Very soon the raspberry bushes will give us their amazing berries. Everyone knows that raspberries are very tasty and healthy, but why? Let's figure out what its magical properties are and learn some interesting facts from the history of this plant.
This shrubby plant from the Rosaceae family has thorny branches and fragrant, tasty fruits. The closest relatives of raspberries are stoneberries, blackberries and cloudberries. Raspberry fruits are drupes.
Although raspberries It grows well in the wild, and people willingly grow it in their gardens. It is known that the first raspberry garden was founded in the 12th century by Prince Yuri Dolgoruky of Suzdal, the founder of Moscow. Since then, breeders have produced many varieties of cultivated garden raspberries.
Garden raspberries larger than forest raspberries, and it is more convenient to collect, however, not a single variety of garden raspberry can replace wild raspberries, which have a special aroma and have much more pronounced healing qualities. Even though the fruits wild raspberry small, they have an increased concentration of active beneficial components. That’s why wild raspberries are valued most of all; they are collected and prepared.
Useful composition of raspberries
Is very useful berry crop. Its fruits, in addition to their excellent dessert taste, have a combination of acids, sugars and other beneficial substances that are beneficial for the human body. In folk medicine, leaves, flowers and, of course, raspberry fruits are used. IN raspberry composition organic acids (citric, salicylic, malic, tartaric, etc.); pectin, coloring and nitrogenous substances; sugar (mainly glucose and fructose); tannins; cellulose; essential oils. Raspberries also rich in vitamins: A, B1, B2, B9 (folic acid), C, PP, beta-sitosterol, which has anti-sclerotic properties. They contain minerals and microelements: copper, potassium, iron, magnesium, calcium, zinc, cobalt. Raspberries contain coumarins, which have the ability to reduce prothrombin levels and normalize blood clotting, and anthocyanins, which have anti-sclerotic properties and the ability to strengthen capillaries.
Raspberries have long been used for colds and acute respiratory diseases, flu, radiculitis, feverish conditions, joint pain and neuralgia. Raspberries increase appetite. Salicylic acid contained in raspberries reduces elevated body temperature without side effects; raspberries have a pronounced diaphoretic effect. Raspberries also have antitoxic and hemostatic properties; they are indicated for problems of the gastrointestinal tract, kidney diseases, atherosclerosis, hypertension, and anemia. Women who eat raspberries have healthy and beautiful skin.
Also for women's health raspberry leaves are beneficial, which contain substances that help stimulate the muscles of the intestines and uterus. Raspberries contain folic acid, which is especially useful for women wishing to become pregnant, and during pregnancy itself. raspberries are useful. Both raspberries and their leaves have a diuretic effect, improving kidney function. An infusion of raspberry leaves is also indicated for diarrhea. The copper contained in raspberries is recommended for those who suffer from nervous tension, as copper is a component of many antidepressants.
Due to the high purine levels in raspberries, this berry Contraindicated for kidney problems and gout, as well as for exacerbation of urolithiasis. For gastritis, stomach and duodenal ulcers, you should not use raspberry liqueurs and tinctures, but you can afford raspberry juice or raspberry juice diluted with water. Remember also about the individual intolerance of the body to certain foods, and if you are susceptible to allergic reactions, it is better to consume yellow or black raspberries in small quantities.
Cosmetic properties of raspberries
Since a long time raspberries are used for cosmetic purposes, usually fresh berries are used, as well as raspberry leaves and flowers. The content of vitamins E, PP, A, B2 in raspberries makes cosmetic properties of raspberries irreplaceable. Raspberries help maintain skin tone, prolonging its youth, even out skin color, whiten and nourish. Juice from fresh raspberry leaves will help get rid of acne; just mix it with butter in a ratio of 1:3.
A frozen decoction of raspberry leaves and linden blossom (1:1) is used to wipe the facial skin and helps fight wrinkles and sagging skin. And if your facial skin has enlarged pores and is prone to oiliness, then you need to wipe it with fresh raspberry juice in the morning. Raspberries also help whiten the skin and get rid of freckles; fresh berries and raspberry juice are used for this purpose. Raspberries are also good for hair. A mask made from raspberry juice (2 tablespoons) and olive oil (1 tablespoon), one egg and pea flour (2 tablespoons) is good for oily hair. It needs to be thoroughly beaten and applied to the hair for half an hour, rinsed and washed with shampoo. A decoction of raspberry leaves will help make your hair naturally black.
