How is sorrel useful and why can’t it be eaten boiled? Some cooking secrets. Sorrel description of how it looks and grows

With the onset of summer, housewives have the opportunity to pamper their household with delicious green borscht with sorrel, which can be cooked throughout summer period. Sorrel has been known to man since the time Ancient Greece and by the 12th century it had become popular throughout the world.

It’s interesting, but at first this now well-known plant was first used exclusively for medicinal purposes. It was believed that it could stop bleeding and protect against plague.

And only much later did sorrel take its place in cooking: soup and cabbage soup are prepared from it, used as a filling for pies and pies, and added to salads.

How sorrel is useful, what benefits it can provide to the human body and whether it can cause harm, we will consider in more detail below.

Sorrel description of how it looks and grows

For a long time on domestic territory this herbal plant from the buckwheat family, it was classified as a weed and was not used as food at all. Although it has been known since ancient times and was highly valued by the doctors of that time.

According to many botanists, the homeland of sorrel is Western Europe. After all, it was the Greeks, French, Dutch, Bulgarians and Germans who were the first to widely use virtually all parts of the plant for medicinal and food purposes. Surely such a plant gained special trust because of its ability in the Middle Ages to prevent the spread of plague and consumption.

Russian people tasted the true taste only in the 11th century, calling sorrel “meadow apple” and “wild beet”. The priests classified it as sacred, and traditional medicine used it as a talisman.

Sorrel is a perennial herbaceous shrub plant. It grows wild, but is now cultivated and has many different varieties that differ in the growing season, size, shape and taste of the leaves. There are also purely decorative varieties that have beautiful red veins that give the leaves a beautiful patterned appearance.

In terms of productivity, sorrel can be classified as a long-lived plant. It can grow for 8-10 years. in the first year it forms a basal rosette with leaves. It begins to bloom and produce seeds from the second year of life.

During the flowering period, small white flowers, collected in narrow panicles, appear on the stem of a modern garden plant (out of a total of 200 species, several are cultivated, especially sour and equine).

Ripe fruits have three sides and are dark brown nuts.

The lower leaves are distinguished by their ovate-oblong shape and fleshiness. They are often additionally called spear-shaped or arrow-shaped. It’s not for nothing that sorrel is known as “spear” in Latin.

Due to its undemanding conditions for growing (it is very frost-resistant, new leaves grow until late autumn and can tolerate frosts down to minus 7 degrees), the plant grows everywhere except Antarctica.

The Russian name “sorrel” supposedly comes from the word “cabbage soup”. But in some areas it is called “Kislitsa”, “Kislushka”, “Kislinka” and so on, in general, due to its sour taste.

What are the benefits of sorrel, composition and calorie content?

Many consumers know the plant as a carrier of unique oxalic acid, without thinking about how many others chemical substances hides in it. For example, the leaves of the plant contain:

  • Water (92%);
  • Protein fractions;
  • Fats;
  • Carbohydrates (mono- and disaccharides);
  • Saturated fatty acids;
  • Ash product;
  • Starch;
  • Polyunsaturated fatty acids;
  • Organic acids (mostly oxalic acid);
  • Tannins;
  • Fiber (dietary fiber);
  • Provitamin A (beta-carotene);
  • Fat-soluble vitamin E (tocopherol);
  • B vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxine, niacin, folate and pantothenic acid);
  • Ascorbic acid (vitamin C);
  • Rutin;
  • Biotin (vitamin H);
  • Macroelements represented by calcium, potassium, sulfur, magnesium, sodium, chlorine and phosphorus;
  • Minerals in the form of iodine, iron, manganese, fluorine, zinc, copper.

The total calorie content of 100 grams of product varies from 19 to 22 kilocalories. The percentage of proteins, fats and carbohydrates is 17/12/53%.

Sorrel beneficial properties

Everyone knows the sour taste of sorrel. But it is he who gives it many useful properties. This early vegetable crop is rich in many vitamins, with vitamin C being the first to be noted.

Vitamin C is an antioxidant, main vitamin for the immune system.

Rutin is important for strengthening the walls of blood vessels. Askurutin – popular vitamin supplement, designated specifically for this purpose. Both of these vitamins are present in sorrel leaves.

Sorrel can improve digestion, normalize the functioning of the gallbladder and liver, stop bleeding and heal wounds.

Its leaves have:

Knitting;

Analgesic;

Anti-inflammatory;

Hemostatic;

Wound healing;

Antiallergic;

Painkillers;

Antiseptic

properties. It is useful for:

Cardiovascular diseases;

Skin rash;

Enterocolitis;

Hemocolitis.

You can drink tea with sorrel leaves when you have a cold. Gargle with the decoction for a sore throat. It is used for stomatitis, bleeding gums, and hemorrhoids accompanied by cracks and bleeding.

Decoction in folk medicine used from ringworm and fungal infections. Warm baths help relieve attacks of pain due to cystitis.

Sorrel appears almost immediately after the snow melts, which makes it indispensable vitamin product with spring vitamin deficiency.

Sorrel benefits for the body and health

Despite some concerns regarding of this product nutrition, sorrel brings considerable benefits to the human body, which include:

  • General strengthening effect;
  • Replenishment of lost minerals and vitamins;
  • Blood purification;
  • Analgesic function;
  • Ability to stop bleeding;
  • Elimination of negative manifestations of menopause in women;
  • Relieving dysentery;
  • Improving digestion;
  • Prevention of colds;
  • Treatment of bleeding and loosening of gums;
  • Relieving inflammation of the bladder;
  • Stabilization of the liver and gallbladder;
  • Establishing bile secretion processes;
  • Improving intestinal functioning;
  • Prevention of the development of tuberculosis;
  • Help with rheumatism;
  • Prevention of vitamin deficiency and scurvy;
  • Strengthening blood vessels and the entire cardiovascular system;
  • Additional treatment of infertility;
  • Relieving headaches (you need to rub the juice on your temples);
  • Treatment of irritation of the larynx and cough (gargle with a decoction);
  • Relieving pain from radiculitis (juice is also used);
  • Help with cracks anus and hemorrhoids;
  • Possibility of using sorrel decoction as an antidote;
  • Antiallergic effect (mostly for insect bites, simply apply a plant leaf to the wound).

Sorrel contraindications and harm

Although sorrel has many beneficial properties, there are also contraindications when it can be harmful to health. The main problem is oxalic acid, which can disrupt mineral metabolism and cause excess calcium to accumulate in the body.

Therefore, the consumption of this green vegetable becomes an obstacle in the case of:

  • The presence of increased stomach acidity;
  • Existing stones in the urinary and gall bladder;
  • Kidney disease (due to the presence of oxalic acid as an irritant and the risk of oxalates).

How side effect with heavy use it can be:

Abdominal pain;

Dizziness;

Skin irritation and rash;

Liver pain;

Muscle spasms.

