This is a herbaceous plant-perennial of the family Cypress (Onager). In the language of botany, the grass is called " chamerion», « fireweed", And the people received many names: Koporye tea, plakun, hermit, down jacket, willow grass, Virgin Mary grass, hoofed grass, fire grass. The name "Ivan tea" is associated with the role of plants in the history of trade, in an era when " russian tea”, Made from fireweed grass was one of the most exported products from Russia to the countries of Albion and Europe. The traditional and popular Russian name “Ivan”, with the light hands of foreign dealers and suppliers, was firmly entrenched in the name of the popular drink then famous in the world market.
Types of Ivan-tea
Science knows 8 types of Ivan-tea. The most common ones are:
- 1 Ivan tea (fireweed) narrow-leaved - has extensive medical use; productive honey plant and plant cultivated for decorative purposes; fireweed grass is used to make the famous Koporye tea. It grows in a temperate climatic zone, in Siberia, in coniferous forests of the European part of Russia;
- 2 Broad-leafed Ivan tea - endemic of the North, found in the Arctic and subarctic parts of the Northern Hemisphere. One of the national symbols of Greenland;
- 3 Ivan tea Colchis (Caucasian) - a creeping shrub, the habitat of which is the Alps, subalpine region, the mountain slopes of the Caucasus;
- 4 Ivan Tea Dodonea - grows in the temperate and subarctic regions of North America, Asia and Europe.
Ivan tea is a grass with a height of 0.5 to 1.5 m. The stems are straight, round, densely dotted with leaves. The rhizome is creeping and large. The next arrangement of leaves, leaves are lanceolate, sessile, shiny, dark green on top and bluish on the reverse, underside. The flowers are collected in elongated brushes, they come in different shades: from pale pink and fuchsia to rich purple, red. There is also a fireweed with white flowers. Fruits are elongated capsules. The flowering period is the summer months. Willow tea grows in well-lit forest areas with dry and sandy soil, along crops and railway embankments, at the edges, on cut and burnt soils, on the territory of dried swamps.
Conditions for growing willow tea
Ivan tea can not be called a pretentious plant in the issue of cultivation and care. But the most suitable for it would be loamy, sandy and sandy soils and an open terrain lit as much as possible by sunlight. The plant produces seeds in large quantities, the distribution area of \u200b\u200bwhich is very extensive by the wind. The optimal method of planting fireweed during cultivation is reproduction by division of creeping rhizomes.
Harvesting of willow-tea grass begins at the flowering stage. Cut off the tops of the stems with flowers and leaves or just leaves. Dry the grass in a room with adequate ventilation, spreading a thin layer on a fabric or paper basis. The drying process should not be long, since changes in temperature conditions worsen the quality of the raw materials, not collected in special paper bags on time and the grass collection partially loses its healing properties.
Power circuit
Cyprus often enrich the composition of green feed in the diet of domestic animals.
Useful properties of Ivan-tea
Chemical composition and availability of nutrients
| 100 g of raw willow-tea leaves contain: | |||||||
| The main substances: | g | Minerals: | mg | Vitamins: | mg | ||
| Water | 70,78 | Potassium | 494 | Vitamin PP | 4,674 | ||
| Squirrels | 4,71 | Calcium | 429 | Vitamin C | 2,2 | ||
| Fats | 2,75 | Magnesium | 156 | Vitamin B6 | 0,632 | ||
| Carbohydrates | 19, 22 | Phosphorus | 108 | Vitamin A | 0,18 | ||
| Alimentary fiber | 10, 6 | Sodium | 34 | Vitamin B2 | 0,137 | ||
| Zinc | 2,66 | Vitamin B9 | 0,112 | ||||
| Calories, kcal | 103 | Iron | 2,4 | Vitamin B1 | 0,033 | ||
What exactly is used and in what form
An infusion or decoction based on the leaves and herbs of Ivan-tea is prescribed for both indoor and outdoor use - in the form of rinses, lotions. The infusion is also used for therapeutic washes, compresses, and in the treatment of wounds. A decoction of willow-tea flowers is also used both internally and externally.
The healing properties of willow tea
According to the chemical composition, the leaves of Ivan-tea contain: carbohydrates, mucus, pectin, triterpenoids, oleanolic, ursolic, hydroxyursolic and hydroxyleanoic acids; coffee, coumaric, elagic and phenylcarboxylic acids; flavonoids: sexangularetin, kempferol, quercetin, myricitin; glucoside rhamnoside and quercetin arabinoside; kempferol ramnoside; tannins, alkaloids, ascorbic acid and carotene. Mineral salts are also constituents of willow-tea leaves: iron, copper, manganese, nickel, titanium, molybdenum and boron. Fireweed flowers contain anthocyanins, roots - proteins, salts of phosphorus, calcium and cobalt. The seeds contain fatty oils. The composition of the roots of Ivan tea includes organic acids, polysaccharides, starch.
A significant amount of tannins and mucous substances explains the anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of willow tea. Apply the plant with catarrh of the stomach with high acidity, with lung diseases; for rinsing with angina, inflamed gums; with otitis media, inflammation of the middle and external ear canal; with nosebleeds and sinusitis. Water decoction treat eczema, burns, skin rashes. Ivan tea is effective for migraines, insomnia and oligomenorrhea.
The substance chanerol contained in the inflorescences of fireweed actively affects tumors, and, having low toxicity, inhibits their growth,.
The use of ivan tea in official medicine
Among the pharmacy products that contain Ivan-tea are herbal raw materials, produced under the name " Narrow-leaved fireweed grass". The herbal raw materials of willow tea are ground and prescribed to provide a calming, antispasmodic, antipyretic, anticonvulsant effect. Contraindications to the use of fireweed herbs are the state of pregnancy and intolerance to the components of the plant and the possible allergic reaction associated with this.
