Dried hawthorn

Somewhere in early autumn, hawthorn ripens, the berries of which are distinguished by a peculiar taste and an attractive red color. By the way, hawthorn can be both wild and cultural. The mature fruits of wild hawthorn are smaller, and, one might say, they are not as tasty as the berries of cultivated garden varieties. That is why most often such hawthorn is used in dried form.

Dried hawthorn is brewed during the winter, using it as a natural medicine that has a pleasant taste. In addition, it can be called a useful vitamin decoction or even compote if other dried fruits, for example, dried rosehips or apples with pears, are added to dried hawthorn during cooking.

If you decide to prepare the dried hawthorn yourself, keep in mind that the fruits must be cleaned of the so-called tails and spouts before drying directly. By the way, hawthorn bones always remain in place, that is, they do not need to be taken out at all, as when preparing, for example, hawthorn compote.

As a rule, hawthorn is best suited for drying, which is distinguished by mealy fruits - such berries dry more easily and at the same time give a greater yield of the finished product. It is customary to dry hawthorn in a special dryer or oven, subject to a temperature of not more than 70 ° C. Approximately 224 grams of fresh berries are required to produce 80 grams of dried hawthorn.

Not in vain, many ancient and medieval healers considered hawthorn to be a panacea for all troubles. Modern medicine also values ​ ​ the beneficial properties of dried hawthorn, recommending it for use for the prevention and treatment of many ailments. Experts justify this by the content of numerous elements in dried hawthorn that favorably affect human health.

Thus, regular use of dried hawthorn contributes to the normalization of cardiac activity and the improvement of blood circulation in the vessels. This product is especially useful in the presence of diseases such as atherosclerosis, hypertension, cardiac arrhythmia and heart weakness. In addition, it has been scientifically proven that the use of dried hawthorn infusion relieves physical and mental fatigue, and also contributes to a decrease in the excitability of the central nervous system. By the way, it is noteworthy that in hawthorn the content of vitamin C is slightly higher than in the same lemon.