How are acorns used? Acorn. Properties, benefits and uses of acorns. Acorn coffee

Most city residents are already accustomed to thinking that food is what is sold in stores, and preferably in finished form; V best case scenario- what is grown in homestead farms. But in living nature, almost everything is edible: animals and plants (especially if they are not disturbed) get along well with each other, and always know what is useful and what is not.

The percentage of vitamins is very high, especially group B - nicotinic and pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, riboflavin, thiamine; There is also vitamin A and minerals: potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, manganese, copper, zinc, etc.

Medicinal properties and benefits of acorn

Acorns and their preparations, prepared according to folk recipes, useful for: people prone to kidney and gastrointestinal diseases, anemia and metabolic disorders; with weak immunity, disorders of the central nervous system and homocysteinemia. Homocysteine, a compound synthesized during metabolism, is necessary for the body, but excess leads to the development of serious diseases, including thrombosis of arteries and veins. Vitamin B6, contained in acorns, normalizes homocysteine levels, improves blood composition, prevents the development of anemia, restores decreased appetite, etc.

Acorns, due to their high folic acid content, are also beneficial for pregnant women. They can be consumed after consultation with a doctor, and not in raw form, but as a food additive, coffee substitute, in the form of decoctions, infusions and other dosage forms. It is known that a lack of folic acid inhibits the growth of fetal cells, leading to serious disturbances in its development and irreversible pathologies.

A little about quercetin in acorns. This flavonol is an antioxidant with many therapeutic actions: antisclerotic, tonic, cardioprotective, hypotensive, antiallergic, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, regenerating, anticancer. Quercetin gives acorns a bitter taste: you should not eat them raw, although nothing bad will happen from 1-2 pieces - many remember this from childhood.

Preparations based on acorns have antitumor, enveloping, astringent, and bactericidal effects, and they have been popularly used for a number of diseases for many centuries. So, alcohol tincture Acorns help with joint diseases, osteochondrosis and hypertension, and acorn coffee is useful for bronchitis, asthma and other diseases accompanied by cough.

Treatment and use of acorns

For anemia, prolonged and heavy menstruation and nervous disorders Take acorn juice with honey before meals, 2 tbsp. 4 times a day. Green acorns are cleaned, ground in a meat grinder, the juice is squeezed out and mixed with honey 1:1.

For tuberculosis drink an infusion of roasted acorns. Peeled acorns are kept in the oven at 170-180°C, stirring occasionally; when they turn a little red (after about half an hour), they are crushed. The resulting powder (3-4 tsp) is poured with boiling water (350 ml), left to cool, and filtered. Drink 1 tbsp. before meals, with the addition of honey (milk) for a long time, until the condition improves.

For cystitis crushed acorns (1 tbsp) pour 200 ml of water, bring to a boil, cook for several minutes, cool, filter. The decoction is drunk in small portions throughout the day.

Eat different recipes treatment for diabetes mellitus . The easiest way is to take 1 tsp in the morning, before breakfast, and at night. powder of dried acorns, washed down with water.

People with heart and vascular diseases Instead of real coffee, you can drink acorn coffee: the drinks taste similar, but acorn coffee is both safe and healthy; you can add milk, cream, sugar - just like with regular coffee.

To “get healthier” with the help of acorns, it is not necessary to use only dosage forms. By learning “acorn cooking,” you can speed up your recovery and avoid many health problems.

Acorn in cooking: healing food

There are many known recipes for coffee made from acorns – you can choose any one. For example, use not pure acorn powder, but a mixture with chicory, dandelion, barley grains: all this also makes excellent coffee.

Acorn flour is often used - for adding to baked goods, and cereals - from it it is obtained delicious porridge. You can get these products at home by collecting acorns in the nearest forest, but in order for them to be edible, the technology must be followed: properly soak the acorns, dry them, chop them, dry them, etc.; How this is done is also not difficult to find out.

If you grind dried (fried) acorns finely in a coffee grinder, you get flour; Using a blender or food processor, you can get crumbs with a taste no worse than some nuts, and add it to salads and other dishes - even cakes.

The same crumbs, of different grinds, are used as cereal: porridge from it, cooked in a saucepan, is very nutritious and healthy. Pour the cereal into water (you can use milk), bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, reduce the heat and cook for about 30 minutes; place in a preheated oven for about the same time. It is recommended to add butter, salt and sugar when the porridge is ready.

Curvy and delicious flatbreads made from acorn flour and sour cream. Bring the sour cream to a boil, add flour, cook for a couple of minutes, stirring; remove, cool; stir in grated cheese, egg, sugar. Form small cakes and fry as usual in small quantity oil in a frying pan.

There are no contraindications to the use of acorns, except for individual intolerance. And here are them life force simply incredible. Archaeologists, working in Japan, once found an acorn that had lain deep underground for more than 3,000 years. For the sake of an experiment, they decided to plant it, and a full-fledged tree grew: people definitely shouldn’t refuse such gifts from nature as acorns.

