Viburnum health benefits and harms, medicinal properties of the berry

What is viburnum?

What is viburnum, its benefits and harms, as well as what medicinal properties it has? These questions are of great interest to people who lead a healthy lifestyle, monitor their health, and are interested in traditional methods of treatment, including medicinal plants. So we will try to answer them in the following article.

So here it is:

Viburnum (Viburnum opulus L.) is a shrub of the honeysuckle family that produces an edible fruit - a spherical-ovoid drupe, red in color, slightly smaller in size than a rowan, colloquially called a “berry”, which has a peculiar sweetish-sourish-bitter taste, slightly astringent .

Since ancient times, viburnum has been considered the “Russian national berry”, since it grows only on the territory of ten Great Russian regions and is the main component of the oldest Russian national dish - kulagi (see). It is noteworthy that on the territory of Ukraine and Belarus, instead of viburnum, another type of honeysuckle is widespread - gourdovina (Viburnum lantana Z.), the fruits of which are black in color and have a different taste.

Bright red clusters always look attractive in the garden. They are especially beautiful when snow falls: after all, these berries truly ripen only when all of nature has already fallen asleep. They are not only edible, they are extremely healthy, which is why many people want to prepare them for the winter. This berry is dried to drink tea with; some people prefer to grind it with sugar. In addition, it makes wonderful refreshing cocktails and a wide variety of drinks; jams, jams and syrups are made from them.

In folk medicine, not only berries are used, but also roots, stems, seeds, rhizomes and leaves of the plant. All these parts of the plant have different chemical compositions, and therefore, depending on this, they are used in different areas of medicine or in cosmetology. For example, bark, young shoots, berries and flowers are successfully used in medicine.

It is of great importance at what time the raw materials were collected. Depending on the time of year, and sometimes even the time of day, the healing properties of certain parts of the plant can change significantly. For example, if bark is required for medicinal purposes, then it should be collected in mid-spring, in April, when sap flow is just beginning. At the same time, in early spring, shoots of this plant should also be collected.

From May to June, the harvesting of plant flowers begins, when they reach full bloom. From September to October you can harvest the fruits. If you pick the berries immediately after the first frost, you can be sure that they will retain all their valuable properties.

The collected raw materials, regardless of which part is required, are usually dried in the shade in the open air. To do this, you should make a canopy or arrange a well-ventilated room for drying. Attics are very suitable for this. Racks or a series of shelves are installed in the room, and raw materials are laid out in a thin layer on them. While the drying process is taking place, the plants should be turned several times a day. How quickly the drying process goes depends, of course, on weather conditions, but on average, viburnum is dried from 4 to 9 days. When the raw materials are dry, they should be placed in clean and dry linen or gauze bags and stored away from light.

How to prepare and store viburnum?

To use it for preparing tinctures, decoctions and mixtures, you need to know the basic rules of preparation. If they are executed accurately, you will be able to store the components of this tree for the following periods:

berries - six months;
bark - 4 years;
flowers and roots - 1 year.

Each of the above components is characterized by a separate procurement process.

Viburnum berries should be harvested in the fall after the first frost

Let's start with the berries - they should be harvested in the fall after the first frost. It is necessary to cut the fruits from the bush along with the foot and only then remove them from the branch. Then they are washed and dried. If you want the fruits not to be bitter, then place them in boiling water for 5 minutes. The next steps depend on which storage method you choose:

in the refrigerator - the fruits are ground with sugar in equal proportions and placed in boiled jars;
drying - the berries on the tray are dried in the air, and then in the oven at a temperature of no more than 60 °C;
freezing - washed and dried berries are placed in a special bag or container and placed in the freezer;
usual - the fruits are left for storage on the balcony or attic.

Bark harvesting occurs in the spring, when the sap flows. It should be cut only from small branches, and not from the trunk. Otherwise, you can cause irreparable damage to the tree. The resulting bark must be divided into pieces, spread on a cloth and dried in a dryer or in a ventilated place. As a result, the pieces will become like tubes and will break. Do not forget that the bark cannot be dried in the sun.

The procedure for harvesting roots is the same as for bark. The only difference is that this can happen during any warm period.

To store flowers, cut off the stem, dry it and then leave it. Dry flowers must be stored in a place inaccessible to dampness, otherwise they will be unsuitable for use.

Now you know the benefits of red viburnum and how to take advantage of its beneficial properties. So harvest the fruits, study the recipes and be healthy.

