Mulberry , or Mulberry tree ( lat. morus) - genus of plants of the family Mulberry (Moraceae).

The genus includes 10-16 species of deciduous trees distributed in the warm temperate and subtropical zones of Asia, Africa and North America. Mulberry also grows in the territories of Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, South Kazakhstan, Romania, Bulgaria and Moldova.

Among the people, you can sometimes find mulberry under other names - here, mulberry, mulberry, mulberry tree, tutina, tutina.

Mulberry in youth is a fast-growing tree, but gradually slows down its growth and rarely grows over 10-15 m. The leaves are alternate, simple, often lobed, especially on young shoots, serrated at the edges. The fruit is complex, consisting of drupes, fleshy from an overgrown perianth, 2-3 cm long, from red to dark purple, edible - in some species it is sweet and has a pleasant smell. Mulberry lives up to 200 years, less often up to 300-500.

It has an edible fruit, which is used to make fillings for pies, make wines, mulberry vodka and soft drinks. Berries of red mulberry (native to North America) and black mulberry (native to southwest Asia) have a pleasant aroma. White mulberries (originally from East Asia) have a different smell, often described as "tasteless". The ripe fruit contains a large amount of resveratrol, which is a powerful plant antioxidant.

Two species - white mulberry (Morus alba) and black mulberry (Morus nigra) - are widely cultivated, including in the south of Russia.

In Jericho, a mulberry tree grows, under which, according to legend, Jesus Christ was looking for shadows. She is over 2000 years old.

Mulberry species

The classification of mulberries is complex and ambiguous. In total, descriptions of over 150 species of this plant have been published, but only 10-16 species are considered valid, according to various classifications. The classification is also often complicated by the large number of hybrids.

These types are generally recognized:

This type of mulberry comes from Southwest Asia, where it has been cultivated since ancient times for its edible fruits and has spread widely to the west and east. It is most widely distributed in Iran, Afghanistan, North India, where it is often used to make jams and sorbets.

Black mulberry- deciduous tree 10-13 m high with leaves 10-20 cm long and 6-10 cm wide, covered with fluff below. The fruit is a dark purple, almost black, polydrupe, 2-3 cm long. It is edible and has a sweet taste. Flowering time - May - June, "fruits" ripen in July - August.

Mature "fruits" of black mulberry contain up to 25% sugars (mainly glucose and fructose), organic acids, tannic, pectin, coloring and other substances, carotene, vitamins B1, B2, PP, rubber. The "fruits" of black mulberry have a high iron content - up to 6.5%.

In areas of cultural plantings, mulberry is the basis of industrial sericulture. Along the way, the bast of a tree has long been used - for the production of fabrics, ropes, paper, paints. The "fruits" of mulberries are consumed fresh and dried, they are used to prepare syrups, jams, vinegar, bekmes (artificial honey). Dried "fruits" withstand long-term storage and completely replace sugar.

Medicinal properties have seed and juice from them, leaves, bark of branches and roots. "Fruits" (in equal measure and water infusion) - a good anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, expectorant, "blood-purifying", diaphoretic, diuretic, astringent (especially immature "fruits") remedy. Despite the high percentage of sugar, ripe black mulberry fruits quench thirst well.

An infusion of mulberry leaves is prescribed as a tonic and antipyretic, as well as for beriberi, diabetes, a decoction of the bark - for heart diseases. The crushed bark (mixed with vegetable oil) is applied as an ointment on old wounds and bruises, and the infusion of the “fruits” and the juice diluted with water is an excellent external remedy (gargle) for diseases of the throat and oral cavity.

It comes from the eastern regions of China, where it has been cultivated for about four thousand years as food for the silkworm. From China, the mulberry spread to Central Asia, Afghanistan, North India, Pakistan, Iran, and somewhat later - to the Transcaucasus. Approximately in the VI century. appeared in Georgia, has been known in Europe since the 12th century, in America - not earlier than the 16th century. In the 17th century bred in Moscow, but the climate was too harsh for her, and the cultivation of mulberry moved to the Lower Volga region and the North Caucasus.

At present, it is extensively planted everywhere and widely naturalized from India, Afghanistan and Iran to Spain and Portugal. In the European part of Russia, its culture is possible up to the Volgograd line, to the north there is a danger of freezing. In the North Caucasus, mulberry often runs wild and is found in riverine forests.

white mulberry grows in the form of a tree, up to 15-18 m high with a sprawling spherical crown. The trunk and large branches are covered with grayish-brown bark. The leaves are broadly ovate, unequal at the base, petiolate, serrated along the edge, palmate-toothed, 5-15 cm long. They are located on shoots of two types: elongated vegetative and shortened fruitful. The flowers are unisexual, collected in inflorescences: staminate - in drooping cylindrical ears, pistillate - in short oval on very short peduncles. The axis of the inflorescence expands during fruiting, forming seedlings from numerous nuts enclosed in overgrown fleshy and juicy pericarp. Blossoms in April-May, fruits ripen in May-June. Seed fruit - polydrupes, up to 4 cm long, cylindrical, white or painted in pink or red. The taste is sickeningly sweet. They are edible fresh (white, soft and the branches fall to the ground from a slight shaking), they can be dried and fermented into wine. The taste is inferior to black mulberry in saturation.

Unlike black mulberry, white mulberry does not spoil clothes.

Tannins (3.2-3.7%), flavonoids (up to 1%), coumarins, organic acids, resins, essential oil (0.03-0.04), sterols (sitosterol, capesterol) were found in the leaves of white mulberry . Rutin, hyperoside, and quercetin were isolated from the sum of flavonoids, and osthol was isolated from coumarins.