Surely you have jokingly, or maybe seriously, asked this question at least once in your life. Acorns are the fruits of the oak tree, and oak trees grow in almost any city park, not to mention the fact that there are entire oak groves outside the city. A lot of animals feed on acorns; apparently, they find something valuable in them. Can people eat acorns?

The issue of eating acorns is actually not as funny as it might seem. Emergency survival experts praise acorns for their nutritional properties, and some peoples (for example, Indians) have been eating acorns for centuries.

It is better not to eat acorns raw

There is no need to eat acorns raw, as squirrels do. In this form, acorns will be more harmful than useful, because they contain a large number of tannins, hence the astringent and bitter taste. In order for an acorn to be eaten, it must first be cooked, and then nutritional value it will not be inferior to other nuts. Please note that even animals soak acorns in water before eating them.

Harvesting acorns

If you decide to cook acorns, choose the best ones first. They should be ripe, just fallen from the tree, and under no circumstances green. There should be no cracks or wormholes in the acorns.

Acorns must be cleaned and freed from tannic acid. To do this, you can soak them and drain the water several times. The Indians did something like this: they put peeled acorns in a bag, and lowered the bag into the river stream. To speed up the release of toxic substances, acorns can be boiled and washed several times. After this preparation, acorns can be fried in the same way as other nuts.

Raw acorns are stored very well and for a long time; they can be left directly in the shell for the winter in a cellar or pantry.

What can be cooked from acorns

Ready acorns can be eaten dried or fried. You can make sweets out of them by rolling them in sugar. Ground roasted acorns can be used to make a drink similar to coffee. Ground acorns can also be used to make bread and cookies. Acorns can be ground into butter, which resembles peanut butter.

Nutritional value of acorns

If we talk about the composition of acorns, they are not as rich in fats as other nuts, but they contain more complex carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals.

Which has many medicinal properties. Its flowers are unisexual, but bloom only on one tree. Male flowers have an attractive appearance - earrings are yellow-green, long and thin. Women's ones are quite small and sometimes difficult to see. They are small grains with a red tip. They are located separately, while the male ones hang in bunches, on the tips of thin branches. There may be from 1 to 3 female flowers nearby. It is from flowers that acorns grow. Their ripening time is autumn.

Acorns have an unusual appearance - the nut in the shell “sits” in a special cup. Each nut has only one seed inside.

Kinds

To date, scientists have counted more than 450 species of oak. Accordingly, their acorns are varied.

Let's talk about the most popular types oak and how their fruits differ:

Black has acorns round shape with a sharp tip. Their size is about 20 millimeters. The calyx is scaly, almost half covering the fruit.
Large-fruited has the largest acorns, the length of which reaches 40 millimeters. The calyx (plus) is deep, covering half of the fruit.
Red has small acorns enclosed in a small cup. The length of the fruit is approximately 10 millimeters.
Laurel-leaved also carries small fruits about 10 millimeters long. However, they grow in pairs. The calyx covers only a quarter of the nut.
Stone or vergina on one stalk they have 3-5 acorns, capable of growing up to a maximum of 25 millimeters. They can be elongated or round with a sharp tip. The plus covers a quarter of the nut. The color of acorns is black and shiny.
Lyre-shaped- one of the few on which the nuts are almost completely covered by the plus.
Small bears long fruits Brown approximately 20 millimeters long. Almost half of the cup covers the nut.
White Oregon has long large acorns, but the plus is very small.

Black oak acorns have a sharp tip

The white Oregon acorn has an elongated shape

Where do they grow?

Despite the might of oak, this tree does not tolerate excessive heat and cold. Meet different types tree can be in different corners peace. For example, in Russia the most famous and valuable type of oak grows - pedunculate. In Spain there are scrub oak trees, Central America and the USA - red, in Mexico and the Mississippi region - swamp (white).

English oak, growing in Russia, is the most valuable

Collection and processing

To get the maximum benefit from acorns, you need to learn how to collect them, as well as how to process them correctly.

The collection period is from late September to early October. In early September, many acorns may fall from the tree. But this only means that the fruits are sick or infected.

It is necessary to remove the acorns that fell in September under the tree that you have chosen in order to then collect quality ripe fruits by the end of the month.

Remove low-quality acorns under the tree that fell in September, so as not to collect them later along with high-quality ones

Cooking flour

Preparing acorn flour:

To get rid of toxins in nuts that are dangerous to humans, simply soak them. The peel is peeled, the nut is cut into four parts and filled with water. Soaking lasts 48 hours, and you need to change the water three times a day. Some housewives do not remove the peel and soak the acorns whole.
After the acorns have been soaked, they need to be filled with water (take twice as much water as acorns) and brought to a boil. Now the fruits can be laid out on a cloth and allowed to dry.
When dry, put them through a mill to make flour or grits. Strain through a sieve. Grind again if necessary.