Benefits of viburnum:

Red viburnum berries are considered a real storehouse of useful substances. They contain 2 times more ascorbic acid and 5 times more iron than citrus fruits. In addition, they are rich in vitamins A and E. Thanks to this, viburnum is successfully used in folk medicine and cosmetology.

Fruits, bark and flowers are used to prepare infusions, tinctures and decoctions. The bark contains the glycoside viburnin, resin, tannins, acetic, formic, butyric, linoleic and other organic acids, iridoid glycosides and sugars. The fruits contain sugars, tannins, pectins, phytosterols, essential oils, amino acids, tannids and phytoncides, which destroy pathogenic bacteria.

The berries of this plant have a tonic effect, improve the functioning of the cardiovascular system, have antiseptic, hemostatic, diuretic and choleretic effects, lower blood pressure, increase immunity, promote wound healing, and help with gastric and duodenal ulcers.

Infusions and decoctions of the bark have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, lower blood pressure, relieve spasms, tone, have an antiseptic and calming effect, and increase the tone of the uterus.

The glycoside viburnin provides a vasoconstrictor effect.

Viburnum fruits are recommended for use during the postoperative recovery period, as well as for edema of renal and cardiac origin, liver diseases, etc. Medicines based on the bark are used as a hemostatic agent for uterine bleeding, heavy menstruation and in the postpartum period.

Tree bark contains many acids - butyric, formic, cerotinic and others. The foliage and flowers are also endowed with medicinal properties.

Healing properties of viburnum

Viburnum is a unique plant of its kind. its beneficial properties have practically no analogues. Red viburnum has long been popular in folk medicine.

Viburnum berries are rich in vitamins A, E, P, K, P, and more vitamin C than in lemon. Viburnum contains such microelements as:

vanadium,
potassium,
calcium,
iron,
magnesium,
manganese,
molybdenum,
sodium,
zinc,
phosphorus.

In addition, tannins, phytoncides, and pectins are present. In terms of the amount of iron, viburnum is on a par with rose hips and blueberries.

Organic acids (formic, oleic and acetic) give viburnum juice and berries a sour taste.

It is worth stocking up on viburnum for the winter, mainly because it contains a lot of vitamin C. Of course, it will not save you from all diseases, colds and viruses, but it will strengthen your immune system and add strength during the cold period. Viburnum is especially useful for children: one berry covers the daily requirement of vitamin C for children. Dried berries are no exception: dried viburnum retains vitamin C well, so it can not only be frozen, but also dried.

Viburnum is a good source of iron and acts as an anemia preventative. Iron of plant origin, of course, is absorbed a little worse than that of animal origin, but if you adhere to vegetarianism, pescatarianism or veganism, it is worth including viburnum in your diet to get a little extra iron. Viburnum tea with honey is not only tasty, but also very healthy.

The “filling” of viburnum includes such a useful substance as pectin. And it’s not just included, but contained in it at a high level. Pectin regulates cholesterol levels in the body, has a good effect on metabolism, intracellular respiration, and removes radionuclides. Pectin allows you to increase the body's resistance to allergies, except, of course, in those cases when you are allergic to viburnum.

Harm of viburnum:

Contraindications to its use and treatment are increased blood clotting and pregnancy.

In addition, viburnum:

It should not be used by people with high acidity or chronic gastritis.
Do not use with honey if you have a stomach or duodenal ulcer.
You should not use it if you have low blood pressure, as this may further reduce your already low blood pressure.
Do not use if you have allergies or individual intolerances.
It is contraindicated for thrombosis, in other words for people with thick blood.

And, of course, a doctor’s advice never hurts!

Who should not use viburnum?

Viburnum treats many diseases and gives positive results, but not everyone can use it.

The fruits pose a great danger to pregnant women. This is due to the fact that its elemental composition includes several substances that are considered analogues of female hormones. If their number exceeds the permissible limit, this can negatively affect the child - from the development of various types of pathologies and developmental disorders to premature birth. Therefore, it is better not to take risks and refuse it during the period of bearing the baby.

viburnum is dangerous for pregnant women

People who suffer from constant low blood pressure are also at risk. Although there is still no complete ban on eating fruits in this case. Doctors recommend balancing its intake and drinking one cup of viburnum tea per day.

Those who have chronic kidney or blood disease will have to give up all tinctures, decoctions and other remedies made from these berries.

Red viburnum is used to treat certain gastrointestinal diseases, but people who have high acidity of gastric juice should absolutely not use it.

It is not recommended to use it for people who are allergic or individual intolerant to it.

What are the benefits of viburnum juice?