The fruits contain up to 12% sugars (sometimes up to 23%), represented mainly by monosaccharides, about 1.5% nitrogenous substances, 0.1% phosphoric acid, flavonoids, carotene, pectin, organic acids (malic, citric), a little vitamin C and tannins.

White mulberry in folk medicine:

- The bark of the trunks and roots - in the form of an aqueous decoction is used for coughs, bronchitis, bronchial asthma, as an expectorant, diuretic, as well as for epilepsy and hypertension.
- Juice of the bark of the roots - drink on an empty stomach as an antihelminthic.
- Leaves - in the form of an infusion as an antipyretic for colds.
- Fresh leaf juice - soothes toothache.
- Fresh fruits - gastric and duodenal ulcers.
- Syrup (doshab), boiled from fruits in Azerbaijan, is used for cardiovascular diseases, anemia, as a hemostatic agent for postpartum, uterine bleeding, urticaria and scarlet fever.

White mulberry leaves are the preferred food for silkworms and can be used to feed cattle and goats.

Mulberry wood is used for household crafts, musical instruments, dishes, and various souvenirs.

It comes from eastern North America. There it grows from Ontario and Vermont to Florida, Texas and South Dakota.

Red mulberry is a tree 10-15 m high with heart-shaped leaves 7-14 cm long and 6-12 cm wide. The fruit is a dark purple polydrupe 2-3 cm long, resembling a blackberry in appearance. It is edible and has a sweet taste.

Small-leaved mulberry (Morus microphylla). Homeland - the south of North America: Texas, Mexico. It looks like red mulberry, but its leaves and fruits are smaller.

Mulberry is propagated by seeds, cuttings, parts of roots and layering.

Reproduction by seeds. Seeds are usually harvested when the berries have acquired an intense color for the variety. Then they are stored until spring sowing.

To grow seedlings, they are sown in warm ground in late April - early May. A very even bed is prepared for them, and on it, after 40 cm, ridges 10 cm high are raised. These ridges are compacted from all sides. Seeds are sown in grooves at the tops of the ridge to a depth of 1 cm. It is best to close them up with humus, sawdust or structural earth.

In order for the seedlings to be strong and grow well, water for irrigation must be prepared with special solutions. For the first time, it would be good to pour the seeds with a solution of Chinese magnolia vine, tree-like and pinnate in a ratio of 1: 2 (0.5 l per 10 l of water). Then water daily with plain water so that it nourishes the soil until sprouts appear and leaves form. After a month, the seedlings again need to be watered with a solution so that the root system becomes thicker.

Already 2-year-old seedlings are planted on the place intended for mulberry. Mulberry begins to bear fruit in the 5th - 6th year. And every year the harvest is getting richer.

Mulberry is vegetatively propagated by layering, root shoots, cuttings with green and lignified cuttings, as well as grafting. By grafting, as a rule, the best varieties and decorative forms are propagated. It is effective to propagate mulberries with green cuttings. With this method, the rooting of cuttings is 80-90% even without the use of growth regulators. When propagated by lignified cuttings, the results are much worse. When propagating mulberry using grafting, white mulberry seedlings are used as rootstocks. You can graft by all methods known in horticulture. For planting mulberry seedlings, a well-lit place protected from cold winds is selected, preferably on the south side of the site. The distance to other plants is 5-6 m. Before planting seedlings, planting pits are dug 80 × 80x60 cm in size. The pits are covered with soil from the upper fertile layer. 2-3 buckets of humus or compost, 60-80 g of superphosphate and 40-50 g of potassium salt or 150 g of complex fertilizer are added to each pit. In the pit, fertilizers are thoroughly mixed with the soil. In the conditions of Ukraine, it is possible to plant both in spring (April) and in early autumn (September - early October).

If mulberries are planted specifically for harvesting, then it is advisable to take a seedling from the nursery that has already been fruiting, so as not to take male specimens, which, naturally, will not bear fruit. The soil on the trunk circles is kept in a loose and weed-free state. When the plants begin to bear fruit, it is advisable to regularly feed them with fertilizers. Usually, during the growing season, one feeding is enough in the phase of bud break, while per 1 sq. m contribute 30-50 g of nitrophoska. If necessary, feeding is repeated in the first half of June. Simultaneously with irrigation, fermented slurry diluted with water 5-6 times, or bird droppings, which are diluted 10-12 times, are introduced. In the second half of summer, top dressing is not carried out in order to timely end the growth of shoots and better prepare them for winter.

On a backyard or summer cottage, it is better to grow mulberry in a bushy form. The height of trees is limited to 3 m. In fruit-bearing trees, the main type of pruning is thinning. Cut out branches thickening the crown, crossing, diseased, weak, broken, trying to keep the crown within a given height and width.

Damaged

— American ifantria (Ifantria americana)- a butterfly that gnaws at the leaves (leaving only the "skeleton" - the veins), which ultimately leads to the complete deleafing of the plant. Against it, they are treated with organophosphate insecticides;

Mulberry is an extremely useful plant.

The fruits of mulberry contain vitamins:, B2,, PP, carotene, organic acids (malic and citric), essential oils, almost 27% of higher fatty acids, up to 63% of lipids. Valuable fruit content of carbohydrates (glucose, fructose, sucrose) and iron salts.

Fresh fruits are useful for anemia, they contribute to the restoration of impaired metabolism in the body. In scientific medicine, they are used for hypochromic anemia, which is associated with gastritis with low acidity of gastric juice. Mulberry is very useful for gastrointestinal diseases (enterocolitis, dysentery, dysbacteriosis) and diseases of the biliary tract.

Medicine has experience in treating patients with myocardiostrophy and heart disease with a large number of fresh mulberry fruits. After the course of treatment, the pain subsided in patients, the work of the heart improved, shortness of breath decreased, and working capacity was restored.

