The barberry belongs to the genus of shrubs, rarely trees, of the Barberry family. It is a deciduous, dry (leaves partially shed), evergreen shrubs or small trees with ridged erect stems that are branched at an acute angle.
The bark is brownish-gray or brownish-gray color. He has another name – the caramel tree.
The habitat area that extends to almost all the continents except Antarctica and Australia, though predominantly distributed in the Northern hemisphere, in the mountainous areas. It bred in the gardens, and nekulturny sometimes found in middle and southern Europe, Caucasus, Crimea, Eastern Siberia, Persia, North America, in the mountains of TRANS-ili Alatau,located in Kazakhstan.
The food can be eaten only ripe fruit of the barberry, because it is not ripe the fruit is very poisonous. A ripe fruit of barberry must have an elongated, elliptical berries red or black.
There are several ways storage of barberry. It can be dried either under cover or in the oven at a temperature of 45-50 degrees. In dried form they can be stored for about 2 years. The fruits can be stored in paper or canvas bags for a period of 3 years. You can store it, peppered with sugar in proportion 1:1, or Vice versa – pickle (200 g of salt per 1 liter of water). Pickles-jam stored in the refrigerator, pre-tightly closed with a lid. Sweet billet is lovely compote.
The fruits of barberry is often used in cooking. They make excellent jams, вареньz, compotes, juices, jellies and syrups. Well dried and milled berries used as a pleasant sour seasoning for meat dishes. Caucasian people add barberry during cooking kupata and pilaf. Of sour berries cooking liquor and wine. Slightly unripe berries of barberry salted and marinated. Barberry to treat and melliferous plants. Bee honey from its pollen has a Golden-yellow color and delicate flavor. The leaves of barberry is used in the manufacture of pickles. Wood, bark and roots are getting wonderful, quite resistant paint, such as gamboge.
The berries of barberry are considered to be low-calorie and dietetic products. In 100 g of barberry contains 29 calories. And energy value of jelly barberry – 218 kcal per 100 g, so its excessive use may have a negative impact on the figure. But the calorie content of stewed barberries only 112 kcal per 100 g
Useful properties of barberry
The fruit of barberry contain carotenoids (xanthophylls, lutein, chrysanthemate, zeaxanthin, auroxanthin, flavoxanthin, capsanthin, etc. ), carbohydrates, tannins, pectin, ash, organic acids, macro – and microelements, vitamins E, C and beta-carotene. The leaves and roots of barberry contain alkaloids 11 (the main ones are berberine, oksiakantin, containing, columbamine, berberrubin). Also in the leaves of barberry contain vitamins C, E, K, malic and citric acid, carotenoids, alkaloids, resinous and tannins.
In addition to the wonderful appearance of the barberry has healing powers. It was used in ancient Greece as a means of cleansing the blood. In the monasteries of Tibet barberry was considered a plant that renews youth. Barberry were commonly used in Russia. The infusion of the roots, stems and bark used for bleeding, inflammation, the treatment of colds. Antipyretic, antimicrobial, kroveostanavlivajushchimi properties of the juice obtained from the berries of barberry. It is also used to remove toxins, cleanse the body, slow the aging process.
Liver disease, rheumatism, inflammation of the bladder and kidneys should be eaten fresh, the ripe fruit of barberry. The barberry contains the alkaloid berberine, which has strong choleretic action. This substance also can help to get rid of alcohol dependence and tobaccoof kurenia.
In the official medicine is used alcohol tincture of barberry; it is prescribed for hepatitis, in cases of uterine bleeding, with gallstone disease. A tincture can be prepared at home. To do this, 20 g of barberry leaves pour 70% alcohol (100 g) and infuse for 10-15 days in a warm and dry place, until liquid is a dark yellow. The finished liqueur has a slightly sour taste.
There is also a drug called berberine, a substance with a similar title that stands out from the barberry. This drug is indicated for gallstone disease and cholecystitis. Italian scholars in cooperation with the doctors found that berberine is almost indispensable to people at increase the kidneys from malarial patients. Indian doctors believe berberine is beneficial in the treatment of leishmaniasis.
In the treatment of malignant tumors is recommended a special herbal, which contains barberry root. The bark of the roots of barberry is part of gallitin, drug that is indicated for the treatment of gallstone disease, exacerbations of jaundice, cholecystitis. In China, the stem bark is used as a poultice for inflammation of the eyes, and the bark of barberry root as an aphrodisiac breathing, astringent and anti-cancer agent. Bulgarians use bark of barberry in diseases of the kidney and the sciatica. In Poland used barberry to treat hypovitaminosis. The Germans used barberry in the form of tincture or decoction in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, oral mucosa and lungs. In France, the barberry – antibacterial, hypotensive and febrifuge.
Very tasty and healthy vitamin and Wellness teas based on ripe fruit and leaves of barberry. It is easy to cook, it needs the leaves and fruit (1 teaspoon), pour a glass of boiling water and infuse for about an hour. Eat recommended three times a day for about two weeks to obtain a stable, positive result.
In cosmetology barberry is used in the form of decoctions and infusions. Them wipe the skin to eliminate imperfections of the skin, smoothing wrinkles and give it elasticity. Also used in the manufacture of masks for hair and get rid of dandruff.
For making masks for hair need to brew a handful of barberry liter of boiling water, leave for about 45 minutes, good to cool and drain. Hair should be rinsed after each wash for 2 months.