From the resulting acorn flour you can prepare various baked goods.

Store flour in a dark place.

Coffee

To obtain acorn coffee:

Peel the acorns and grind the kernels.
Pour the powder with water in a ratio of 1:2 and cook until it becomes mushy. Bake this paste in the oven or fry in a frying pan until pinkish. After cooling, peel and grind in a coffee grinder or blender.
To make coffee, 1 tsp. dilute the resulting powder into 250-300 ml. hot water or milk. If desired, you can add sugar.

How to choose

To choose good oak fruits, you need to know some features:

It is better to collect them in the fall. If you are in the forest collecting acorns, then only pick up those that have fallen to the ground. This indicates that they are ripe. Fruits that are easily removed from the branches and do not require any effort are also suitable.
If the acorns are green, you should absolutely not eat them.
The plus must be present. This is also a sign that the acorn is good.
The nut should be free of wormholes, holes and other damage.
Almost all acorns are suitable for consumption. However, black oak fruits are bitter and take a long time to cook. However, there is no need to fear poisoning.

Characteristics

Calorie content

Acorns are a nutritious and very healthy product. Many people underestimate these fruits as food product. It is important to note that per 100 grams of this nut there are:

Protein - 8.1 grams;
Fat - 31.4 grams;
Carbohydrates - 53.7 grams;
Calories - 509 kcal.

Chemical composition

You can get an impressive portion from acorns useful microelements and macroelements.

Macroelements: Mg, K, Ca, P.

Microelements: Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu.

It is nutritious and high-calorie product

Acorn is rich in microelements

Beneficial features

As we have already noted, acorns are often underestimated. Nevertheless, a person can receive enormous benefits from them.

You just need to know about the main beneficial properties of the product:

Nuts help fight bacteria and cancer formation and have an enveloping effect;
Acorns act as an alternative in the treatment of chest and lung ulcers, and coughing up blood;
The fruits help stop bleeding during heavy periods;
With their help you can strengthen and cleanse your stomach. For this, a tincture of acorns is made. The recipe is simple - 1 tsp. pour boiling water over processed nuts, leave and strain. Take 100 ml three times a day for a whole month;
The juice obtained from acorns strengthens the functioning of the bladder and improves potency;
Oak fruits are recommended for strong food poisoning;
Acorns are used to color hair;
With their help, they treat hernia, diabetes, pancreatitis, asthma, heart problems, cough, etc.

Harm

There are several features of these fruits that you should know before consuming:

You should not eat fruits that were collected in early September (fallen from trees). They are usually contaminated and dangerous;
Nuts are digested quite slowly in the stomach, so if the stomach is weak, it is better not to eat them;
To avoid harm bladder, do not eat raw acorns.
Do not consume oak fruits excessively so that the benefits do not turn into harm.

Oil

Oil can also be obtained from acorns by squeezing the fruit. A kilogram of fruit yields approximately 300 grams of oil.

Previously it was used by hunters in North America to attract animals and mask their own odors. However, at that time this oil was never used in food.

Some oak species give soft nuts(North Africa, Europe), from which it is obtained exquisite oil. According to its characteristics and appearance it is similar to olive and is considered a delicacy in many countries.

Application

In cooking

Frankly speaking, acorns have never found widespread use in cooking. Some varieties are used simply as nuts, although their taste is not for everyone.

The main scope of application is confectionery, pastries and coffee.

So, previously, acorns were fried or dried, after which they were covered with a layer of sugar. Healthy, sweet and quite tasty;
And in the 19th century, few people could afford coffee. And people found an alternative in acorns. They were fried, ground and made hot drink. Many people consume acorn coffee today;
To make bread, the fruits are ground into flour, after which you can create masterpieces;
Another area of application is a thickener. High content starch helps thicken liquid dishes using acorns;
Acorn butter, similar to almond and peanut butter, is sometimes found;
Acorns are most popular in Korea. Here they are used in national cuisine, preparing jelly, noodles.

In medicine

Acorn infusion. It is recommended to use if you have problems with the intestines, genitourinary system, as well as severe poisoning, pain in the gums, tuberculosis, diabetes, diseases nervous system. It's quite simple to prepare. The fruits are crushed in a coffee grinder along with the shells. Pour half a teaspoon of the resulting mixture into 200 milliliters of water and bring to a boil, but only over low heat. Leave for 15 minutes, divide into three parts and consume three times a day before meals.

Healthy coffee from acorns is also easy to make. Take about half a teaspoon of powdered acorn and 1 teaspoon of coffee itself. The proportions can be changed depending on your preferences. This drink tones, gives energy, and also has a beneficial effect on almost the entire body.

For stomach diseases, acorn coffee is also suitable. But it needs to be prepared differently. Take an acorn, wheat or barley grains in equal proportions, fry them, then add chicory root and dandelion to your taste. Grind the mixture and use it to make coffee.