Sorrel use in cooking

The main use in cooking is to prepare delicious green cabbage soup.

Green sour leaves are also added:

  • As a filling for pies and pies;
  • As a spice when cooking poultry (especially duck) and game to soften meat;
  • In various soups for a spicy taste.

Sorrel appears in early spring and is sold throughout almost the entire warm period. Young leaves are best used fresh in salads. Older ones must be subjected to heat treatment: boil soup, stew or fry.

It goes well with cabbage, spinach and other vegetables.

Many chefs prepare it with cream, sour cream or yogurt. This makes it possible to reduce the acid. If it is still too sour for you, blanching the leaves will reduce the acidity.

The leaves themselves are usually prepared for the winter in dried, salted and canned form.

If you plan to use it within 2-3 days, you can simply put it in the refrigerator in a bag or closed container.

Is it possible to eat sorrel during pregnancy?

Sorrel is a good food for women. He good source calcium and may be useful for women during menopause to prevent the development of osteoporosis. In addition, during this period of a woman, it can help relieve other signs of menopause:

Headache;

Increased sweating;

Backache;

Prevent uterine bleeding;

High blood pressure.

But you need to remember the contraindications. After all, by this period of life, as a rule, many diseases accumulate.

But during pregnancy, doctors do not recommend eating sorrel. Of course, a bowl of green soup won’t do any harm, but you shouldn’t include it in pies or salads. The main prohibition is due to the lack of data on the effect of this plant on the fetus.

You should stop using it if a woman suffers from:

Diseases gastrointestinal tract;

Urolithiasis;

Violation of purine metabolism (increased uric acid in organism).

Is it possible to eat sorrel while breastfeeding?

During breastfeeding, sorrel should be avoided. This is due to the fact that sorrel interferes with milk production, which can lead to early interruption breastfeeding and make it difficult to get all nutrients from milk.

It can be included in your diet when a woman decides to wean her baby.

How long to cook sorrel

At what age can children eat sorrel?

Although sorrel contains many beneficial nutrients, it cannot be classified as a completely harmless food product. This is especially true for children. You can give dishes with sorrel no earlier than the child turns three years old.

First of all, this ban is associated with the high content of oxalic acid. and we must remember that with age the plant accumulates even more.

Therefore for baby food You can take only the youngest leaves until the flower arrow appears.

Is it possible to eat overgrown sorrel?

It is believed that such sorrel cannot be eaten due to the accumulation of oxalic acid in it. but the leaves of sorrel grow to the very late autumn. Therefore, you can eat them. You should not take only overgrown old leaves.

If in doubt, blanch it first or chop it and sprinkle with salt. Let it sit and squeeze out the juice, which will remove some of the acid.

Historically, sorrel is used in many countries not only as a vegetable green salad, but also as a remedy. So, in Germany it is used to treat runny nose and colds.

In the Middle Ages, when lemon and orange were not yet known to many peoples, sorrel was used to acidify dishes. Here are some interesting facts about the use of sorrel in the world.

In Romania, wild and garden sorrel are used to make soups, sandwiches, salads, and stewed with spinach.

In Croatia and Bulgaria they cook soups with it, add it to mashed potatoes, and when preparing eel.

In villages and hamlets of Greece it is used together with spinach, leeks, and chard.

In Belgium canned sorrel traditionally served with mashed potatoes and local sausage, meatballs or fried bacon.

In Vietnam it is added to salads.

In Brazil and Portugal, sorrel is usually eaten raw in salads or cooked with it in soup.

In India, soup is prepared and dried and added to curry.

In Albania, the leaves are boiled and served with olive oil.

Sorrel, despite its sour taste, can and should be included in your diet. Despite the contraindications and harm, for most people it can bring much more benefit for good health.

Sorrel - early vitamin greens on our table

Source: https://edalekar.ru/shhavel.html

What are the benefits of sorrel for the human body - how to use it

How is sorrel useful for the human body, what is included in its composition, how to properly collect and prepare it, and to whom it may be harmful to health.

How is sorrel beneficial for the human body?

Common green sorrel is an annual or perennial member of the Buckwheat family.

The stem part is erect, sometimes branched, and rough.

Foliage large size, petiolate, flowers collected in panicles.

There are more than 150 varieties of this herb.

In nature, the plant grows as a weed in desert areas, along the coast of reservoirs, near fences, and in the garden.

Common sorrel is also grown as a vegetable crop, greens, and is sown 2-3 times during the summer.

What does the plant contain?

The sour taste of the plant is due to the content in its foliage. potassium salt oxalic acid.

The foliage also contains:

  1. Mineral salts.
  2. Apple acid.
  3. Lemon acid.
  4. Squirrels.
  5. Carotene.
  6. Flavonoids.
  7. Sahara.
  8. Tannins.

Contains a unique vitamin and mineral complex:

  1. Thiamine.
  2. Riboflavin.
  3. Ascorbic acid.
  4. Vitamin K
  5. Vitamin PP.

All varieties of sour plants are rich in vitamins, but especially a lot of ascorbic acid in wild sorrel - horse sorrel (this subspecies has a powerful stem, large leaves and strong roots).

Underground parts include up to 27 percent tannins, and:

  1. Chrysophanic acid.
  2. Rumicin.
  3. Chrysophenine.
  4. The flavonoid nepodin, its glycoside – neposide, etc.

Let’s talk in more detail about the benefits of sorrel for the body.

What are the benefits of green sorrel?

Sorrel is a fortified useful herb, which has a positive effect on the digestive system, normalizes the functioning of the liver and gall bladder, has a wound-healing effect, is able to stop bleeding, and is beneficial for anemia, pathologies of the heart and blood vessels. Sorrel also helps with various rashes on the skin for itching, relieves allergies.

The foliage and sorrel fruits have an astringent effect and relieve pain, the leaves heal wounds, promote the elimination of toxins, relieve inflammation and are used as a preventive measure against scurvy.

Decoctions and extracts from the rhizome of the plant have shown excellent results for diarrhea and other pathologies. The decoction helps prevent acute respiratory infections or during colds.

Today it is difficult to imagine that in most countries people were afraid to eat sour greens for a long period. It was considered a weed and was not included in the diet.

How to treat with sorrel?

Basic moments:

  • In no traditional medicine Sorrel is primarily used against scurvy.
  • Water-insoluble organic substances of the aromatic series, ascorbic acid, K and Ca, which are part of the product, have healing effect for damaged gums. Therefore, an infusion made from the leaves has been used for rinsing the mouth for a long time.
  • For pain syndrome in lumbar region you need to prepare the following medicine: brew a spoonful of roots with 300 ml of water, boil for a quarter of an hour, let stand, cover, after a couple of hours you need to filter and drink two spoons three times a day.
  • For cystitis, you should take baths with oxalic decoction at night. To do this, take half a kilo of sorrel per 1 liter of water and boil over low heat for 10 minutes. and pour into a bath with a water temperature of 36 degrees. Procedure time 10 minutes.
  • For sore throat, for rinsing and as a remedy for fever, fresh grass and non-hard plant stems should be cleaned of impurities, washed well, squeezed, doused with boiling water, chopped and crushed with a wooden spoon. Then squeeze through cheesecloth into an enamel bowl and boil for 5 minutes. Store in the refrigerator. Drink a spoon three times a day during meals.
  • The following medicine will help against diarrhea: brew 2 tablespoons of chopped roots with 0.3 liters of boiling water, hold in a water bath for half an hour, cool, filter, and bring the volume to the initial volume. Take 2 tablespoons orally three times a day, half an hour before meals.