The use of Ivan tea in folk medicine
- For stomach ulcers, colitis and gastritis, a decoction of willow tea is used: 15 g of herbal raw materials per glass of boiling water. Drink a tablespoon 3 times a day before meals.
- With prostatitis in a glass of boiling water, brew a tablespoon of chopped dry willow-tea herb. Let it brew, strain and take two tablespoons three times a day before meals.
- In case of inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract, 3 tablespoons of chopped herbs should be steamed in 200 ml of boiling water. Cook the broth in a water bath for a quarter of an hour, let it brew and cool, strain. Assign two tablespoons three times a day before meals.
- With prostate adenoma, a decoction of 1.5 tablespoons of dried leaves and flowers of fireweed per 200 ml of boiling water is recommended. Take 1 glass in the morning and at night.
- For headaches, pour 3 tablespoons of dry herbal raw materials with a glass of boiling water. Cook in a water bath for a quarter of an hour. Drink 2 tablespoons three times a day.
- In case of chronic fatigue syndrome, pour 2 tablespoons of willow-herb tea into 400 ml of boiling water, bring to a boil over low heat. Take a third glass three times a day before meals.
- To improve the intestines, 2 tablespoons of crushed roots of willow-tea pour 400 ml of boiling water. Let it brew for 3 hours. Take on an empty stomach in the morning 3 tablespoons of the decoction.
- In case of anemia, a tablespoon of the fireweed herb is steamed in 200 ml of boiling water. Insist for 2 hours. Take three times a day for a tablespoon.
- In combination with anti-cancer therapy, the following collection is advised: fireweed flowers, St. John's wort grass with flowers, large plantain leaves, white acacia flowers (in proportions 2: 2: 2: 1). Brew a teaspoon of the mixture with 200 ml of boiling water, leave for 30 minutes, strain and take a glass a day.
- With insomnia, pour a tablespoon of crushed roots of willow-tea with a glass of boiling water, leave for an hour, strain. Drink a tablespoon three times a day before meals.
- For hypertension, the famous fireweed honey is recommended, which normalizes blood pressure and is also useful for insomnia.
- With sinusitis, brew two tablespoons of willow-tea herb in 0.5 liter of boiling water, bring to a boil and insist for half an hour. Drink a third of a glass three times a day half an hour before a meal.
- With pneumonia, brew 15 grams of willow-tea herb in 1 cup boiling water and leave for 60 minutes. Drink a third glass three times a day 20 minutes before meals.
- For migraines, take the herbal raw materials of Ivan-tea and clover in 1: 1 proportions. Pour a tablespoon of the mixture with 200 ml of boiling water, let it brew for half an hour, strain. Take as usual tea up to two glasses per day.
- In case of irregularities in the menstrual cycle, tea is recommended: a tablespoon of grass and flowers of willow-tea and linden flowers are brewed in a glass of boiling water. Strained infusion to take a cup three times a day.
- With adnexitis, a tablespoon of a mixture of dry leaves of willow-tea and fern is poured 200 ml of boiling water, cooked for 10 minutes in a water bath. Drink a quarter cup three times a day before meals.
- With menopausal neurosis, tea from the leaves of Ivan tea and blackberry is useful. A teaspoon of chopped dried leaves of fireweed and blackberry is brewed in 200 ml of boiling water, insisted and drunk in a cup three times a day.
- With bedsores, 2 tablespoons of chopped willow-tea leaves should be steamed in a glass of boiling water. Cook the broth for a small fire for a quarter of an hour. Let it brew, strain. Use as a liquid for rinsing bedsores.
- With conjunctivitis, a tablespoon of chopped leaves and flowers should be steamed in 200 ml of boiling water. Cook the broth for a quarter of an hour over low heat. Let it brew. In a filtered and chilled broth, moisten a cotton swab and wipe your eyes.
- With psoriasis, neurodermatitis, eczema, a bath is prepared: 0.5 kg of dry grass of willow tea and oregano are steamed in a bucket of boiling water. Insist about an hour, strained infusion is added to a full bath. Take a bath for a quarter of an hour.
- To prepare a decoction for lotions, rinses, compresses, take herbal raw materials 2-3 tablespoons per 0.5 liters of water.
The use of willow tea in oriental medicine
Doctors of Tibet advise Ivan tea for insomnia, headache attacks and attribute to it the properties of an agent that suppresses the activity of cancer cells.
Ivan tea in research
The study of narrow-leaved fireweed remains relevant for scientists, since the medical potential of this plant is not fully disclosed.
Fireweed is a highly productive honey plant. Honey from it is a greenish tint, and after crystallization is complete it turns white.
Fireweed flowers are the official emblem of the Canadian state of Yukon.
Fireweed is called a colonizing plant, because this bright and beautiful grass is one of the first to grow on fires, lands, mutilated by human intervention. There is a saying: “The earth does not like conflagration and immediately calls for help from its children. Ivan-tea comes first. ”
Initially, Ivan tea gained fame as a substitute for traditional Ceylon tea. For the preparation of the so-called kopor tea»The leaves of the fireweed wilted, grated a little, then fermented in tightly closed drawers and finally dried. The leaves thus treated were brewed like a regular tea drink.
The poetic legend of " fire grass"Folded the American Indians. The girl, whose lover was wounded and captured by an enemy tribe, tried to save her beloved. She set fire to the grass around the enemy camp, and taking advantage of the turmoil in the fire, she carried the groom on her shoulders into the nearby forest. The fugitives were tracked down, and when the hope of salvation remained, a miracle happened - the earth broke out fire where it was touched by the Indian loafers. Flames prevented the pursuers from capturing young people. And in those places where there was a saving fire, grass grew with surprisingly beautiful flowers.