If you have heart problems, it is recommended to fry the acorns until red, make a powder from the fruits and brew it like regular coffee. Add sugar to taste, and milk to improve the taste. This drink is useful for children with bronchitis or severe cough.

For diabetics, the following recipe is recommended. Dry and grind a glass of fruit using a meat grinder and add one and a half liters of water. Boil the mixture for 30 minutes low heat, then leave for 24 hours. After this, boil again for half an hour. Leave for 24 hours, strain and dilute with a glass of vodka. The tincture is stored in the refrigerator and taken six times a day for two weeks. One serving is two dessert spoons.

Please note that the use of oak acorns as a treatment is only possible after consulting a doctor.

Many people dream of growing an oak tree on their own plot. This is a perennial tree that can stand for hundreds of years.

The main difficulty in growing oak using acorns is finding suitable fruits and preserving them until planting. Needs to be planted in spring. It is also allowed in the fall, but there is a high probability that the acorns will be eaten by mice in the winter.

The most suitable acorns for planting are those that fall from the oak tree last.

So it is advisable to collect them in early October. Find a tall, powerful tree and look for the biggest and most beautiful fruits.

To preserve them, place the nuts in the basement, or simply leave them in the refrigerator. Fruits require zero temperature, moderate humidity and circulating air. So there is no need to pack the fruits. If you store it at a temperature of about 15-20 degrees, the nuts will dry out and you won’t be able to grow anything from them.

There are two ways to determine fetal viability:

By color. Dead nuts are black in color, while those suitable for planting have a light yellow tint under the shell.
With the help of water. Place the fruit in a glass of water. If the nut is unusable, it will float to the surface. Good fruit will drown.

In the spring, as soon as the ground warms up, planting can begin. If desired, you can grow several seedlings.

Acorns should be placed in parallel grooves. The distance between them is about 20 cm.

The acorns themselves are placed 2-10 centimeters from each other. If the chosen place is permanent, then make the distance about 15 centimeters. The depth of oak nut laying is 20-30 millimeters. The fruits are placed horizontally. The root begins to develop first, so you will see a shoot no earlier than after 30 days.

Weak seedlings are removed, leaving only the strongest ones.

Almost everyone knows how majestic and powerful oak trees can be. However, not everyone knows what capabilities the bark of this tree can boast of.

Useful and healing properties

List of these features of this product is extensive, and therefore we will focus on the main ones.

Has an anti-inflammatory effect.
Disinfects, fights bacteria, has astringent properties.
An astringent made from oak bark is used for hemorrhoidal bleeding.
Helps cope with dysentery, as well as gastrointestinal diseases.
Burns, wounds and inflammations are relieved with oak decoctions and bark-based infusions.
For inflammation and to strengthen gums.
The mucous membrane in the mouth is treated.
Has a healing effect on vaginitis and colpitis.
Restores hair, eliminates dandruff, strengthens.

Compound

The following components predominate in the composition of oak bark:

Pentosans - 14 percent. They have a strong anti-inflammatory effect;
Pectins - 6 percent;
20 percent tannins (their percentage increases as the oak tree grows);
Sugar;
Starch;
Squirrels.

Decoction

Prepare a decoction based on oak bark simple enough.

There are several common recipes:

Take 1 tbsp. bark, pour 400-500 milliliters of boiling water over it and boil over low heat for 10 minutes. The broth is infused for half an hour, after which it is filtered and consumed.

Pour 20 grams of ground bark into 200 ml of boiled but cooled water and place in a boiling water bath. Cooking lasts about 30 minutes, accompanied by constant stirring. After this, the broth is cooled, filtered and taken.

How to use: A decoction of 100 ml is consumed three times a day.

Useful for:

diarrhea,
stomach problems,
sore throat.

In the case of a sore throat, gargling is prescribed.

A decoction of oak bark can cure many diseases.

Recipe for external use

Add 200 ml of water to 40 grams of bark and boil for 30 minutes. The decoction is infused for 2 hours, after which it is filtered and used as lotions, enemas or baths.

Treats from:

burns,
sweaty hands,
hemorrhoids,

In case of mushroom poisoning or excessive menstruation, this decoction can be taken orally.

Tincture

It is quite possible to make an alcohol-based tincture using oak bark at home. To do this, take 1 tsp. ground bark and pour 400 milliliters quality vodka. The mixture must be infused for a week, then strained.

Used in the treatment of stomach ulcers. Take 1 drop per day on an empty stomach. You need to add a little sugar to the tincture. Wash it down with milk.

The tincture is also made based on spring water:

For internal use, add 200 milliliters of boiling water to 10 grams of bark and take 1 tablespoon three times a day.
At external use For 20 grams of bark, take 200 milliliters of boiling water.

Infusion

Making an infusion from the bark is also simple. Take a teaspoon of the product, add 0.5 liters of boiled but cooled water. Leave for 8-10 hours.

The decoction is taken throughout the day in equal portions, into which 500 milliliters of infusion should be divided. It can be used for an enema.

