Popular names: gonobobel, fools.
SWAMP BLUEBERRY (Vaccinium uliginosum L.)Branched shrub of the lingonberry family (Vacciniaceae), up to 1.5 m high, with dark gray or brownish bark. The leaves are alternate, elliptical, on short petioles, dark green above, bluish below, covered with a bluish wax coating, with slightly curled edges; fall for the winter. The flowers are pale pink or white, small, with a pitcher-bell-shaped corolla, on drooping pedicels, arranged 2-3 on last year’s branches. The fruit is a juicy, sour-sweet, without much flavor, spherical or oval, bluish-black berry with a bluish-black bloom, with greenish flesh. Seeds numerous, light brown. The plant is characterized by an extended flowering period, from May to July. Berries ripen in August. Grows in elevated places along the edge of peat bogs, also in damp sparse coniferous and deciduous forests. Not often grows next to the wild rosemary, the intoxicating smell of which causes a headache. Because of this, blueberries are often called fools or drunkards.
COLLECTION AND DRYING OF RAW MATERIALS
Medicinal raw materials are blueberries. For drying, they are harvested mature. Then they are sorted out, culling out rotten, overripe and unripe ones, washed in cold water, poured in a thin layer on a sieve and dried in an oven or dryer at a temperature of not more than 60 ° C. During drying, the fruits will need to be mixed several times. The shelf life of dried berries is 1 year. The leaves are harvested during the flowering of plants. Dried under a canopy in the shade, after drying in the sun for 30 minutes. The shelf life of dried leaves is 2-3 years.
PHARMACOLOGICAL PROPERTIES
The plant has antiscorbutic, hypotensive, cardiotonic, choleretic, diuretic, antisclerotic and anti-inflammatory effects. Blueberries strengthen the walls of blood capillaries, normalize the functions of the intestines, pancreas; leaves increase the functional activity of the stomach, intestines and heart. Helps lower blood sugar.
APPLICATIONS IN MEDICINE
Run away. Decoction – hypotensive and cardiotonic, mild laxative. Leaves. In Siberia, infusion – for anemia and to improve metabolism, for diabetes. Shoots, leaves. In folk medicine, a decoction is used for colitis, heart diseases. Fruits. They are used for dysentery, colitis, gastritis, pyelitis, cystitis and anemia, gastric catarrh; also as an antiscorbutic and vitamin (with C-avitaminosis) remedy. A decoction of dried and juice of fresh fruits – with fever, helminthiasis. In folk medicine, infusion – for gastritis, colitis, diseases of the kidneys, pancreas. Juice – with diarrhea, inflammation of the renal pelvis, cholecystitis, liver disease, hypoavitaminosis, general weakness (after operations, serious illnesses). In Tibetan medicine, a decoction is an astringent for diarrhea; in Korean – for diabetes and vitamin C deficiency.
DOSAGE FORMS, METHOD OF APPLICATION AND DOSES
♦ Infusion of blueberries: 20 g of dried raw materials are poured into 250 ml of boiling water, infused for 1 hour, then filtered. Take 1/4 cup after 3 hours. ♦ Decoction of blueberry leaves: boil 50 g of raw materials in 200 ml of water for 30 minutes, leave for 30 minutes, then filter. Take 1 tablespoon 4-6 times every day before meals for constipation. ♦ Decoction of blueberry leaves and branches: boil 50 g of raw materials in 200 ml of water for 10 minutes, insist in a warm place for 1-2 hours, then filter. Take 1 tablespoon 4-6 times every day. ♦ Blueberry juice take 1/4-1/2 cup 3 times every day.
APPLICATIONS IN OTHER FIELDS
A decoction of dried and juice of fresh fruits with alum – a purple dye for fabrics. The whole plant is suitable for tanning leather. The fruits are eaten raw and boiled – for the preparation of jelly, pie fillings, compotes, marshmallows, jelly, liqueurs, fruit drinks, juices, kvass. Used to color wines. The average fruit yield is within 140 kg/ha.
TASTY TIPS
Blueberries with sugar and milk.
Arrange washed fresh berries (200 g) in bowls, sprinkle with sugar (to taste) and pour milk (250 ml). Before serving, you can add corn flakes (100 g).
Blueberries with cottage cheese and sour cream.
Pour washed fresh berries with sugar (to taste) for 1-2 hours, then add cottage cheese (150 g), mix, arrange in plates, pour over sour cream (150 g).
Blueberry natural.
