Horse sorrel species. How to distinguish horse sorrel from regular sorrel

Horse sorrel, also known as frog sorrel, is a perennial herbaceous plant of the buckwheat family. It is widely used in many areas of human activity - veterinary medicine, medicine, leather tanning and the production of dyes. The plant is also an excellent food for poultry and livestock. The leaves of the plant, after drying, are used by humans for food, as additives to recipes for various dishes.

As a medicinal raw material in folk folk and traditional therapy All parts of the frog sorrel - root, foliage, flowers and fruits - have been used. Due to its beneficial and medicinal properties, sorrel is used for the treatment of dermatoses, stomach diseases, inflammatory processes for a cold. The plant can also be used as a sedative, antimicrobial and blood pressure lowering agent.

What does horse sorrel look like?

Botanical description of horse sorrel:

The root is slightly branched, short, thick with numerous appendages;
The stem is straight, bare, has branches in the upper part. Thickness up to 2cm, height from 1 to 1.5 meters;
The leaves are green, 12x25cm in size, and have an angular-oval shape;
The petioles are grooved in the lower part and are colored red. The leaves have hard and short hairs;
The flowers are small with angular edges, light green in color, collected in a narrow and long inflorescence;
The fruits are oval in shape with three sides. Their shell is brown;
Seed size is about 6mm;

Horse sorrel - photo

Horse sorrel: medicinal properties and contraindications

For the treatment of various diseases, frog sour is used in the form of ointments, infusions, powders and decoctions, which are made from rhizomes, leaves and seeds.

The medicinal and beneficial properties of the plant are due to the content of quinone derivatives, astringents, organoacids, vitamins K, C and provitamin A.

Basically, all contraindications for its use are associated with the presence of ethanedioic acid, which, when interacting with calcium, forms insoluble compounds, which has a negative effect on the formation of stones and sand in the human kidneys.

Medicinal properties

IN therapeutic purposes medicines, but based horse sorrel, are used in medicine to treat:

gastritis;
colitis;
cholecystitis;
hemorrhoids;
pressure;
helminthiasis;
colds;
dermatosis;
rheumatism;
inflammation and abscesses.

Extracts (extracts and tinctures) are used in folk medicine as hemostatic, sedative, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory agents.

In small quantities, frog sour infusion can be used as an antidiarrheal agent, but in large doses it has the opposite effect and is used as a laxative. It is also recommended to rinse with broth to relieve inflammation during colds. oral cavity and larynx. For the treatment of dermatoses, the broth is used in the form of baths and rubdowns.
Ointments made from dried rhizome powder and animal fat have found their use in the treatment of scabies and will have antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Contraindications

Horse sorrel seeds: medicinal properties

The medicinal properties and contraindications to the use of horse sorrel seeds are associated with the presence of chemicals that have an impact on the human body. These substances and their effects have already been discussed in this article above.

Unlike rhizomes and leaves, its seeds have not found widespread use in traditional therapy. They are mainly used to obtain a decoction (infusion) in the treatment of severe forms dysentery.

To prepare a decoction from seeds, you need to take three dessert spoons of the raw material and pour it into a glass hot water. The broth is simmered over low heat for the next 15 minutes and allowed to cool. The prepared broth should be taken half a glass three times a day before meals.

Contraindication - use by people suffering from kidney stone disease and pregnant women.

The use of horse sorrel in folk medicine

In folk medicine, positive effects have long been known therapeutic properties horse sorrel. For making useful medicines(tinctures, ointments, infusions and powders) use all parts of the plant (leaves, seeds, roots). They are used for the treatment of dermatoses, digestive disorders, headaches, as well as for the treatment colds.

Harvesting of rhizomes is carried out in the fall, after the tops die. The root is dug up and chopped into medium-sized pieces, after which it is dried in natural conditions. The shelf life of the finished product is about 3 years from the date of collection.

Many novice “preparers” have the question “how to distinguish horseradish from horse sorrel.” Their main difference can be called the smell, which is specific to horseradish and is known to many, but the root of frog sorrel does not smell of anything. Horseradish leaves are wider and longer. You can also distinguish by the color of the flower: horseradish is white, and sorrel is light green.
Contraindications for the use of the plant were described above.

Infusion

Horse sorrel for diarrhea in the form of an infusion with vodka is very effective and efficient folk remedy with beneficial medicinal properties. To prepare the infusion, you need to take one dessert spoon of rhizome powder and pour 100 ml of it. regular vodka. After two weeks, the infusion is considered ready. It is taken half a dessert spoon, three times a day.

The infusion can also be used to gargle during a cold.
Contraindication: Pregnant women and those suffering from kidney stones should not take it.

Tea

Dried frog sour leaves and flowers also have beneficial and medicinal properties. They can be taken in the form of tea for the prevention and treatment of helminthiasis and indigestion. To prepare tea, the dried raw materials must be poured with boiling water and allowed to brew. To improve the taste of the drink, you can add a spoonful of honey or strawberry jam. You should drink tea three times a day before meals.
Contraindications for tea are the same as for the drugs described above.