Juice and infusion (or compote) of fresh fruit is used as an expectorant and diuretic.

Juice is an effective remedy for the treatment of ulcerative lesions of the mouth and throat. For rinsing, use juice diluted with water, or an infusion of fresh fruits.

Infusion of mulberry leaves in folk medicine is used for hypertension, inflammation and cough.

In Chinese folk medicine, a decoction of the roots is used for kidney failure and sexual impotence. In mild forms of diabetes, it is useful to sprinkle dishes with mulberry leaf powder before meals.

Mulberry leaves, especially white mulberry, are the main source of nutrition for silkworm larvae, the pupa of which is used to produce silk. In addition to the silkworm, the larvae of the tailed green moth (Hemithea aestivaria), linden hawk moth (Mimas tiliae) and maple lancet (Acronicta aceris) also feed on mulberry leaves.

Mulberry wood is highly valued. In Central Asia, it is used to make musical instruments. It is used as a building and ornamental material in carpentry and cooperage due to its qualities - dense, elastic, heavy.

- A decoction of branches reduces blood pressure, relieves rheumatoid pain. To do this, they, along with the leaves, should be chopped with a hatchet and steamed in a large saucepan (or better in cast iron) in the oven or Russian oven 2-3 hours. Pour the contents of the pan into a bucket and soar your feet in it. Then put warm leaves over the knees, feet, wrap them with linen cloth and wrap them with a woolen scarf on top. Do the procedure before bed.

- Against high "sugar". Brew 2 tbsp. spoons of mulberry leaves in 1 tbsp. boiling water overnight in a thermos (daily rate). Drink 10 days.

- A decoction of the leaves is drunk for colds and chills 3-4 times a day, 100 g each, adding mint leaves to it. The effect is not worse than after raspberry leaf tea.

- Berry juice cleanses the blood, dissolves tumors in the throat, larynx, in the sky. Gargling with juice relieves rashes and mouth ulcers.

- Mulberry roots make a good expectorant, thinning thick, viscous sputum.

Mulberry: contraindications

Mulberries should be used with caution in hypertension, as in hot weather it can cause an increase in blood pressure. A lot of mulberries should not be eaten by patients with diabetes.

Taking too many ripe mulberries can cause diarrhea.

Mulberry storage

Mulberry fruits are difficult to keep fresh for a long time. They can lie down in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, and then they need to be urgently recycled.
Mulberry is used to make jam, compote, it is cooked in sugar syrup, and in Armenia, for example, an extract (bekmes) is made from white mulberry. Mulberry is good as a filling for pies.

• Mulberry compote

For the preparation of compote, large-fruited cultivars of white or black mulberries with a high sugar content are suitable.

Fresh healthy berries are sorted, impurities are removed, half of the stem is cut with scissors. Rinse thoroughly with a psi shower until the dirt is completely removed. Let the water drain.

The prepared mulberries are tightly packed in jars and poured with sugar syrup: white mulberries - 20-30% concentration, red - 40-45% concentration.

Filled jars with a capacity of 0.5 l are placed in a sterilization bath with an initial temperature of 40-50°C, pasteurized at 85-90°C for 20 minutes or sterilized at 100°C for 10 minutes.

On a jar of 0.5 liters they spend: fruits - 300 g, syrup - 200 g.

• Mulberry jam

First way. Ripe large and medium-sized mulberries are sorted out, defective leaves and other impurities are removed, washed in the shower or immersed in a colander in a basin of water. The stalks are partially cut with scissors, leaving 0.1-0.2 cm.

Sugar syrup is prepared at the rate of: for 1 kg of berries 1.5 kg of sugar for black, 1.2 kg for white varieties and 1.5-2 cups of water. Berries are poured with hot syrup, brought to a boil and boiled over low heat for 5-8 minutes. Remove from heat, after 5-6 hours bring to a boil for the second time and cook for 5-6 minutes. After 5-6 hours, cook on low heat until tender. Before the end of cooking add 3 g of citric acid per 1 kg of jam.

The finished jam is hot packed in jars and corked.

The same jam is produced with pasteurization. Filled jars are pasteurized at 90-95°C: jars with a capacity of 0.5 l - 8-10 minutes, 1 l - 15 minutes.

The second way. Fruits are poured with syrup and incubated for 3-4 hours. Throw on a sieve or colander, and boil the syrup to a boiling point of 104-105°C. The discarded fruits are lowered into the finished syrup and boiled over high heat until tender.

The third way. Send mulberry with sugar and, after 6-8 hours, boil over low heat for 5-8 minutes. After that, leave again for 5-6 hours, and then boil again for 5-10 minutes. This is done until the jam is ready.

With all cooking methods, at the end, 2-3 g of citric acid per 1 kg of mulberry must be added to the jam.

• White mulberry extract (bekmes)

White mulberries of large-fruited cultivars are sorted, leaves, dried and underdeveloped fruits are removed, washed in the shower, transferred to a canvas bag and pressed. You can get juice in another way: 1 liter of water is added to 10 kg of mulberry, brought to a boil and pressed on grape presses in a canvas bag under load.

The resulting juice is filtered and boiled over low heat until its volume is reduced by 3-3.5 times. When boiling, the juice should be stirred periodically and remove the foam from it, avoiding burning. Readiness is easy to determine by the foam: if foaming goes to the center of the dish and large bubbles, then the bekmes is ready.

Ready bekmes has a light brown color and taste of sweet ripe mulberries. Packed cold and without sealing.

Use bekmes with butter mixed with finely crushed walnuts or simply with bread.