Other recipes

For beauty, health and hair coloring

You can achieve beauty, strength and health in your hair using oak bark. There are several simple but very useful recipes for this.

For example, strengthening and adding fullness, as well as eliminating dandruff, is achieved by rinsing with decoctions of bark. Masks, balms, and hair dye are also made from the bark.

How to brew:

For rinse aid. For 1 tbsp. l. bark, add 500 ml of boiling water and boil the mixture for 10 minutes. Allow the composition to cool, after which it can be used. Use the decoction after using shampoo.
For coloring. If you want to make the color darker, then specified recipe add natural brewed coffee (just take fresh, not yesterday's). If the goal is to lighten your hair, then additional ingredient Dried chamomile will be added to the decoction. Also used as rinses.
Against hair loss. Take equal amounts of dandelion, plantain, mint and bark. Grind everything thoroughly. Add 2-3 tbsp. burdock oil and make porridge from the mixture. After infusing the product and heating it in a water bath, apply it to the scalp and distribute the mixture throughout your hair. After this, put on a polyethylene cap and wrap your head in a towel. You need to leave it on for about an hour, and then rinse with shampoo and rinse your hair with a decoction prepared on the basis of the bark. Strengthening the result is achieved through a 10-day course of such procedures.

Oak bark will heal hair and strengthen it

For diarrhea

Diarrhea is an extremely unpleasant “event” in a person’s life, therefore it is advisable to always have remedies against it on hand. We offer you two effective recipes, allowing you to quickly deal with the problem.

Can be brewed in two ways:

1. Add a tablespoon (tablespoon) of bark to 200 ml of boiling water. The mixture is infused for an hour, then filtered. You need to drink 1-2 tsp all day. The resulting infusion should be enough for a day.

2. Pour vodka (0.4 l) over the crushed bark. It infuses for a week, so it’s better to prepare it in advance. Reception is carried out twice a day - morning and evening. Portion - 20 drops.

From sweating

Intense sweating is familiar to many. These are unpleasant sensations that cause you and even those around you. People who, due to their duty, have to meet familiar and new people every day, especially suffer from sweating. But there is an effective remedy for such a problem.

How to brew: It is necessary to pour approximately 50 grams of bark into 1000 ml of boiling water. When the mixture has cooled to a comfortable temperature room temperature, immerse your feet in the bath and hold for about 20 minutes. 10 days of the course and sweating disappeared. If sweating is associated with your hands, rinse your hands regularly in this infusion. The effect is similar to foot baths.

Oak bark will help against sweating hands and feet

For gums

How to brew: Add 200 ml to 3 tablespoons of bark boiled water. Warm the mixture in a water bath for 20-25 minutes. Through the use of a bath it is achieved maximum conservation useful components bark. Strain the broth, squeeze out the grounds and remove them. Add more boiled water to the remaining water. In total you should get 300 milliliters of decoction.

Store the product in a cool place and use within 2 days. Rinse your mouth at least 8 times throughout the day. The same recipe helps with sore throats and stomatitis.

With chamomile for thrush

Next recipe involves the combined use of bark and chamomile. The resulting product copes excellently with thrush.

How to brew: Take bark and chamomile (inflorescences) in equal proportions, mix with knotweed grass and nettle leaves. Pour the resulting mixture into liters of water and place on the fire until the components boil for about 5 minutes. Then cool and strain the broth. It is used for douching or to create tampons.

For sore throat

If you have a sore throat, it can be effectively treated with bark. To do this, prepare a simple decoction for rinsing.

How to brew: For 1 tsp. bark add about 250 ml of water. The mixture is boiled for 10 minutes using a water bath, then infused and filtered. You need to gargle with the resulting decoction 3-4 times a day.

For children

As we noted earlier, oak bark is contraindicated for children. And this applies, first of all, to children under 2 years old.

Older children can be treated with bark, but only after consultation with a specialist:

If you have a sore throat or sore throat, you can rinse your mouth.
The problem of prickly heat can be eliminated by preparing a bath based on oak bark. With its help, many cope with children's skin problems.

Harm and contraindications

First of all, you need to remember one main rule regarding taking oak bark based products. It consists in the fact that the course of treatment should not exceed 14 days. Plus, the use of this product for medicinal or even preventive purposes requires consultation with a doctor.

The negative effects of oak bark may include the following:

Prolonged rinsing of the mouth with decoctions or infusions can cause a deterioration in the sense of smell, and an overdose of the drug causes vomiting.
In some cases, the product causes allergies.
Children are contraindicated in taking medications containing this ingredient.
Contraindicated for hemorrhoids and constipation.
Nursing and pregnant women can take oak bark and preparations made from it only after consultation with specialists.
Long-term use decoctions can lead to stomach diseases.
Individual intolerance.

Where to find or buy

However, you can collect oak bark yourself. The bark from a young tree has the most beneficial properties.