Decoction

For diathesis and other dermatoses in children, you can prepare an antiseptic and soothing decoction of horse sorrel for children. To prepare it, take 100-150 grams of chopped and dry root, pour boiling water over it and brew for 15 minutes over low heat. After this, the broth is allowed to brew for a couple of hours. The decoction is added to the bath before bathing the child.
Also, a decoction of horse sorrel can be taken orally to treat helminthiasis, stomach disorders and other diseases.
Contraindication – should not be taken by people suffering from kidney stones and pregnant women.

How to deal with horse sorrel?

Horse sorrel, regardless of its beneficial and medicinal qualities, if it grows in garden plots, it can pose a problem for growing cultivated plants and harm the crop.

How to get rid of horse sorrel on your property?
The fight against this plant must begin in early spring, digging it out of the ground with a shovel along with the roots. If the grass has managed to grow over a large area, then the use of herbicides cannot be avoided. In this case, it is better to plan the processing of the site in the fall, after the entire harvest has been harvested. Remember that over the next 6 months, after treating the area chemicals, its use for growing cultivated plants will be impossible.

If you plan to fight frog sour by weeding, be aware that this will not lead to positive results, since the plant reproduces not only by seeds, but also by dividing the rhizome.

Find out what properties the horse sorrel plant, considered a weed, has, how it is used in cooking, medicine and cosmetology.

Horse sorrel is a plant with valuable medicinal properties. It is actively used in traditional and folk medicine. So what does it treat? Is it possible to eat it, and in what form?

What does horse sorrel look like, is it edible: description of the plant

Horse sorrel is a perennial, herbaceous plant, one of the species of the genus Sorrel of the Buckwheat family. Its Latin name is Rumex confertus.

IMPORTANT: The plant is also popularly called thick sorrel or horse sorrel.

This weed is useful plant horse sorrel.

Horse sorrel grows in Europe and Central Asia, in forests and forest-steppes, in meadows, in floodplains and on swampy, silty soil. Refers to weeds.
The root of horse sorrel is short, but has many appendages.
The height of the plant ranges from 90 cm to 2 m. Their diameter is approximately 2 cm.
At the base of the erect stems of dense sorrel there are elongated triangular-ovate alternate leaves with blunt ends and wavy edges. The length of the leaves is up to 30 cm, width – up to 15 cm. The bottom of the leaf blade is densely covered with hard hairs.
The inflorescence of horse sorrel is called thyrsus. It has the shape of a panicle and is formed from bisexual small greenish flowers. yellow. The plant blooms in late spring - early summer.
In mid-summer, dense sorrel bears fruit with trihedral, oval-shaped nuts. The color of the fruit is brown, length – up to 7 mm.
The plant reproduces by seeds and vegetatively.

Parts of the Rumex confertus plant.

IMPORTANT: Despite the popular name “sorrel”, horse sorrel leaves do not taste sour at all.

Edible horse sorrel. Its leaves and petioles are eaten in Central Asia. These parts of the plant, as well as its fruit, are used to feed chickens, geese, rabbits and pigs.

Thyrsae.

Horse sorrel root and seeds: medicinal properties and contraindications

The roots and fruits of horse sorrel are used for medicinal purposes. Special properties These parts of the plant are determined by their chemical composition.

Anthraquinone derivatives and tannins also found in the fruits of horse sorrel.

IMPORTANT: Horse sorrel is a strong natural antibiotic.

In addition to being antibacterial, the herbaceous plant has the following beneficial properties:

neutralize viruses
relieve inflammation
relieve spasms
liquefy and remove mucus from the bronchi and lungs
remove excess fluid from the body
constrict blood vessels
strengthen the walls of blood vessels
stop the bleeding
prevent the formation and growth of cancerous tumors

IMPORTANT: Since horse sorrel (roots) in small doses strengthens, in large doses it acts as a laxative, it is often used to treat intestinal disorders.

Decoctions of the dried roots of the plant treat patients with arterial hypertension.

Medicinal properties of horse sorrel.

It is prohibited to use horse sorrel as a medicinal plant:

persons who are allergic to it
pregnant women
persons with diseases of the kidneys and urinary system, in particular pyelonephritis, oxalaturia and urolithiasis

VIDEO: Horse sorrel

Horse sorrel used in folk medicine. Horse sorrel infusion: how to make and use?

The main forms of folk medicines with thick sorrel are water and alcohol tinctures, as well as a decoction of the dried root.

RECIPE: Tincture of horse sorrel root in water.
Needed:

dried rhizome – 5 g
boiling water – 200 ml

The plant component should be poured into a glass container and pour boiling water over it.
Place the dishes in a pan of boiling water and simmer for 30 minutes.
The shelf life of the tincture is 72 hours.

IMPORTANT: Tincture with this ratio plant component and water acts as a laxative. To achieve the fixing effect of sorrel roots, take 2.5 g per glass of boiling water.