• Mulberry in sugar syrup

For such canned food, you can take fruits of any color or a mixture of varieties of different colors.

Ripe fruits are washed with cold water, allowed to drain, and then laid out in one layer on an oilcloth for drying. During the drying process, the fruits are periodically mixed to dry the entire surface.

Dried mulberries are passed through a meat grinder. Cook sugar syrup at the rate of 1.2 kg of sugar and 300 g of water per 1 kg of fruit.

The crushed mulberries are poured with boiling sugar syrup, the mixture is well stirred and hot packaged in sterilized hot jars, filling them to the top.

Filled jars are covered with pre-prepared mugs of parchment paper soaked in alcohol. (The diameter of the circles should be equal to the outer diameter of the can.) On top of the paper circles, the cans are covered with metal lids and corked. Closed jars are kept until cool at room temperature, then placed in a cool place.

Mulberry Composition

In 100 gr. mulberry contains:

Water - 85 g
Proteins - 1.44 g
Fats - 0.4 g - 0.05 mg

Calorie content of mulberries

100 g of mulberry contains on average about 43 kcal.

Interesting information about mulberry

— There is a beautiful legend about how mulberry was used to make silk. Princess Xi Ling Shi rested under a huge mulberry tree. Suddenly, a cocoon fell from a branch into a cup of tea. The princess saw how in hot water the cocoon unfolded with shiny, iridescent threads. So the Celestial Empire received one of its main secrets: that a nondescript silkworm living on a mulberry tree is a source of material from which precious silk can be made.

- Mulberry (mulberry) played its role in the development of world culture. As you know, paper appeared in China before our era. And it was the mulberry bast, which is located under the bark of the tree, that the Chinese used to make paper.

— For thousands of years, the population of the mountainous and foothill regions of Central Asia has been selecting the best forms of mulberry with high quality seedlings and good yields. Thus, the Balkh mulberry variety, which has come down to us from Asht and Kanibadam, produces 500-600 kilograms of berries per tree.

- In Tajikistan, a tradition has been observed for centuries: each family annually harvested half a ton of dried mulberry seedlings.

- It is believed that in Ukraine the oldest mulberry grows on the territory of the National Botanical Garden. Grishko. She is about 500 years old. According to legend, it was planted by monks from seeds brought from a pilgrimage to Central Asia. And what, it was from this tree that all the mulberries growing in Ukraine went. According to unconfirmed reports, Taras Shevchenko made several sketches of this mulberry tree.

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" Trees

The mulberry tree is a valuable culture for humans, the beneficial properties of which are mainly attributed to the production of silk.

However, few people know that no less fruits and leaves of the plant have valuable properties. They are widely used in cooking, folk medicine and cosmeceuticals.

Known homeopathic remedies are brewed from the fruits, and the extract from the leaves is part of the medical preparations.

The mulberry tree is a plant from the Mulberry family and the genus Mulberry, consisting of 17 generally accepted species. These are fast growing deciduous trees that reach 10 to 15 m in height.

The average lifespan of mulberry trees is 200 years, individual plants are known to be 300-500 years old.

The mulberry tree is also called the mulberry tree or the "royal tree". Depending on the color of the bark and stems secrete white, black and red mulberries.

The history of the white mulberry known to man begins in ancient China since the Neolithic. At this time, for the first time, strong shiny threads were discovered from the cocoon of a worm that feeds on the leaves of a tree. Subsequently, the threads began to be called silk, and the tree mulberry.

Gradually, the culture spread to the countries of Transcaucasia and Central Asia. The homeland of the red mulberry is North America, and the black one is southwestern Asia.

The natural area where the tree grows, zones with a warm temperate and subtropical climate. These are the countries of Asia, Africa and North America. In Russia in the southern regions, rarely winter-hardy varieties grow in the middle lane.

What do fruits look like? Mulberry fruits up to 2-3 cm in length, depending on the type come in dark purple, black, white and red.

These are sweet berries with a long aftertaste and a specific aroma. The appearance of the fruit strongly resembles blackberries.

Mulberry fruits are absolutely not transportable and do not tolerate long-term storage. Therefore, they enter the border of their range only in processed form.

Useful properties and benefits of berries and mulberry leaves

In ancient treatises and writings, you can find a large number of references to the beneficial and healing properties of different parts of the mulberry. Today they are confirmed by numerous studies of the chemical composition of the tree.

Nutritional value of fruits (100 g):

• carbohydrates 9.8 g;
• proteins 1.44 g;
• fats 0.39 g;
• water 87.68 g.

Energy value 43 kcal. Product carbohydrates are divided into sugars (8.1 g) and dietary fiber (1.7 g).

A small amount of calories, healthy sugars and the presence of dietary fiber make mulberry fruits attractive for dietary nutrition.

Besides fruits contain organic acids(1.2 g): apple and lemon. The main function of these substances is to improve digestion.

They stimulate peristalsis and sap secretion in the gastrointestinal tract, regulate the structure of the stool, and inhibit the development of putrefactive processes in the digestive tract.

Macronutrients:

• potassium 194 mg;
• calcium 39 mg;
• phosphorus 38 mg;
• magnesium 18 mg;
• sodium 10 mg.

All macronutrients from the composition of mulberry are necessary for human life. They regulate the water-electrolyte balance and the heart rate cycle, participate in the renewal and growth of bone tissue.

A stable intake of these substances will bring benefits: they support mental activity, muscle contraction and human energy potential. These properties are especially useful for children and older people.

Vitamins:

• ascorbic acid (C) 10 mg;
• niacin (B3) 0.620 mg;
• riboflavin (B2) 0.101 mg;
• thiamine (B1) 0.029 mg;
• folic acid (B9) 6 mcg;
• phylloquinone (K) 7.8 mcg;
• retinol (A) 1 mcg.