How to store raspberries
After heat treatment, raspberries retain all their healing properties, which means that jam and other raspberry dishes have all the beneficial properties of fresh berries. Raspberries can be dried in the sun and dried in the oven. Can be frozen for a long time store raspberries in the freezer. However, the most common and popular way to prepare raspberries is considered to be raspberry jam. Compotes, marmalades, jams, etc. are also prepared from raspberries. You can puree the berries with sugar and store the resulting mixture in the refrigerator. To extend the shelf life of raspberries in this form, you need to take more sugar than berries by 200-300 g and store the resulting product in a cold place. Raspberries are tasty, healthy and affordable; they can be eaten at any time of the year, retaining all their beneficial properties.
Everyone knows the expression "raspberry ringing". On the one hand, it is known that it is in no way connected with either the berry or the crimson color, but comes from the name of the Belgian city of Malin (Russian name, in Belgian - Mechelen). In this city, bells have long been made and carillons were produced - mechanisms that set in motion a series of bells selected by sound. “Crimson ringing” was brought to Russia by Peter I. On the other hand, many argue that “raspberry ringing” is an original Russian concept, and it is natural to compare the sound with the sweetness of raspberries and its brightness, and the Flemish city has nothing to do with it.
Interesting fact that breeding raspberries The Romans were already doing it. It is mentioned among the fruit plants by Cato the Elder in the 3rd century BC. e. In the 1st century AD e. Pliny the Elder discovers huge thickets of wild raspberries on the island of Crete and gives this plant the name Rubus Idaeus. Rubus, because it is red, Idaeus - in honor of Mount Ida, on which the gods lived, and Princess Ida, whose name is associated in myth with the red color of raspberries: the daughter of the king Melissa, who was entrusted with raising the baby Zeus, decided to pamper the screamer with a berry and, Hastily picking the bushes, she scratched herself and stained the hitherto white fruits with her blood. Linnaeus retained the name Rubus in his classification for raspberries, so its bloody color turns out to be the strongest and most durable of all.
Based on materials from annin.ru, booknik.ru
Raspberries are one of the most ancient berry plants in our country. It is known that Yuri Dolgoruky started its first plantings in the Moscow region.
Before becoming acquainted with Chinese tea, in Rus' they drank brew in the morning - a drink made from raspberries and cranberries.
Centuries have passed, and time has had a beneficial effect on raspberries: varieties with large berries have appeared that bear fruit not only in summer, but also in autumn. Scientists also gave us multi-colored raspberries with red, yellow and black berries.
Nature has not come up with anything sweeter than raspberries, more healing than raspberries, more reliable than raspberries. Everyone loves this delicate berry, incomparable to any other in taste and aroma.
It was first discovered in the first century AD, when Christianity was being born, which is why raspberries are often called the divine berry.
Raspberries were discovered on Mount Ida in Greece and were given the scientific name ideus. Interestingly, it was originally used only as a medicinal plant: a tincture of flowers was used by the Greeks and Romans against snake and scorpion bites.
Mention of raspberries as a garden plant is found only in the 4th century. During the Middle Ages, it did not become widespread in Western Europe; the first record of garden raspberries dates back to the 16th century. Americans began to grow it two centuries later.
In Rus', the first mention of raspberries dates back to the 11th century. It is known that it was grown in the gardens of Moscow, Novgorod, Vladimir, Suzdal and other cities. But it became widespread in the 17th century, this was the time of the rise of gardening. Monasteries and boyar estates were especially famous for their gardens.
At the beginning of the 20th century, peasants from the villages of Tsaritsynsky district, most of whose territory is now part of Moscow, successfully cultivated raspberries.
The most famous raspberry growing centers are the village of Gorki near Klin, Pirogovo near Mytishchi, Zaborye near Domodedovo, Nepetsino near Kolomna.
Today raspberries are loved as they were in the old days. Its bushes are planted in almost every garden plot. And how can you not love these fragrant, juicy, tasty berries that are so necessary for our body?
How is it rich and useful?
1. Raspberries contain from 5 percent sugars, among which fructose and glucose predominate.
2. There are organic acids: malic, citric, tartaric, etc.
3. Raspberries improve appetite and have a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract.
4. Raspberries are rich in vitamin C and also contain salicylic acid, which makes them the number one remedy for colds and flu. Raspberries are an excellent antipyretic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and diaphoretic.
5. Raspberries contain vitamins A, B, PP. Also contains potassium salts, iron and copper.
6. Raspberries also save those who suffer from heart rhythm disorders.
7. And finally, another relevant argument in favor of raspberries: this miracle berry can help cope with the summer heat and quench thirst. That is why raspberry compotes are both tasty and healthy.