For more information about how sorrel is beneficial for you, watch this video.

Sorrel in cooking - methods of use

There are 22 kilocalories in 100 grams of product. Therefore, the product is good to use when losing weight, both for women and men.

The nutritional value of the plant is as follows:

  1. Proteins - 1.5 g.
  2. Fats - 0.3 gr.
  3. Carbohydrates - 2.9 g.

Due to its low calorie content, the plant is used to prepare a wide variety of dishes.

For cooking, you can use only young foliage.

It is necessary to collect leaves until shoots appear, because oxalic acid accumulates in the leaves.

  • How to cook sorrel correctly?

The green vegetable plant should be cooked for no more than 2 minutes. As soon as the sorrel changes color from bright green to pale greenish, it is ready.

What is prepared from a useful plant:

  1. Firstly, these are the most different recipes soups: green soup with egg and sour cream, okroshka with sorrel broth, botvinya with fish products. As already mentioned, greens cook very quickly, so they should be placed in a bowl before finishing cooking.
  2. Fresh leaves make a wonderful salad. The recipe is not complicated, you should tear sorrel leaves with your hands and season with vegetable oil, adding spices to taste.
  3. In recipes for stewed or boiled vegetable dishes, sorrel is very appropriate.
  4. It will give mashed potatoes a pleasant green tint and a delicate taste with an unobtrusive sourness.
  5. The greens are used to make fillings for pancakes and kutabs.
  6. Sauces with herbs go great with fish and meat dishes. And if you want to surprise your guests, you can make sorrel ice cream.
  7. The plant is very convenient to harvest for the winter. It can be frozen, dried, or canned. Find many recipes here.
  8. Canned sorrel can be added to soups and sauces; it is not harmful for children.
  9. The grass can also be used as a filling for pies; the leaves can be frozen and salted for the winter, made into purees, added to chopped vegetables, in eggs, and even made into jelly.

An important feature of using sorrel

Oxalic acid is a substance that is part of sorrel - an antinutrient that plants produce to protect themselves from being eaten.

In no large quantities she is harmless and by-product metabolism, which is easily excreted in the urine. But high doses interfere with calcium absorption and promote calcium accumulation.

Sometimes, in a number of conditions, the normal excretion of oxalic acid salts is disrupted. The result is kidney and bladder stones, joint problems and systemic inflammation.

Therefore, despite all the benefits of sorrel, you should not abuse it and dishes made from it, and also eat in large quantities, fanatically and often!

For whom is it harmful to eat sorrel - contraindications

Despite the benefits that the plant brings, it is not recommended to use it for certain pathologies.

So, it is correct to exclude sorrel from the diet for people suffering from pathologies of the digestive system. In particular, this applies to gastritis with increased acidity and gastrointestinal ulcers.

It should not be used by people with pancreatic inflammation.

It is forbidden to eat for people who have been diagnosed with gout, inflammatory pathologies of the kidneys and the presence of kidney stones.

It is better for women to avoid sorrel while pregnant and breastfeeding.

Due to the high inclusion of oxalic acid in the plant's foliage, it should not be consumed regularly.

In any case, it would be best to consult a doctor general practice or a nutritionist.

Source: http://alternative-medicina.ru/shhavel/

Sorrel: benefits and harms during pregnancy and for children

Common sorrel (sour) is found in the wild and in home gardens.

The first green leaves with an invariably sour taste appear in early spring.

Outnumbering their green counterparts useful substances, this storehouse of vitamins is an assistant to the body in the fight against spring vitamin deficiency.

  • Vitamin A, present in sorrel, have a beneficial effect on vision. Retinol (Vitamin A) keeps the skin youthful, so the plant is used in face masks.
  • Contained in leaves B vitamins cope with insomnia and stress. Vitamin C will strengthen the immune system and protect against viruses during spring colds.
  • The plant is considered a valuable source of mineral elements: magnesium, calcium, iron, potassium and others.
  • The sorrel is presented in large quantities organic acids. “Softer” ones: malic and citric – predominate in young foliage.

By the time flowering shoots appear on the plant, oxalic acid, which is harmful to health, has accumulated in the leaves.

Therefore, so that young foliage is at hand, common sorrel is planted several times during the summer.

For your information! There are more than 150 species of sorrel in nature, but only two are used in folk medicine, cooking and cosmetics: ordinary and horse.

"Ambulance" in the garden

A sorrel bed is a whole garden first aid kit, quick help for many ailments.

A decoction of the leaves is used for problems with gums, stomatitis, and sore throats.

What do you know about the use and contraindications of Caucasian hellebore? Read useful information about losing weight in the article after clicking on the link.

The medicinal properties of black elderberry in oncology are written on this page.

Tannins, calcium, vitamins C, K have a therapeutic effect. The infusion is used to rinse the mouth, and a powder is prepared from the roots.

The plant contains substances that prevent inflammation and accelerate wound healing, so the juice is used to treat boils and ulcers.

Crushed fresh leaves are applied to problem areas.

Sorrel is useful for those who are struggling with extra pounds:

  • acid helps break down fats and remove them from the body.

The plant is considered dietary product: 100 grams of leaves contain 21-22 kilocalories.

Due to the high content of ascorbic acid, sorrel decoction - effective remedy for the treatment of vitamin deficiencies and anemia, a tonic for loss of strength.

Treatment of many ailments

The beneficial properties of the plant have been studied for a long time.

In folk medicine, sorrel leaves and roots are used to prevent and treat various diseases.

Common sorrel is used as medicinal plant, which helps:

  • normalize blood pressure,
  • reduce headaches,
  • sweating,
  • in general, alleviate a woman’s condition during menopause.

It is used for painful menstruation, as it is considered an analgesic.

Eating sour greens - effective prevention against diseases of the cardiovascular system.

Ascorbic acid strengthens the walls of blood vessels and reduces cholesterol in the blood.

It is recommended to include this product in small quantities in the diet to increase appetite and choleretic effect (pro choleretic herbs written here).

Chrysophanic acid contained in sorrel improves intestinal motility and stimulates the liver to produce bile.

Depending on the correct dose, decoctions of sorrel roots are used both as an astringent and fixative for diarrhea, and as a folk laxative for constipation. fast action in older people.

