“Linden blossom” - why should you drink linden tea? How to properly collect linden blossoms

The healing properties of linden have been known since ancient times.

IN folk medicine linden was and is the main assistant in treating colds and diseases digestive tract And of cardio-vascular system. Crushed linden buds were used to soften abscesses and stop bleeding, compresses were made from linden leaves that saved headaches, and with the help of linden decoction they relieved inflammatory processes in the oral cavity. A spoonful of linden honey on an empty stomach in the morning, washed down with a glass of warm water, and is now recommended as a means to strengthen the immune system.

How to collect linden blossoms.

If you want to stock up on linden flowers for the winter or prepare a linden tincture, the time to start preparing for collecting and drying linden inflorescences is late spring. Linden blossom is collected during the period of active flowering of the tree - from mid-May to the end of June. You can start collecting flowers when most of them have blossomed, and the rest are still in buds.

It is recommended to collect linden flowers in the first half of the day, in warm weather (up to +25 C) with partly cloudy skies and humid air, when nectar is intensively released into them. You cannot collect flowers during rain and dew. Linden inflorescences are difficult to separate from adjacent leaves, so it is recommended to carefully trim them with scissors. For tea, inflorescences with linden wings are collected. The inflorescences themselves should look beautiful and healthy, without damage, rust or yellowed nearby leaves. For a small family, 0.5-1 kg of fresh flowers is enough for a year.

Drying and storing inflorescences.

The prepared flowers are spread in an even layer on a tray and covered with gauze, which will protect against insects, and dried outside for several days in a shady, well-ventilated place. You can dry the inflorescences in the oven or electric dryer. To do this, you need to hold the inflorescences in it for several hours at a temperature of +40-45 C.

Dry raw materials are stored in a dark place in paper bags, bags made of thick canvas, in a wooden, glass or ceramic container that is well closed with a lid. Plastic dishes are not suitable for storing inflorescences. Linden tea.

When brewing linden tea, add 1-2 tbsp to 1 liter of hot water (90-95 C). spoons of inflorescences, and then let it brew for 15-20 minutes. Linden tea has a tonic, antipyretic, diaphoretic, diuretic, anti-inflammatory and expectorant effect. They drink it when they are sick respiratory tract, inflammation genitourinary system, to activate digestion and during inflammatory processes in the stomach and intestines.

Linden tea contains phytohormones similar in composition to female sex hormones (it is no coincidence that linden is considered a female tree). It is recommended for women to drink for menstrual irregularities and menopause.

Abuse linden tea(drink constantly or replace regular teas with it) under no circumstances. Linden activates protective functions body, increases sweating, stimulates cardiac activity, but with regular consumption this leads to additional stress on the heart and overexcitation nervous system. Excessive stimulation of the body has the opposite effect and can lead to insomnia, irritability, increased blood pressure and pain in the heart area.

Linden infusion.

If you have not drunk all the brewed tea, you can wash your face with the remaining infusion or freeze it in ice cubes and wipe the skin of your face and neck with them in the morning. At regular use the skin becomes soft, velvety, fine wrinkles are smoothed out, and inflammation goes away.

Linden infusion can treat neuroses, convulsions, fainting and hypertension. To prepare it, it is recommended to pour 2 tbsp. spoons of dried flowers with a glass of boiling water, leave for an hour, strain and take 1/3 cup 3 times a day before meals.

Linden tincture.

To prepare linden liqueur you will need: 5 handfuls of fresh linden flowers (only flowers!), 1 liter of alcohol (95%), 1 kg of sugar.

First, scald a suitable glass bottle with boiling water, place linden flowers on the bottom, fill with alcohol and two glasses of spring water. Close tightly, place in a dark, cool place and from time to time visit the future liqueur and shake the bottle.

After two weeks, strain the tincture through cheesecloth and pour hot syrup into it (1 kg of sugar, 1 bag of vanillin, 0.5 liters of water). Stir the tincture, pour into bottles and seal tightly. And you can drink it in late autumn or winter. It helps with colds, insomnia and bouts of blues.

Linden flower jam.

And in conclusion unique recipe linden jam. To prepare it you will need 1 kg of dried linden flowers, 400 ml of water, 3 g of citric acid, 1 kg of sugar.

