5–6 mm in width.

Hawthorn blooms from May to June. The fruits ripen in August.

Where does it grow

Hawthorn grows almost throughout Europe. In Russia it is rarely found in the wild; the plant is cultivated in summer cottages and garden plots.

In nature, hawthorn grows singly or in small groups. Grows in bush thickets, on forest edges, in sparse deciduous and pine forests, on heavy clay soils.

Hawthorn is unpretentious to the soil, but develops best in deep, moist, drained soils. This is a shade-tolerant and frost-resistant plant.

Hawthorn flowers and fruits

Hawthorn flowers and fruits are used as medicinal raw materials. The fruits are also eaten fresh, dried and candied, as part of baked goods and desserts, sauces, compotes and jelly.

Chemical composition

Chemical composition of hawthorn flowers:

• chlorogenic acid;
• caffeic acid;
• crategusic acid;
• essential oil;
• flavonoids;
• hyperoside;
• quercetin;
• vitexin;
• trimethylamine.

Chemical composition of the plant fruit:

• chlorogenic acid;
• ursolic acid;
• caffeic acid;
• tartaric acid;
• lemon acid;
• beta-sitosterol;
• fatty oil;
• flavonoids;
• saponins;
• vitamin A;
• vitamin B4;
• vitamin C;
• vitamin E;
• vitamin K;
• tannins;
• sorbitol;
• acetylcholine.

Medicinal properties

Hawthorn is used not only in folklore, but also in official medicine. The preparations are made from inflorescences or ripe fruits.

Beneficial properties of hawthorn:

• tonic;
• vasodilator;
• antispasmodic;
• pain reliever;
• sedative;
• antidiarrheal;
• anti-inflammatory;
• immunomodulatory;
• antioxidant;
• regenerating.

Hawthorn is a well-known cardiotonic; it has a stimulating effect on the heart. Reduces blood pressure, eliminates the feeling of heaviness in the chest, increases performance.
The main medicinal form of hawthorn is tincture. Sold in any pharmacy. Due to vasodilator effect hawthorn ensures sufficient oxygen supply to the organs. Regulates heart rhythm, helps with tachycardia and atrial fibrillation.

Medicines based on hawthorn flowers and fruits help break down atherosclerotic plaques on the walls of blood vessels and reduce cholesterol levels in the blood.

Hawthorn is used not only for the heart and blood vessels, but also for the treatment of other diseases. Preparations based on the plant are effective for disorders of the nervous system.

Hawthorn has a calming effect, so it is prescribed for neuroses, nervous overstrain and insomnia. Hawthorn helps with headaches.

The plant is also useful for digestive system. Hawthorn infusions and tinctures are prescribed for different forms gastritis and increased gas formation. Medicines based on the plant are used to treat diarrhea.

The antioxidant property of hawthorn allows it to be used in oncology. The plant prevents the formation of malignant tumors and accelerates the recovery process after chemotherapy.

Hawthorn is effective for infectious diseases. It helps cope with pathogenic microorganisms and helps improve immunity.

How to collect

The flowers of the plant are collected at the beginning of flowering - in May - early June. Collect raw materials on warm, dry days in the afternoon, when the dew has dried. Choose clean inflorescences without damage, mold or pests. You can cut both individual flowers and inflorescences. You should not collect unopened buds.

Dry the flowers no later than 1-2 hours after collection. The raw materials are laid out on old wallpaper and sent to a dark place - in the attic or under a canopy. Important condition proper drying - sufficient ventilation. You can also dry flowers in special dryers, at a temperature not exceeding 40 degrees. Store in closed boxes or glass jars. Shelf life - 1 year.

The fruits are harvested at the stage of full maturity - from the end of September until frost. Ripe fruits have a bright red hue. They are collected in baskets, picking the fruits separately or in whole bunches.

