Turn: health benefits and harms

The thorn is a plant that many people know exclusively thanks to the Bible, because it was from him that a wreath was woven for Jesus. However, many do not even realize that this plant is a storehouse of usefulness for humans and can be used in everyday life. The turn is used today in medicine, as well as in cooking.

What is a turn

In its appearance, the thorn is a shrub that can reach five meters in height. Some of its varieties are more likely to resemble short trees. A distinctive feature is the presence of a large number of tenacious spines, and they are located throughout the bush.

Like most shrubs, the thorns bloom, it usually happens from April to May, the exact time depends on the region of growth. It is not difficult to recognize the flowering turn, as the whole bush is covered with very beautiful white flowers. During the flowering period of this plant, bees actively collect pollen and nectar from it, for this reason the thorns are referred to as honey plants.

The leaves of the thorns are oval with teeth along the edges. The length of the leaves generally reaches about 5 centimeters. The wood of the shrubs of the thorns is quite strong and strong, has a reddish-brown hue. Various products are made from it.

Thorns grow mainly in the steppes, forest-steppes, as well as in cutting areas and on the edges of forests. It also often grows near rivers and along roadsides, forming impenetrable barriers with its bushes. The roots are very long and penetrate deep into the ground, due to which they strengthen the slopes and prevent landslides and mudflows. For this reason, these plants are often planted purposefully in areas where the land is prone to erosion. In addition, the thorns are used for decorative purposes, sometimes planted in the home landscape.

The territory of plant distribution begins from the western European part of the country and extends to the Asia Minor zone, Ukraine, Tatarstan and Iran. You can find the turn very high in the mountains, at an altitude of about 1600 m above sea level.

The thorns also have fruits; apparently they are small berries with a diameter of only about 12 mm, rounded and dark blue in color.

What is the difference between turn and plum

In the scientific community, there is a slightly different name, namely, prickly plum. If you look at this plant, you will understand why it is so called. The fact is that outwardly it really looks like a plum, only a little with other fruits and thorns. However, there are fundamental differences between these related plants:

Firstly, unlike their relatives, the turn is more resistant to frost, and indeed not particularly whimsical to external conditions. Blackthorn bushes do not require ideal conditions for growth.

Secondly, plum and cherry plum are more home crops that are often grown by gardeners. The turn is rarely found in the home garden. This is due primarily to the fact that the fruits of the thorns are not very popular among people, they have a very tart and sour taste. Moreover, it is very difficult to collect such fruits due to the large number of thorns on the branches.

Thirdly, unlike, again, from related cultures, thorns are grown more likely for technical purposes or even grow in the wild.

It differs in turn and flowering process. In this case, it is later covered with flowers than other types of plums.In this case, the flowers of the plant appear even earlier than the leaves. You can also enjoy the ripened fruits of the turn rather late, in late August or early September. It was during this period that the blackthorn bushes covered with a large number of small blue berries about 1.5 cm long. The turn produces fruits quite stably and annually, and external conditions have little effect on this process. You can also find flowering and fruiting thorns during periods of drought.

Composition and calorie content

The calorie content of the thorns, like most fruits, is low. There are only about 54 calories per 100 grams of product. However, the fruits of the turn are rich in various substances. They contain the following components:

• essential oil;
• fructose;
• organic acids;
• sucrose;
• various vitamins: A, PP, E, C, B1, B2;
• glucose;
• pectin;
• tannins;
• iron;
• aromatic substances;
• potassium;
• manganese;
• calcium;
• chromium;
• zinc;
• phosphorus;
• sodium;
• iodine;
• cobalt.

Due to the content of tannins in the fruits of the thorn, they are extremely rarely removed in August-September after ripening. This is due to the fact that at this time the thorny plum is almost inedible. It is better to collect these fruits in a later period, after the first frost. With just one bush, you can collect up to 15 kilograms of fruit, while such a plum is very easy to transport, as it does not crease and does not deteriorate.

Useful properties of the turn

General benefit

Most plants have any additional utility bonuses for the human body. Turn in this case is no exception. It is surprising that absolutely all parts of this shrub can be used for medicinal purposes - from leaflets to roots.

Blackthorn fruits can be consumed both fresh and dried. And in fact, and in another embodiment, they will have a lot of useful properties:

1. They make intestinal functioning simpler and faster by improving the microflora. Fruits can be used to combat flatulence.
2. They are able to cleanse the body of various toxic substances and toxins.
3. They are a means to get rid of insomnia, as well as a mild sedative.
4. They struggle with shortness of breath and nausea.
5. They help to fight excess weight due to the fact that thorny plum has a beneficial effect on metabolic processes, and is also a real fat burner.
6. They help to make the walls of blood vessels much stronger, which greatly reduces the risk of developing heart disease, normalizes blood pressure, and reduces the amount of cholesterol in the blood.
7. Able to accelerate the treatment of hepatic and renal diseases.
8. Significantly increase the body's immune resistance.
9. Restore the balance in the oral cavity, strengthen the gums and, as a result, reduce bleeding.