The flowers are washed in a colander with running water, dried and placed in an enamel basin. Cook at the same time sugar syrup: Boil sugar and water for 5-7 minutes in an enamel bowl until the sugar is completely dissolved.

The syrup is strained, passed through several layers of gauze, then brought to a boil again and poured over the flowers. To ensure that the flowers are completely immersed in sugar syrup, a flat plate is placed on them and pressed down with a weight.

After the flowers are completely soaked, the jam is boiled in one step until ready, and at the end add citric acid. Store in sterilized jars.

Drying flower petals at home is not that difficult. Dried petals and inflorescences can be used for various purposes. For example, they are used to make sachets (natural flavorings - pillows for the home), used in for cosmetic purposes. They also cook very popular Lately, aromatic herbal teas.

Such teas with the addition of petals and various medicinal herbs, berries, and fruits were drunk in Rus' long before black tea appeared in the country. Such drinks contain vitamins and various biologically active substances that have the most positive effect on the human body. They tone up, relieve stress, improve mood. In addition, they do not contain caffeine at all, unlike traditional tea.

Today we will learn how to properly dry linden and rose petals. In the future, you can use them for your own purposes. You can infuse and prepare cosmetic tonics and lotions. A decoction or infusion of them can be added to the bath when bathing or filled with a small fragrance pad. And, of course, use them when brewing tea.

Linden blossom

It must be said that linden flowers not only have a pleasant, honey aroma. They are used in folk medicine because they have pronounced healing properties. For example, linden blossom is used as an anti-inflammatory, strengthening, diaphoretic, and sedative. Dried linden flowers are used to make tea, which helps cure colds and also has all the properties vitamin drink.

How to dry properly:

At home, spread them out on white paper in an even layer. Of course, it is better to do this in the attic, or in a well-ventilated area. You can dry it outside, in the shade, covered with gauze. Dry for about 1 week. Sometimes it may take longer.

Well-dried inflorescences become brittle, brittle, and rub easily and quickly in the palms of your hands. Pour them into linen bags or transfer them to a dry three-liter jar. Well-dried linden blossom can be stored for about 2 years without losing its medicinal properties. A kilogram of fresh flowers usually yields about 300 g of dried flowers.

Garden roses

It is not for nothing that the rose is called the queen of flowers. This plant is not only very beautiful, it has a wonderful aroma. Its petals contain valuable essential oil, which is used by cosmetologists and perfumers around the world. Fragrant petals rich also biologically active substances. Therefore, flowers are used in medicinal purposes.

Rose oil and rose water are prepared from fresh petals. They make jam and make syrup. Dried petals are added when brewing tea. Cosmetic lotions and homemade flavorings are made from infusions and decoctions.

But you need to know that you cannot use flowers from the store for drying. They are treated with chemicals to make them last longer. Also, when growing them, a lot of chemicals are used. Therefore, it is better not to use these plants for preparing medicinal teas and cosmetics. For our purposes, ordinary garden roses grown in our own garden are quite suitable.

How to dry properly:

Place the flowers on a flat surface and separate the petals. They must be intact, healthy, and not damaged by insects or disease. Now you can dry them using several methods:

Method No. 1. Dry the petals on a towel if they are wet. Then spread in one thin layer on white construction paper. Dry in a well-ventilated, shaded area. Or at fresh air, but always under a canopy, in the shade. Turn them over and stir them periodically. Drying pink petals from 1 to 3 weeks. This depends on the size of the flowers and the degree of their initial moisture.

Method number 2. You can dry the petals in the oven or use an electric dryer designed for drying fruits, mushrooms, herbs, etc. Place the petals on a tray and dry for 4 to 8 hours on low heat (30 to 40 degrees). You can also dry linden using the same method.

From 1 kilogram of fresh rose raw materials, 120 g of dry roses are usually obtained. Store petals in linen bags or dry glass jars with lids.

Method number 3. Remove the bouquet from the vase and tear off the leaves. Tie with thick woolen thread, and then hang in a ventilated, but dark, warm room with the buds and flowers facing down. Make sure that the buds do not rub against each other. It is better that they touch less.

Dried flowers will retain their original shape. The bouquet will dry completely in about 3 weeks. Remember that roses lose their color when dried. Red flowers retain their color best. But pink and white become gray.