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Safety regulations
The administration is not responsible for attempting to use any prescription, advice or diet, and does not guarantee that the information indicated will help or harm you personally. Be prudent and always consult with the appropriate doctor!
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- Is the red root a fireweed?
- Contraindications
- Methods of root preparation
- Fireweed in the garden
- 1. Collection
- 2. Drying
- 3. Storage
- Where to get
Fireweed (better known as ivan-tea) is a herb type plant that grows in our country. In height, this plant reaches 1.5 meters and has a powerful root system. In ancient Russia, our ancestors several centuries ago knew about the healing properties of this plant and used it for their needs.
The famous Kopory tea is made from the leaves of the fireweed. However, not only leaves can be used to make tea. The root of the fireweed has many medicinal properties and is also used for the manufacture of various decoctions.
Useful properties of fireweed root
Useful substances are found both in the leaves and in the roots of Koporye Ivan tea. The root has the following medicinal properties:
- It has a positive effect on the prostate gland in men. Special chemical elements that are located at the roots allow you to normalize all lost gland functions and improve their function.
- Increases potency. Helps and strengthen the erection, and with regular and timely use helps to prevent its appearance.
- Due to the presence of special components in its composition, the root of Ivan-tea can have a diuretic effect, as well as from the body.
- It has increased anti-inflammatory properties. Quickly finds unnecessary inflammatory processes in the body and eliminates them.
- It is an excellent sedative. the whole body, reduces nervous and stressful conditions.
- It has a positive effect on the human digestive system. Disturbed that a thin get better.
- organism that allows you to actively
- that accumulate in the body from unhealthy and unhealthy diets and lifestyles.
- It has a positive effect on the general condition of the skin. The skin becomes more elastic and resilient. accompanied by the appearance of wrinkles.
- The active components of the fireweed and removing all the nasty things from the blood.
- Due to the therapeutic effect on the circulatory system and, occurs , come back to normal.
- Helps others
In addition, decoctions of the roots will be very useful for those who like to abuse alcohol, and in the morning die of a hangover syndrome. A few sips of broth in the morning
Is the red root a fireweed?
You can hear the name “red root”. This plant got its name for the red color of the rhizome itself and the drinks made from it. However, do not confuse these two plants. Another name for the plant is tea penny. It is widely used in folk medicine in Siberia and Altai.
Ivan tea among the many names has such as "red" and "rubella." Fireweed is called so because, under certain conditions of drying the fermented leaf, red tea can be obtained from it. It is characterized by high saturation, magnificent red-gold color and has a tonic effect. So the red root is not ivan tea.
Indications for the application of willow tea roots
A decoction of the roots of Koporye Ivan tea is suitable for both men and women. Men prefer it because it increases potency and heals. Women love him because he and the thrush and some others
With regular preventive use of the decoction, a number of problems and diseases can be prevented:
- Serious diseases of the upper respiratory tract;
- Endocrine system diseases;
- Oral problems;
Contraindications
The use of such decoctions is suitable for almost everyone.
- It is contraindicated only to those who have an individual intolerance to the substances and elements that make up the composition.
- With prolonged use, diarrhea can occur, therefore it is not recommended to use it for more than two weeks (although this effect is also quite individual).
- Do not take a decoction of the fireweed root in the third trimester of pregnancy.
- Also, do not take a drink if you are prescribed drugs that have a sedative effect, because it will enhance the sleeping pills of drugs.
- A decoction of fireweed root is a strong choleretic agent. Therefore, in order to avoid exacerbation of the disease, you can not drink it with liver problems.
Methods of root preparation
From the roots of Ivan tea, you can prepare a decoction or use in cooking, make cakes from the roots of fireweed.
To prepare the broth you need the roots themselves, a thermos and boiling water. First you need to grind the roots, then pour them with boiling water at the rate of 2 tablespoons per 1 cup of boiling water. Pour all this into a pre-heated thermos and insist for an hour. After insisting, strain. The broth is ready for use.
You can also make tortillas from willow-tea flour:
3 tablespoons of root flour mixed with 2 tablespoons of ordinary wheat flour, preferably coarse, add a little soda and vegetable oil, 150 milliliters of low-fat kefir and one egg. Next, knead the dough to a thick consistency and bake in a pan.
Fireweed in the garden
Ivan tea breeds in two ways - seeds and roots.
You can try to grow the plant yourself. However, this is a rather time-consuming process. You need to know that willow tea takes root on depleted soil rich in minerals. It is not for nothing that they call him “firefighter” - this is the first grass that populates the soil after fires.
For its planting, a piece of land previously planted with potatoes is quite suitable. The earth needs to be prepared, namely, thoroughly clean it from the rest of the plants. In autumn, collect seeds, moisten them, mix with sand and fill them with grooves 3 cm deep. This measure will help you to pin down light seeds. At first, it will be necessary to moisten the crops.
Another condition for successful plant growth is a sunny open area. If you are interested in willow-tea flowers, you will receive them only 2 years after planting.
You can also plant the root of the plant 5-7 cm long. When propagating willow tea in this way, the plant will occupy the entire cultivated land in two to three years. Before you start growing fireweed, study the area around you. After all, it is quite widespread everywhere, so you may be able to collect it in the right amount without resorting to gardening tricks.
Correctly procure \u003d maintain useful qualities
Collection
Ivan root tea is recommended to be collected after flowering. That is, the autumn period is suitable for collecting - from September to October, depending on the weather. Carefully dig out the roots, being careful not to damage them. Wash thoroughly with a sponge or soft brush. Dry with a towel and then dry in an oven at low temperature.
Drying
The plant has a huge amount of vitamins and minerals. So that it retains all the beneficial properties, it is important not to overdry it. Willingness is easily determined by cracking. The root should stop bending, become brittle, but not crumble into powder. Make sure it dries evenly. To do this, periodically stir and turn it over.
