Monarda: medicinal properties and contraindications

Monarda are the flowers of the mint family. It is often called bergamot, as the aroma of orange bergamot and monarda are very similar. Monarda got its name in memory of Nicholas Monardes, who compiled descriptions of North American plants in the 16th century. Other names for bergamot herb are American lemon balm, Native American nettle, Oregon tea, bee balm, horse mint.

What is bergamot and what does it look like

The appearance of the plant is quite unusual. He has a dense tetrahedral stem, which reaches one and a half meters in height. Elongated thin leaves with pointed edges can grow up to 15 cm in length and densely cover the plant. Monarda blooms profusely, the flowers can be pink, red, purple, depending on the type of plant. Hybrid varieties with burgundy or white flowers are known.

The taste of the leaves resembles mint, but it is sweeter and slightly sharper. There are several varieties of monarda, which differ not only in appearance, but also in flavor, useful properties:

1. Lemon monarda has a delicate citrus aroma. Flowering of this species is very plentiful, it is often grown for decorative purposes. It is used in cosmetology and as part of perfumes. In the food industry, it is known as one of the components of vermouth. In medicine, tea from its leaves is used.
2. Hybrid monarda better than other types helps the digestive system, and is also a strong immunomodulator. Obtained by crossing two and two. It combines both medicinal and nutritional properties, often used to decorate gardens.
3. Puffin contains vitamins of groups B and C, which makes it an effective tool in the treatment of many diseases. Also, this particular type is used in dried form as a seasoning. It is duodena monarda that contains the maximum concentration of thymol, which disinfects wounds and promotes their healing, in comparison with other species.
4. The double monard is best known as a medicinal plant, decoctions and oil from which are used for colds, rheumatism, cardiovascular and other diseases. This plant is often used for decorative purposes, since this variety is tall (up to one and a half meters) and beautifully blooms profusely.

Composition and calorie content

Calorie content of grass per 100 grams is close to zero. The protein and fat content in it is also minimal. Monarda oil contains about 900 kcal per 100 grams, almost no protein or fat.

Monarda contains a large concentration of essential oils. They have bactericidal properties, relieve inflammation and cramps, strengthen immunity, support the nervous system.

Vitamins C, B1 and B2 in combination with flavonoids in the monarda help the body fight poisoning, strengthen and stimulate the cardiovascular system. Other substances that also help the work of the heart and blood vessels are anthocyanins. These pigments help to remove excess moisture from body cells, strengthen blood vessels and help prevent attacks of hypertension.

Useful properties of bergamot herb

General benefit

The main use of bergamot grass is to add to food, as well as the treatment and prevention of various diseases. It is difficult to overestimate the benefit of the plant

1. Hemostatic and regenerative properties are used for wound healing.
2. Antifungal and antimicrobial properties are used in complex therapy for colds, flu, recovery from complex operations.
3. The immunostimulating effect makes it easier to transfer diseases and not become infected during periods of epidemic seasonal viral diseases.
4. Disinfecting and analgesic properties are known and widely used in dentistry: rinsing with a decoction or chewing fresh leaves has a slight analgesic effect, helps with stomatitis, periodontitis and other diseases of the teeth and oral cavity.
5. Tinctures from monarda in combination with massage of the abdominal cavity with bergamot oil help fight parasites and effectively eliminate them. To enhance the effect, you can add pumpkin seeds to the products.

For women

Due to the fact that the monard contains substances that stimulate the production of painkillers, women can use its infusion to reduce spasms during painful periods.

Monarda contains flavonoids, which in their structure resemble female sex hormones. During menopause and before it, the use of infusions, the addition of oils with monarda helps reduce the concentration of lipids in the blood, strengthen the cardiovascular system.

For men

A scientific study conducted on one and a half thousand men proved that regular consumption of flavonoids, which are rich in bergamot grass, helps to reduce the risk of severe forms of prostate cancer by 30%.

With age, many men are at risk for cardiovascular disease. Monarda oil, which restores the metabolism of fats in cells, reduces bad cholesterol, prevents the formation of blood clots, and helps cleanse the walls of blood vessels.

During pregnancy

The production of hormones, stimulated by tinctures and oils of monarda, can adversely affect the health of the mother and fetus. The use of bergamot grass for food, as well as its use for cosmetic and medicinal purposes during pregnancy, should be limited in connection with the insufficiently studied mechanism of its effect and possible negative consequences.

When breastfeeding

Flavonoids in the monarda make the use of bergamot grass during feeding undesirable. However, we are talking about the regular use of infusions, oils, tea. Adding spicy seasoning to hot dishes, massage with aromatic oil or using sachets with dried herbs will not adversely affect the mother and baby, provided there is no allergy.

