general description
It is a large climbing liana shrub from the magnolia family.
Its length reaches fifteen meters, and twisting around trees, lemongrass
resembles a vine. The stem is 2 centimeters thick.
The plant takes the form of a bush in the northern regions. Lemongrass leaves
light green, petiolate and slightly fleshy, mostly located
bunches, their petioles can be either reddish or pink. Flowers
cream or white with a pleasant smell, and 3-5 stamens
pieces are combined into a thick column.
Schisandra berries 2-seed, bright red, juicy, spherical,
very sour. The seeds smell like lemon
and have a bitter, pungent taste. The bark of roots and stems also smells
lemon, hence the name – lemongrass.
Liana grows wild in the south of Sakhalin, in Primorye, also
it can be found in broad-leaved forests, in river valleys, along the edges,
in clearings. Abundant harvests of lemongrass occur every few years,
and due to the careless breakage of branches during the collection, the overgrowth of the shrub
is suspended.
How to choose
Usually the fruits and seeds of lemongrass are harvested. As it matures
collect the fruits. And the drying process consists of two parts:
at first, lemongrass berries wither a little in the air two to three
days, and after that they dry
them in a special dryer or conventional oven. Initial temperature
set within forty degrees, and by the end of drying raise
her up to sixty.
How to store
Unfortunately, fresh lemongrass berries are hard to find and buy. But
summer residents grow this vine on their plots. Collected thin
a layer in the boxes, the fruits are immediately dried. Then they are put in small bags.
You can squeeze juice from fresh berries without damaging the seeds and preserve
it with sugar. After standing for a while, the juice acquires a jelly consistency.
Another good way to store fruits is to cover them with sugar,
grind well and put in a jar. Store in the refrigerator.
Chemical composition
Schisandra fruit contains almost 20% organic acids, the main
the amount is apple, lemon and wine. A little sugar
and about 500 mg of vitamin
C per 100 grams of berries. It also contains pectins, tannins,
saponins, flavonoids, anthraquinones. Lemongrass is rich in essential oils,
because in its stem and seeds there are more than two percent of them, and in the bark of the stems
above three. The essential oil has found its use in perfumery.
Up to 33% of the fatty oil is included in the seeds. Oil is composed of glycerides
unsaturated fatty acids – oleic and linoleic. It also contained
vitamin found
E. Due to its composition, lemongrass has immunostimulating, adaptogenic,
stimulating and tonic properties.
Nutritional value per 100 grams:
Proteins, g Fats, g Carbohydrates, g Ash, g Water, g Caloric value, kcal 1 – 1.9 – – 11.1
Useful properties of lemongrass
Composition and presence of nutrients
Lemongrass leaves contain a large amount of micro- and macroelements:
calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, copper, manganese, cobalt, iodine, zinc
and aluminum. They are also present in fruits, but only significantly
large quantities.
The value and useful properties of lemongrass fruits are vitamins
E and C, mineral salts, organic acids, sugars and other constituents
mentioned above.
But the most important and beneficial ingredients in lemongrass are
schizandrol and schizandrin – biologically active substances included
into essential oil. They tone up
and improve liver function. These substances stimulate the cardiovascular
and the nervous system. The daily dose of these substances is contained in 50 grams
fresh pulp of lemongrass.
Medicinal properties
Even in the XNUMXth century, it was known about the refreshing and tonic effect
lemongrass fruit. Local hunters, in the Far East, took from
dried lemongrass berries to hunt, they helped them to be more resilient.
Today lemongrass has found its widespread use as
adaptogenic and stimulant for mental and physical
overwork. It is also very effective for depressive and asthenic
syndromes.
Lemongrass tincture is used as a prophylaxis for acute respiratory infections and
flu.
The content of glycogen, under the influence of lemongrass in the liver, decreases,
and in the muscles – it increases, and the amount of lactic acid changes
vice versa.
In China, lemongrass seeds and fruits are used for a weakened heart
muscle, heart neurosis, nephritis, hypertension. A decoction of berries also lowers
blood sugar, chloride and alkali reserve, as well as good
stimulates tissue respiration.
Fruits and seeds are prescribed for various diseases: anemia, sexual
weakness, tuberculosis
lungs, diseases of the kidneys, liver, stomach, respiratory organs.
The infusion is very simple to prepare: take 1 tablespoon of dry
or fresh berries and pour 250 ml of boiling water, leave for at least two
hours. You need to take two tablespoons four times a day.
Alcohol tincture
can be prepared like this: 10 grams of crushed seeds, 20 grams of fruit
pour 100 ml of 70% alcohol, leave for 10 days, then strain. Accept
on an empty stomach, 25-30 drops.
Use in cooking
In cooking, lemongrass is used to prepare delicious fruit drinks,
syrups. Such drinks cheer up and relieve fatigue.
Delicious jams, preserves, marmalades and compotes from lemongrass. Confectionery
factories add it to some varieties of marmalade, chocolate and candy.
And at the Primorsky Combine, refined sugar is produced, which includes
lemongrass extract is present.
Use in cosmetology
The raw materials of lemongrass have also found their application in cosmetology. His
included in moisturizing, toning masks for
skin. The concentrated extract is effective against some
skin diseases, and is also used in cosmetic creams.
Dangerous properties of lemongrass
Preparations containing lemongrass have practically no contraindications.
But, even in spite of this, it should be applied only after consultation.
with a doctor and do not abuse.
Lemongrass is contraindicated for people with increased nervous excitement,
insomnia
high blood pressure, increased gastric secretion.
If you do not want to suffer from insomnia all night, take your medications.
with lemongrass no later than 18-19 hours.
During pregnancy, the use of lemongrass is also discussed with your doctor.
In the video, Evgeny Fedotov and Roman Vrublevsky will tell you about useful
qualities of lemongrass and will show how this plant looks like.