The same decoction is effective for hemorrhoids and anal fissures.

Do you know how to take Garcinia Cambogia for weight loss, reviews and instructions about which are posted in a useful article? Read about doctors' recommendations and folk recipes.

The beneficial properties and contraindications of the knotweed herb are described here.

On the page: http://netlekarstvam.com/narodnye-sredstva/lekarstva/produkty-pitaniya/anis.html it is written about the medicinal properties of the herb anise.

In folk medicine, decoctions and Fresh Juice used to treat rhinitis and sinusitis, the plant extract is even included in the drug “Sinupret”.

In addition, the green plant can improve digestion, normalize the functioning of the liver and intestines, relieve pain in the lumbar region, and help with poisoning (read how to treat alcohol in this article).

Contraindications for use

Despite numerous healing properties plants, there are a number of contraindications in which the use of sorrel can be harmful to health.

It is contraindicated during pregnancy. It should not be consumed for a long time or in large quantities, so as not to harm the kidneys.

The plant becomes hazardous to health at the time of flowering due to high content oxalic acid.

The older the leaves, the greater its concentration.

When combined with calcium, oxalic acid produces a precipitate in the form of stones.

Therefore, for those who are predisposed to related diseases, use sorrel won't do any good.

Contraindications are also:

Those who are not affected by contraindications should not forget about this useful plant.

Use the young ones upper leaves plants, they contain less oxalic acid, and adding dairy products to dishes neutralizes its effect.

At correct use This rich in vitamins and microelements the plant will only bring benefits.

What are the benefits of sorrel, useful and negative properties, watch the video.

Source: http://netlekarstvam.com/narodnye-sredstva/lekarstva/produkty-pitaniya/shhavel.html

Sorrel - the benefits and harm of the first greenery

Sorrel is one of the first leafy vegetables, which appears on our table in the spring.

Young, tender, green leaves are pleasing to the eye, the sour taste gives freshness to dishes, and the first vitamins - all this makes sorrel a desirable product in our kitchen.

But in Russia, sorrel was considered a weed for a long time and was not eaten. And they were very surprised when visiting foreigners plucked sorrel and ate it.

But in other countries it was actively used, and since ancient times. Scientists of ancient Asia, Greece, and Rome treated this plant with great respect. The French, for example, believe that they have two national vegetables - sorrel and carrots.

So why has sorrel earned such respect, what vitamins are the first spring greens rich in, and what are the benefits of sorrel and is there any harm. Let's figure it out.

Sorrel - benefits and harm to the body

Benefits of sorrel

  • Sorrel ripens in early spring, when our body, tired of the cold, acutely feels the lack of vitamins. Sorrel is an excellent helper for vitamin deficiency.
  • It is considered a dietary product - 100 g. freshly picked leaves 21-22 kcal. The acids that make up sorrel break down fats and remove them from the body. Therefore, people with weight problems are recommended to include sorrel in their diet.
  • In terms of vitamin B1 content, sorrel ranks second after legumes, thanks to which sorrel has a positive effect on nervous system, keeps muscles in good shape.
  • Sorrel increases the secretion of the stomach and pancreas, improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, and is especially useful for people suffering from gastritis with low acidity.
  • It has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system and helps eliminate bad cholesterol.
  • Thanks to the high content of vitamin C, the iron contained in the plant is very well absorbed, better than from any other plant. Therefore, it is recommended to use sorrel for anemia.
  • Promotes the formation of bile, stabilizes liver function.
  • It has analgesic, hemostatic and anti-inflammatory properties.
  • Useful for women's health, easing the condition during menopause.

Sorrel in folk medicine

Sorrel is not used in traditional medicine, but in folk medicine the plant has been used quite widely, and since ancient times. Sorrel was first used as remedy, and then they began to use it in cooking. Both leaves and roots of the plant and even seeds are used.

  • During the plague, sorrel was considered one of the best means from this terrible disease.
  • Sorrel seeds were used as an antidote for snake and insect bites.
  • It is believed that the seeds and root act as a fixative, while the leaves, on the contrary, can be used as a mild laxative.
  • A decoction of sorrel is used as a rinse for bleeding gums. To prepare the decoction you need 1 tbsp. l. pour 0.5 liters of chopped sorrel leaves. water, put on fire, boil for half an hour, let it brew for 1 hour, filter and use for rinsing. This decoction also helps with colds if you drink 1/3 glass up to 4 times a day.
  • An infusion of roots and leaves is used as an anti-inflammatory and hemostatic agent.
  • If you hold a mashed sorrel leaf in your mouth, then toothache can calm down.
  • The mashed leaves can also be applied to abrasions and wounds - it acts as a disinfectant and hemostatic agent.

Harm of sorrel

  • Unfortunately, oxalic acid, which we taste when we eat sorrel, leads to the formation of oxalates (oxalic acid salts). Oxalates can form kidney and joint stones. Therefore, if you have such a problem - you have been diagnosed with oxalate stones - sorrel is contraindicated.
  • Oxalic acid interferes with the absorption of calcium. This must be taken into account if you are prescribed calcium supplements, as well as for pregnant women, since calcium is a very important element for the unborn baby.
  • People with high acidity in the stomach should use sorrel with caution, as sorrel can contribute to the formation of ulcers.

How to use sorrel correctly

About two hundred species of sorrel are known in the world flora, there are cultivated varieties, and there are wild ones. It is better to use cultivated varieties for food; their greens are more tender and richer in their beneficial qualities.

  • Most correct option- This is sorrel in its raw form, since during heat treatment many vitamins lose their properties, but the concentration of oxalic acid does not decrease.
  • You can reduce the concentration of oxalic acid using fermented milk products, so season soups and salads with sour cream and yogurt.
  • If you decide to cook sorrel, for example, beloved by many sorrel soup, then remember that you cannot cook sorrel dishes in aluminum and cast iron cookware.
  • The younger the leaves, the lower their oxalic acid content. If you grow sorrel yourself, it is recommended to harvest before July.
  • In order for sorrel to bring benefit and not harm, you must follow the norm for its use. It is recommended to use it for food no more than 2 times a week. It is believed that 10 sorrel leaves completely replenish daily norm vitamin C and A.
  • Fresh sorrel can be stored for several days like flowers in a vase, but in the refrigerator. You can wash the leaves, dry them, put them in a paper bag or vacuum packaging and store them in the refrigerator.
  • Sorrel can be prepared for the winter - frozen, dried, canned.

Now you know about the benefits and harms of sorrel. Enjoy the first grass of spring, but don't forget about the pros and cons.

Cheers!

Elena Kasatova. See you by the fireplace.

Sour sorrel ( Rumex acetosa) there are both benefits and harm to the human body. This plant is not easy, because along with a significant amount of healing compounds in its composition, it also contains quite harmful oxalates.