Thiamine promotes stable supply of glucose to the brain, improves memory. Riboflavin is good for eye structures, niacin prevents nervous stress.

Vitamin B9 contributes nucleic acid synthesis, cell division and the formation of red blood cells.

Vitamin C is one of the most important antioxidants which protects the body from environmental toxins. Ascorbic acid has anti-inflammatory and antipyretic properties.

Regular and proper use of fruits strengthens the immune system, improves mental work, increases the endurance of the body. Therefore, they are recommended for the diet of active people and when the body is depleted after prolonged illness.

The leaves of the plant contain a rare complex of useful substances that makes them no less valuable than fruits. They contain:

• tannins;
• flavonoids;
• organic acids;
• resins;
• essential oils;
• β-sitosterol, capesterol;
• vitamins of group B, C.

In folk medicine, sugar-reducing, multivitamin and general tonic agents are prepared from the leaves.

Mulberry leaves relieve pain and swelling in inflamed joints. To do this, they are simply applied to the affected area for 30 minutes 3-5 times a day.

Infusion of leaves is treated spasms of the brain, taking 100 ml of the drug 3 times a day.

Mulberry - tree of life:

Contraindications and harm of mulberry for the body

Mulberry fruits are contraindicated in case of hypersensitivity of the body. Even minimal use can cause a severe allergic reaction.

Mulberry fruits should not be consumed on an empty stomach, washed down with cold water and mixed with other products.

Use in folk medicine, medicinal properties

On average, mulberries contain 4.5% iron.. This is one of the main participants in hematopoiesis. Significantly enhance these properties of the substance vitamin K and copper. Therefore, they are used to treat and prevent anemia and hematopoietic disorders.

Fatty acids, essential oils and fruit tannins help fight gastrointestinal disorders:

• colitis;
• diarrhea
• dysbacteriosis.

For treatment, juice or infusion of fruits is used, 100 ml 3 times a day.

The combination of the percentage of mineral salts has a therapeutic effect when:

• atherosclerosis;
• ischemic heart disease;
• tachycardia, arrhythmias;
• myocardial dystrophy;
• hypertension;
• heart defects.

To treat these diseases, use juice or infusion of mulberries. Apply 300 ml per day for 14 days.

The chemical composition of fruits liquefies phlegm, removes toxins and particles of blood from the bronchopulmonary tract. The pronounced anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and diaphoretic properties greatly facilitate the course of bacterial and viral infections.

Therefore, they are used to treat:

• chronic cough;
• tracheitis;
• bronchitis;
• tracheobronchitis;
• SARS, acute respiratory infections, influenza.

For the treatment of these pathologies,. For this, 1 tbsp. l. means are dissolved in 100 ml of milk at room temperature. Before use, the product is diluted in 100 ml of hot milk. Taken 3 times a day.

How to cook a healing mulberry doshab:

Phytochemicals from fruits are used for the treatment of inflammatory processes in the oral cavity: stomatitis, gingivitis, periostitis. To do this, rinse the mouth with an infusion of mulberry fruits 4-5 times a day.

The fruits of the white mulberry contain a rare phytoalexin - resveratrol. The substance has a neuroprotective and anticarcinogenic effect.

These properties of fruits are useful for people with cancer and pathologies associated with damage to brain neurons.

Recipes from fruits and leaves

Juice is squeezed out of mulberry fruits, doshab, infusions, compotes, preserves and jams are cooked. The leaves are used for the preparation of medicinal herbal remedies and compresses.

Healing recipes:

1. Fruit infusion. The crushed raw materials (100 g) are infused in boiling water (0.5 l) for 5 hours.
2. Juice. The fruits are pressed under pressure. For each liter of juice add 100 g of sugar and 1 tbsp. l. lemon juice and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour into sterilized jars and seal with lids.
3. Leaf infusion. Fresh crushed raw materials (1 tablespoon) are poured with water (250 ml) and steamed in a water bath for 15 minutes. The agent is insisted for 3 hours, filtered and brought to the original volume.
4. Doshab. Fresh fruits (10 kg) are poured with water (0.5 l) and boiled over low heat for 1 hour. The berry mass is ground through a sieve, the released juice is boiled until a thick syrup is obtained.

Cooking recipes:

1. Jam. Washed and dried fruits (2 kg) are laid out in a wide container, covered with sugar (2 kg) and left to stand until juice appears. After that, the fruits are heated over low heat until the sugar dissolves and boil for 10 minutes, removing the foam. The jam is heated 3 times. For the last time, half the syrup is poured into a separate container. The finished product is sterilized in the usual way.
2. Jelly. To prepare a dessert, juice is squeezed out of the fruit, as in the preparation of doshab. Pectin (10 g) is added to the juice (0.75 l), brought to a boil and sugar (600 g) is added. After that, the jelly is kept on the stove for 2-3 minutes and poured into prepared jars. Containers with the product are sterilized and rolled up.
3. Compote. First, syrup is boiled at the rate of 150 g of sugar per 1 liter of water. Sterilized jars are filled with fruits by 1/3 and poured with hot syrup. Roll up with lids, turn over and, after cooling, remove to the storage place.
4. Mulberry in sugar. The washed fruits are laid out in small jars, laying each layer with sugar. For 1.5 kg of berries you will need 250 g of sugar.

Mulberry jam:

Also, mulberry fruits can be dried.. To obtain dried berries, it is better to use natural conditions: sunlight and wind. To do this, the fruits are laid out on a dry surface, covering with a film at night.

Mulberry fruits will retain up to 90-95% of useful properties when deep frozen. To do this, they need to be laid out in one layer on a baking sheet and placed in the freezer, setting the lowest temperature. After 10-12 hours, the fruits can be placed in a convenient container.