Thorn plum flowers are rarely consumed fresh. As a rule, they are collected, dried, and then stored in special banks in the cellar or in another dark place. Most often, decoctions and infusions are prepared from flowers, which also have a therapeutic effect:

1. They make blood cleaner, rid the body of toxins.
2. Enhance pathogonism and diuretic.
3. They help to remove various inflammations on the skin, relieve furunculosis, and heal purulent formations.
4. Act as a sedative for neuralgia.
5. They make the liver cleaner, and normal bowel function.
6. Normalize metabolic processes.

The roots, shoots and bark of the plant also have many useful properties. One of the most common is a decrease in heat. Decoctions of them are often used in the fight against flu and colds. Also, such drugs can be used as anti-inflammatory drugs, both inside and out.

For women

One of the peculiarities of the fruits of the thorn is that most of the sugars in its composition are represented by fructose, so that in a mature state the thorn is quite sweet.It is very similar to fructose, which is part of honey, due to which the fruits of the plant can be an excellent dessert for women watching the figure, because their calorie content is very small.

The composition of the fruits of the turn contains a rather large number of anthocyanins, vitamin A, as well as carotene. Together, these substances are a means to prevent breast cancer. It is recommended that you eat thorny plum regularly to prevent this serious illness. In addition, it helps to increase the resistance of the walls of the small and large intestines, due to which less harmful substances enter the body.

Decoctions based on various parts of blackthorn contribute to the removal of excess fluid and, as a result, the elimination of puffiness in various parts of the body. This undoubtedly helps a woman look beautiful and fresh. In addition, decoctions can be used in the fight against various infections of the genitourinary tract. With their help, you can treat cystitis, as well as vaginitis and fungal formations on the vaginal mucosa. Decoctions are also often used for external use. By rubbing the skin of the face with a blackthorn decoction regularly, various rashes and inflammations can be eliminated.

The berries of the thorns can ease the premenstrual symptom for women, namely, eliminate pain during menstruation.

It is not recommended to use the thorns for women who are personally intolerant of this plant or its fruits, as well as those who are prone to constipation.

For men

The turn brings considerable benefits for men's health:

1. The plant can be used as a diuretic.
2. The turn is a good antiseptic and for this reason is often used in the treatment of the throat, lungs and bronchi in various diseases.
3. Fruits have a choleretic effect.
4. The plant is excellent in fighting diarrhea.

Blackthorn infusions and decoctions are useful for men who have heart problems or blood pressure. As mentioned earlier, the plant is able to strengthen the walls of blood vessels, due to which it is possible to normalize the heart rhythm, as well as prevent many complications, heart attacks and strokes.

A decoction of prickly plums can also help in improving the functioning of the genitourinary system of men, in the prevention of inflammation of the prostate. This remedy is also suitable in the fight against a hangover, since a blackthorn decoction is able to remove all toxic substances from the body and bring the water balance back to normal.

During pregnancy

Blackthorn berries reduce the risk of developing various nervous diseases, which is very important for pregnant women, because in such a delicate position it is forbidden to be nervous. You can use this plant as a natural and harmless soothing for the unborn child.

In addition, blackthorn berries are appreciated due to their unique ability to alleviate nausea during toxicosis.

When breastfeeding

When breastfeeding, thorny plum can also be used as food. Firstly, a large number of vitamins will help a young mother to return to normal after childbirth and make up for lost useful components. Secondly, blackthorn has a good effect on the restoration and improvement of the skin, which will help restore a healthy complexion, which is often absent after childbirth. Often, only the mothers who have given birth experience digestive problems and suffer from constipation. The fruits of the turn in this case will help to normalize these processes and will not allow the baby to suffer from constipation. With the help of blackthorn, you can remove excess water from the body and get rid of puffiness, which is also very useful for young mothers.

Only women who have given birth often suffer from anemia, since a significant part of the iron is lost when the baby is born.The turn contains iron, so you can even raise the level of hemoglobin.

For kids

For children, blackthorn fruits are most often used as an astringent in cases of indigestion. I must say that these berries have a rather strong effect and are able to stop even diarrhea in infectious diseases.

In addition, decoctions based on parts of blackthorn can be used as a means of combating sore throat or when coughing with sputum. In this case, gargle. A decoction of the thorn plant, taken internally, will help reduce the fever during a cold.

Treatment of boils and acne will be much faster when using a decoction of thorns. Due to the rich chemical composition, it is recommended to give the fruits of the thorns to children for preventive purposes. You can introduce this product into the diet of babies at the age of a year. An exception is children suffering from constipation or having intolerance to such berries.