Roses dried in this way are used only in decorative purposes. Their petals are not used for making teas.

Linden tea is aromatic and healthy drink, familiar to everyone since childhood. This is the main remedy that mothers and grandmothers gave us at the first sign of a cold. What are the benefits of this fragrant flower, how and when to collect it correctly and how to cook it healthy tea?

Properties of linden tea

Linden flowers are a source of essential oils, vitamins E, C, flavonoids, antioxidants, and natural antimicrobial components. They contain effective phytoncides, tannins, antipyretic components. In folk and official medicine This is a recognized medicinal raw material, and very tasty and aromatic. How, why and when to collect linden for tea?

It is collected in order to use it in the autumn-winter period to fight colds, malaise, and strengthen the immune system. A pleasant tea is prepared from it, which even children enjoy drinking.

This drink has the following properties:

• removes headache;
• has an anti-inflammatory effect;
• has antimicrobial effect;
• relieves swelling and relieves nasal breathing;
• facilitates coughing up mucus;
• stimulates the immune system;
• relieves joint pain.

Linden flowering period – maximum 2 weeks

The combination of linden tea with honey is a classic of the genre. This company will perfectly cope with hypothermia, the first signs of a cold, alleviate the condition of the flu, migraines, while simultaneously stimulating the immune system to fight the virus. For one family of 3-4 people, 1 kg of dried linden color.

How to procure raw materials

There are several varieties of linden, which differ in flowering time, flower size and crown volume. Early varieties begin the flowering season from mid-June, late varieties from July. It’s not for nothing that in the Belarusian and Ukrainian languages ​​the month of July is called lipen. Linden harvesting begins a few days after the start of flowering. By this time, most of the flowers will fully bloom and smell pleasant, filling many more meters around with their aroma. Linden blossoms are the middle of summer, when grasses and trees have already gained strength after winter and delight the eye with a riot of greenery and aromas.

It's better to pick flowers by hand

Linden is collected together with a yellow bract, which also has medicinal properties. The inflorescences can be picked or cut with scissors. It is not permissible to break or saw branches. By the way, the tree is healing due to its bark and buds, the pulp of which is good for relieving inflammation of the skin, bruises, and healing wounds.

To collect, you need to choose a clear sunny day, wait until the dew disappears or the wind dries the raindrops on the tree. Linden is collected away from roads, railways, cities or industrial enterprises. It is best to find a tree at the edge of the forest, in the garden, at the dacha; they will be less polluted, which means they will bring more benefit. It is not advisable to collect flowers that are damaged, with rust spots on the bracts, or with traces of insects. Sick raw materials in themselves can no longer be good.

When collecting, you can pay attention to the abundance of insects on the tree, among which the main ones are bees. You have to be careful so they don't sting. It is for this reason that linden trees should not be collected near apiaries. If we clearly formulate the answer to the question of when to collect linden blossoms, then this period stretches from the second half of June to the end of July.

How to dry and store

After harvesting, the linden must be dried in natural conditions. To do this, lay it out on a horizontal surface on a cloth or newspaper and turn it over daily for ventilation.

To properly dry flowers, you need to provide them with air circulation and the absence of bright sunlight. This could be a table in the attic, a gazebo, or a balcony. If drying is carried out in the oven, the temperature inside should not exceed 40 degrees.

Natural drying time is 3–4 days. During this time, the flowers will partially lose their aroma and become crispy and brittle. After this, they can be packaged in paper bags, ceramic jars, and linen bags. Collected and properly packaged linden blossom can be stored for 2 years.

This is what a properly dried linden looks like

You can prepare aromatic mono tea from linden or add it to other herbs and flowers. It goes well with rose hips, sage, chamomile, and clover. To brew, take a thick-walled mug with a lid, pour 1 tsp into it. dried linden and pour hot boiled water. Close with a lid with a hole and leave for 3-5 minutes. You can drink this tea with honey and lemon.

You can drink 2-3 cups of linden tea per day. This is a healthy and safe norm. You can drink a cup of tea before bed, it will calm your nerves, stimulate muscle relaxation and falling asleep quickly.