Please note that the most high concentration useful substances in the bark is observed in the period before the appearance of young leaves. Therefore, the collection should be carried out in early spring.

The acorn, despite its modest dimensions, represents a large food and energy value. But most people know about it only from the hand-made side. Oak fruits are often used to create original installations. Children's crafts from them look especially interesting, since creating a copy of a forest clearing based on such natural material is quite simple. Adding to the ease is the fact that finding the main “character” of the fake is really not difficult - you just need to go to the nearest park.

Where to look and what do acorns look like?

Oaks, which are home to acorns, are considered one of the most powerful tree species that grow freely in many Slavic countries. Their height can reach fifty meters, and their diameter sometimes even exceeds two meters. Their main feature is long term growth, which in exceptional cases even reaches a millennium. This is explained by the fact that such trees are less demanding of environmental conditions, which chestnuts cannot boast of. They are rarely affected by serious diseases, and they do not require special care if they were planted for decorative purposes in the driveway of the house.

Then such a design move will allow you to make not only medicinal infusions from acorns or add their powder as an addition to baking dough. Every fall, kids get the chance to express their creativity by using eco-friendly materials to express themselves. All that remains is to add elements from cones and you will get a beautiful fake.

In the territory Russian Federation There are about two dozen varieties of this plant, but the leader of the rating is always the petiolate version. It blooms quite late compared to other similar representatives of the flora. And flowering occurs during the period when the leaf is still small. This approximately occurs in April or early May.

From a biological point of view, oak is classified as monoecious, which means the presence of exclusively unisexual flowers on one plant. If this male plant, then flowering will occur with yellow-green earrings that have a long, thin shape. Outwardly, they resemble earrings of ordinary hazel.

They hang in small bunches, but due to their not particularly expressive color, it will be problematic to recognize them immediately among the young greenery.

It is even more difficult to see the female flowers, which are simply tiny in size, appearing as green grains with a red crown. They are located separately from each other on thin special branches. It is these grains that provide the main autumn attributes for installations. To get the best for the children later natural material, it is worth making sure that the tree on your personal plot is watered on time. If you do not control this, then the fruits themselves will turn out to be empty, frail or small. It is also important to ensure that too warm weather does not destroy the acorn, which, under the influence of the scorching bright sun, quickly begins to rot.

This rule applies only to cases when a person is interested in how to grow a full-fledged plant from a seed by hand. If we are talking about wild nature, then there is no need to make any special efforts. The natural environment provides a dense blanket of fallen leaves in which the fruits successfully overwinter. There the humidity level is maintained at the proper level, and the fallen snow acts as a shield against low temperatures and humid wind.

In addition to the fact that such gifts from forests are used to decorate the house with their own hands, they are often collected in the public domain by residents rural areas. One bag of nutritious gifts will brighten up the monotonous diet of some types of livestock.

It’s not for nothing that there is a well-known fable about a pig and an oak tree, which, in addition to morality, tells how much this animal values similar delicacy. He was also honored by people who got used to creating medicinal tinctures and even coffee. It helps with problems with cardiovascular system. Because of this, over the last ten years, more and more people have become interested in how to plant such a plant near their dacha, receiving a useful harvest from it every year.

Storage of vitamins and microelements

Oak fruits have been known for a long time as a food and healing agent. They were used by healers several thousand years ago. This theory is confirmed by an acorn recently found in the vast expanses of Japan, which had lain for almost four thousand years. The most amazing thing is that during the experiment, scientists suggested germinating it, and after a while a sprout actually emerged from the fruit.

But even this age is not the limit. Archaeologists who worked on excavations of the coastal zone of the Mediterranean Sea discovered characteristic acorn prints on the clay. They are about five thousand years old. Such an impressive date and the confirmation left in the form of a fingerprint only confirm that even then the ancient people knew what benefits would be for the body when consuming the pulp.

During various scientific experiments biologists made sure that ancient herbalists knew a lot about finding healing representatives of the flora. Analyzes have shown that even a small fruit contains a huge amount of:

sugars;
fatty oils;
tannins;

Birds and other forest inhabitants liked all this. Having eaten for the future, wild boars, deer, bears, pigeons, jays and pheasants collect huge reserves for the winter nutrients. Even field mice do not avoid them.

If you plan to use a specific storage all year round, then experts recommend drying it. Moreover, you need to know exactly how to do this correctly, adhering to the established algorithm:

First, drying is done in the attic or covered area;
The procedure ends with drying in the oven.

Only after this is it possible to remove the shell along with the seed peel.

Historians believe that the first people first created the simplest bakery products just from the ground acorn mass. And only then they adapted for identical purposes to attract cereals that were more in demand for such purposes.

The main weapon of the “brown babies” is the flavonol quercetin. This active substance has many medicinal qualities, among which especially stand out:

neutralization of edema;
relief of antispasmodic syndrome;
reduction of inflammation.