Compound

The calorie content of 100 grams of fresh sorrel greens is 22 kcal. This amount of plant also contains:

  • 2.9g vegetable fiber (7.5% of the required daily value);
  • 133% daily dose of vitamin A;
  • 80% vitamin C;
  • 30% iron;
  • 26% magnesium;
  • 21% manganese;
  • 14% copper;
  • 9% vitamin B6;
  • 8% vitamin B2;
  • 4% folate and calcium each.

In slightly smaller amounts, greens contain niacin, vitamin B1, zinc, folic and pantothenic acids.

Sorrel also contains other biologically active compounds that have an antioxidant effect. Great importance Green chlorophyll also has benefits for human health.

Beneficial features

Effect on weight loss

Sorrel is useful for weight loss for several reasons.

  1. 100 grams (which is a whole serving of salad) contains only 22 kcal, which are filled with fiber. Plant fiber slows down the absorption of food. And, therefore, protects against sharp increase glucose and insulin in the blood after eating, which is one of the main reasons for gaining excess weight.
  2. The benefit of sorrel for the body of a person losing weight is that it helps to normalize the composition intestinal microflora who is always unfaithful to people with significant overweight. And these changes stimulate further formation of fat deposits.
  3. The anti-inflammatory activity of the product, due to the large amount of antioxidants and fiber, reduces the level of chronic inflammatory processes in the body, which are important reason development of obesity.
  4. A sorrel meal gives strength and energizes. This helps you move more throughout the day, which means you burn more calories.
  5. Diuretic activity makes it possible to reduce weight when necessary, for example, under a dress. Such weight loss cannot be considered true weight loss, but it may be necessary in certain life situations.

Despite the fact that sorrel is useful for weight loss, some people who want to include this vegetable in their diet may have problems due to the fact that the greens quite significantly increase their appetite. For this reason, it is even recommended to actively use it for little ones. Therefore, if you have noticed that after a sorrel meal you have a voracious appetite, then you should give up the idea of ​​losing weight with the help of this greenery.

How to use and store all winter?

The most the right way inclusion of leaves in the diet Rumex acetosa is to consume them fresh, since during heat treatment they lose most of their beneficial properties.

Therefore, the famous borscht with sorrel is far from the best option including these greens in your diet.

Oxalic acid, present in greens, impairs the absorption of minerals from food. Therefore, sorrel should be consumed together with lactic acid products (sour cream, kefir, yogurt). With the simultaneous consumption of sour greens and dairy products, there is no deterioration in the absorption of minerals.

But, alas, Rumex acetosa- seasonal vegetable. And it can be consumed fresh only in late spring and summer. Then you have to either refuse or think about how to prepare it for the winter with minimal losses.

The most safe method Preserving greens for the winter is freezing them.

You can freeze sorrel in a regular freezer. To do this you need:

  • select healthy leaves, preferably young and small size;
  • wash them thoroughly and be sure to dry them thoroughly;
  • place in a special freezer bag, trying to remove all the air from it;
  • put in the freezer.

Small leaves can be frozen whole. Larger ones are better cut.

You can prepare any dishes from sorrel prepared by freezing.

Another convenient method of preparing sorrel for the winter is to preserve it in blanched form. At this method When harvested, greens lose significantly more useful components than when frozen. However, something remains in it. In addition, the method is convenient for those who like to cook sorrel soup in winter time.

You can understand how to roll blanched vegetables into jars in this video.

Whatever dish with sorrel you choose, under no circumstances should you cook it in cast iron or aluminum dishes. Since the metal of these products interacts with the oxalic acid of the vegetable, and the food becomes unpleasant metallic taste.

Contraindications

  1. As often happens, the benefits and harms of sorrel for the body complement each other. In this case it concerns the kidneys. Greenery Rumex acetosa, especially dried, has diuretic properties. And it's useful for cleansing urinary system. At the same time, the product contains oxalic acid, which promotes the formation of kidney stones. Therefore, this vegetable should not be consumed in large quantities by those who have a predisposition to urolithiasis. And those who already suffer from this disease should avoid it altogether.
  2. Sorrel should not be consumed by women suffering from vulvodynia. Vegetable oxalates do not cause of this disease, but intensify its symptoms.
  3. The vegetable is difficult and poorly digested by people suffering various diseases gastrointestinal tract. It is better not to rely on it for those who have gastritis, pancreatitis, or cholelithiasis. A strict contraindication for the use of sorrel is the acute phase of all these diseases.
  4. Fresh greens are quite tough. Therefore, when it is abundantly included in the diet, especially without habit, abdominal pain, nausea, and diarrhea often occur. In the presence of gastrointestinal diseases, their exacerbation may begin.

Can sorrel be consumed by pregnant women?

Pregnancy is not a strict contraindication for including this greenery in the diet. Moreover, it has a lot of useful properties for expectant mother:

  • boosts immunity;
  • protects against swelling and chronic constipation;
  • promotes prevention iron deficiency anemia etc.

However, the presence of oxalates in the product makes it not the most good choice for a pregnant woman. Therefore, the amount of sorrel consumed during pregnancy should be limited.

And preference should be given to soups and other dishes in the preparation of which the greens have been subjected to heat treatment. This reduced its beneficial properties. But it also reduced the amount of oxalic acid.

Be sure to add lactic acid products, since during pregnancy the deterioration in the absorption of food minerals is especially dangerous.

Is it possible on GW?

The answer to the question whether a nursing mother can eat sorrel depends on what she wants to achieve: continue breastfeeding or stop this process.

Rumex acetosa refers to herbs that have been used since ancient times in traditional medicine to stop lactation and wean a child from breastfeeding.

Therefore, sorrel at breastfeeding You can eat only if you want to finish feeding.

At what age can it be given to children?

There is no clear answer to the question of at what age can sorrel soup and other dishes made from this vegetable be given to children.

Many parents give their babies soup starting at the age of one. And they feel great. However, other young children learn Rumex acetosa Badly. And doctors do not recommend giving them the product earlier than 7 years of age.

But no matter what age you start giving sorrel to your child, you should definitely start with sorrel soup, and not with fresh herbs. Yes, fresh leaves are healthier. But they are also much more difficult to digest. And they contain significantly more oxalates.

So first, soup with sour cream. And then, when the child grows up, a fresh green salad. And also necessarily with sour cream or natural yogurt.

Beneficial properties of sorrel and contraindications for use: conclusions

Rumex acetosa– spring greenery, which has a lot of medicinal properties.

The vegetable boosts immunity, helps prevent cancer and cardiovascular diseases. It helps you lose weight, eliminates chronic constipation and saves vision.

However, weed also has negative trait– it contains a lot of oxalates. For this reason, sorrel is not recommended for use by people suffering from urolithiasis, and those who have serious illnesses Gastrointestinal tract. Greens should be included with caution in the menu of pregnant women and young children.