Viburnum juice is usually used to treat coughs and colds. The remedy is a folk remedy, but doctors do not consider it completely useless. Like many berry juices, this one is a source of vitamins, minerals, tannins and plant analogues of antibiotics.

These substances fight viruses and bacteria. Viburnum is therefore used to treat various viral and bacterial infections:

Rinse your mouth with juice for inflammation of the gums, sore throat, and stomatitis. It does not treat the teeth themselves, but helps relieve gum inflammation and pain. Rinsing cannot replace a visit to the dentist, but sometimes it allows you to “reach out” to it relatively without pain;
the juice is drunk for sore throats and pharyngitis, and it acts not only as an antiseptic, but also as a general tonic that relieves swelling from the nasopharynx, strengthens the immune system, and helps the body defeat infection;
the juice is sometimes applied to boils, ulcers and other foci of skin diseases. Antiseptic properties help prevent bacterial growth.

Application

Viburnum is practically not eaten fresh; the berries are dried, frozen and processed. Juice, jam, jelly, compote, kvass, fruit drink, jelly, jam, and tinctures are made from it.

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What are the benefits of viburnum seeds?

Seeds are a source of macro and microelements, vitamins, useful for the body, as well as valuable fatty amino acids, which the essential oil prepared from them is rich in.

The high content of biologically active substances in the seeds of ripe berries makes them indispensable in nutrition, as well as in the prevention and treatment of many diseases. According to recent studies, natural carotenoids contained in viburnum seed oil protect the body from cancer, have a powerful antioxidant effect and prevent premature aging.

Due to its high content of oleic and linoleic acids, viburnum kernel oil is used in food supplements, medicines and cosmetics. When used externally, it can accelerate the healing of a variety of skin lesions (cracks, wounds, cuts, boils), and is suitable for treating rashes in adolescence and young adulthood. In addition, suppositories are produced from it, used in the treatment of inflammation in the rectum, uterus and lower urinary tract.

The seeds are also used in the treatment of hypertension, strokes, diseases of the cardiovascular system, and colds. An effective diaphoretic is a decoction made from viburnum seeds; in addition, it strengthens muscle tone, improves absorption in the intestines and successfully copes with digestive disorders.

Application in cosmetology

Women actively use cosmetics based on viburnum berries

The plant is widely used in cosmetology to improve skin health. Decoctions and useful masks are created from leaves and berries.

Important. To avoid damaging the delicate skin of the face, you should remove the seeds from the fruits.

Features of application:

A product made from eucalyptus leaves, viburnum and flour will help remove oily skin. The mask is able to cope with problem areas and restore them. After use, rinse off the composition with warm water.

If you tend to have dry skin, you can prepare a moisturizing mask

Viburnum has a smoothing and nourishing effect. The product must contain: milk powder, oatmeal, 1 tsp. honey, scalded berries and vegetable oil. The mixture is applied to the face and washed off with warm water after 15-20 minutes.

Pigmentation of various types will go away quickly enough if you wipe your face with a decoction of the fruit. To combat freckles, you can use a mask of sour cream and fruits in equal proportions. Whiten the skin with a product made from viburnum, honey and lemon.

Thanks to its wound-healing and regenerative properties, viburnum will help get rid of dull complexion and acne. To prepare the tincture you will need freshly squeezed juice and an alcohol solution. You should wipe it twice a day after washing your face.

Is viburnum good for women?

It is not for nothing that viburnum is called the female berry. The thing is that ripe fruits contain substances that are prototypes of female sex hormones. Therefore, scarlet berries are very useful for women during menopause.

Viburnum (bark, flowers, berries, seeds) is used in traditional medicine as an effective preventive and therapeutic agent for women's ailments such as mastopathy, pain during menstruation, and uterine bleeding. A decoction of ripe fruits is useful for colds.

Carotenoids contained in the fruits of this plant have a powerful rejuvenating effect on mature skin. It is enough to apply a mixture of 3 teaspoons of berries mashed through a sieve and 3 teaspoons of cottage cheese, yolk and oatmeal regularly for 20 minutes on the face and décolleté.

If you regularly wipe your face with berry juice, juvenile acne will disappear. Pigment spots, freckles and pimples will disappear in just two weeks if you apply a composition of viburnum and sour cream to problem skin every day.

Viburnum is an excellent remedy for hair loss: a mixture of 2 tbsp. fresh berry juice, 1 tbsp. red wine and a teaspoon of olive oil are applied half an hour before washing your hair.

The benefits and harms of viburnum, great video!