In addition, it has a diuretic and antioxidant effect on the body. But here it is worth always remembering that the presented active substance can cause harm. Although flavanol of this format is completely safe for animals, it poses an increased danger to humans. But if you soak the find and then warm it up thoroughly, the toxic component will be completely destroyed.

It is also important to fry correctly, avoiding burning. Instead of black, finished specimens should have a slightly reddish tint. After this, the product is crushed and used as the main ingredient for. The following can be added to the drink according to taste:

It’s not for nothing that the Indians from North America have always been famous for their endurance and longevity. They used such powder daily, replenishing the losses that had become thinner during vigorous physical activity. To do this, the sages first boiled the harvest in boiling water to get rid of poisons and an unpleasant bitter aftertaste. Then the semi-finished product was dried and ground for flour. For the rest of the year, the powder was used to make flat cakes or other national dishes.

Use in folk medicine

But not a single Indian knew about the beneficial properties of the “children” of oak. Slavic herbalists often prepared remedies based on them for the treatment of enuresis, various genitourinary disorders and problems with sexual dysfunction in men and women. They were also mentioned when reading the instructions for medications for relieving acute colitis and toothache.

Adherents of traditional medicine advise using a simple recipe to eliminate stomach dysfunction:

Take one teaspoon of the powdered mass and pour a glass of boiling water.
Cool the resulting mixture and strain.
Take half a glass three times a day.

The course lasts exactly a month, and then you need to take a break. If necessary, therapy is repeated to consolidate the successful result.

The same cooking option will be useful for those who regularly face during the season respiratory diseases With:

cough;
bronchitis;
exacerbations of heart disease.

Except internal use There are several versions for outdoor use. We are talking about treating a hernia with warm compresses. They are made from a 25% tincture of oak fruits mixed with red wine.

If the patient encounters problems regarding genitourinary system, then it will help him old recipe, which involves the juice of green acorns, which is diluted with honey. The solution must be taken in strict proportions: 2 tablespoons 3-4 times a day before meals.

The effectiveness of the drug is explained by the fact that the mass has a bactericidal effect. By the same principle, healers recommend using it for women who are faced with a developing inflammatory process that causes more heavy menstruation.

Usually people know which parts of the fruit should be used to implement the healer's instructions - the oblong body. But for the treatment of pancreatitis, it is not they that are needed, but pluses - those very caps, similar in structure to tree bark. To collect them, you first need to find ripe acorns that have not yet dried out and send them to rest in the shade.

Then the caps are separated from the base. After collecting about a tablespoon, pour 200 ml of boiling water and let it brew for about three hours. After time, the solution is filtered and taken according to a cumulative scheme. First you should start with one teaspoon, and then the norm is gradually increased to 70 ml per day.

Herbalists advise not to exclude such an assistant even with diabetes. Reception involves eating one teaspoon of powder from pre-dried fruits in the morning an hour before meals and before bed.

But, regardless of what the presented tinctures or compresses are used for, they should be used only after consultation with your doctor. The reason for this is the high risk of hidden contraindications, which can only be detected by the result of a clinical examination.

Culinary masterpieces

Acorn crumbs are used, which taste characteristics will resemble fried, by many chefs from around the world. The resulting cereal is usually boiled nutritious porridge using a saucepan for long simmering.

First, 100 grams are poured there, and then half is added more milk. Ghee is also added to taste. After this, the liquid is brought to a boil, the cereal is poured into it, and then stirred thoroughly.

As soon as the mass swells well, begin to cook the porridge over low heat, stirring constantly. This will continue until the cereal thickens. When the desired consistency is achieved, cover the saucepan with a lid and put it in the oven to finish cooking the mixture. Serve exquisite delicacy should be hot, adding a little more butter at our own discretion.

Also, from the dry core ground into powder, you can make nutritious cakes, which were appreciated by the Indians several hundred years ago. You will need to first bring it to a boil, and then pour flour into it. After which the mass should boil, and then it is removed and cooled.

Grated cheese, egg, sugar are also sent there, after which the semi-finished product is kneaded, forming uniform flat cakes. They are baked in frying pans using fat for lubrication.

There are no clear proportions for this recipe, but culinary specialists advise focusing on generally accepted standards for one flatbread: 15 g of flour, 10 g of cheese, 25 g of sour cream, 5 g of sugar and half an egg.

They bake from flour and use regular bread in a bread machine, and also use such an unusual component as a thickener and for many other food purposes. The most important thing when using it is to know exactly your limits, because even useful composition when overeating, it can turn into a cause of severe indigestion.

It's no secret that oak belongs to the beech family, which includes evergreen as well as deciduous shrubs and trees. It is very interesting that to pollinate an oak tree, scales of two sexes are needed at once. Acorns appear and ripen from small green grains with red tips that hang from thin branches.