When losing weight

Using the berries of the thorn when losing weight is not only possible, but also necessary. Firstly, as mentioned earlier, the turn helps to improve intestinal motility, as well as the restoration of metabolic processes. Often it is these problems in the human body that lead to weight gain. Their elimination, on the contrary, contributes to weight loss. Moreover, the thorns are a low-calorie product, and it is quite sweet in taste, which allows it to be used as a dessert during a diet. The benefits of the product have long been proven, the fruits of blackthorn even enter the Pasternak diet menu.

Turn in medicine

Due to the large number of useful properties, today the turn is also used for medical purposes.

With diabetes

In diabetes mellitus, it is recommended to use fruits and leaves of thorns. The berry contains the amount of sucrose and fructose that is acceptable for diabetics, so they can be safely eaten as a dessert, without fearing an increase in blood sugar. Moreover, thorns help lower blood sugar. Diabetics often suffer from indigestion, and therefore fruits and decoctions of thorns become a good astringent.

With pancreatitis

However, not all diseases can use the turn. For example, with pancreatitis, it is forbidden to take it in any form, since the substances contained in the composition of the fruits and other parts of the plant can worsen the situation of the patient. For this reason, it is best to consult with your doctor first.

With gout

With gout, the turn is also very useful, since it has a beneficial effect on metabolic processes, thereby removing excess salt from the body.

For diseases of the vascular system, it is necessary to regularly use decoctions and teas based on thorns, this helps strengthen blood vessels.

Cooking Application

Not only for medical purposes is used the turn. It is infrequent to find preparations from these fruits in the cellars of the hostesses, but you should pay attention to such goodies, as they can turn out to be not only tasty, but also very useful.

Of course, in cooking, the fruits of prickly plum are mainly used. You can cook from them a variety of dishes and preparations.

Harm and contraindications

Like any other product, the turn can cause harm to the body, so you need to know in which cases it should be used with caution:

1. It is often not recommended and in large quantities there are fruits of prickly plums, if there is intolerance to these berries.In this case, it is better to abandon them altogether or at least consult with a specialist in advance.
2. Do not eat the fruits of plum keys in the presence of stomach ulcers, gastritis and any diseases of the gastrointestinal tract in acute form. Such a plum can only enhance the development of the disease.
3. It is forbidden to eat the fruits of such a plum with an increased level of acidity in the stomach.
4. It is also not recommended to eat the fruits of the thorns with a tendency to constipation, both for adults and children.
5. Do not eat thorny plum on an empty stomach, as it contains a considerable amount of acid. It, in turn, can cause irritation of the mucous membranes of the stomach.

It is strictly forbidden to use the seeds of thorns plum as food, since amygdalin substance accumulates in them. In large quantities, it becomes a real poison, extremely toxic to the body. Actually, for the same reason, it is not recommended to store compotes and jam from thorns with seeds for more than a year.

How to collect and how to store the turn

If you do not grow thorns on your own, then you can find wild thickets of this plant on village estates, mountain slopes and not far from the forest. You can use and collect any parts of this plant, but it is important to understand at what time it is better to harvest them.

It is best to collect the bark at the very beginning of spring, even before the tree begins to bloom. Then it needs to be dried for 3 weeks in the fresh air, and then dried to the end with an oven. It is better to store the bark in special bags made of cotton or canvas. In this condition, it can persist for three years.

The roots of the turn are better to dig out in the autumn, prepare and store similarly to the bark of the plant. Twigs, as well as young shoots, are best collected in the first month of summer. After assembly, they also need to be dried and placed in a dark storage room.

Decoctions from the roots and shoots can be drunk daily as regular tea. They have a good effect on the composition of the blood, and indeed on the body. Such a measure can be a good prevention against many diseases.

Is it possible to freeze the turn

It is not only possible to freeze the turn, but also necessary. This is a great way to harvest the fruits of this plant for the winter. Even in frozen form, thorns can be used for therapeutic purposes. Freezing is a safe form of harvesting fruits, almost all the useful properties of the product will be preserved for a long time.

If you intend to use the turn all winter, it is better to freeze it portionwise, then to get a little. It is not recommended to freeze the berry in one large container. Re-freeze it will not succeed, it will lose all its taste and healthy qualities.

Is it possible to dry the turn

Of course, you can dry the fruits of the turn. Such a measure will make it possible to prepare very useful berries for a long time, which can then be used to prepare decoctions, compotes, jelly, tinctures, and tea.

At first, it is better to dry the prickly plum in the fresh air. Then you can bring it to readiness in an oven or an electric dryer. After the berries are dried, they must be laid out in dry bags and put in a dark, dry place. An excellent option could be a pantry or a dry cellar.

What can be cooked from turn: recipes

The turn is a unique berry from which you can make many wonderful preparations, as well as use it in the preparation of various dishes. Although this product is not often found in our cooking, there are still a lot of recipes for various treats.