Hawthorn fruits are dried in the sun, in the attic or under a canopy, provided there is good ventilation. You can use an electric dryer by installing temperature regime up to 70 degrees. Natural drying lasts 7-8 days. Dried fruits are stored in plywood boxes lined with paper, glass jars or thick bags. Shelf life - 8 years.

How to use

Produced from hawthorn various shapes medications - water and alcohol tinctures, liquid extract and even tablets. Most known remedy in tablet form - Kratal. It contains thick hawthorn fruit extract and thick motherwort extract. It has cardiotonic, antioxidant and antiarrhythmic effects.

Medicines from hawthorn can also be prepared at home. You can make a decoction, tincture, or brew tea with the flowers and fruits of the plant yourself.

For heart

Hawthorn stimulates the work of the heart muscle, increases efficiency, dilates the walls of blood vessels and improves blood circulation. Medicines based on the flowers and fruits of the plant are often used for arrhythmia - to normalize the heart rhythm, and for tachycardia - to reduce the heart rate.

Below are recipes for traditional medicine with hawthorn.

For arrhythmia

Ingredients:

1. Hawthorn fruits - 30 pcs.
2. Boiled water - 1 glass.

How to cook: Pour boiling water over the hawthorn fruits, place the container on low heat and boil for 10 minutes.

How to use: Drink the decoction throughout the day in small sips.

Result: Stabilization of heart rate.

With tachycardia

Ingredients:

1. Dried flowers - 50 g.
2. Boiled water - 600 ml.

How to cook: Pour boiling water over the raw materials, leave the broth for 30 minutes. Strain before use.

How to use: Drink a water infusion of hawthorn flowers 3 times a day, 200 ml.

Result: Reducing heart rate, eliminating dizziness.

For hypertension

Due to its vasodilating effect and normalization of heart contractions, hawthorn lowers blood pressure. Normalization of blood pressure also occurs due to the breakdown of atherosclerotic plaques and lowering cholesterol levels in the blood.

Pressure infusion

Ingredients:

1. Hawthorn fruits - 20 g.
2. Water - 250 ml.

How to cook: Fill the raw material with water, place the container on low heat, bring to a boil and cook for 30 minutes. Strain the broth and dilute with boiled water to the original volume.

How to use: Take the infusion 1 tablespoon three times a day.

Result: Reducing blood pressure, eliminating symptoms of hypertension.

During menopause

Infusion of hawthorn flowers for hot flashes

Ingredients:

1. Hawthorn flowers - 3 tablespoons.
2. Water - 3 glasses.

How to cook: Pour boiling water over the flowers and leave overnight. In the morning, put the infusion on low heat, bring to a boil and cook for 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and leave for 30 minutes.

How to use: Take 1 glass of the product three times a day before meals.

Result: Improvement general well-being during menopause.

Infusion of hawthorn fruits

Ingredients:

1. Hawthorn fruits - 1 cup.
2. Boiled water - 250 ml.

How to cook: Pour boiling water over the hawthorn fruits. Leave for 2 hours. Strain the medicine.

How to use: Take 2 tablespoons 3 times a day before meals.

Result: Relieving fever, improving overall well-being.

Recipe with motherwort, valerian, peony

Others will help enhance the beneficial effects of hawthorn on the body. medicinal plants: motherwort, valerian, peony.

A mixture of tinctures of these plants improves heart function, normalizes heart rate, lowers blood pressure, relieves nervous overexcitement, eliminates headaches.

A mixture of tinctures of hawthorn, motherwort, valerian, peony

Ingredients:

1. Hawthorn tincture - 20 ml.
2. Motherwort tincture - 20 ml.
3. Valerian tincture - 20 ml.
4. Peony tincture - 20 ml.

How to cook: Mix the ingredients.

How to use: Take 10-15 drops of the mixture, diluting it in ¼ glass of water once a day. Gradually, the dosage can be increased to 1 teaspoon per the same amount of water. The course of treatment is 2−4 weeks.