A nursing mother should, first of all, think about the health and safety of the baby. Her diet is the key to the correct development of the baby, because everything that a nursing woman eats then enters the baby’s body through milk. The feeding period lasts differently, sometimes up to 2 years. No mother can stay on a strict diet for that long. I want sweets, a variety of vegetable and meat soups, and fruits. Decades ago, nursing mothers did not think through their diet in such detail; they ate a variety of foods, receiving vitamins, micro- and macroelements from it.

Sorrel has beneficial properties that are necessary for a woman during breastfeeding.

The most popular and vitamin-rich spring product is sorrel. A medicinal plant and an early vegetable in one product. It appears first when tomatoes and cucumbers are still very far away.

100 grams of sorrel leaves are rich in vitamin C and carotene, contain up to 22 kcal, 2.3 g of protein, 0.8 g of fiber, 0.4 g of fat. The product also contains vitamins B, K, E, iron, calcium, phosphorus, tannic and oxalic acid.

The benefits and harms of sorrel

Product benefits:

  • improves digestion, stimulates the gastrointestinal tract;
  • fights the symptoms of dysbacteriosis and levels putrefactive fermentation in the intestines;
  • strengthens the walls of blood vessels;
  • useful for anemia, enriches the blood with iron;
  • activates liver functions;
  • fights bladder inflammation;
  • used in treatment anal fissures and hemorrhoids (we recommend reading:).

The main contraindication to consuming any dishes from the product is peptic ulcer stomach and exacerbation of gastritis. The product contains a lot of acid of the same name. In large quantities it is harmful to the kidneys and stomach. Every day, even people without chronic diseases should not eat dishes in which one of the ingredients is sorrel. You should eat sorrel with caution during kidney inflammation, pregnancy and, of course, during lactation.

If you want to eat a soup made from these greens or add them to a sauce or salad, check first to see if your baby is allergic to this product. The main thing is how the infant’s body will react to sorrel. Eat a very small amount of food in the first half of the day and monitor your baby’s well-being. If he has become more tearful, it is clear that he is worried about bloating or colic, or diarrhea has begun - remove sorrel from your diet for several months. If everything is as it was before eating sorrel, feel free to eat your favorite dishes.


If your baby has no allergies or other effects, then feel free to eat sorrel

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This early medicinal plant is not only popular in cooking, but also loved by many adherents of traditional medicine. Sorrel decoction is used for local treatment inflammatory processes. It helps well with sore throat, pharyngitis and tonsillitis. Popular in eliminating bleeding gums.

The plant has been famous since ancient times for its hemostatic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. It was even used as a remedy against poisons. Nowadays, a decoction of the leaves and roots is used as a bath additive before bed, which relieves pain in the gallbladder and inflammation of the bladder.

Is it possible for nursing mothers to make sorrel soup?

Greens are one of the main sources of vitamins. Sorrel often does not cause allergies in either mother or newborn. Many women want to pamper themselves with green soup while breastfeeding. Is sorrel allowed for nursing mothers? This question often appears on forums; it is asked to breastfeeding specialists and pediatricians. There is no clear answer.


Adding to green soup sour cream will limit harmful effects oxalic acid on the stomach

If the baby doesn't have negative reaction body and allergies, then mom needs to diversify her diet as much as possible with all kinds of greens - parsley, dill, celery. They contain many vitamins and support health. If the baby has an allergy, then greens are contraindicated.

What symptoms may appear in a baby if the product does not suit him:

  • skin rashes, redness, red itchy blisters (urticaria);
  • , he sneezes or coughs;
  • the baby has become restless and cries a lot;
  • stomach problems started increased gas formation, colic, loose stools.

Sorrel menu

The most popular dish is spring green cabbage soup. They can be prepared either in water or in low-fat broth with chicken, beef or veal. In order not to harm yourself with oxalic acid, it is good to add more sour cream to the soup. Dairy products neutralize the acid due to the calcium content, which turns it into a harmless calcium salt.

Use fresh leaves for food; old leaves have little nutrients and are high in acids. For the winter, you can dry sorrel, then add it to soups and salads for flavor. Very useful for a young nursing mother fresh salad from green leaves and cucumber, seasoned with sour cream (see also:). Pies, pies and pancakes with herbs are popular; it gives the flour dish a piquant sweet and sour taste.


For the winter, sorrel can be salted, dried, or simply frozen so that a nursing mother can eat dishes with sorrel at any time of the year.

Green cabbage soup recipe

Recipes for a nursing mother should be quick and simple, as well as high content useful substances. Great option– sorrel soup with beef. For it you will need 200 g of greens, 400 g of fresh soft beef, 3 potatoes, 6 eggs, 50 g of sour cream and 2 liters of clean water:

  1. Boil beef or veal separately and remove from water. Finely chop.
  2. Finely chop the thoroughly washed greens.
  3. Cut the potatoes into cubes and add to the broth. Pour the meat there. Let it cook.
  4. After 15 minutes, add the greens.
  5. Pour the egg into the boiling broth. Cook until the potatoes are done.
  6. Boil the remaining eggs. You can serve them, cut into halves, in each bowl of soup. Season the dish with sour cream.

This soup can be eaten both hot and cold. An excellent option for hot weather or for the cold season, when it’s so nice to come back from the cold and eat hot soup. It is rich in vitamins and is suitable for both a nursing mother and all family members, even a husband, father or grandfather, because who among men does not like beef soup.

It is safest to start eating dishes with sorrel after your baby reaches 6 months of age. During this period, the baby already recognizes complementary foods, is less prone to allergies, and tolerates new food more easily. Some mothers successfully switch to a varied menu after the first month of the baby’s life. If you cook green borscht on homemade meat, then it will turn out to be non-greasy and harmless to you. Homemade high-quality sour cream completely neutralizes the effect of acid. You can safely eat your favorite spring cabbage soup.

02.09.15

The vegetable garden is a source of more than just potatoes and cabbage. In the garden beds you can find sweet, sour and spicy plants, with the help of which you can become younger, maintain health, and recover from old and new diseases.

What does it contain?

In the spring, many people enjoy cooking and eating sorrel soup, making pies with a pleasant sour filling, and adding green leaves to salads. But sorrel is famous not only for its pleasant taste. It contains many necessary and beneficial substances for the human body.

First of all, the plant contains B vitamins:

There is a huge amount of vitamin C in sorrel. And:

  • niacin;
  • tocopherol;
  • beta-carotene;
  • phylloquinone;
  • biotin.

Sorrel also provides the body with organic acids: the main one is oxalic acid, as well as coffee, malic, and citric.

Is it good for the body and how?

The plant has been used to treat a variety of diseases since ancient times. Our ancestors learned apply leaves, roots, fruits raw or in decoction for:

  • stopping bleeding;
  • treatment of scurvy;
  • improving liver function;
  • as a choleretic;
  • wound healing agent;
  • improving bowel function.

Avicenna also noted the ability of sorrel to remove unpleasant symptoms and improve the well-being of men and women during menopause.