For children

Due to the presence of potent essential oils, monard broths are not recommended for children under three years of age. Then you should try to give infusions of bergamot grass to children with great care, as they can cause severe allergies. Up to six years of age, avoid the use of monarda oil in solutions for oral administration or for external use.

When losing weight

Decoctions and oil help the body absorb food, positively affect digestion processes. Monarda oil stimulates the liver and gall bladder, as well as digestion. The quality of metabolic processes in the body is the key to success in the fight against excess weight, therefore, taking into account the limitations of the means of bergamot herbs can supplement the diet for weight loss.

What is useful tea with bergamot

Tea brewed from fresh or dried monarda is recommended to drink before meals, in which case it stimulates appetite and warms. Drinking tea after eating shortly before bedtime has a relaxing and calming effect.

Tea Recipe:

1. Pour one tablespoon of fresh or dried leaves with one glass of boiled water.
2. Infuse tea for about 10 minutes.

You can add monarda to herbal teas with chamomile, Ivan tea and other ingredients.

Monarda oil: properties and applications

Due to the fact that monarda oil is obtained from different types of plants, color, aroma and beneficial properties may vary. All of its species are quite light, quickly absorbed and painted in orange.The most common oil from the monad monard has a scent with notes of rose, thyme, geranium and sage. Lemon monarda has the most pronounced smell of citrus. Before using aromatherapy oil, cold inhalation should first be carried out, make sure that there are no undesirable reactions, and only then start regular sessions.

Bergamot herb oil is potent and is rarely used in combination with other oils. Nevertheless, its combination with eucalyptus oil enhances the antiviral and bactericidal effect. Adding basil to it adds healing properties to the effectiveness. Other oils with which you can mix monarda oil are lemon, lime, geranium, almond, apricot or peach.

The aroma of monarda oil excites the nervous system and helps to fight fatigue, gives vitality. It helps to overcome troubles, supports when changing climate or time zones, during stress. Inhalation of its vapor increases working capacity.

It contributes to recovery from asthma, burns, infectious diseases. Its bactericidal properties help fight viruses and fungal pathogens. Among the diseases in which the use of monarda oil is recommended, pneumonia and bronchitis, otitis media and even tuberculosis are listed.

Monarda oil has a diuretic and diaphoretic effect, therefore, infusions from aromatic herbs help remove excess moisture from the body with cystitis, and along with excess fluid get rid of toxins and other harmful substances. Not only folk, but also official evidence-based medicine recommends monarda drugs for genitourinary infections and inflammatory processes.

Monarda oil is considered especially useful in old age, as it can alleviate the course of atherosclerosis, reduce the manifestation of anemia and oxygen deficiency.

The only known oil that can protect against radiation is monarda ether. Of course, the dose of radiation should not be large, but the protective effect and the benefits of the application after irradiation have been proven in practice.

The highest concentration of nutrients is present in the oil obtained by industrial steam distillation. However, at home, you can also prepare a tool for compresses, inhalation and massage. To do this, dry grass must be added to refined vegetable oil in a proportion of 1:10. Then for 2.5 hours, heat the oil at a temperature of about 60 degrees Celsius. After cooking, cool the mixture, filter and pour into storage containers.

Application in traditional medicine

In the scientific literature, it is mentioned that the Indians of North America used boiled monarda, they prepared stems with leaves with various spices or added them to meat dishes. Also, the antiseptic properties of monards were known to the indigenous peoples of America. Fresh leaves were applied to the wounds to accelerate their healing. Compresses with fresh leaves or with infusion of flowers and leaves are also considered useful in the healing of injuries and burns, dermatitis and other skin problems.

Monard infusions are successfully used to treat colds, coughs and other respiratory diseases. It is not difficult to prepare a medicinal drink: pour boiling water over several spoons of dried leaves and flowers, cover and insist for 40 minutes. Also, in folk medicine, inhalations, inhalation of a decoction or water vapor with monarda oil were often used to treat bronchitis and other respiratory diseases.

Foot baths with sea salt and monard broth help in the fight against fungus, reduce sweating in the legs and relieve unpleasant odors.

Rinsing the mouth with such an infusion helped Native Americans to relieve pain and reduce inflammation.

Monarda oil in cosmetology

Monarda oil has such a powerful wound healing and antiseptic effect that it is used not only for medical purposes.In cosmetology, decoctions and infusions of leaves of the bergamot herb are most often used for the prevention of problems and general skin and hair care.

Monarda oil is used for cosmetic purposes only in combination with other vegetable oils in a minimum concentration.