Result: Normalization of the cardiovascular and nervous systems.

Hawthorn tincture

Alcohol tincture of hawthorn is the most popular form of plant-based medicine. The tincture can be purchased at a pharmacy or prepared at home.

Alcohol tincture recipe

Ingredients:

1. Hawthorn fruits - 10 pcs.
2. Vodka - 100 ml.

How to cook: Place the fruits of the plant in the dark glass bottle or a jar, fill it with vodka. Seal tightly and place in a dark place. Infuse the medicine for 14 days.

How to use: Take 16-20 drops of the product 3 times a day before meals. The course of treatment is 2 weeks.

What does the tincture help with:

• cardiac dysfunction;
• cardiac ischemia;
• arterial hypertension;
• atrial fibrillation;
• angioneurosis;
• atherosclerosis;
• tachycardia;
• climacteric neurosis.

Before using alcohol tincture, be sure to consult your doctor.

Hawthorn as an ornamental plant

Hawthorn is grown not only as a medicinal plant, but also as an ornamental plant. Delicate white and pink flowers replace red berries during fruiting. Hawthorn is used to build hedges or plant single bushes.

Planting and care open ground for hawthorn are simple - the plant is unpretentious to soil, quantity sun rays and air temperature.

Hawthorn is propagated by seeds, root suckers and cuttings. Seeds are planted in September, obtained from slightly unripe fruits. In the first year, the plant grows 10-12 cm, after 2-3 years it reaches a height of half a meter. At this time, the first pruning is carried out. You can count on the first harvest in 5-6 years.

Seedlings are planted when they reach two years of age in the spring, and in the fall the bushes are fertilized with superphosphate and potassium salt. Plants are planted in holes 50–70 cm deep at a distance of 1–2 meters from each other. Hawthorn should not be planted next to apple, plum and pear trees - these trees have common pests.

For more information about growing and caring for the plant, watch the following video:

Contraindications

Contraindications to the use of medicines based on hawthorn:

• arterial hypotension;
• individual intolerance.

Is it possible to take hawthorn during pregnancy?

During pregnancy, you can use decoctions and water infusions from hawthorn, and also brew tea with the fruits of the plant.

Hawthorn calms the nervous system of a pregnant woman, normalizes heart rate and blood pressure.

Before taking hawthorn-based medications, be sure to consult your doctor.

Is hawthorn okay for children?

Children can be given hawthorn after 12 years of age. For medicinal purposes, it is better to use water infusions and decoctions.

Hawthorn calms the nervous system and is prescribed for hyperactive syndrome. Cardiotonic properties allow the use of hawthorn for heart failure and heart rhythm disorders.

Be sure to consult your pediatrician about the rules of use and dosage.

Classification

Taxonomic position:

• Flower Department;
• class Dicotyledons;
• order Rosaceae;
• family Rosaceae;
• genus Hawthorn;
• species Common hawthorn.

Varieties

The hawthorn genus includes more than 380 plant species, including:

• blood red hawthorn (also often used in folk medicine);
• large-fruited hawthorn;
• Armenian hawthorn;
• Almaty hawthorn;
• Djungarian hawthorn;
• doubtful hawthorn, etc.

Common hawthorn infographics

Photo of common hawthorn, its beneficial properties and uses
Hawthorn infographics

What to remember

1. Hawthorn is a shrub whose flowers and fruits have beneficial properties. Hawthorn is used to improve the functioning of the heart and nervous system.
2. The benefits and harms of hawthorn depend on the correct use of it.
3. Before using hawthorn-based products, consult your doctor.

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Throughout the centuries, people have faced health problems. Even at the dawn of mankind, various plants began to be used to get rid of ailments.

One of these priceless gifts of nature is hawthorn.

Many people know it under the name “boyarka” or “glod”. This shrub is widely known in folk medicine. Its fruits, flowers, and branches have been used since ancient times to treat the heart, blood vessels, and digestion. This plant fights well against fatigue, insomnia, and eliminates the effects of nervous tension.