Storage
It is necessary to store the dried product in dry rooms by placing it in a tin or glass jar and tightly closing the lid. You can also fold it into linen bags. Dried raw materials are stored for 3 years. During this period, it retains all its healing qualities.
Where to get
Currently, many prefer teas based on leaves and flowers of fireweed. This is not surprising, because having a wonderful tonic effect, they do not contain caffeine. Drinks from the root of Ivan tea are also becoming increasingly popular.
- The price of the dried product ranges from 400-600 rubles per 100 grams. In dried form, you can buy it at a pharmacy or order in an online store.
- Some sites offer it fresh, experts will dig it for you when ordering. The price in this case will be approximately 700 rubles per 1 kilogram.
What should I look for if you decide to place an order? First of all, read information about the manufacturer and the place of collection of raw materials. Then you need to decide whether you will dry the root yourself or buy a finished product.
If you were really interested in Ivan tea, take 9 minutes and watch this short interview with German Sterligov about this plant, more than 180 thousand people watched the interview and caused a flurry of comments.
Julia Vern 16 568 3
A plant with a beautiful, truly Russian name - Ivan tea is familiar to all villagers for its high growth and long stems strewn with bright red flowers, growing everywhere near country roads, forest edges and flood meadows.
The botanical name of Ivan-tea is narrow-leaved fireweed - a perennial plant that reaches a height of up to 2 m per season. The stems of the plant are straight, simple, plentifully leafy. The leaves are alternate, with short petioles, wedge-shaped, about 14 cm long and up to 3 cm wide. The upper surface of the leaves is dark green, the lower is gray-green or pale pink. The flowers are bisexual, with a diameter of 2 to 4 cm and, depending on the species, can be light gray, pale pink or bright red.
Ripening of fruits in late August, early September. As with the whole family of fireweed - the fruits are located on the stem from the bottom up. The fruits are a canned box containing 5 to 12 oblong-shaped seeds.
Narrow-leaf fireweed is distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere; it prefers dry sandy places with good access to direct sunlight. Fireweed - the first plant that populates the conflagration. Seeds of willow-tea have a very high level of germination - they can give their seedlings in a few years, after waiting for favorable conditions. Very often, fireweed grows in wild raspberries and around the perimeter of crops or rural plots.
Since the XII century, a drink from Ivan tea was widely distributed in Russia, not only among the poor classes, but also among the rich representatives of the royal court. An infusion of leaves and flowers of the fireweed was called Koporye tea, after the same name of the settlement of Koporye, in which the ministers of the local monastery used the drink as a medicine for many diseases.
Koporye tea was very popular with overseas sailors who first brought Ivan-tea to England, from where it quickly spread to other European countries.
Many historical sources hold back the fact that Koporian tea significantly exceeded the amount of Indian tea consumed in England, even though this country had long owned serious tea production in colonized India.
In Europe, Ivan tea was forgotten not at all through the fault of competitors distributing Indian and Chinese teas around the world, but because of our Russian people, who, due to gossip and intrigue, were able to still squeeze Kopor tea from the Russian market and flood it , a more expensive Indian and Chinese product.
To date, many people have heard about the Ivan-tea plant, but rare residents of our country regularly drink tea from it. More often, an infusion of leaves and flowers of narrow-leaved fireweed is used in folk medicine.
Chemical composition and economic use of Ivan-tea
The roots and young leaves of the plant are rich in tannins, which contain from 10% to 20% of the total mass of extracted elements, and in adult leaves - up to 15% of mucus. Stems and leaves, before the flowering period begins, are rich in protein - about 20%.
In addition, 100 g of fresh green fireweed contains:
- up to 588 mg% ascorbic acid, which is 6 times more than in the pulp of fresh lemon, medium size;
- iron - 23 mg;
- manganese - 16 mg;
- boron - 6 mg;
- nickel - 1.3 mg;
- molybdenum - 0.44 mg;
- salts of phosphorus, calcium, potassium, lithium and cobalt, in total up to 132 mg.
In addition to food purposes, narrow-leaved fireweed perfectly copes with decorative tasks - it is often sown in reserves, nature reserves, city parks and flower beds.
Due to the high content of protein and trace elements in the green part, willow tea is a good pet food. The abundant thickets of willow-tea and its almost constant flowering during the season create favorable conditions for honey bees that produce fragrant, very sweet, transparent cypress honey.
The root system of the fireweed is plentiful, highly branched, which is actively used to strengthen railway and motorway embankments, the edges of ravines and banks of fast rivers.
Interesting to know!
In the Caucasus, from the dried roots of Ivan-tea, flour is produced, from which bread is obtained, practically not inferior in taste and nutrition to rye.
Due to the high content of carbohydrates, the roots of the fireweed ferment and expel good quality alcohol.
The stems and leaves have good bast properties, due to the abundance of plant fiber in its structure, due to which, in ancient times in Russia, and now in some Caucasian settlements, weaves ropes.
Young stems, roots and leaves of fireweed can be used in raw food, making salads saturated with vitamin C and trace elements from them. Thanks to the high amount of easily digestible protein, the nutritional value of lettuce is fewer than that of beans and peas.
Ivan tea in science
Domestic researchers have devoted sufficient attention to narrow-leaved fireweed, which not every representative of the Russian flora can boast of. High anti-inflammatory effect and enveloping properties of decoctions and infusions of plant parts have been scientifically proven due to the high content of tannins and mucus from them. Extracts and extracts from the roots of fireweed are widely used to treat inflammatory pathologies of the genitourinary system and prostate.
In the 70s of the XX century, scientists of the All-Russian Cancer Center of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, from the inflorescences of willow-tea in the active vegetation phase, obtained the drug chanerol, which has an anti-cancer effect, due to cytostatic and hemagglutinating activity.