Rejuvenating mask for face can be made this way: the average green Apple, and 4 tablespoons of barberry to grind, add a tablespoon of flour and the same of sour cream, mix well and apply on face for 15 minutes. Rinse off the mask with chamomile tea, or brew green tea.
Barberry has a pronounced ability to stimulate muscle activity, which should not be consumed during pregnancy, because there is a real danger of miscarriage. Lactating women also should not eat it in food.
If you use sedatives, then you take to eat the berries with care, because it has a strong sedative effect. Doctors warn that overeating berries of barberry or medicines made on the basis of its bark, can lead to poisoning, which is accompanied by dizziness, nausea, cramps, nose bleeding, swelling of the skin.
The use of barberry or tinctures based on it is contraindicated in liver cirrhosis, gallstone disease, menopausal bleeding, hepatitis complex shapes. Remember that you can not eat unripe berries because they are poisonous.
Barbaris is belongs to the genus of shrubby, less often trees, the Barbarisov family. These are deciduous, semi-evergreen (foliage partially falls down), evergreen shrubs or small trees, with ribbed erect shoots that branch at an acute angle. The bark is brownish-gray or brownish-gray in color. He has another name – the caramel tree.
The range of barberry growing extends to almost all continents except Antarctica and Australia, although they are prevalent in the Northern Hemisphere, in its mountainous regions. It is bred in orchards, while the un-cultivated is sometimes found in middle and southern Europe, the Caucasus, the Crimea, Eastern Siberia, Persia, North America, in the mountains of the Zailiysky Alatau, which are located in Kazakhstan.
How to choose
In food you can eat only ripe fruits of barberry, tk. Unfertilized fruit is very toxic. The mature fruit of barberry should have an elongated, elliptical shape of a red or black berry.
How to store
There are several ways to store barberry. It can be dried either under cover or in the oven at a temperature of 45-50 degrees. In dried form they can be stored for about 2 years. Fruits can be stored in paper or canvas bags for up to 3 years. You can store it by pouring sugar in a proportion of 1: 1, or vice versa – saline (200 g of salt per 1 liter of water). Pickled preserves are stored in the refrigerator, pre-tightly closed with a lid. From the sweet billet you get a beautiful compote.
In cooking
The fruits of barberry are often used in cooking. They produce excellent jams, jam, compotes, juices, jellies and syrups. Well-dried and ground berries are used as a pleasant acidic seasoning for meat dishes. The Caucasian people add barberry during the preparation of the bathing and pilaf. Acidic berries are prepared with liqueurs and wines. A little unripe barberry berries are salted and marinated. Barbaris is refers to honey plants. Bee honey from its pollen has a golden yellow color and a tender taste. Barberry leaves are used in the preparation of marinades. Of wood, bark and roots, they receive a wonderful, rather resistant paint, like gummogut.
Calorie content of barberry
Barberry berries are considered a low-calorie and dietary product. 100 g of barberry contains 29 kcal. And the energy value of jelly from barberry is 218 kcal per 100 g, so its excessive use can negatively affect the figure. But the calorie content of compote from barberry is only 112 kcal per 100 g.
Nutrition information in 100 grams:
Proteins, Fats gr, gr Carbohydrates, Zola gr, gr Water gr Calories, kcal
1 9. 5 0. 7 85 29. 5
Useful properties of barberry
Composition and availability of nutrients
The fruits of barberry contain carotenoids (xanthophyll, lutein, chrysanthemaxanthin, zeaxanthin, auroxanthine, flavoxanthin, capsanthin, etc. ), carbohydrates, tannins, pectin substances, ashes, organic acids, macro and microelements, vitamins E, C and Beta-carotene. The leaves and roots of barberry contain alkaloids 11 (the main ones are berberine, hydroxyacanthine, palmatine, columbin, yatroricin). Also in the leaves of barberry contains vitamins C, E, K, apple and citric acid, carotenoids, alkaloids, tannins and tarry.
Useful and medicinal properties
In addition to a wonderful appearance, barberry has healing power. It was used already in ancient Greece as a means of purifying blood. In the monasteries of Tibet, barberry was considered a plant that prolongs youth. Barbaris is was widely used in Russia. Tincture from the roots, stems and bark used for bleeding, inflammatory processes, treatment of colds. Antipyretic, antimicrobial, blood-restoring properties have a juice obtained from berries barberry. It is also used to remove toxins, purify the body, slow the aging process.
In liver diseases, rheumatism, inflammation of the bladder and kidneys, fresh ripe barberry fruit should be eaten. Barberry contains the alkaloid berberine, which has a strong choleretic property. This substance can Also help get rid of alcohol dependence and smoking.
In the official medicine, alcoholic tincture of barberry is used; It is prescribed for hepatitis, in cases of uterine bleeding, with cholelithiasis. This tincture can be prepared at home. To do this, 20 g of barberry leaves should be poured with 70% alcohol (100 g) and insist 10-15 days in a warm and dry place until a dark yellow liquid is obtained. Ready tincture has a slightly sour taste.
There is also a drug called berberine, the name comes from a substance with a similar name, which is released from barberry. This drug is indicated for cholelithiasis and cholecystitis. Italian scientists in collaboration with doctors have established that berberine is almost indispensable to people with increasing the kidneys in malarial patients. Indian doctors consider berberine useful in the treatment of leishmaniasis.
When treating malignant tumors I recommend