The medicinal qualities of this plant are ensured by the presence of flavonoids and plant polyphenols in its composition. These microelements strengthen blood vessels and neutralize free radicals.

These include:

• Quercitrin.

This flavonoid improves vascular elasticity, has antitumor and antioxidant effects, and prevents aging of the body.

• Vitexin.

This element promotes the expansion of blood arteries and helps normalize cardiac activity.

• Quercetin.

Microelement that prevents cerebrovascular accidents, promotes prevention and treatment cardiovascular pathologies, cataracts.

• Hyperoside.

This component helps enrich the blood with oxygen and improves the performance of the heart muscles.

Also, hawthorn fruits contain a large amount of organic acids, pectins, sorbitol, vitamins, and phenolic compounds.

In particular, berries contain the following microelements (mg/g):

• potassium – 13.1;
• calcium - 3.0;
• magnesium - 1.0;
• iron - 0.04;
• manganese - 0.04;
• copper - 0.29;
• zinc - 0.07;
• cobalt - 0.37;
• chromium - 0.01;
• aluminum - 0.03;
• selenium - 11.8;
• nickel - 0.1;
• strontium - 0.06;
• lead - 0.05;
• iodine - 0.06;
• boron - 2.0.

As for vitamins, hawthorn can compete with carrots and rose hips for the presence of vitamins such as A, C, E, K.

In addition, the fruit contains substances rarely found in other plants. For example, ursulic acid. This component has anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, antiallergic, antimicrobial, cytotoxic, antitumor, antiviral effects on the body.

Calorie content of berries: per 100 g. product - 52.5 kcal.

Are the fruits of black hawthorn healthy?

In addition to the plant with red fruits, a shrub with black berries is well known.

Ripe fruits have yellow flesh and are covered with a bluish coating. Black berries contain anthocyanins, which have a powerful antioxidant effect.

In terms of their beneficial properties, dark fruits are similar to scarlet ones. They also exhibit preventative and therapeutic effect on the heart, blood vessels and nervous system.

Black hawthorn contains anthocyanins, which have a strong antioxidant effect. He provides soft action on the body. When using it, you should not expect immediate results. Only regular, strictly dosed use will bring a positive, stable effect.

The berries contain quite a lot of tannins. This allows it to be used as a fixative. In addition, black berries contain acids, sorbitol, starch, and pectins. The latter are able to bind and remove heavy metals from the body.

Benefits of dried berries

The dried berries of this shrub are mega useful product. When dried, fruits retain many useful substances.

The effect of infusions and decoctions made from dry berries is no worse than from fresh ones.

The berries of the bush in any condition contain substances that stimulate the heart and contribute to the overall strengthening of the body. Dried berries added to tea.

Regular use This drink lowers blood pressure, helps cope with atherosclerosis, insomnia, and fatigue.

A tincture of dried fruits with vodka is taken for stress, nervous tension, and hypertension. And this is not all the benefits of the amazing hawthorn berry.

In addition to therapeutic purposes, flour is made from drying, which is added to baked goods. To save as much as possible healing properties hawthorn, the fruits must be stored properly.

To prevent the appearance of mold, the product should be dried again from time to time and kept in a glass container. Under such conditions, dry berries can be stored for several years.

Medicinal properties of hawthorn

Tinctures and decoctions are made from the fruits of this plant, which have complex impact on organs and systems of the body.

1. Atherosclerosis, hypertension.

The plant successfully fights such manifestations of these pathologies as headaches, nausea, arrhythmia, and dizziness. Long-term use of hawthorn infusions gives excellent results even with advanced atherosclerosis.

1. Angina pectoris.

Berries are useful for angina pectoris due to the fact that they contain procyanidins, which dilate blood vessels and improve blood flow. Regular consumption of an infusion of these berries improves coronary circulation, lowers blood pressure, and reduces painful sensations in the chest.