At the end of the 20th century, on the basis of the Belarusian Research Institute, the ability of fireweed to lower the activity of the herpes virus was studied in detail.
In 1997, data on the stable anti-allergic and anti-edematous properties of leaf extract and narrow-leaved root extracts appeared at the St. Petersburg Chemical Pharmaceutical Academy.
Ivan tea and folk herbal medicine
The medicinal possibilities of Ivan tea have been known for a long time, even since the time of the Koporsk monks, who, as already mentioned, have successfully used infusions from parts of the plant for many diseases.
The main beneficial properties of willow tea:
- The regular use of extracts from the leaves of Ivan-tea helps to improve blood formation.
- Due to the content of tannins, it has a sufficient anti-inflammatory, antiviral and antimicrobial effect, especially in the genitourinary and digestive systems of the body, as well as against the herpes virus and pathogens of sexually transmitted diseases.
- Narrow-leaved fireweed is useful in the fight against neurosis, insomnia, anxiety. It improves mood, reduces the level of aggression - it has a mild sedative effect on the brain.
- Infusions of Ivan tea have an overwhelming effect on the development of atypical cells in cancer.
How to brew ivan tea
For internal use, decoctions and infusions of plant parts are used. Decoctions are prepared from the underground part of the fireweed, and infusions are prepared from the soft parts of the fireweed - leaves, flowers and stems, in order to avoid the destruction of useful elements by prolonged exposure to high temperature.
For infusion, you need a tablespoon of dry leaves in 250 ml of boiling water, in which the mixture is insisted for 20 minutes. Use half a glass, twice a day on an empty stomach, morning and evening.
For a decoction, 4 tablespoons of dry rhizomes will be required. It is necessary to boil for half an hour, followed by two-hour infusion, in one liter of water. Apply a tablespoon, three times a day, on an empty stomach.
It is necessary to use infusions and decoctions of Ivan-tea no more than a month, followed by a half-month break, in order to avoid stresses on the central nervous system.
There are few contraindications for the use of Ivan tea. In addition to regular one and a half-month breaks, infusions and decoctions are not recommended to be consumed at the age of under six years, and also during pregnancy and lactation.
Ivan tea is a plentifully flowering perennial plant. Its flowers are collected in inflorescences-brushes of various shades. Ivan-tea with pink-purple flowers is more common, but there are plants with white, pink flowers. Ivan tea has many different names; it is called fireweed, fiery grass, spring gardener, firefighter.
The plant has well-developed creeping roots. It blooms throughout the summer. In August, the seeds ripen by firing from the boxes. One plant produces up to 20,000 seeds, they scatter over long distances and germinate even after a few years. Tea from fireweed is the oldest drink that gives strength and gives health. The roots have the same healing properties as inflorescences, and plant leaves.
Useful properties of Ivan tea root
The roots of Ivan tea contain proteins that are easily absorbed by the body, polysaccharides, and starch.
- Helps with insomnia, treats neurosis, eliminates headaches.
- Strengthens potency, has a tonic effect on the genitourinary system of men.
- Reduces the symptoms of psoriasis, slowing its development.
- With anemia, it normalizes the production of blood cells.
- With constipation, restores intestinal activity.
- Ivan tea root can stop uterine bleeding.
- Strengthens the immune system.
- Slows the development of multiple sclerosis.
- It has an anti-cancer property, it allows you to stop the development of a prostate tumor. To do this, use an infusion of the root and boil it to use in a boiled form.
Harvesting the roots of Ivan tea
Harvesting roots is a complex process. At the output, little raw material is obtained, therefore, on a large scale, the terrestrial parts of the plant are often harvested. The roots are undeservedly forgotten, although they have a lot of useful properties that can help with many diseases. The roots should be harvested when the plant has ceased to bloom.
Autumn is the right time for this. The roots are dug up, thoroughly cleaned from the ground, quickly washed, cut. It is necessary to remove rotten, damaged areas. The roots do not require fermentation, but they need to be thoroughly dried. So that the beneficial microelements do not disappear, the roots are first slightly wilted in the fresh air, it is possible in a draft for several days. For further drying, you can use a conventional oven, but the temperature should first be about 30 ° C, then it is increased to 50-60 ° C. The process can take a long time (up to several hours), but the roots will dry out evenly. You can turn the raw material several times during drying.
Dried roots are crushed and stored for no more than three years in closed containers, using as necessary. Too large roots need to be cut into circles or stripes along. Well-dried roots will break with a bang, and not bend.
Application of the root of Ivan tea
In ancient times, the root of Ivan-tea was used to make a healing drink. They made flour from it, baked it to serve as a side dish. In crushed form, the root was added to baking and porridge. The root has a sweet taste, it improves the taste of dishes, increases the shelf life of bakery products.
Preparation of infusion from the root of Ivan tea
To prepare the infusion, it is better to use a thermos. It should be warmed up, pour a glass of boiling water and pour two tablespoons of crushed roots into it. It is necessary to infuse the drink for about an hour, then strain. Inside, this infusion should be taken three times a day for 50-100 g. The infusion is recommended for gargling with sore throat.
Making cakes
The roots of Ivan tea should be chopped, and then grind using a conventional coffee grinder. It will turn out fine flour, which can be used for baking. For the preparation of tortillas, 3 tablespoons of fireweed flour are mixed with 2 tablespoons of wheat flour. Add 100 g of kefir, 2 tbsp. l sunflower or olive oil, a little salt and soda, an egg. Mix everything until a thick mass is obtained, whisk lightly with a whisk. Bake in a hot pan. Scones can be served for breakfast, adding honey, butter or jam to taste.