Jam

The jam from the fruits of prickly plums turns out quite thick, so that it can be used in the future for the preparation of pies and rolls.In addition, it turns out quite tasty, so it can be used to make sandwiches with butter. Making jam is very simple and fast.

So, the first thing you need to prepare the thorns. To do this, rinse, dry, and then get rid of the bones. It is worth noting that picking out bones is not an easy task, so be prepared for this in advance. After the berries are prepared, you need to weigh them in order to understand what their mass is seedless. Add sugar to the fruit in a proportion of one to one. Mix all this well, and then leave the resulting mixture at room temperature for about 2-3 hours. Then put the workpiece in the refrigerator for the night or the day.

After 12 hours, after the juice comes out of the turn, the sugar will dissolve. Do not be alarmed when this happens. Next, simply transfer the resulting mass into an enameled saucepan and put on medium heat. Bring the resulting mass to a boil and hold on the stove for another 5 minutes, stirring constantly. After this, the jam can be removed from the stove and left to cool.

As the jam cools completely, it should once again be put on the stove and cook on the same fire for another five minutes. Further, the resulting delicacy is simply poured into a jar and removed.

Jam

Thorny plum jam is also pretty simple to make. The first step is to prepare the berry, namely, rinse it, dry it and remove all the tails. Next, put the berries in a pan, add a little water. Boil all this for three minutes, until the berries are soft.

At the next stage, wipe the fruits through a sieve, thus avoiding the ingress of seeds and skins into the jam. To the resulting pulp add sugar in the same amount as the remaining mass of berries after grinding. Mix all this and put on a strong fire. Bring the mass to a boil and cook in this way for 10 minutes. After that, reduce the heat and cook for about 10 minutes, until the jam is thick enough. Checking the density is simple - drop the jam on a plate, while the drop should not spread. The resulting hot jam should be poured into a jar and tightened.

Compote

To make a compote, you will need about a kilogram of fruit, 200 grams of sugar, slightly dried rose petals and 2.5 liters of water.

As always, first sort through the berries, wash them. Next, put all the ingredients in a jar and pour boiling water. All this is left for 2 hours, then drain the liquid, boil it separately and again pour into a jar of berries. Then it remains only to tighten the jar lid very tightly and put it in a dark, dry place for storage.

Juice

The juice from the fruits of the thorns is best done using a juicer. For starters, take 2.5 kilograms of berries, wash them and remove the seeds. Then load the whole mass into a juice cooker, add 2.5 kilograms of sugar and wait until the device processes it. The resulting juice is simply poured into a convenient container.

Wine

To make wine, you need 2.5 kilograms of berries, 1.5 kilograms of sugar, 3 liters of water and 100 grams of raisins. Cooking is carried out in several steps:

1. Make sugar syrup.
2. Boil 2 liters of water, then add washed berries to it and cook for 10 minutes. It is necessary to ensure that the peel on the fruits is cracked, then remove the pan and cool it.
3. Pour the contents of the pan into a fermentation tank, add syrup, raisins. Remove the container to a dark place for fermentation.
4. At the end of the fermentation process (this usually happens after a month), drain the liquid into a special container. If you don't have enough sugar to taste, you can add more.

Tkemali sauce

From the berries of the turn, you can make an excellent sauce for meat dishes. For this, in addition to a kilogram of berries, the following ingredients will be required: a bunch of fresh cilantro, 5 grams of marsh mint, a little sugar, dry ground coriander, about 5 grams, 3 cloves of garlic, half hot pepper, salt, half a glass of water.

First of all, pour water into the washed berries, put on fire, stir and gradually heat. After 10 minutes add all dry spices. Grind pepper, garlic and cilantro, preferably with a blender. Wipe the fruits with spices through a sieve. The resulting mashed mass is again put on the fire and add ground garlic and pepper to it. Boil this mass and add salt to taste, also a little sugar.At the very end, when the sauce is almost ready, add herbs, mix thoroughly. Remove the seasoning from the heat and pour into a convenient container.

Soaked turn

This delicacy is prepared very simply. You need to prepare a kilogram of thorns, rinse them and put them in a jar. Next, prepare syrup from a kilogram of sugar and 100 ml of water. Pour the berries with syrup and add a sprig of mint there. Cover the resulting raw materials on top with a canvas napkin, and then put them in a warm, dry place for about a month and a half.

Interesting Turn Facts

1. This fruit contains just a huge amount of vitamin C (significantly more than currants).
2. Blackthorn leaves are excellently used as tea.
3. Chefs in some countries use thorns as an ingredient that adds sourness to the first and second courses. In France, on the other hand, the thorns fell in marinated form. Cooks take unripe berries and pickle them in oil. The resulting product tastes like olives.

Photo of the turn