1. Neuroses, overexcitement.

At nervous tension, various neuroses, especially during menopause, red hawthorn helps well. It relieves anxiety, trembling, irritability and other manifestations of these pathologies.

1. Thyroid diseases.

At similar problems headaches may occur discomfort in the heart, pressure “jump”. To relieve such symptoms, decoctions and tinctures are used. Regular use of these drugs helps normalize the functioning of the thyroid gland.

1. Vegetative-vascular dystonia.

With this disease, treatment with a decoction of hawthorn berries is possible only if the VSD hypertensive type. In case of pathology of the hypotensive type, it is not recommended to use this plant, as serious consequences are possible.

1. Rheumatism.

With this pathology, berries help relieve inflammation and reduce pain.

1. Climax.

To alleviate the psychological state of women during menopause and prevent loss of strength, infusions and decoctions of flowers and fruits are used.

1. Swelling of the face and bags under the eyes.

Alternately applying hot and cold compresses from a decoction of berries helps relieve swelling.

Benefits for the Heart

The thorny and unsightly bush is one of the most active helpers for the heart.

Fruits, flowers, leaves are widely used to treat various diseases of this organ.

Hawthorn is considered the best natural cardiotonic. It perfectly supports and restores normal tone of the heart muscles.

Hawthorn infusion and decoction are used for the following manifestations:

• heart failure;
• weakness of the heart muscle;
• chest pain;
• irregular heartbeat;
• high blood pressure.

Boyarka fights better than other plants against the most common cause of death - heart attack. It increases blood flow to the organ, thereby promoting the performance of its muscles.

Heart failure

With this pathology, the heart stops contracting fully. As a result of poor circulation, other organs do not receive enough oxygen.

The following means help restore the functioning of the organ:

1. Tea collection.

Required: 50 gr. black leaf tea, 1 tbsp. l. rose hips, 0.5 tsp. boyarka berries, 1 tsp. motherwort, 1 tsp. mint, 0.5 tsp. valerian, 0.5 tsp. daisies. Prepared and consumed like regular tea.

1. Infusion.

One spoonful of fresh fruits is finely crushed and poured into a glass. hot water and leave for about thirty minutes. Take one hundred grams in the morning and evening.

A glass of fresh fruits is crushed using a blender, 100 grams are added. water, let stand for a while and squeeze through cheesecloth. Take one spoon an hour before meals.

Ischemia, angina, heart attack

When the myocardial muscle receives insufficient oxygen, it spasms.

A person feels heaviness in the chest, squeezing, pain. Doctors call atherosclerosis one of the reasons for the development of such pathologies.

Cholesterol deposited on the walls of blood vessels does not allow normal blood circulation, thereby causing oxygen starvation of the tissues. Chronic form ischemia is angina, acute is myocardial infarction.

To prevent the development of ischemic heart disease, use hawthorn infusion. It helps eliminate cholesterol, normalizes heart rate and blood pressure.

Infusions and decoctions for angina and heart attack:

1. Grind and mix 1 tsp. boyarka flowers and a teaspoon of motherwort. Pour one glass of boiling water and leave for one hour. Take 50–70 g. an hour before meals.
2. Mix 100 gr. hawthorn and motherwort, 200 gr. valerian and fennel berries. Take one spoon of the mixture and pour a glass of water. Place in a water bath for fifteen minutes. Take 50–70 g. two hours after eating.
3. Pour one tablespoon of crushed berries into a glass of water and bring to a boil. Let sit for eight hours and squeeze out. Take 200 g. an hour before meals.
4. After a heart attack, it is recommended to take a mixture of 100 g. hawthorn juice and one teaspoon of sunflower oil twice a day.

Arterial hypertension

In case of high blood pressure, the risk of stroke and myocardial infarction increases.