Porridge from the roots of Ivan tea
Grind the dried roots of the fireweed with a blender or food processor to the state of cereals, grate the fresh ones. From the obtained cereals, cook porridge in milk or in water according to the classic recipe for making cereals. When cooking, you can add grated carrots to the porridge, dried fruits soaked in advance. Sugar and butter add to taste.
Fried rhizomes of Ivan tea
You can use young rhizomes for eating fried. To prepare the roots of ivan tea, you need to rinse, then cut into pieces a few centimeters long. Then the roots are breaded in flour and fried in vegetable oil. You can bake the roots in the oven.
Ivan tea root: contraindications
- It is not recommended to use ivan tea simultaneously with sedative medications, as the fireweed itself has a calming effect.
- A contraindication to the use of fireweed products is the use of antipyretic drugs.
- It is not recommended to drink too much Ivan tea, it has a laxative effect.
- It is worth consulting with a doctor if there are any chronic diseases.
Our planet, its endless bowels, are available to us a source of strength, good health and long life. The ancient science of knowing the secrets of water, earth, air and plants was born by our first parents, for whom knowledge of the beneficial properties of the world around them was not only a blessing, but also the only opportunity to survive. Since then, millennia have passed. And those ancient knowledge, accumulating the experience of generations, stepped over to us, in the present, in the form of a collection of natural knowledge named ethnoscience .
Today, traditional and traditional medicine go hand in hand through life. The times of persecution have passed, when the adherents of therapeutic methods of treatment declared the sorcerers, healers, herbalists - sorcerers and charlatans. And adherents of traditional medicine and natural forces, in turn, betrayed the doctors anathema. In the modern world, non-traditional methods of treatment and traditional medicine are complementary and specialist doctors are increasingly recommending complex methods of therapeutic therapy. Just look at the pharmacy showcases, where on the shelves perfectly coexist medicinal herbs and herbs, and conventional medicines based on chemicals. In addition, herbal ingredients are increasingly being included in popular medicines. And this is not only a victory of traditional medicine! When the forces of science are combined with the forces of nature, and help to give a worthy rebuff to the forces of disease, we win with you.
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The site’s development plans include replenishing it with a wide variety of information about healing natural forces and expanding the list of medicinal herbs and medicinal plants. At the request of our readers, we have a section on holy water and the rites of sanctification. the rules of the Orthodox Lent. Also, at the numerous requests of our readers, we have added to our resource dedicated to the treatment of allergies (traditional and folk methods). In our troubled age, when the number of allergens increases every day, and immunity, unfortunately, decreases under the influence of not the best environmental conditions, such information will be very useful.
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Medicinal herbs and medicinal plants
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- The use of medicinal plants should be coordinated with the attending physician, especially when it comes to the treatment of children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems. In this case, individual intolerance by the body of certain plants, as well as products of natural origin, should be taken into account.
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Narrow-leaved fireweed
Useful properties and application of narrow-leaved fireweed
Botanical characteristics of narrow-leaved fireweed
Narrow-leaved fireweed is a perennial herb belonging to the cypress family. A straight, unbranched, juicy stalk reaches a height of 75 to 200 cm.The creeping rhizome is well developed, has numerous processes and can reach a length of 100 cm.The leaves are alternate, sessile (very short petiole), elongated, with a pointed apex.
The flowers are wide open, painted in purple or hot pink, gather in a conical brush in the upper part of the plant. The fruit is an elongated capsule with numerous small seeds inside. A characteristic feature of fireweed seeds is the presence of a crest (consists of fluffs), due to which the seeds can fly to a considerable distance from this medicinal plant.
Narrow-leafed fireweed blooms in the summer - from mid-June to mid-August, bears fruit in late July - August.
The natural distribution range of the narrow-leaved fireweed is almost the entire territory of Russia. Abundantly this medicinal plant grows along roads, in forest clearings, burnt areas and embankments.
Useful properties of fireweed
In folk medicine, both the aerial part of the fireweed is used - leaves and flowers, and the underground part - the rhizome. The collection of leaves and flowers occurs during the flowering period of the medicinal plant, and the flowers should not be fully opened, since there is a high probability that during drying they will turn into seeds. Before drying, the leaves are separated from the shoots and laid out under a canopy in a thin layer.
The roots are harvested after flowering (in the autumn). After digging, the rhizome is cleaned of the earth and washed well under cold water, and then dried in the oven at a temperature of 70 ° C.
The chemical composition of the leaves of fireweed contains a number of useful organic compounds: flavonoids, tannins (up to 20%), mucous substances (up to 15%), tannin of the pyrogallic group (up to 10%), alkaloids (0.1%), coumarins, sugar, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), iron, manganese, provitamin A (retinol acetate).
In the chemical composition of the roots, carotenoids, flavonoids, tannins, starch, and mucous substances were found.
The chemical composition of the flowers contains flavonoids, tannins, mucous substances, ascorbic acid, coumarins, sugars and essential oils.
Healing infusions and decoctions of fireweed are used in folk medicine as an effective enveloping, anti-inflammatory, wound healing, soothing, hemostatic and laxative.
Use of fireweed
Decoction and infusion of fireweed are used for a number of diseases of various organs and organ systems. In its chemical composition, the leaves of fireweed contain a significant amount of mucus and tannin, which is why the infusion is successfully used for various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, characterized by high acidity (gastric and duodenal ulcers, gastritis). In addition, the infusion helps to cope with the negative consequences of intestinal dysbiosis and normalize the flora.
The presence in the chemical composition of this medicinal raw material of ascorbic acid, iron and manganese characterizes the healing infusion as an effective tool in the fight against iron deficiency anemia (reduced hemoglobin as a result of a general blood test). In addition, the infusion can be used by women with heavy menstruation, as well as in the postpartum period.