For example, body and face massage oil can be prepared from a base vegetable oil with the addition of 2-3 drops of monarda oil. 1-2 drops of other essential oils, such as pink, can be added to this mixture. Oil massage of monarda with tea tree, lavender and grape seed ether relieves nervous tension and perfectly relaxes.

A few drops of bergamot herb oil as part of a complex cosmetic product can be added to the bath for a warming and relaxing effect.

For face

The substances in monard oil work well on skin prone to oily skin and the appearance of acne. Also, its benefits have been proven for aging skin, to combat wrinkles and restore elasticity. Regular massage with a complex of oils with monarda supports aging skin, slows down the aging process.

Adding monarda oil to a moisturizer helps reduce rashes, prevent the appearance of a new acne, even out the tone of the face, and make the skin more elastic.

A cream with the addition of monarda is also useful to use after prolonged exposure to the sun in the summer, weathering and hypothermia in the cold season. The properties of monarda help the person recover faster after exposure to extreme conditions.

Facial masks contribute to deep cleansing of the skin, reduce rashes. One of the simple recipes:

1. 2-3 tablespoons of dried monarda leaves pour 300 ml of hot water and insist for 10-12 hours.
2. Combine the infusion with blue cosmetic clay and mix thoroughly.
3. Add olive or other moisturizing oils to the mask, which will help strengthen and complement the effect of the cosmetic product.
4. Apply the mask for 15–20 minutes and then rinse thoroughly, removing all residues. In case of itching, burning or other unpleasant sensations, immediately wash off the mask with the monard.

To achieve a qualitative result, such masks should be applied 1-2 times a week for a month. The cosmetic mix can be stored in the refrigerator, but should be warmed to room temperature before use.

1-2 drops of cosmetic (diluted with another) monarda oil added to a tonic or lotion will help narrow the pores and enhance the cleansing effect of the cosmetic.

For hair

For the treatment of seborrheic dermatitis and other diseases of the scalp, the use of monard oil is recommended. In order to strengthen the hair, giving it shine and volume, less concentrated products made from bergamot grass are used. The raw materials are simply brewed (2 tablespoons per 0.5 l of water) and the hair is washed with broth after washing the hair.

In combination with several other oils, such as olive oil, you can prepare a mask that will help get rid of dandruff and reduce hair loss.

Procedures with pulp from the leaves and flowers of the monarda or its oil should be limited in time, after half an hour the hair must be thoroughly washed.

The use of monarda in cooking

Stems, leaves and inflorescences are used to obtain spicy seasoning. The use of bergamot herb in cooking is very wide:

1. Dried leaves can be added to meat and fish dishes, as well as pizza and pasta. It is important to add seasoning a few minutes before cooking is completed in order to preserve the beneficial properties of the herb and its aroma.
2. Fresh leaves decorate fruit and vegetable salads.
3. A traditional spring salad of radishes, green onions and eggs, when several leaves of bergamot herb are added to it, gets a new sound, enriched with lemon aroma and spicy taste.
4. Monarda greens perfectly complement the salad of tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet peppers, feta cheese and olives. Dressing the salad with lemon juice with a small addition of garlic makes it low-calorie, nutritious and very useful.
5. Fresh monarda leaves can be part of pesto sauce instead of or together with oregano grass.
6. Dessert jelly with the addition of green bergamot turns fragrant and enhances the taste of fruits. Stewed fruit, jam, jelly, fruit drink also acquire a mint-citrus flavor with the addition of bergamot herb.
7. Apple jam with monarda: for preparation you will need 3 liters of sugar syrup, 5 medium-sized green apples and 10 grams of leaves of bergamot grass. Finely chop the greens, place in boiling syrup and simmer for about 10 minutes. Then add diced apples and cook until cooked.
8. Compote with monarda: half a glass of gooseberry, half a glass of red currant, 10 grams of bergamot herb, 5 grams of basil should be boiled in boiling water to soften. Then grind the mixture, strain and cook for a few more minutes with the addition of sugar (3-5 tablespoons).
9. Fresh greens added to tea or lemonade can replace mint and give drinks a fresh spicy aroma.
10. Monarda leaves can be chopped, placed with water in ice molds and frozen. This will allow you to prepare drinks with fresh leaves of bergamot grass year-round.
11. Monarda is an excellent preservative, so it can be added with pickling and pickling cucumbers, cabbage, tomatoes. Distribute the stems and inflorescences of dill, the greens of cherries and currants along the bottom of the jar, place the upper part of the stems with monard leaves on top, under the cover. At the same time, the aroma and taste of the bergamot herb does not disappear and does not mix with other aromas, and the shelf life and quality of vegetables in the workpiece are improved.

To prepare dishes from fresh raw materials, the monard leaves must be thoroughly washed, insisted in cold water, so that all debris and insects float, and then shake and dry.

