Far Eastern lemongrass: medicinal properties and contraindications, cultivation

Far Eastern Schisandra (also Chinese or Manchurian Schisandra) is a plant of the Schisandra family, a perennial climbing shrub. It entangles supporting structures like vines, so it is usually planted along fences and walls. The berries of Far Eastern Schisandra are bright red, as can be seen in the photo below, small and very sour, which formed the basis for the name of this crop. The fruits of the bush are endowed with many useful properties, due to which it is quite popular in Russia, although it is not grown everywhere.

Where does Far Eastern lemongrass grow?

Far Eastern lemongrass grows mainly in China and the Far East. In Russia, it is grown only in the Primorsky Territory, Yakutia, Kamchatka, Sakhalin and Amur.

What are the benefits of Far Eastern lemongrass?

The benefits of Far Eastern Schisandra for the body are difficult to overestimate. The high concentration of nutrients in the fruits of the bush determines a number of beneficial properties of this berry:

• Far Eastern Schisandra dilates peripheral blood vessels and reduces blood sugar;
• tones the nervous system as a whole, due to which it is prescribed for the treatment of depression, insomnia, chronic fatigue and drowsiness, irritability and attention disorders;
• lowers blood cholesterol levels;
• prevents the development of atherosclerosis;
• strengthens the immune system, which is why it is recommended to drink lemongrass tea during the period of intensification of colds and viral diseases;
• stimulates hematopoiesis, which is useful for anemia;
• reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases;
• has a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract, cleansing the stomach of harmful bacteria;
• has a choleretic effect, which greatly facilitates the course of gallbladder diseases;
• helps in the complex treatment of malignant tumors.

Benefits of Far Eastern Schisandra for men

Separately, it is worth noting the following properties of Far Eastern Schisandra, useful in the treatment of erectile dysfunction in men:

• prevention of premature ejaculation;
• increased erection;
• stimulating sperm production.

In order to prevent the development of impotence, it is recommended to include in your diet teas from Far Eastern Schisandra or other products based on it: jams, preserves, tinctures.In particular, the benefits of an infusion of lemongrass seeds, which is prepared as follows, have long been proven:

1. 10 g of lemongrass seeds are mixed with 50 g of water.
2. The resulting mixture is infused for 2 weeks.
3. After this time, the infusion is decanted through gauze or a sieve, after which it is poured into glass containers.

Recommended dose: 30-40 drops 3 times a day before meals. Taking the infusion more frequently can cause more harm to the body than good.

Medicinal properties of Far Eastern Schisandra for women

The benefits of the fruits of the Far Eastern lemongrass are also obvious for the female body:

• the high content of polysaccharides in berries prevents the deposition of fat, so they are useful for those who want to lose weight;
• A reduction in body weight is also facilitated by the fact that fruits normalize the functioning of the stomach, due to which hunger is slightly dulled;
• The antioxidants contained in the berries help remove toxic substances from the body;
• with regular consumption of lemongrass fruits in one form or another, the skin is rejuvenated, as a result of which wrinkles become less noticeable;
• in combination with other remedies, lemongrass helps in the treatment of female infertility;
• the essential oils contained in the berries strengthen nails and hair, reducing their fragility;
• crushed berries are often used as the main component of face masks.

Rules for collecting raw materials

Far Eastern Schisandra berries are harvested only when they are ripe - this is evidenced by their rich red color. If you collect raw materials earlier, there will be no benefit from them.

Schisandra ripens in late September - early October. It is important to harvest before the first frost sets in.

The harvested crop is laid out in an even layer on cloth in a dark, dry place. A shed or attic is perfect for this. After 3-5 days, the berries will dry, after which they can be dried in the oven at a temperature of 50-60°C. At higher temperatures, raw materials can be burned.

Store the harvest in a closed container, in a dark and dry place. The beneficial properties of lemongrass last up to 2 years.

Harvesting Far Eastern lemongrass for the winter

In order to preserve the medicinal properties of berries from the Far Eastern Schisandra vine, it is recommended to dry them for the winter. In this way, raw materials are prepared as follows:

1. Whole bunches, not separated into individual berries, are laid out on a baking sheet, on which a layer of cloth or paper has previously been laid out. It is important to distribute the fruits so that they do not touch each other.
2. The baking sheet with the raw materials is carried on your face under a canopy or into the attic. In the second case, you need to make sure that the attic is sufficiently ventilated.
3. When the lemongrass is slightly dry, you can separate the clusters by removing individual berries from the stalk.
4. The stalks are discarded, after which the remaining fruits are laid out in a thin layer.
5. After this, the baking sheet is placed in the oven for 5-7 hours at a temperature of about 40-50°C.
6. The procedure is repeated for several days.