"Crimson Ring"
Etymological analysis of this expression gives two versions of its origin. According to the main version, “raspberry ringing” has nothing to do with the berry or the color. It comes from the name of the ancient Flemish city of Mechelen, which in French sounds like Malines, that is, Malin. It was here that in medieval times the most suitable alloy for casting bells was created. Thus, in Rus', the iridescent, melodic ringing of bells began to be called “crimson,” that is, soft in timbre, pleasant to the ear. By the 17th century, Mechelen was already considered the leading city in Europe for bell foundry. To this day, it is here that the most melodic carillons are made. Peter 1 ordered the very first carillon to appear in Russia. It was created according to the Mechelen model. In 2003, a stamp was issued in Russia and a stamp in Belgium depicting the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg and the Mechelen Cathedral of St. Rombout. According to other versions, etymologists are more inclined to the linguistic origin of the expression (crimson means beautiful, red) and synesthesia, the so-called “color hearing.” Also, the expression could come from folklore, because bells rang in Rus' at dawn and sunset, when the sky burned with crimson colors.
Raspberry fruits can be colored in any shade of red, from pale pink to deep burgundy. The berries of some varieties are yellow, white, and sometimes even black (for example, blackberries).
From a botanical point of view, the raspberry fruit is not a berry, but a polydrupe, that is, it consists of many tiny fused fruits with seeds.
Raspberries are used in medicine not only for their beneficial properties, but also for their surprisingly pleasant taste and aroma. Raspberries are often used as a sweetener for potions and other medicines, and in folk medicine they are considered a reliable remedy for colds, nausea and fever.
Raspberry fruits can be eaten raw or prepared from them in a variety of dishes and drinks: marmalade, preserves, jam, jellies and juices. Raspberries are also used to make wines, liqueurs and liqueurs that do not require artificial flavors.
Bees, collecting raspberry nectar, increase the yield of bushes by 60-100%. The raspberry flower is turned downwards, so insects can feed from them even when it rains (see interesting facts about bees).
Raspberry leaves make an excellent tea substitute by mashing them in your hands until they release their juices and turn black, then drying them at a high temperature.
Russia is the world leader in raspberry cultivation; it produces more than 200 thousand tons of fruits per year (see interesting facts about Russia).
Scientists began dividing raspberries into different varieties back in the 16th century. The cultivation of these plants began at the same time.
In Russian folklore, “raspberry” often refers to a free, pleasant and “sweet” life without any problems. In this sense, it is the antipode of bitter viburnum, meaning misfortunes and troubles.
Among criminals, a “raspberry” is called a den of thieves. True, according to one version, the gathering of criminals received this name not because of the berry - “raspberry” became a distorted version of the Hebrew melina (translated as “bunker, shelter”).
Raspberries can help support the functioning of the heart, kidneys, circulatory system and brain, it helps maintain youth and skin tone. The fruits are rich in folic acid and iron, which makes them especially beneficial for the body of women (primarily pregnant women).
Raspberries are considered an excellent antidepressant due to the copper it contains.
According to a well-known legend, the first garden with raspberry bushes was founded by the outstanding ruler, founder of Moscow and other Russian cities, Yuri Dolgoruky. The garden was so large that wild animals, including bears, walked in it.
People first discovered raspberry bushes in Greek Crete. The Romans became the pioneers, and this happened back in the 3rd century BC (see interesting facts about Crete).
In Greece, they tell a myth according to which a nymph decided to treat little Zeus to raspberries, who was crying so loudly that the gods on Olympus could not hear each other. When she was picking berries, she tore her hands bloody on the thorns - that’s why the raspberries turned red.
Raspberries are a delicious berry. For many of us, it grows in the country or in a village house with grandparents. But the benefits of raspberries are not limited to the pleasant taste alone - it is also extremely useful, and it is not for nothing that in Rus' people from time immemorial have used it in folk medicine, simple but effective.
Facts about raspberries
- Raspberries contain vitamins A, B and C, iron, potassium, magnesium, zinc, calcium, as well as three types of alcohols.
- Raspberries are actively used in medicine - dried fruits are used to remove harmful substances from the body, and aromatic raspberry syrup can improve the taste of medicines. Adherents of traditional medicine recommend raspberries to patients with flu and colds, suffering from fever and inflammation.
- Raspberry flowers face downwards, so rain does not prevent bees from collecting nectar from them. From nectar extracted from a hectare of wild raspberries, 70 kg of honey is obtained, and from a similar number of garden bushes - 50 kg.
- Dried raspberry leaves can be a complete substitute for tea.
- Russia holds the world championship in growing this berry. It is followed by a wide margin by Serbia and the United States.
- Thieves and other dishonest individuals call dens “raspberries,” and in Russian folklore, “raspberries” usually refer to a cloudlessly beautiful and sweet life.
- According to legend, in ancient times in Crete, a young princess who decided to treat baby Zeus with sweet raspberries scratched her hand. So the once white berries of this plant turned red.