Linden tea is the most aromatic of all medicinal drinks

You can drink linden tea as a diaphoretic for fever and intoxication. It is good for bloating, as it relieves the symptoms of dyspepsia. Since the flowers are rich in antioxidants such as coumarin and querticin, tea or decoction of them can act as a preventive measure. oncological diseases.

There are no categorical contraindications to drinking tea. Pregnant women, people with allergies and heart problems should take it with caution. The whole family can and should collect linden trees and drink aromatic tea from it; it is pleasant and useful, because aromatherapy has not yet been canceled.

Our ancestors valued useful action linden trees Its leaves and bark were used to make various decoctions and teas that have been used to successfully treat many ailments: intestinal colic, sore throat, bronchitis, headaches, burns, ulcers.

Secret therapeutic effect linden consists of chemical composition. Buds, bark, inflorescences contain a large number of amino acids, vitamin C, antioxidants, glucose, phytoncides, carotene, protein, essential oils.

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  Collection and drying of linden blossoms

  It is advisable to collect linden blossoms for tea and storage in dry weather, when the flowers are already in full bloom. It is necessary to prepare only good leaves with inflorescences, without damage or stains. It is advisable to choose trees for collecting linden away from public roads.

  Then the linden must be dried thoroughly. To do this, it is better to choose a place under a canopy so that the temperature does not exceed 43 degrees. This will allow essential oil last longer in flowers. Dry under straight lines sun rays You can’t, they destroy beneficial substances.

  Ready dry linden flowers put in paper packaging. If stored correctly, then healing properties plants will last up to two years.

  

  Linden - beneficial features and contraindications

  Medicinal properties

  Linden inflorescences are used in the treatment of many ailments and have a beneficial effect on the entire body:

  • help improve digestion, bile flow and reduce blood sugar levels;
  • have analgesic properties;
  • relieve inflammation of the genitourinary system;
  • relieve joint pain;
  • have antimicrobial and diuretic effects;
  • promote the removal of toxic substances from the liver;
  • have antipyretic and diaphoretic effects;
  • effective in the treatment of skin ulcers, burns, hemorrhoids;
  • help with expectoration during coughing;
  • alleviate the condition of cancer patients;
  • used as a sedative for mental disorders;
  • lower blood pressure in hypertension;
  • reduce blood viscosity;
  • normalize menstrual cycle, reduce pain;
  • help speed up metabolic processes what is effective during weight loss;
  • eliminate swelling of the legs;
  • improve the functioning of the kidneys, stomach, gall bladder;
  • have a rejuvenating effect.

  

  Linden is an excellent remedy when caring for dry skin. The cooled infusion of flowers can be used for washing. This refreshes and invigorates the skin well, and also prevents the appearance of early wrinkles.

  

  Contraindications

  Possible harm is due to the diuretic and diaphoretic effect of linden tea, which negatively affects the functioning of the cardiovascular system. Vision may also decrease.

  

  Linden honey

  Linden honey is considered one of the highest quality varieties of honey. It contains over 350 useful elements.

  

  Contraindications to consuming honey are a tendency to allergies and the presence of gallstones.

  Thanks to its chemical components, honey has a beneficial effect on the entire body:

  • helps during the processes of gastric juice production;
  • there is a weak diuretic and laxative property, helps cleanse the entire body of various toxic substances;
  • used for treatment during suppuration and various burns;
  • has choleretic properties;
  • strengthens the heart muscle;
  • used for cough;
  • has antibacterial properties;
  • whitens tooth enamel;
  • effective as an antipyretic and diaphoretic.

  Linden honey is high-calorie product, which promotes accelerated fat burning and reduces appetite. For these reasons, it is used effectively for weight loss.

  In cosmetology, linden honey is used for wrapping, added to baths and nail baths, and for massages. This helps improve blood circulation, reduce cellulite, and strengthen the nail plate.

  However, in large quantities honey is also contraindicated. Blood sugar may rise and appear allergic reaction, tachycardia.

  

  When heating honey above 43 degrees it medicinal properties disappear. Therefore, it is not recommended to add linden honey to very hot tea, milk or water.

  At proper storage Honey retains its medicinal properties for a very long time. To do this, you need to store it in a glass container, do not leave it in the cold or freeze it.