Infusion and fireweed decoction stimulate cardiac activity and have a mild effect on the nervous system. They are used for insomnia. nervous agitation, increased irritability and headache.
As an external remedy, an infusion of leaves is successfully used for diseases of the oral cavity, such as stomatitis, sore throat, tonsillitis. Dry powder from the leaves of a medicinal plant is used as an aid in the treatment of infected wounds and ulcers. As a poultice, it is used for otitis media (including acute) and soft tissue bruises.
Narrow leaf fireweed infusion
Recipe number 1. 15 g of crushed medicinal raw materials (aerial parts of the medicinal plant) is filled with 200 ml of boiling water and infused for 60 minutes, then filtered in a clean dish and take 1 tablespoon (15 ml) 3 times a day.
Recipe number 2. 1 tablespoon of medicinal raw materials (roots and rhizomes) pour 200 ml of boiling water and insist for 45 minutes, after which they are filtered in a clean dish. Take infusion 3 times a day, 15 ml for headaches and insomnia.
Recipe No. 3: 1 tablespoon of medicinal raw materials (leaves) is filled with 200 ml of boiling water and infused for two hours, after which it is filtered in a clean bowl. Take the medicine 1 tablespoon (15 ml) 3 times a day for anemia and 1/3 cup three times a day for chronic cystitis.
Recipe No. 4: 2 tablespoons of medicinal raw materials are poured into 400 ml of boiling water and insisted for 6 hours, after which they are filtered in a clean dish. This infusion is used as an external remedy for otitis media; for this, the tampon is well moistened in the infusion and inserted into the ear hole.
Narrow-leaved fireweed broth
10 g of dry medicinal raw materials (flowers) are poured into 200 ml of water and put in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Take a decoction of 1 tablespoon (15 ml) 3 times a day.
Fireweed tea
A few hundred years ago, tea was an extremely rare and very expensive drink in Russia, which only noble people and wealthy could afford. That is why ordinary people were looking for him a worthy replacement from what is growing in Russian land. As a result of long searches, tea from fireweed, which later received the name "Russian tea", gained great popularity.
For the first time, the aerial part of a medicinal plant was harvested in the village of Koporye, which is why tea was called Koporye. The drink has gained great popularity among the common population of Russia, because it was several times cheaper in price than English and Chinese tea, and in taste it was not inferior to them at all.
The technology for making real Kopor tea includes several sequential steps:
There is a second, simpler and faster method of brewing Kopor tea, it is just to pour dried leaves and flowers of the fireweed with boiling water and let the composition brew for 10-15 minutes, but at the same time most of the beneficial properties of the medicinal plant will be lost.
Collection of the aerial part of the fireweed occurs during the period of active flowering of the plant. Leaves and flowers are collected and laid out separately from each other. Break off only the upper and middle leaves (without lower leaves), while the plant material is immediately separated from the stem (without tearing it).
The next stage is wilting. To do this, the leaves are laid out in a thin layer under the awning and left to dry for a couple of hours, after which the medicinal raw materials are manually twisted until the juice is released.
Then comes the fermentation time. To do this, the medicinal raw material is folded onto a baking sheet, in a pan, in a jar and left for several days at a temperature of 25 ° C. The container must be covered with a damp cloth and carefully monitored so that it does not dry, for this you will have to either moisten it regularly. or in time to replace a dry cloth with a wet one.
The final step in making Kopor tea is drying. As a rule, the leaves are dried in the oven at a temperature of 70 ° C for 40 minutes.
Ultimately, the leaves should completely dry and acquire a dark (almost black) shade.
Store dried fireweed leaves in a glass jar with a tightly closed lid. To brew tea from fireweed, pour 2 teaspoons of the resulting tea with boiling water and let them brew for 15 minutes.
Flowers do not require such a long and laborious drying procedure. To dry the flowers, they simply need to be spread out in a thin layer and dried in a dark place.
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Fireweed leaves
The main medicinal raw material of narrow-leaved fireweed are leaves, which have a number of unique healing properties. The healing infusions of the leaves of the fireweed have a pronounced anti-inflammatory, soothing and enveloping effect. In addition, the biochemical composition of medicinal raw materials allows us to consider the healing infusion as an additional tool in the treatment of iron deficiency anemia, decreased immunity and dysbiosis. An extract from the leaves of a medicinal plant is also successfully used in modern cosmetology as a natural tightening component.
Fireweed seeds
Narrow leaf fireweed seeds are very small and numerous. One plant during the growing season can produce about 20,000 seeds. A distinctive characteristic of fireweed seeds from other medicinal plants is the presence of a white tuft (fluff), which contributes to the instant spread of seeds over a considerable distance from the plant.
At the same time, the seeds retain the ability to germinate and grow for many years. In their chemical composition, fireweed seeds contain up to 45% fatty oil.
From a medical point of view, fireweed seeds do not represent any value, therefore, it is not used for medicinal purposes.
Mountain Cyprus
Mountain fireweed is a perennial herbaceous plant of the family fireweed. Its stalk is single, erect, pubescent, in the upper part, as a rule, branched, height is 25-60 cm. Leaves are short-sessile (sessile), egg-shaped, with an uneven margin. The flowers reach about 5–10 mm in diameter and are colored pink, purple or white (rarely). Flowers are collected in end brushes.
The fruit is a pubescent capsule 5–7 cm long. Mountain fireweed blooms in June-July, bears fruit in July-August.
The natural distribution range of mountain fireweed is almost the entire territory of Russia, Europe, Siberia and the Caucasus. This species grows in shady, damp places, in coniferous and mixed forests, as well as among shrubs.
In its chemical composition, the aboveground and underground parts of the medicinal plant contain tannins, which allows the healing infusion of mountain fireweed to be used as an effective hemostatic.