To reduce blood pressure on the walls of blood vessels, the following compositions are used:

1. Grind a teaspoon of hawthorn fruits, add motherwort, chamomile flowers, and dried cucumbers and brew them in a glass of boiling water. Let it sit for an hour and strain. Take one spoon an hour before meals.
2. 1 tbsp. l. dried flowers of the bush are brewed in one glass of water and infused for eight hours. Use 200 g. an hour before meals.
3. You need to take 300 grams. hawthorn flowers, motherwort, 200 gr. black chokeberry berries, 100 gr. sweet clover Grind everything and mix. One spoon of this composition should be brewed in one glass of water. Leave overnight, take 70 grams. an hour before meals.

When not to use hawthorn: contraindications and harm

This plant, like any other remedy, has contraindications and can even be harmful.

Hawthorn should be taken with caution in the following cases:

• with individual intolerance;
• allergies;
• pregnancy;
• lactation;
• children under twelve years of age.

You should not abuse products from this plant. Excessive use may cause dizziness and general weakness.

Can hawthorn be consumed during pregnancy?

Pregnant women are not recommended to use alcohol tincture from this plant.

Since such a composition is capable of dilating blood vessels, this can lead to negative consequences. You can brew berries, prepare compotes, smoothies.

Such drugs are prophylactic for edema (reduce excess liquid), increase immunity, contribute to the overall strengthening of the body expectant mother. In any case, if a woman is pregnant, you should first consult a doctor.

Is it good for children?

For children this healing berry, in case of increased excitability and heart rhythm disturbances, it is recommended to give it from the age of twelve. Although the boyarka has a huge amount vitamins and microelements, before giving it to small children, you should consult a pediatrician.

Flowers, leaves and seeds of hawthorn

The healing properties of flowers in the treatment of many diseases are much more effective than those of fruits.

Dried or fresh hawthorn inflorescences are brewed as tea at the rate of: a spoon for one glass of boiling water, take two glasses a day.

This helps improve the functioning of the heart muscle, normalize blood pressure, relieve heart pain, lower cholesterol, and eliminate tachycardia and arrhythmia.

Hawthorn leaves are also used as a remedy. But the effect from them is weaker than from fruits and flowers, so the leaves are used only in the absence of other products.

To do this, chop the leaves and pour two teaspoons with a glass of boiling water and leave for 15-20 minutes. This composition is consumed two to three times a day, 200 grams. For a better taste add honey or sugar.

As for the beneficial properties of hawthorn seeds, they contain: large quantities fatty oils, antibacterial, antiviral microelements, glycosides that regulate the work nerve cells, enhancing tissue regeneration and strengthening the immune system.

In addition, they help with severe intestinal disorders, as they have an excellent astringent effect.

How to prepare medicines from hawthorn: folk recipes

Alcohol tincture

For 200–250 gr. 40% alcohol or vodka will require one tablespoon of hawthorn fruits or flowers. The mixture is infused for two days, filtered through cheesecloth. This product is stored in a dark, cool place for several months.

Infusion

You will need one tablespoon of crushed fruits or flowers pour 250 grams. boiling water and leave for half an hour.

A similar product is prepared for one time.

You should always have an infusion of hawthorn fruits and flowers on hand. Doctors often prescribe this remedy for angina pectoris, hypertension, neuroses and other diseases.

Hawthorn decoction

A decoction of fruits and flowers helps lower blood sugar levels. It is taken for edema, thyroid diseases, rheumatism, obesity, gastritis, epilepsy, allergies, liver and gallbladder diseases.

To prepare a decoction of boyarka berries, add one spoonful of fruit to a glass of water and simmer over low heat. Take this mixture half a teaspoon three times a day.

On sale you can see such a sweet product from a variety of plants. Beekeepers place hives in areas where certain crops are grown to obtain required type honey Hawthorn delicacy is considered one of the most valuable and rare. To obtain this product, bees during the flowering period of the bush are taken to river valleys and to the edges of deciduous plantings.