How to take Far Eastern Schisandra

The sour taste of the berries is the reason that lemongrass is not as popular as many other berries, however, it is also used in cooking. Typically made from the fruits of the bush:

• juices;
• fruit drinks;
• liqueurs;
• jam;
• jams;
• syrups;
• tinctures;
• teas

In addition, the berries are used in baked goods made from sweet dough, where the sourness of the fruit is compensated for by sugar.

How to brew Far Eastern Schisandra root

Almost all parts of this shrub are used in cooking. The root of the Far Eastern lemongrass has also found its application.

Brew it as follows:

1. 15 g of root is thoroughly crushed.
2. The crushed raw materials are poured into 1 tbsp. boiling water and cover with dishes on top.
3. The root is infused for 5-8 minutes, after which the drink is ready for use.

The resulting infusion of lemongrass root helps with weight loss, as it improves metabolism and promotes faster removal of toxins from the body. In addition, the root of this shrub increases energy expenditure, due to which weight loss occurs faster.

Far Eastern Schisandra tincture with vodka

Far Eastern Schisandra tincture is made in different ways, and you can use not only berries, but also seeds.

Seed tincture is prepared according to the following scheme:

1. The seeds are poured with 50 ml of vodka.
2. They are infused for 15 days in a dry, dark place.
3. The resulting tincture is decanted, after which it is ready for use.

Recommended dosage: 3 times a day, 30-35 drops.

The berry tincture is made as follows:

1. The berries, cut into 4 parts, are separated from the seeds.
2. The resulting mass is poured with 100 ml of vodka.
3. The mixture is infused for 10 days, after which the tincture is ready for use.

To prepare the tincture, take not only ripe fruits, but also dried berries. Recipe:

1. Berries dried for the winter are poured with vodka in a ratio of 1:5. A dark glass bottle is usually used for this.
2. The container is closed and stored in a dark, dry place for 1-2 weeks.
3. During this time, shake the bottle at least once a day.
4. After this time, the tincture is filtered using gauze, after which it is kept for another 1-2 days.
5. If necessary, the drink is filtered again - it should be clean and transparent.

Dosage: 2 times a day, 30 drops. The course lasts 3-4 weeks.

This tincture helps with chronic fatigue and absent-mindedness.

Far Eastern lemongrass jam

There are many recipes for lemongrass, however, they are very similar to each other. One of the most popular is also considered the fastest:

1. 1 kg of berries are washed in running water and poured into a basin.
2. They are covered with 1.5 kg of sugar and left for 24 hours.
3. After this, the fruits sprinkled with sugar are checked for the presence of juice. If it is not enough, you can pour ½ tbsp into the basin. cold boiled water.
4. The mixture is then simmered over low heat until the sugar crystals are completely dissolved.
5. After the syrup has formed, the berries are cooked for about 6 minutes. Then the mixture is removed from the stove.

The completely cooled jam is heated again for 5 minutes, after which it can be poured into sterilized jars.

Healing tea

Almost all components of the bush are used to prepare tea: bark, berries, young branches and leaves.

The cooking recipe is as follows:

1. The above fresh or dried raw materials are crushed and mixed in equal proportions.
2. 1 tsp. the resulting mixture is poured with 1 tbsp. boiling water
3. The contents are stirred well and left to infuse for 10-15 minutes. To do this, the container must be covered from above.

Far Eastern lemongrass tea serves as an excellent tonic in the fight against colds.

Contraindications for use

The benefits of Far Eastern lemongrass are undeniable, however, in some cases, excessive consumption of the berry can cause harm. That is why it is advisable to consult a doctor before starting to take the fruit.

Schisandra is contraindicated:

• pregnant women (can cause miscarriage);
• when breastfeeding;
• persons with individual intolerance to berries, as evidenced by pronounced allergic reactions;
• people with skull or spinal injuries;
• for epilepsy and mental disorders;
• for gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers;
• with high blood pressure (but with hypotension, berries will benefit the body).

In addition, it is not recommended to give Far Eastern Schisandra to children under 10 years of age.

Growing and caring for Far Eastern lemongrass

This is an unpretentious, high-yielding garden crop, the cultivation of which will not be difficult. Caring for shrubs involves the most basic procedures: weeding, watering, pruning, loosening the soil.

It is better to plant the crop in shade or partial shade, in areas well protected from the wind. The harvest is usually harvested 4-5 years after planting, not earlier.

Seeds are planted in autumn. It is recommended to soak them in water 2-3 days before planting. Planting material is sown in small furrows, after which it is sprinkled with a thin layer of humus (about 1.5 cm).

You can learn more about how to grow Far Eastern lemongrass from the video below:

Conclusion

Far Eastern lemongrass is a berry with an extensive list of beneficial properties. The fruits of this shrub contain many vitamins, mineral salts and other microelements, thanks to which regular moderate consumption of lemongrass helps to increase the overall tone of the body. At the same time, before starting to eat berries, it is recommended to consult a specialist, since the high acid content in fruits can be more likely to cause harm in case of gastritis and other gastrointestinal diseases.

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