- Raspberries are mentioned in the chronicles of the ancient Romans, which date back to the third century BC.
- At the end of the 19th century, Swiss scientists developed a raspberry variety with purple fruits by crossing bushes with red and black berries.
- Cosmetologists claim that this berry has a beneficial effect on complexion and skin condition. She is even credited with the ability to smooth out wrinkles and rejuvenate the body as a whole.
- The leader in the amount of useful substances is considered to be black raspberries, which were bred and grown in the USA. It is also known that red fruits are healthier than yellow ones.
- Raspberries are mentioned in Russian fairy tales more often than any other berry.
- Thanks to bees collecting nectar from raspberry bushes, their yield increases by 60-100%.
- Asia is considered the birthplace of raspberries, although this subshrub is so unpretentious that it grows on almost any soil.
- From one raspberry bush you can collect up to one and a half kilograms of fruit.
- Raspberry stems, on which berries appear in the summer, die off with the onset of cold weather, and in the spring new ones grow in their place.
- Yuri Dolgoruky ordered the creation of the first garden in Rus' planted with raspberry bushes. The garden was so large that wild animals, including bears, roamed its paths.
- Raspberries grown in the garden are larger than wild raspberries, but are inferior in medicinal properties.
- Raspberry leaves are used to treat respiratory diseases, gastritis and enteritis. The fruits are recommended for people who have problems with the heart and blood vessels, including those who have had a heart attack or stroke, as raspberries help normalize blood pressure.
- It is recommended to eat raspberries to strengthen the immune system and improve metabolism.
- Raspberry medicines help get rid of acne and burns.
- Raspberries were brought to Europe in the 16th century, and became widespread in Russia a century later.
Raspberries are a sweet garden berry that is glorified in folklore. She is mentioned in numerous fairy tales, poems, songs, myths and legends. What is the secret of such popularity of raspberries and how are they useful? When did people first start cultivating this plant? Interesting facts about raspberries will tell you about this and much more, reports womenzone.org.
1. Raspberry fruits have high taste qualities. It is most beneficial to consume raspberries fresh, but raspberry jam, jelly, as well as tinctures and liqueurs are especially popular.
2. Raspberry fruits contain up to 11% sugars, essential oils, vitamins A, B, C, organic acids and even alcohols (tartaric, phenylethyl and isoamyl), while raspberries are considered a low-calorie product. Raspberry seeds contain about 22% fatty oil, so they, along with fresh berries and leaves, are widely used in cosmetology.
3. There are many varieties of raspberries, but yellow ones, for example, are less healthy than red ones. Black raspberries, which are bred and grown in the USA, are considered the healthiest.
4. Raspberries are useful for maintaining good functioning of the heart and brain, for the prevention of kidney diseases, for anemia and high blood pressure, for maintaining skin tone, protecting against wrinkles and even rejuvenation.
5. Raspberry fruits and tea from leaves contain folic acid, so it is especially useful to consume them for pregnant women and those who are planning to have a child. Since raspberries contain a lot of iron, they are often called a “female” berry, useful specifically for women. But raspberries are also extremely useful for men to maintain men's health.
6. Dried raspberries are used as a popular folk medicinal raw material. They are used as a mild diaphoretic. Raspberry fruits and leaves are also used as a natural antipyretic.
7. If you're on the verge of stress, be sure to eat raspberries. Due to the content of copper, which is included in most antidepressants, raspberries will help cope with depression.
8. Raspberries are widely praised in Russian folklore. She is a symbol of the homeland, freedom, freedom, and a sweet, free life. Raspberry in folk art is the antipode of viburnum, which symbolizes a bitter lot, captivity, foreign land, and a deceptively beautiful life.
9. On the world market, the leader in raspberry production is Russia, but the plant is also widespread in other countries of the world. There is an opinion that the first raspberry garden was founded by the sixth son of the Grand Duke of Kyiv Vladimir Monomakh, Yuri Dolgoruky. According to ancient chronicles, this raspberry garden was so large that bears loved to graze in it.
10. Raspberries were known to the ancient Romans. It was mentioned among other fruit plants by Cato the Elder back in the 3rd century BC. e. In Latin, the name of raspberry is Rubus idaeus. This name was given to the plant by Pliny the Elder when he discovered raspberry thickets on the island of Crete. Rubus - since the berry is red, and idaeus - in honor of Mount Ida and the nymph of the same name from ancient Greek mythology, the daughter of the Cretan king Melisseus. Together with her sister Adrastea, Ida was the nurse of the infant Zeus. According to one myth, one day, having decided to feed Zeus with sweet berries, Ida scratched her hands on a bush and stained the previously white berries with her blood.