Proper use during pregnancy

During pregnancy, the volume of circulating blood in the body increases significantly to nourish the uterus and fetus. Therefore, the need for iron increases several times, deficiency of the substance causes anemia.

Regular consumption of mulberries will help prevent this complication.

The appearance of serious complications during pregnancy - varicose veins, preeclampsia, hemorrhoids - is associated with increased weight, pressure of the uterus on the vessels and an increase in fluid in the body.

deal with these problems macronutrients from the fruit will help. In addition, they are necessary for the strength of bone tissue, the load on which increases during this period.

Macronutrient intake is also important for the fetus. These are the main regulators of cell growth and division during the formation of organs and structures of the unborn child.

Numerous stresses associated with caring for a small child contribute to a decrease in lactation. A stable supply of phosphorus will help strengthen the nervous system, while resveratrol resist viral and bacterial infections.

Herbal remedies from mulberry fruits and leaves will useful for constipation, swelling and colds. They will help to avoid the unwanted use of chemicals during pregnancy and lactation.

The intake of nutrients from a dietary source will prevent excess weight gain, which in turn leads to many complications.

During pregnancy, mulberry fruits can be consumed no more than 300 g per day. You need to be more careful about this issue when feeding.

First you need to pass the test. To do this, use 1 tsp. and monitor the reaction of the baby's body. If there are no allergic reactions and gastrointestinal disorders, the rate can be increased to 100 g.

High productivity, a large number of useful properties and culinary appeal: such characteristics contribute to the gradual spread of the mulberry tree outside its natural range.

Today, the tree is increasingly found in medium-sized horticultural regions.. And this means that with a full understanding of the features, the culture can be grown in your own orchard.

Mulberry is called differently in the people and the scientific world: mulberry tree, mulberry tree. What is useful mulberry? Are there any special instructions for its use? Let's look for answers to these questions.

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Before we talk about how useful mulberry is, let's look at its history. The ancient Persians first appreciated the taste of this plant. Later, from Ancient Persia, the bulk berry spread far beyond the borders of its homeland. It was used as a dessert, as a component of various dishes, as well as for the preparation of medicinal potions for various kinds of ailments. The plant is very fond of southern countries and long summers, although it now grows in areas with a temperate, tropical and subtropical climate, where winter temperatures can drop below -30 ° C. Gives good yields in the European part of Russia, distributed from the Krasnodar Territory to the Sakhalin Peninsula, throughout Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, European countries, such as Romania, Asia and Africa.

The ancient Persian philosopher, naturalist and physician Avicenna devoted a separate section to this berry in his work, which tells about the knowledge of the ancient Persians in healing.

Of course, the ancient connection of this tree with China is known, where the foliage of young mulberry trees is a favorite delicacy of silkworm larvae. Even the name of the insect includes the name - mulberry. It turns out that we have heard about this versatile tree many times. In China, predominantly white mulberry is cultivated, from where it spread throughout the world and reached the orchards in our country. The history of growing white mulberry in the provinces of China has about four centuries. Black mulberry originally grew in the southwestern part of Asia, from there it spread and feels good in our latitudes.

Mulberry is mentioned in the Bible - under the branches of the Palestinian mulberry tree, Jesus Christ hid from the scorching rays of the sun. The life span of the mulberry tree is about two centuries, the sacred tree in Palestine is about two thousand years old.

Mulberry. Botanical description of the plant

The mulberry tree belongs to heat-loving and light-loving crops, although with the expansion of the habitat, the ability to frost resistance and the ability to endure cold down to -30 ° C was revealed. Thanks to this, the plant has spread far beyond the natural boundaries of existence, now it can be found from its place of origin - the warm countries of Asia - to the Russian north on Sakhalin and even in distant Australia.

The mulberry tree is a long-liver, the age of individual representatives can reach 200-300 years.

The tree is quite tall, mature plants reach 15-20 meters in height, the crown is sprawling, mostly spherical.

The fruit of the tree - a polydrupe or a false drupe, is actually a seed. Outwardly similar to the blackberry known to us. The fruits are small in size - 1-4 centimeters in size. There are many varieties of mulberries: black, dark purple, red, pink, white, yellow, they got their names from the color of the fruit, which can be very diverse. The shape of the berry can be in the form of a cylinder, cone, ball. The taste depends on the variety, it can be from pronounced sugar to sweet and sour. Berries have a delicate pleasant aroma. The tree is very productive, in a favorable year, up to 200 kg of ripe berries can be obtained from one. Fruiting has different time frames depending on the place of cultivation; in our latitudes, individual fruits can be harvested in July, the bulk of the harvest occurs in August.

Not only fruits and foliage have been used, but mulberry wood is also used in the economy. Joiners appreciated the strength, elasticity and rigidity of mulberry. It is used in construction, crafts, and in the manufacture of musical instruments.

What useful substances are rich in mulberry?

What is useful mulberry? Berries are an irreplaceable source of vitamins and minerals. Delicious fruits contain ascorbic acid, vitamins A, K, tocopherol, B vitamins, organic acids, including malic, trace elements: zinc, sodium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, calcium, selenium, iron, potassium, manganese, the optimal concentration of phosphorus acids, pectin substances useful for the intestines. Mulberry is especially rich in potassium, which is indispensable for strengthening the heart muscle.

A quarter of the mass falls on easily digestible sugars - fructose and glucose.

The leaves, beloved by the silkworm, contain carotene, tannins, vitamin C, volatile essential oil, and natural sugary substances.

The calorie content of mulberry fruits is only 50 kilocalories, it is recommended to include it in the diet of people who follow the energy value of food.