Mountain fireweed infusion
2 tablespoons of chopped medicinal raw materials are poured into 200 ml of boiling water and infused for two hours, then the resulting infusion is filtered and used for bleeding in 1 / 3–1 / 2 cup 3 times a day.
Firewood swamp
Swamp fireweed is a perennial herbaceous plant of the family of cyprinidae. A single erect stalk of a cylindrical shape in the upper part is covered with hairs. The length of the stem of the bog fireweed can reach 80 cm. The leaves are short-sessile (sessile), opposite, whole-marginal, their length is 2–9 cm. Small flowers of the plant are located at the ends of the stem and form a small brush. Petals are pink or white.
The fruit is a shortly pubescent capsule 4–8 cm long. The seeds are small, spindle-shaped.
Marsh fireweed blooms from July to September inclusive, bears fruit from July.
The natural distribution range is Europe, the Caucasus, Scandinavia, East and West Siberia, the Far East, Central Asia, Mongolia, China, and North America. Swamp fireweed grows in moist, swampy places, along the banks of water bodies, peat and sand quarries.
The medicinal raw material is the aerial part of the plant, which contains tannins, ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and flavonoids in its chemical composition.
Water infusion of bog fireweed is used in folk medicine as an effective healing agent for bleeding of various etiologies, diarrhea. nervous agitation and insomnia. Outwardly, an infusion of a medicinal plant is used for various skin diseases (for example, such as scrofula).
Tincture of marsh fireweed
20 g of dry drug substance is poured into 200 ml of 40% ethyl alcohol, then left in a dark and cool place for 10 days, after which it is filtered and taken 1 teaspoon 3 times a day. Alcohol tincture is used for various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
Infusion of marshland fireweed
1 tablespoon of the medicinal substance is filled with 200 ml of boiling water and insisted for two to three hours, after which it is filtered in a clean dish and taken in 1/3 cup 3 times a day. Water infusion is used for bleeding. nervous breakdown and insomnia.
Fireweed hairy
Hairy fireweed is a perennial herbaceous herb family. Branched, erect, cylindrical, strong stem along the entire length covered with long soft hairs, can reach 150 cm in length. Leaves are short-leaved, finely serrated on the edge. In the lower part of the plant, the leaves are opposite, in the upper - alternate. The flowers are single, the petals are painted in dark pink.
The fruit is a pubescent capsule, the length of which is 4–10 cm. The seeds are small, ovate and numerous. The plant blooms in the summer, from June to August inclusive.
The natural distribution range is the European part of Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Western Europe, Central Asia, Western Siberia, Asia Minor, North Africa, India, China, Mongolia. This species grows in moist places, in flood meadows, marshy areas, along the banks of reservoirs and in reed beds.
Small-flowered fireweed
Small-flowered fireweed - a perennial herbaceous plant of the family of cypress. The stalk is single, erect, simple or branched, covered with small soft hairs along its entire length, its length, as a rule, is 100 cm. The leaves are oblong-ovate in shape, narrowed upward, short-sessile (sessile). The upper leaves are alternate, the lower ones are opposite. The flowers are small (length 5-10 mm), the petals are painted in a light pink shade.
Fruit - pubescent capsule up to 8 mm in length. Seeds are small, numerous, dark brown.
Small-flowered fireweed blooms from June to September.
The natural distribution range is the European part of Russia, Europe, India, the Himalayas, Iran, and the Caucasus. This species grows along the shores of various reservoirs (rivers, lakes, reservoirs), in marshy areas, in ditches.
Medicinal raw material is the aerial part of the plant (grass), which is collected during the budding period (the beginning of flowering).
In its chemical composition, the fireweed herb contains small alkaloids (up to 1%), tannin, mucus, pectin, sugar, ascorbic acid (vitamin C).
Decoction, infusion and tincture of a medicinal plant are used with great success in folk medicine as an effective tool in the treatment of diseases of the genitourinary system, namely prostatitis. cystitis and kidney disease. In addition, the use of healing infusion helps in the treatment of various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, with headaches, insomnia and sore throat.
Infusion of small-flowered fireweed
1 tablespoon of dried medicinal raw materials is poured into 250 ml of boiling water and insisted for 15 minutes, then filtered and taken 1 tablespoon (15 ml) 3 times a day.
Small-flowered fireweed tea
1 teaspoon of medicinal raw material is poured into 250 ml of boiling water, insisted for 10-15 minutes and filtered in a clean container. Take the resulting infusion for chronic prostatitis, adenoma and cystitis 200 ml 2 times a day on an empty stomach.
Phytoapplications with small-flowered fireweed
Leaves of small-flowered fireweed are steamed in boiling water, and after cooling, they are applied to places of localization of inflammatory processes on the skin and acne.
Fireweed extract
The chemical composition of the fireweed extract contains tannins, triterpenic acid, flavonoids and phytosterols.
Alcohol and water extract of fireweed have a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect and are used in folk medicine for chronic diseases of the genitourinary system, such as acute and chronic prostatitis, adenoma, chronic inflammation of the ureters and inflammation of the bladder (cystitis).
Fireweed root
The root system of the fireweed is powerful, creeping, can reach a length of one meter. Along the entire length, horizontal roots are strewn with buds, from which an ankle stalk grows.
The roots of the fireweed are used both in folk medicine and in cooking. Raw materials are harvested in autumn, after digging, the roots are washed in cold water and then dried, first in the open air, and then in the oven.
In the chemical composition, the roots of fireweed contain from 10 to 20% tannins, carotene, sugar, mucus, pectin, alkoloids and ascorbic acid (vitamin C).
Contraindications to the use of fireweed
As a rule, healing infusions and decoctions from fireweed are well tolerated (except in cases of individual intolerance), therefore there are no contraindications and restrictions in its use.