How can viburnum be harmful?

Despite its enormous benefits, viburnum is contraindicated during pregnancy. Viburnum stimulates uterine contractions, which can lead to miscarriage, and secondly, it promotes the production of red cells in the blood, an excess of which can harm the fetus.
Breastfeeding mothers should not consume viburnum due to the risk of an allergic reaction in babies under three months of age.
Since viburnum has diuretic properties, it should not be consumed by people suffering from enuresis or kidney disease.
Long-term use of viburnum can provoke the formation of blood clots, a drop in blood pressure, and the occurrence of hypoxia and ischemia.

What is treated with viburnum?

Viburnum viburnum is a plant that is widely used in medical practice as a preventive and therapeutic agent for various cardiovascular diseases. It is known as an excellent hemostatic agent that relieves spasms of various etiologies and convulsions. Viburnum is a sedative, choleretic, diuretic and anti-inflammatory agent.

It is very widely used in the treatment of gynecological diseases. It is used in the treatment of skin diseases, stomach ulcers, dyspepsia, dropsy, liver diseases, and internal bleeding of various natures. It is indispensable during colds and helps with coughs, choking, and fever. For angina, viburnum is used as an external medicine.

For what diseases is viburnum traditionally used?

Viburnum red and its bark are used in the treatment of various diseases and conditions:

when you have a cold, it lowers your temperature,
as an expectorant for coughs,
for the prevention and treatment of hypovitaminosis,
for the prevention of cancer,
prevents the development of allergies,
as a diuretic and hemostatic agent (bark),
reduces blood pressure in hypertension,
removes toxins from the body,
has a beneficial effect on liver function,
calms the nervous system,
normalizes digestion,
strengthens the heart muscle and blood vessels,
reduces blood cholesterol levels,
normalizes pulse during arrhythmia.

For colds, tea with viburnum and viburnum simply is a real supportive godsend. It has antiseptic and antipyretic properties: for colds, viral infections and exacerbations of chronic diseases, viburnum acts well as a supportive agent, but certainly does not replace medications. Don't neglect traditional medicine!

You can lower your blood pressure by combining pharmacological drugs and viburnum tea.

Viburnum from pressure:

Viburnum has long been used to treat hypertension. Here is one of the recipes:

Viburnum fruit juice with honey:

1 kg of viburnum fruits;
200 g sugar;
200 g water;
2 tbsp. spoons of honey.

Squeeze the juice from the berries, add water to the pulp and boil for 5–10 minutes, strain the finished broth. Pour the broth into the squeezed juice, add sugar, stir the mixture and cool. Add honey to the resulting juice and mix again.

Take 3 times a day, 1-2 tbsp. spoons 30 minutes before meals.

Another recipe for treating viburnum hypertension:

Infusion of viburnum shoots:

20 g shoot roots;
20 g of motherwort herb;
20 g valerian root;
1 glass of water.

Pour 2 teaspoons of the mixture with water and boil the mixture for 2-3 minutes.

Drink the infusion in sips throughout the day. Used for cerebral sclerosis and hypertension.

Contraindications

When consuming viburnum fruits, you should first of all remember moderation.

Despite the many beneficial properties, the products must be used with caution. You should study existing contraindications so as not to harm your health. It is also important to remember that any product should be consumed in moderation. Overdoses are dangerous for the body.

These include:

During pregnancy, you should not eat viburnum. The plant can cause uterine contractions and premature birth. You can use foot baths and lotions to improve your skin.

If you have cardiovascular diseases, you should first consult a specialist.

Viburnum can lower blood pressure, so people with hypotension should not include berries in their menu. Too low pressure will lead to nausea, dizziness and loss of consciousness.

Nursing mothers should not use alcohol tinctures, but here it is alcohol that can harm the baby. Viburnum itself in other forms will help the body recover after childbirth.

For diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, the use of viburnum is contraindicated. It stimulates the production of gastric juice and can aggravate the course of peptic ulcers.

Urolithiasis is also a contraindication. You should be careful when preparing dishes from berries. If necessary, consult a specialist.

How to treat a cold with viburnum?

Tea with viburnum helps to quickly cope with the first signs of a cold. Helps reduce temperature. Reducing high blood pressure is not just words, the effect of viburnum has been tested repeatedly.

Preparing tea is very simple, usually take viburnum ground with sugar, pour boiling water over it and the tea is ready. For 200 grams of boiling water 1 tbsp. a spoonful of viburnum ground with sugar. It is advisable to drink tea warm and as often as possible, about 3-5 times a day. Be careful as it lowers blood pressure.