What are the benefits of mulberry for the body?

What is useful mulberry for the body? The rich composition provided the possibility of using berries and preparations made on the basis of different parts of the mulberry tree in various branches of medical science, traditional medicine, the food industry, and everyday life.

The use of berries

Berries are consumed fresh, juice is obtained, dried, infusions are made from them, frozen, canned, compotes, jams are cooked, confectionery products are made.

What is useful mulberry? Fresh juice is used as a mild antiseptic, for colds, inflammation of the larynx, nasopharynx, and oral cavity. Also, the use is recommended for diseases of the lower respiratory tract: bronchitis, pneumonia, prolonged painful cough, which are accompanied by a deterioration in the general condition, an increase in body temperature. Instead of the powder preparations that are familiar to us from pharmaceutical production and overseas citrus fruits, you can use fresh mulberry fruits with a sufficient content of ascorbic acid.

What is useful mulberry for the body? Infusion and decoctions based on berries help sputum to move more easily from the bronchi, contribute to the normalization of water balance, and the removal of excess fluid from the body. During the period of a cold, decoctions and fresh berries are very useful, which have a diaphoretic effect, which leads to a decrease in body temperature and the removal of metabolic products from the sick body. Mulberry is shown for use in renal failure and the presence of edema.

Mulberry berries are used as a prophylactic by asthmatics, with regular use, inflammatory processes decrease. In case of accumulation of mucus, its outflow is improved.

Different degrees of ripeness of the pods when consumed have the opposite effect on the digestive system. With diarrhea, it is better to use unripe fruits, and for constipation - overripe.

Healing properties of white mulberry

What is useful white mulberry? It has many healing properties:

• Especially useful in reducing blood hemoglobin.
• Restores the strength of the body during colds. The fruits and leaves of the white mulberry are a popular antipyretic in Asian countries.
• Contributes to the normalization of the outflow of bile.
• Normalizes the balance of beneficial intestinal microflora, improves digestion, is used for peptic ulcer, stomach and duodenal ailments.
• The fruits of white mulberry have a beneficial effect on maintaining male strength.
• Dried and crushed leaves, bark, roots of white mulberry are used as a means for healing wounds and cuts, antipyretic, medicine for normalizing blood pressure.

Healing properties of black mulberry

What is useful black mulberry? It, like white, has many healing properties:

• Very effective in all diseases of the digestive tract, such as heartburn.
• Due to the high concentration of potassium ions, the use of black mulberries and preparations based on them is indicated for people suffering from cardiovascular diseases. The inclusion of mulberry in the diet reduces heart pain, reduces shortness of breath, strengthens the heart muscle, and restores the normal functioning of the heart. Recommended after heart valve surgery.
• Due to the high content of iron, it is used in violation of the work of the blood-forming organs.
• It is indicated for patients diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, the main thing is to take into account the glycemic index, then only benefits will remain after consumption.
• Black mulberry fruits and decoctions are an excellent diuretic.

What is useful black mulberry for weight loss?

• Due to its low calorie content, it is a dietary product, while you should not get carried away with mulberry-based sweets, use it fresh.
• In some dietitian recommendations, it is an alternative to sugar.
• Due to the diuretic effect, it will be effective for normalizing weight; when using fresh berries and decoctions, the mass will decrease.
• It has a beneficial effect on the digestive glands, maintains the balance of bacteria in the intestines, which is very important for people who limit food intake.
• Vitamins and minerals will support the body during the period of active physical activity and colds, your weight loss program will work flawlessly.

What is useful mulberry for pregnant women?

• Struggles with the frequent misfortune of women in anticipation of a child - anemia of pregnant women.
• It contributes to the normalization of the outflow of bile; in pregnant women, complications associated with the gallbladder are in second place after appendicitis.
• It supports all organs and systems, including the cardiac, immune, digestive systems, they have a lot of stress when carrying a fetus.
• Contributes to the prevention of edema, has a mild diuretic effect.

The use of mulberry by children

What is useful mulberry for children? It has a number of useful properties:

• It has a beneficial effect on the immune system, children get sick less often and easier.
• The content of natural sugars gives energy for the development of the child's body.
• It has a beneficial effect on the entire digestive system, it is used for intestinal disorders and dysbacteriosis - frequent childhood illnesses.
• Many children like the taste of fruits, besides, jams, jams, compotes, fruit fillings, oriental bekmes, candied mulberries are prepared from mulberry.

Contraindications to the use of berries

What is useful mulberry? Black and white berries have a lot of useful properties, but there are some contraindications:

• Individual intolerance due to the presence of the anthocyanin quercetin.
• Do not eat sour and unripe fruits to avoid digestive problems.
• Use with caution in patients with diabetes mellitus, take into account the glycemic index.
• Do not eat fruits from trees that grow along highways and in areas with increased radioactive radiation.
• Do not use in combination with other fruits, there may be a strong fermentation reaction.

The deciduous mulberry tree or mulberry holds many mysteries. It is distinguished by the longest life span among fruit plants, comparable only to coniferous trees. Not only fruits, but also all parts of the plant have healing properties; they have been used in folk medicine for the treatment of ailments since ancient times.

Varieties, description

Mulberry is a tree from the Mulberry family, has 17 species. Currently, breeders have bred about 400 plant varieties. The most commonly grown mulberries are black and white.