Antibacterial capabilities were used not only to treat wounds and burns, but also to treat tuberculosis, diseases of the stomach and intestines.

Other medicinal properties of sorrel include:

  • It helps very well in combination with medications for infertility and accompanying fissures.
  • For some poisonings, the leaves of the plant are used as an antidote.
  • You can eat large quantities of leaves if you suffer from constipation, and 3-4 leaves help with diarrhea.
  • And if you boil the whole plant, the decoction will help cope with a cold.
  • The iron content in it helps fight anemia (anemia).
  • Both fresh leaves and infusions and decoctions help well with diseases of the throat and mouth. For sore throat, bleeding gums, inflammation, and stomatitis, rinsing with a decoction of this magnificent plant is recommended.

Oxalic acid is used in pharmaceuticals to make medications that help treat the nervous system, vision, etc.

You can read about super weight loss with the Lesenka diet, but be careful: you shouldn’t get carried away with express diets.

How can it be harmful?

Like almost any product, sorrel is sour if used in moderation, it can be harmful.

Oxalic acid, which is contained in the leaves, in large quantities can cause a violation of mineral metabolism in the body, leading to And. To prevent the product from harming you, you should not overeat it; it is better to observe moderation.

The leaves of old plants contain much more acid than young ones. They are best eaten in green cabbage soup, pies, that is, after heat treatment. In addition, it is recommended to add during cooking 1 gram of chalk per 1 kg of leaves, this neutralizes not needed by the body part of oxalic acid.

Elderly people should be careful when using sorrel. Once in the body, oxalic acid slows down the process of calcium formation, which is already poorly produced, which can lead to the emergence and development of a dangerous disease - osteoporosis.

When a product is cooked, oxalic acid begins to accumulate in the body, so it is healthier to eat it raw.

Plant can be preserved for the winter, but even in this case it cannot be added to soups or salads in excessive quantities.

Contraindications

For pregnant women and children

For pregnant women, even if you really want something sour, it is better to eat lemon. Sorrel gives load on the kidneys, which during pregnancy already work for two, and eating it even in small quantities can cause unwanted swelling.

For children, if they do not have salt metabolism disorders, Only the young plant is recommended to be given in green cabbage soup from 1 year, and from one and a half years old you can gradually add it to salads.

For allergy sufferers

The pulp from the leaves or the leaves of sorrel themselves help with skin allergies. The plant relieves itching and helps fight rashes.

Usually the plant does not cause allergies, but if a person has a reaction to one of the substances included in its composition, then it is better to remove it from your table.

For more information about the benefits and harms of sorrel for the body, its beneficial properties and contraindications, see this video:

Will sorrel help you lose weight?

The spring greenery of sorrel leaves has a very low calorie content. In order to quickly get rid of the kilograms accumulated over the winter, sorrel good to add to yours dietary dishes . With its help, those losing weight will get rid of discomfort in the stomach, belching, and activate metabolism.

Application in cosmetology

Sorrel can also be used as a cosmetic product. Masks made from its leaves can cleanse the skin, make it smoother, more elastic, get rid of acne. However, the components of the plant are very active, and in order not to get unwanted effects in the form of flaky spots on the face or neck, the skin’s reaction to the mask should be checked on the bend of the elbow or behind the ear.

Cleansing and rejuvenating effects on the skin have been discovered relatively recently, but foams, creams and lotions containing oxalic acid are often found on the shelves of cosmetic stores.

In addition to acne and skin allergies, cosmetics from magic plant able cure eczema and lichen. But it is not recommended to use it for a long time, since acids can cause not only irritation, but also burns, especially for those whose facial skin is especially sensitive.

It is also possible allergic reactions associated with exposure to acids.

Do you know everything about


Contents [Show]

Excellent light dish for a hot summer afternoon. Especially when the main ingredient grows in its own beds. The soup is delicious both hot and chilled. Sorrel adds a pleasant sour taste. Moreover, it is very easy to prepare and does not require expensive ingredients. This dish will definitely not leave your family and friends indifferent.

Calorie content of sorrel soup

The calorie content of sorrel soup is only 40 kcal per 100 grams of product.


Ingredients of sorrel soup

Like any dish prepared from natural products, this is a wonderful soup that has everything essential microelements to maintain the correct and coordinated functioning of absolutely all body systems. The main contribution, of course, comes from the main component - sorrel. In addition to vitamins C and B6, which are contained in sorrel, although not in huge quantities, it also contains microelements that are extremely important for our body.

A special role in chemical composition sorrel leaves play: manganese, iron, copper, calcium and magnesium. Calcium, for example, perfectly strengthens bones, and magnesium and iron have a positive effect on muscle function in general, and the heart in particular.

Season the soup with a spoonful of thick sour cream, which will not only highlight the taste, but also add benefits to this excellent soup. In general, if you plan to visit your country cottage area, don't miss the chance to try this excellent soup in nature.


Beneficial properties of sorrel soup

Sorrel soup has a mild laxative and choleretic agent, and is also recommended for people with skin diseases, to normalize liver function, for vitamin deficiency, and to increase hemoglobin. Traditional medicine uses sorrel to improve the functions of hematopoiesis, digestion and bile formation.

You should know that sorrel, the benefits of which are undoubted, is still contraindicated for people with weak kidneys, especially if kidney stone disease, is contraindicated for those who have a tendency to stone formation, patients with stomach ulcers and duodenum, as well as those suffering from osteoporosis, gastritis with high acidity and people with salt metabolism disorders. Pregnant women should be especially careful, because sorrel is also contraindicated for them.

In the spring, you really want something new and fresh, and this is especially true for food - in winter we get few vitamins, and almost every person at this time suffers from hypovitaminosis, which makes us look with a hungry look at fresh early vegetables and fruits. One of the most popular spring dishes is green or sorrel soup. Sorrel gives the soup an incomparable taste and aroma, contains many useful nutrients that our body lacked throughout the winter, and due to the fact that such a soup can only be prepared in the spring, it will not get boring, no matter how often we eat it cooked for this season. It is prepared quite simply, but to prepare it you still need to know well the recipe for sorrel soup and all the subtleties of preparation, otherwise instead of a tasty and beautiful soup you may end up with an indistinct brew. There is more than one recipe for sorrel soup, and all of them, in addition to excellent taste, are also united by great nutritional value with low calorie content.

The recipe for sorrel soup itself is quite simple. As a rule, it is cooked in meat broth, and the most delicious is made from beef, but it also turns out well from pork and even chicken. The meat must be thoroughly cooked to be soft - this is approximately 1.5 - 2 hours or half an hour for store-bought chicken. Basic recipe sorrel soup requires the following ingredients: for 2.5 liters of broth, take about four to five medium potatoes, one small carrot, two medium onions, a large bunch of sorrel, black pepper, Bay leaf, greens to taste.