Viburnum is especially often used for pneumonia and bronchitis.

2 tbsp. spoons of berries;
2 glasses of honey.

Grind the fruits thoroughly. Heat the honey in a water bath while stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. The fire should not be strong. When the honey becomes hot, pour it over the berries. Wrap in a woolen scarf and let sit for 5–6 hours.

Take 1 tbsp. spoon 5-6 times a day with constant monitoring of blood pressure.

For bronchitis, pleurisy and pneumonia, the following collection is useful.

1 tbsp. spoon of viburnum bark;
1 tbsp. a spoonful of coltsfoot leaves;
1 tbsp. a spoonful of black elderberry flowers;
1 tbsp. a spoonful of knotweed;
1 liter of water.

Mix the ingredients, pour boiling water and leave for 20 minutes. Cool the infusion before use.

Drink 0.75 glasses 3-4 times a day 30 minutes before meals.

Recipes from the book by L. Repeynikova “Viburnum for all diseases.”

Methods for preparing berries

The benefits and harms of the bark, berries and seeds of the plant are taken into account when preparing recipes for drinks, decoctions, and fortified food supplements. The rules for preparing medicines based on viburnum with the addition of photographs and pictures with the stages of work become clearer.

We recommend that you read the beneficial properties of viburnum seeds

Viburnum seeds are used to prepare an analogue of a coffee drink. The seeds need to be fried in a frying pan until the product acquires a coffee color. The ingredients are ground, placed in a glass container and hermetically sealed. The composition for preparing the drink must be brewed in the proportion of 1 tsp. for 1 glass of hot water.

Tea invigorates the body, enhances metabolic processes, and cleanses the intestines of toxic substances. It is important to consider the medicinal properties and contraindications of the composition. It is required to use the product in a limited manner, according to the recipe, to prevent harm to the body.

Tea made from the fruit has medicinal properties. It is necessary to wash and separate the fruits from the branches, grind the berries into containers, place them on the fire, add heated water to the container, and simmer the product for 10 minutes, without bringing it to a boil. The broth is passed through a sieve and boiled. The liquid is used when brewing standard tea. A simple recipe allows you to add berries to heated water in a kettle, you can drink the drink in 5-10 minutes.

For colds and to improve immunity, a prepared mixture of berries, peeled and pitted, is used. The fruits are kneaded, ground with natural honey in a 1:1 ratio, placed in a glass container and hermetically sealed. The product is stored in the refrigerator, the product is used 4 times a day, 1 tbsp. l. before meals. You can use any type of honey in the composition (from herbs, buckwheat, flower, linden, acacia). The product allows you to improve the body’s protective characteristics, start recovery processes, and tone up.

To prevent acute respiratory infections, tea made from viburnum fruits, lemon and honey is used. You need to wash and grind the berries, add hot water, and cook over low heat. The composition is filtered and used as tea leaves. The drink is combined with honey, a slice of lemon or lemon juice. You can include meadowsweet flowers in the tea at the brewing stage; the ingredients will soften the taste and add a floral aroma to the drink. Meadowsweet is an antipyretic and reduces the intensity of inflammatory processes.

To prevent and treat heart disease, kvass based on viburnum and beets is used. To prepare the drink you will need the following components:

purified water (3 l);
viburnum (1 kg of berries);
beets (1 kg of fruit);
natural honey (1 glass).

You need to boil the berries in water (1 liter). Beets are grated and boiled in water (1 liter). The ingredients are combined, honey is included, the mixture is boiled, cooled, poured into glass containers and placed in the refrigerator. Regular use of the drink allows you to cleanse blood vessels and eliminate spasms.

To reduce blood pressure, a vodka-based viburnum tincture is used. To prepare the composition you will need the following ingredients:

vodka or alcohol (500 ml);
ripe berries (500 g).

The berries are washed, ground with vodka, placed in a cool shaded place, and left for 1 month. The infusion must be filtered and poured into a glass container. It is important to maintain proportions to prevent the formation of a bitter taste in the composition. As a medicine, the composition is taken 1 tbsp. l. during meals or after meals 3 times a day.

For the following tincture recipe, the following components are required in proportions 1:1:1:

viburnum;
cognac;
natural honey

We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the benefits and harms of dried (dried) figs

The ingredients are mixed and infused. The drug is taken for hypertension, 1 tbsp. l. while eating. The use of the infusion for cardiovascular diseases and use as a prophylactic against colds in the autumn-winter period is in demand.