Popular varieties:

1. Istanbul black - medium ripening, with dense sweet berries of dark purple, almost black color. The height of an adult tree is more than 3 m, the weight of berries is 6–10 g. It blooms in April, the crop begins to ripen in July. The tree is frost-resistant, withstands cold down to -35 ° C. An adult tree brings up to 100 kg of crop per year.
2. Surprise - late ripening with an extended fruiting period. The berries are black, large, up to 3 cm long, have a pleasant sweet taste. The tree is early-growing, resistant to frost and diseases.
3. Royal - the most large-fruited variety, black berries, up to 6 cm long, can weigh 20 g. The mulberry tree is early-growing, the berries are tied in the first year after planting (two-year-old seedlings). Harvest ripens in June. The tree is medium-sized, with a spreading, dense crown, not afraid of drought and frost.
4. Black Prince - comes into fruition for 2 years after planting. The variety is large-fruited, berries up to 5 cm, black, very sweet and juicy. The tree is frost-resistant, tolerates drought well.
5. Smolensk pink - an early, frost-resistant variety with fragrant small red or pink berries. Beautiful foliage allows you to grow a tree as an ornamental crop.
6. White honey - an early variety, gives a bountiful harvest that ripens in June. The berries are medium in size, juicy and sweet. The variety is self-fertile and frost-resistant. An adult tree of medium size, begins to bear fruit for 4-5 years.

Where does the mulberry grow and what does it look like

Mulberry is a tropical tree that takes root and grows well in central Russia. She has beautiful leaves, the fruits are somewhat reminiscent of blackberries, only much sweeter, with a faint aroma. In China, mulberry has been cultivated for about 3 thousand years. In Russia, by decree of Peter I, the felling of this crop was prohibited.
In the southern regions, where the mulberry tree grows in comfortable conditions, its height reaches 15 meters, and its life expectancy is 300-500 years. The name mulberry comes from the word silk, it was once the main source of this fabric. The silkworm, which creates cocoons from a continuous silk thread, feeds only on the leaves of the white mulberry tree.

Features of growing mulberries

In the northern regions, it is better to plant mulberries on poor soil so that the growing season is short. The place should be on the south side of the site, well lit. For good survival, the roots of the seedling are treated with any rooting agent.

The tree does not require special care. In dry weather, it is watered, the ground is loosened in the trunk circle, and the crown is pruned in spring and autumn.

Fertilize for good fruiting. In spring - nitrogen, in summer - organic, in autumn - phosphate and potassium.
The tree blooms in late spring, so it is not afraid of spring frosts. In the spring, frozen shoots are pruned, thanks to which the crown begins to branch well. Even after severe frosts, the plant recovers well, and the fruits of the mulberry tree can appear on the shoots of the current year.

What are the benefits of the fruits of a tropical tree

In the Caucasus, the plant is called the king berry for its healing properties. The composition of the fruit contains many useful substances for the body.

The chemical composition of mulberries:

Sahara;
tannins (in green fruits);
minerals (K, Na, Fe, Zn, Mg, Ca);
resveratrol;
organic acids;
vitamins (A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, K).

Resveratrol is one of the most powerful antioxidants. Berries are rich in potassium.

Useful properties of mulberry:

Diuretic and diaphoretic;
astringent;
blood-purifying;
antiseptic;
antipyretic (leaves);
anti-inflammatory.
Unripe mulberry fruits have an astringent effect, while ripe ones, on the contrary, have a slightly laxative effect.
The crop usually matures in July or August, and flowering begins in May and ends in June.

Mulberry is a tasty and juicy berry. It has unique beneficial properties. Used in the treatment of many diseases. You can learn about its benefits and contraindications for use from this article.

The tree comes from the southern regions, although today breeders have also bred frost-resistant varieties, so you can also meet mulberries in the climatic zone of some regions of the middle zone. Initially, this plant was mainly used to grow silkworms, whose caterpillars feed on its leaves. From here came its other name - mulberry or mulberry tree. But it was also known about the healing properties of this plant, which have long been successfully used in the treatment of many diseases.

Useful properties of mulberry

All parts of the tree are considered healing. But mulberry berries are especially useful, the composition of which is simply impressive. They contain:

• potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium;
• complex of vitamins of groups A, B, C;
• beta carotene;
• organic acids;
• sucrose and fructose;
• essential oils.

Mulberries contain many useful substances in their berries.

Of the existing species of mulberry, black and white are most widely used, each of which has its own habitat. Both of them are characterized by excellent taste and juiciness. Fresh berries are very tasty. To preserve for a long period, they are dried and frozen. In addition, jam, compotes, jams and other sweet preparations are made from mulberry fruits.

In addition to the excellent taste of fruits, berries and other parts of the black and white mulberry plant also have healing properties:

• anti-inflammatory;
• antiseptic;
• urine and diaphoretic;
• antioxidant.

In addition, the mulberry has astringent and expectorant properties, and is also a good remedy for insomnia, stress, depression and various nervous disorders.

Mulberries have a good effect on the state of the digestive system

Benefits of mulberry for human health

The mulberry has received high praise for its health benefits in both folk and traditional medicine. The fruits and other parts of the plant are used in the treatment of various diseases.

Contraindications and harm of mulberry

Possessing such unique healing properties, the mulberry tree has practically no contraindications. These include individual intolerance to the body and the possibility of developing an allergic reaction. Berries should be used with caution in hypertension and diabetes mellitus, as they can increase blood sugar levels and dramatically reduce blood pressure.

Advice. It is undesirable to eat too many mulberries at a time, because a large number of them can provoke an upset stomach, causing diarrhea.

In addition, you need to pay attention to the place of collection of berries. The fruits collected from trees located in the city and along busy roads are unlikely to bring any benefit to the body, rather harm.

Mulberry fruits are tasty and healthy berries, which have almost no serious contraindications. However, they will bring the greatest benefit to the body with their moderate use, which, however, applies to almost any product or remedy.

Blood cleansing with mulberries: video

The benefits and harms of mulberry: photo