  Folk recipes

  Since ancient times, our ancestors have always prepared a lot of linden, drank tea from it, prepared tinctures and decoctions to treat a wide variety of diseases.

  Preparation of infusion: three tbsp. l. dried flowers are poured with one glass of boiling water. Leave for about 10 minutes, take one glass three times a day after meals.

  Preparation of the decoction: one tbsp. l. dry raw material is poured with a glass of water, brought to a boil, and simmered over low heat for 15 minutes. Take 1 glass 3 times a day after meals.

  

  For each disease, linden flowers are used differently:

  • For stomach pain, urolithiasis– three tbsp. l. fresh inflorescences are ground into a porridge, mixed with three tbsp. l. honey and take one tsp. three times a day until you feel better.
  • For prostatitis, sharp pain V bladder– mix one tsp. inflorescences with 1 tsp. flax seed, brew with a glass of boiling water and infuse. Take half a glass three times a day.
  • During stress and insomnia – one tbsp. l. Pour a glass of boiling water over dry inflorescences and leave for 15 minutes. For better effect you can put 1.5 tsp. honey The course of treatment is 7 days. Further intake is regulated according to your well-being.
  • Gynecology – at various diseases Linden infusion is used for daily douching procedures. 8 tbsp. l. dried inflorescences are poured with 1 liter of boiling water. Infuse for about 8 hours and strain. Douche with warm infusion in the morning and evening for two weeks. To repeat the course, it is recommended to take a break of about 10 days.
  • Diabetes mellitus – two tsp. dry raw materials, pour a glass of boiling water, leave for 1 hour and take 100 ml after meals. Duration of treatment depends on how you feel.
  • Hair loss – 8 tbsp. l. dry inflorescences are poured with half a liter of water, boiled for about 5 minutes, infused and filtered. Rinse your hair with the broth every time after washing your hair.

Yesterday we went for a walk in the city park. This aroma is worth it!.. The linden tree is blooming - it’s time to make a small preparation for the winter. Tea with linden in winter near the fireplace is something... So today we went to collect linden blossoms. Not far from the city there is one place where you can relax in the shade of linden trees, and, of course, collect linden flowers for aromatic and healthy tea.

How to properly collect linden blossom?

There are several rules for collecting linden so that the tea is truly healthy and tasty:

• linden is harvested during active flowering, when most of the flowers have bloomed (you don’t have much time, so try to be on time)
• collect the linden tree at noon (at this time all the flowers are open)
• a prerequisite for collecting linden blossoms is dry weather (after rain or dew, it is better not to harvest linden)
• The flowers need to be torn off or cut off together with the bracts (these are kind of “wings - leaves” near the inflorescences.
• You should not collect damaged linden inflorescences (with dark spots, yellowed bracts, damaged by pests)
• collect linden only away from roads and industrial enterprises
• do not break the branches of the linden tree, because next year you will also want to inhale this honey aroma and collect linden blossoms for tea.

We usually collect two medium bags - this lasts us until spring. In general, one kilogram of raw flowers produces approximately 300g of dry tea. For a glass of tea you need 8 - 10 linden flowers.

How to dry linden?

Drying linden takes from 4 to 10 days. Do not dry linden in direct sunlight. With this method of drying, the linden blossom will lose all its healing properties, the flowers will be dark, and the tea will not taste good.

What do we have to do:

• spread the lime blossom on paper or fabric in a thin layer
• Linden should be dried in the shade, in a ventilated place
• turn the flowers 2 - 3 times a day so that the inflorescences do not dry out
• if the weather outside is humid and there is no way to find a dry place for drying, you can lightly dry the linden in the oven at a temperature of no more than 40 degrees

How to store dried linden blossom?

Properly dried linden has yellowish color, the flowers become fragile, break easily, the inflorescences have virtually no odor. In order for linden to retain its properties, it is better to store it in bags made of thick fabric in a dry, dark place. In case of high humidity, store the linden in a glass jar under a tight lid (but with this method of storage, the linden quickly loses its healing properties - this storage period is no more than a year).

We had a wonderful summer day in the forest, we spent it usefully! Collect and dry linden using these simple rules. Linden tea from a pharmacy is, of course, healthy, but made with your own hands, it tastes better! Drink linden tea and don't get sick!