How to cook sorrel soup

Finely chopped potatoes and onions are added to the boiling broth. Before adding potatoes, it is best to add a little salt to the broth - then it will remain transparent. If your family doesn’t like finely chopped boiled onions in soup, then you can add whole onions, cut about a centimeter from the top, along with the potatoes. In the same bookmark we put the carrots cut into slices and cook for 15 - 20 minutes until the potatoes are ready. At this time, we prepare the sorrel for laying: we wash it thoroughly, since insects and dirt may appear on the leaves, cut off the stems and cut it so that its pieces fit into a spoon. When the vegetables are cooked, add spices, herbs and sorrel to the soup, bring to a boil again, turn off, cover with a lid and leave for 10 - 15 minutes to let it brew.

Typically, a recipe for sorrel soup involves adding dill, but you can also use parsley and green onions - in this case it will turn out very fragrant. Sometimes crushed garlic or its finely chopped greens are added there, both during the cooking process and at the time of serving. Also, for satiety, rice or beans are sometimes added to the soup: rice is placed along with potatoes, and pre-soaked beans are added immediately after the meat boils, so before preparing sorrel soup with beans, you need to prepare it in advance. In addition to sorrel, you can put nettle and spinach in green soup - they are very useful because they contain great amount vitamins and microelements, in particular vitamins A and C and iron. Some housewives sauté the onion before adding it, but this option no longer has that fresh taste. It is also possible to add it to boiling soup raw egg: You can blow it out by making two holes in the shell, or you can beat the egg like an omelette in a separate bowl and pour it into a pan of soup in a thin stream.


Serve sorrel soup with half a hard-boiled egg and sour cream. You can also serve finely chopped green onions and/or garlic. In this case, mayonnaise is more suitable for dressing. Half an egg can be placed whole on each plate, or it can be finely chopped.

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Sorrel is the first vegetable crop to open its culinary season in the spring. For those yearning for vitamins during the long winter, it becomes a favorite on the table. Sorrel cabbage soup, cold soups, pies with sorrel filling and many other varieties with


eaten with gusto.

Sorrel belongs to the valuable food products and contains so many different useful substances, therefore it has been used and grown since ancient times. It contains so many macro- and microelements. Plants contain vitamins A, K, PP, group B, and vitamin C in it is 2-3 times more than in citrus fruits.

Sorrel contains such important and necessary substances, such as carotene, iron, potassium, sodium, phosphorus, magnesium, resins, essential oils. It contains a lot of tannins and organic acids. The plant contains a lot of oxalic acid.

Sorrel on the menu in any form helps to cope with many diseases. Improves appetite, activates liver function, and promotes good digestion.

A decoction of sorrel is used to stop bleeding from hemorrhoidal bleeding. He has astringent properties and helps with diarrhea.

In folk medicine, sorrel is known as an anti-putrefactive and “blood purifying” agent. It was used for scurvy, lower back pain and rheumatism. Burns were treated with decoctions of seeds. Leaves and roots were applied to purulent, bloody and long-healing wounds. Sorrel was given for anemia and diseases of the heart and blood vessels.

Science has proven that sorrel contains substances that have antibacterial and antitumor activity.

Sorrel is contraindicated people who have kidney stones and cholelithiasis. It is not recommended to eat it if it is impaired salt metabolism in the body, as well as in pregnant women. People with tuberculosis should not eat sorrel. You should carefully include sorrel dishes in your menu for gastrointestinal diseases.


To reduce the activity of oxalic acid, it is better to heat sorrel and add foods containing calcium to dishes. It binds and neutralizes oxalic acid. That is why our wise grandmothers always seasoned sorrel cabbage soup with sour cream or yogurt.

In any case, sorrel, like any product, should be eaten wisely. As they say, a little of every good thing.

Is sorrel good for everyone?

Sorrel is one of the first leaf vegetables that appears on our table in spring.

Its still young, tender, green leaves are pleasing to the eye, its sour taste gives freshness to dishes, and the first vitamins - all this makes sorrel a desirable product in our kitchen.

But in Russia, sorrel was considered a weed for a long time and was not eaten. And they were very surprised when visiting foreigners plucked sorrel and ate it.

But in other countries it was actively used, and since ancient times. Scientists of ancient Asia, Greece, and Rome treated this plant with great respect. The French, for example, believe that they have two national vegetables - sorrel and carrots.

So why has sorrel earned such respect, what vitamins are the first spring greens rich in, and what are the benefits of sorrel and is there any harm. Let's figure it out.

Sorrel in folk medicine

Sorrel is not used in traditional medicine, but in folk medicine the plant has been used quite widely, and since ancient times. Sorrel was first used as a remedy, and then began to be used in cooking. Both leaves and roots of the plant and even seeds are used.

  • During the plague, sorrel was considered one of the best remedies for this terrible disease.
  • Sorrel seeds were used as an antidote for snake and insect bites.
  • It is believed that the seeds and root act as a fixative, while the leaves, on the contrary, can be used as a mild laxative.
  • A decoction of sorrel is used as a rinse for bleeding gums. To prepare the decoction you need 1 tbsp. l. pour 0.5 liters of chopped sorrel leaves. water, put on fire, boil for half an hour, let it brew for 1 hour, filter and use for rinsing. This decoction also helps with colds if you drink 1/3 glass up to 4 times a day.
  • An infusion of roots and leaves is used as an anti-inflammatory and hemostatic agent.
  • If you hold a mashed sorrel leaf in your mouth, toothache can calm down.
  • The mashed leaves can also be applied to abrasions and wounds - it acts as a disinfectant and hemostatic agent.

How to use sorrel correctly

About two hundred species of sorrel are known in the world flora, there are cultivated varieties, and there are wild ones. It is better to use cultivated varieties for food; their greens are more tender and richer in their beneficial qualities.

  • The most correct option is raw sorrel, since during heat treatment many vitamins lose their properties, but the concentration of oxalic acid does not decrease.
  • You can reduce the concentration of oxalic acid with the help of fermented milk products, so season soups and salads with sour cream and yogurt.
  • If you decide to cook sorrel, for example, many people’s favorite sorrel soup, then remember that you cannot cook sorrel dishes in aluminum and cast iron dishes.
  • The younger the leaves, the lower their oxalic acid content. If you grow sorrel yourself, it is recommended to harvest before July.
  • In order for sorrel to bring benefit and not harm, you must follow the norm for its use. It is recommended to use it for food no more than 2 times a week. It is believed that 10 sorrel leaves completely replenish the daily requirement of vitamin C and A.
  • Fresh sorrel can be stored for several days like flowers in a vase, but in the refrigerator. You can wash the leaves, dry them, put them in a paper bag or vacuum packaging and store them in the refrigerator.
  • Sorrel can be prepared for the winter - frozen, dried, canned.

Now you know about the benefits and harms of sorrel. Enjoy the first grass of spring, but don't forget about the pros and cons.

Cheers!

Elena Kasatova. See you by the fireplace.