Beneficial properties of boyarka honey

Hawthorn sweets are usually collected in June. Honey has a bitter taste and a characteristic odor.

The product has everything valuable properties, characteristic of the plant:

• has a positive effect on the functioning of the heart;
• strengthens blood vessels;
• normalizes the state of the nervous system.

This product is very rich in vitamins and various microelements, it reduces the amount of cholesterol and removes heavy metal salts.

It contains fructose, so in small quantities it can be eaten by people suffering from diabetes.

In addition, he shows diuretic effect, which allows you to fight swelling. In addition to heart ailments, honey is used for headaches, colds, epilepsy, allergies, viral diseases, insomnia, and stomach pathologies. Hawthorn honey is recommended for adults and children.

How to use honey?

1. To protect yourself from viral diseases, you should drink warm tea with one teaspoon of honey and a slice of lemon.
2. A sore throat can be cured by gargling with a warm aqueous solution of honey. To one part product, three parts hot water.
3. To relieve inflammation of the gums, you need to dissolve a teaspoon of honey five times a day.
4. A decoction of hawthorn and rosehip with honey strengthens the heart and blood vessels. Take fifty grams three times a day.

Hawthorn syrup

Berry syrup not only tastes very good, but is also a good remedy for many diseases.

It is harvested at the very beginning of autumn, when the bushes are covered with small red apples.

For the syrup you will need:

• 1 kg. berries;
• 1 kg. Sahara;
• 1 l. water;
• 5 gr. citric acid.

Cooking process:

1. The fruits are well washed and cleaned.
2. Pour in water and cook until the berries soften.
3. Grind the composition through gauze.
4. Add sugar and cook over low heat until thickened.
5. At the end add citric acid.

For long-term storage, the finished syrup is poured while still hot into sterilized jars, sealed with a metal lid and turned upside down until completely cooled.

Application of syrup

This sweet mixture is used in cooking for baking, as a sauce for pancakes, and simply as a drink. This product has the same healing properties as fresh berries.

In addition to fruits, syrup is also prepared from flowers. It relieves heart attacks well and helps get rid of excess weight.

It is prepared like this: 250 grams of fresh flowers are covered with sugar and allowed to stand for several hours, stirring regularly with a wooden spoon. Then filter through cheesecloth and take a teaspoon three times a day.

Hawthorn tea

From delicate green leaves and flowers you can make tasty, aromatic, and most importantly, healthy tea.

This drink strengthens the heart well and fights symptoms such as tightness and heaviness in the chest.

Hawthorn tea has a particularly beneficial effect on older people suffering from heart pathologies associated with sclerotic changes in the coronary arteries.

How to make healing tea?

Leaves and flowers are collected in dry weather at the very beginning of flowering, when not all the buds have blossomed. The raw materials are laid out in a thin layer in a dry, well-ventilated area. After drying, store in clean glass jars for a year. This product is brewed like regular tea or in combination with other herbs, black and green tea leaves.

If the drink is used to prevent heart disease, hawthorn leaves and flowers should make up only a quarter of the entire dry tea mixture.

For treatment, the amount of hawthorn increases from half to 70% of the total composition. Drinks containing this plant should not be drunk on empty stomach, as this may cause cramping. It is best to drink tea two hours after meals.

Tonic tea

To prepare the drink you will need to take 1 tbsp. l. dried flowers glaze and black leaf tea, pour 300 g. boiling water, leave for five minutes. You can add honey and lemon for taste.

Soothing tea

For the drink you will need to take 2 tbsp. l. dried flowers of boyar and motherwort, one spoon each of dry mint and hop cones. Grind everything and mix. One spoon of this composition should be poured into a glass of boiling water, left for 20 minutes, and consumed before bed.

Hawthorn is widely used in scientific and folk medicine not only for treatment, but also for prevention and general strengthening of the body.