Arrange the washed berries in hot sterilized jars, pour boiled water (temperature 65-70 ° C) and pasteurize: half-liter – 10 minutes, liter – 15 minutes. Cork. Store in a cool place.
Pigeon juice.
Pour berries with boiling water for 10-15 minutes, then drain the water, mash the berries with a wooden pestle, squeeze out the juice, mix it with 40% sugar syrup (400 g of sugar per 600 ml of water), bring to a boil, pour into sterilized jars and pasteurize: floor -liter – 15 minutes, liter – 20 minutes.
Blueberry juice with pulp.
Pour berries (1 kg) with boiling water for 10-15 minutes, then drain the water, mash the berries with a wooden pestle, squeeze out the juice, add sugar (400 g), boil for 3-5 minutes. Pour the juice into sterilized jars and pasteurize: half-liter – 15 minutes, liter – 20 minutes.
Blueberries in their own juice.
Arrange the washed berries in sterilized jars, pour in blueberry juice, heat to a temperature of 65 ° C and pasteurize: half-liter jars – 15 minutes, liter – 20 minutes, three-liter – 30 minutes. Cork.
Blueberries mashed with sugar.
Sort the berries (1 kg), rinse with cold water, mash with a wooden pestle, mix thoroughly with sugar (500 g), heat to a temperature of 70 ° C, place in hot sterilized jars and pasteurize: half-liter – 20 minutes, liter – 25 minutes .
Blueberry compote.
Washed berries (1 kg) are placed in hot sterilized jars, pour 40% sugar syrup (400 g of sugar per 600 ml of water) and pasteurized: half-liter jars – 15 minutes, liter – 25 minutes, three-liter – 35 minutes. Cork.
Compote of blueberries with blueberries.
Place the washed blueberries (1 kg) and blueberries (1 kg) in layers in sterilized hot jars, pour 45% sugar syrup (900 g of sugar per 1100 ml of water) and pasteurize: half-liter jars – 10 minutes, liter – 15 minutes, three-liter – 35 min. Cork.
Blueberry compote with cherries.
From blueberry juice (500 ml) and sugar (500 g), prepare 50% sugar syrup, pour blueberries (500 g) and cherries (500 g) pitted into sterilized jars and pasteurize: half-liter – 15 minutes, liter – 20 min, three-liter – 35 min. Cork.
Blueberry compote with apples.
Peel and core apples (150 g), cut into slices, pour 40% sugar syrup (400 g of sugar per 600 ml of water) and boil for 6 minutes. Then add blueberries (150 g), citric acid (1 g), bring to a boil, pour into hot sterilized jars and pasteurize: half a liter – 10 minutes, liter – 15 minutes. Cork.
Pigeon jelly.
Mix blueberry juice (400 ml) with sugar (to taste), pour in diluted gelatin (20 g) and bring to a boil. Pour into molds and chill.
Blueberry mousse.
Rinse the berries (400 g), mash with a wooden pestle, squeeze out the juice. Boil the pulp in water (1 l) for 5 minutes, strain. Add sugar (200 g), gelatin (30 g) diluted in water to the broth, bring to a boil, mix with juice and strain. Pour into cups or bowls and refrigerate until set.
Kissel from blueberries.
Washed berries (400 g) mash, squeeze the juice. Add the pulp to boiling water (200 ml), boil for 5 minutes, strain. Pour sugar into the broth (to taste), bring to a boil, pour in diluted starch (45 g), mix well. When the jelly boils, immediately remove it from the heat, pour in the juice and stir.
Blueberry jam.
Ripe berries (1 kg) pour 70% sugar syrup (700 g of sugar per 300 ml of water) for 3-4 hours and cook until tender.
Blueberry and raspberry jam.
Pour blueberries (200 g) and raspberries (800 g) with hot sugar syrup (1 kg of sugar per 100 ml of water) for 2-3 hours, then cook over low heat until cooked, removing the foam and stirring carefully.
Lozenges from pigeons.
Boil the washed berries (1 kg) in water (200 ml) for 10-20 minutes, rub through a sieve, add sugar (600 g), beat well and cook over low heat until the desired consistency is reached. Pour the mass into greased molds and dry in the oven.
Mousse “Forest”.
Sort the berries (1 glass of blueberries, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries), rinse, put in an enamel bowl, cover with sugar (1 glass). Grind everything and pour in the proteins (3 pcs.). With a wooden spoon, first slowly, then gradually speeding up the stirring, beat the mass. After 15-20 minutes, the mousse is ready.