Honey from fresh monarda flowers has many useful properties:

1. Monarda flowers should be placed in a container with a volume of about 300 grams, filling the container by about a third.
2. Pour flowers with honey, while the container should be completely filled.
3. Mix thoroughly to remove air.
4. Close the jar tightly and leave for a month and a half in a dark, cool place.

Honey, soaked in monarda flower oils, has a pleasant aroma, and can also fight sore throats with colds.

Harm and contraindications

Monarda oil is a potent substance, it intensively affects all body systems. Its use is possible only after consultation with a specialist and in many cases only after the rest, less intense means, did not help to achieve the desired result. You should carefully study the dosage recommended by the manufacturer of the finished monarda oil. If medicines from bergamot grass are made independently, the concentration should not exceed 3-5 drops per 10 ml of the base for massage, applications or rinses. Another option to soften the action of a powerful tool is to mix bergamot herb oil with other ethers.

Like many plants rich in essential oils, monarda can cause an allergic reaction when taken orally or topically. Before the first use for medical or cosmetic purposes, it is recommended to conduct a sensitivity test.

People with diagnosed hypertension, other pathologies of the cardiovascular system, peptic ulcers of the gastrointestinal tract, decoctions of bergamot herbs are not recommended. During an exacerbation of the disease and even during a period of remission, the monard can provoke a deterioration in health.

Due to the content of substances that stimulate the production of various hormones, the monard is not recommended for use in diseases of the thyroid gland and other problems with hormonal status.

When to collect and how to dry

Monarda successfully grows in the middle zone of the European part of Russia and in other regions with a temperate climate. It is not demanding on lighting, watering, tolerates frosts well. However, in order for the plant to grow successfully for several years, it is necessary to fertilize the soil, remember that in a strong wind brittle stems can break, plant bushes at a distance of at least half a meter from each other.

Monarda does not bloom in the first year of life. The highest concentration of essential oils in plants of the second year and older. Harvesting grass is best planned for the flowering period. The upper part of the plant should be cut off, about 20-30 cm from the soil surface. Leaves to dry should not be damaged or stained. The collected branches are dried in a darkened room, then they are crushed and stored in a glass container covered with a cloth or in a bag, which provides air access.

The aroma of dried grass is less than fresh, but its beneficial properties last for about a year. Before drying, you can separate the leaves from the stems, they contain a minimum of useful substances, and coarse fibers make them unsuitable for cooking.

In addition to drying, it is allowed to store monarda greenery in frozen form. The leaves are separated from the stem, washed, dried to remove moisture and placed in a container in the freezer. Harvested in this way, greens are not suitable for salads, but retain their flavor and can be used in meat dishes and soups.

Storage of monarda oil is allowed for three years or more due to the fact that it contains strong preservatives.

Interesting facts about bergamot

1. Monarda is a relatively new culture in Russia. It began to be actively studied in the 80s of the 20th century, and it was widely distributed among gardeners at about the same time.
2. Monarda is a beautiful ornamental plant. Experienced gardeners believe that it repels pests from neighboring plants, and also helps improve the taste of companion plants, such as tomatoes.
3. Useful properties of bergamot grass can be used as part of aromatic mixtures. Dry monarda inflorescences can be mixed with laurel leaves, rose petals, bark and cones, supplemented with eucalyptus or lavender essential oil. The resulting mixture can be used in transparent containers to decorate rooms and saturate the air with a pleasant smell or in a sachet to give a pleasant aroma to things in the closet. Bags with monarda, lavender, rose can also be laid in the pillow.
4. Monarda oil can be used to disinfect rooms and objects in families where there are sick family members. Treating with a small amount of this oil will help prevent the spread of the disease.
5. Home use will save on the purchase of a variety of products and avoid the use of synthetic toxic household chemicals. Dried monarda, spread along the walls and inside furniture, helps fight domestic insect pests, including eliminating bugs and cockroaches. Monarda oil helps stop the spread of black mold in wet rooms. Smoke from burnt stems and leaves helps to control pests in garden trees. Spraying water with the addition of bergamot herb infusion discourages beetles and caterpillars on cabbage and other vegetables. Bergamot roots release special substances into the soil and scare away underground pests.
6. The only way to obtain monarda oil, in which its beneficial properties are maximally preserved, is steam distillation. If the packaging of ready-made monarda oil indicates that it was produced by cold pressing, this may indicate that the product is a fake or does not have the declared beneficial properties.
7. Cosmetics of industrial production with bergamot in the composition does not contain preservatives.Bergamot herb oil itself is a natural preservative that does not require the addition of synthetic analogues.

Photo monarda