Each type of oak has different fruits and the shape of the roller (pluses). In some species, acorns are round and small, in others they are nut-shaped, and in others they are elongated. Smooth and unusual shape an acorn very often becomes the reason for debate as to whether it is a nut. However, there is no longer any doubt - this is a nut.

Can acorns be eaten?

Today, many underestimate and sometimes reduce beneficial features acorns When the time comes to collect acorns, the era of culinary experts begins. In North America, flour, coffee, cereals are made from the fruits of the tree, as well as sweets and the most gourmet dishes. In Korea, acorns are consumed in fried with the addition of spices, and also make jelly from them (tothorimuk).

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Composition of acorns

100 grams of oak fruit contains:

Proteins: 8.1 g
Fat: 31.4 g
Carbohydrates: 53.7 g
Vitamins: PP, A, β-carotene, B1, B2, B3, B6, B9
Macro and microelements: Mg, Ca, K, P, Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu
Calories: 509 kcal

These forest gifts are rich in tannins, sugars, tannins and especially starch. In addition, acorns contain an active antioxidant - the flavonol quercetin. This substance perfectly relieves spasms, swelling and inflammation, has diuretic properties, and also prevents premature aging of cells.

The benefits and medicinal properties of acorns

Oak fruits have bactericidal, antitumor, and enveloping properties.
Acorns perfectly relieve cramps during menstrual periods and stop heavy bleeding.
Acorn infusion cleanses and strengthens the stomach. To prepare it, you will need one teaspoon of chopped acorns, which must be poured with a glass of boiling water. Leave to cool completely and drink half a glass 3 times a day. The infusion is taken for one month, after which a pause is made for a month.
Acorns help with acute poisoning.
Useful for thrombosis and varicose veins.
You can use acorn shells to dye your hair.
Coffee made from acorns is perfect for people suffering from asthma, heart disease, cough and bronchitis.
To treat pancreatitis, you can use an infusion of acorn pluses. To prepare it, you will need one tablespoon of caps, which must be poured with a glass of boiling water. We leave them for about three hours and then strain them. The infusion must be taken daily, gradually increasing the dose from 1 teaspoon to 70 ml.
Oak fruits are a great alternative traditional medicine in the treatment of lung and chest ulcers, as well as hemoptysis.
Acorns have proven themselves in the treatment of toothache and gums.
The fruits are useful for various poisonings, as well as acute and chronic colitis.

Collecting acorns

As we have already found out, these forest gifts are very nutritious and healthy. But in order to eat them, you must adhere to several rules for collection and processing.

The period for collecting acorns is the end of September - beginning of October. By this time, the fruits acquire a dark brown color. Mostly acorns that have fallen in more early dates– damaged by pests (acorn weevil). Therefore, fruits collected at the specified time have the best qualities.

Acorns are collected mainly from the ground, but you can also pick them from branches, but in this case the fruits should be easily separated from the cap. It is very important that the nuts are firm, without black spots and not sprouted. After three or four days, you will be able to return to the same place and reap a nutritious harvest.

Processing and harvesting of acorns

If you taste a raw acorn, you will feel a bitter, astringent taste. Don't worry, the bitterness can be removed very easily by soaking and heating. It is not advisable to eat acorns without processing, since polyphenols (tannins, etc.) negatively affect digestion. To do this, you need to wash the acorns, peel them, chop them into 4-6 parts and add water. Soaking the fruits lasts from two to four days, and the water needs to be changed three times a day.

After the acorns have settled, it is necessary to drain and add fresh water (1:2). Then we put enamel pan on gas and bring to a boil. Then you need to grind the acorns; a meat grinder is ideal for this. After grinding, place the resulting minced meat on a baking sheet with parchment paper and put it in the oven. In the end, you should get a fragile crumb from which you can cook porridge, but if you grind it to flour, you can prepare a variety of baked goods.

If you want to make surrogate coffee from acorns, then there is absolutely no need to soak the fruits. They are simply placed on a baking sheet, baked, peeled, crushed and fried. This drink has an extraordinary forest aroma And nutty taste. You can drink coffee with cream and spices.

It is best to store coffee and flour in glass jars or multilayer paper bags. Do not prepare too much, as the raw materials spoil quite quickly.

Interesting Facts

In terms of their benefits, acorns can easily compete with natural coffee, with cocoa beans, and even with olives, and more. This drink has a pleasant nutty taste and aroma.
From time immemorial, oak was considered a magical tree, and all because of its strength, longevity and power. Therefore, amulets were made from its bark, which gave strength, attracted good luck and protected their owner.
It is believed that oak can increase intellectual abilities. In order to maintain excellent concentration and activity, you need to carry oak bark with you.
IN Ancient Rome Elderly people revered ground acorns very much, as they believed that they provided them with health, longevity and youth.
Avid fishermen will undoubtedly appreciate oak fruits, as the acorn weevil is very common in them. Its larva is an excellent bait for fish. It is found in ripe and whole acorns (without holes). If there is a hole, this means that the larva has already left its house.

Olga Sherl was with you.

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