RECIPE: Tincture of horse sorrel root in alcohol.
Needed:

dried root - 4 tbsp. spoon
alcohol 70% - 200 ml

The plant component in a glass container is filled with alcohol, sealed and left in a dark place for 2 weeks.
The dose is calculated in drops and, if necessary, diluted in 10 ml of water. For example, for rheumatism, 15 drops of tincture are drunk 2-4 times a day.

RECIPE: Horse sorrel root decoction.
Need to:

dried root - 5 tbsp. spoons
water – 1 l

The herbal preparation is placed in a saucepan, filled with water and put on fire.
After boiling, cook it for another quarter of an hour, let it cool and drain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth.
This decoction is used for gum disease (periodontal disease, gingivitis, stomatitis). They rinse the mouth with it.
For colds, a decoction of 1 tbsp is used as an antiviral and expectorant. spoons of horse sorrel roots per glass of water. The amount of decoction is divided into three servings and taken throughout the day.
This decoction is also suitable as an antispasmodic for painful periods.

Children with diathesis are bathed in a decoction of 100 g of dried thick sorrel rhizome in 3 liters of water, diluted in a standard-sized bath.

How to brew horse sorrel for diarrhea for children, adults, and pregnant women?

Diarrhea in adults and children can also be treated with dry fruits of thick sorrel.
1 tbsp. Add 200 ml of water to a spoonful of dried nuts and boil for 10 minutes.
Adults divide the strained and cooled broth into 3 servings, which should be consumed during the day.
Children are also given 30-50 ml of decoction three times a day.

IMPORTANT: Pregnant women cannot be treated with this decoction.

VIDEO: Horse sorrel. Medicinal herbs

Treatment of hemorrhoids with horse sorrel

To treat hemorrhoids, use a decoction of 5 g of dry rhizome of horse sorrel per 200 ml of water. The broth should boil for half an hour. After cooling, it is drained through cheesecloth and the cake is squeezed out. 50 ml of decoction is diluted with 50 g of boiled water and drunk three times a day.

Horse sorrel for hair

Rhizomes and leaves of horse sorrel are used in home cosmetology, in particular for hair care.
Homemade cosmetics based on these parts of the plant are used:

for hair nutrition
to strengthen hair follicles
to solve the problem of oily hair
for restoring colored and damaged hair
to eliminate scalp itching caused by allergies, psoriasis, neurodermatitis

Decoction 5 tbsp. spoons dried roots Rinse hair with 2 liters of water after washing it with shampoo or using homemade masks.

Horse sorrel decoction is used for hair care.

Another very effective rinse aid: 2 tbsp. spoons dried leaves horse oxalis and dried burdock roots, pour 1 liter of water and boil for 30 minutes, leave until the broth cools to room temperature.

Horse sorrel for treating strawberries against diseases

leaves in random quantities, as large as possible, are finely torn, placed in a bucket and filled with water
the tincture is kept for 10 – 14 days
The prepared infusion should be poured over the strawberry bushes so that it gets on the leaves

On sprayed horse sorrel Strawberries are not coveted by whiteflies, which damage the berry harvest.

Horse sorrel: recipes

Horse sorrel is very often used in preparing Armenian dishes.

IMPORTANT: In Armenia the plant is called aveluk.

From the leaves of aveluk, which have only a slightly sour taste, unlike common sorrel, the following is prepared:
salads

snacks
first courses
baking

The leaves of the plant are cut off, braided and dried. They do this, firstly, because when dried, aveluk loses its bitterness, and secondly, dry leaves in a dish do not fall apart as much as fresh ones.

Dried aveluk.

Before using horse sorrel for any dish, it is immersed in boiling water for a quarter of an hour. After this time, the water is drained, the soaked and lightened leaves of the plant are squeezed out, and the braid begins to be cut into pieces 5 cm long. Afterwards, the already separated chopped leaves are soaked again in boiling water for a quarter of an hour.

A housewife who wants to diversify her family’s diet and make it more fortified can take note of the following recipes:

RECIPE: Salad with horse sorrel and champignons.
Ingredients:

horse sorrel leaves – 200 g
onions – 2-3 pcs.
champignons – 100 g
walnuts – 50 g
vegetable oil – 100 ml
sour cream – 100 ml
salt, pepper to taste

Salad with horse sorrel and champignons.

For this salad, boil the first soaked and chopped dry leaves of thick sorrel for 15 minutes, drain in a colander, and allow to drain thoroughly.
Leaves are salted.
Peeled and finely chopped onions are fried in vegetable oil about 2 minutes, then add washed, if necessary, peeled and cut into slices champignons. Fry together for another 3-4 minutes.
The fried mushrooms are mixed with horse sorrel, allowed to cool and soak in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
Serve the salad with sour cream, sprinkle it with crumbled walnuts and finely chopped herbs.

RECIPE: Horse sorrel appetizer with salmon and cheese.

Ingredients:

aveluk – 200 g
salmon fillet – 500 g
feta cheese – 150 g
onion – 1 pc.
cream – 150 ml
vegetable oil – 2 tbsp. spoons
salt, pepper to taste

Horse sorrel appetizer with salmon and cheese.

First, fish fillets cut into strips are fried.
In a separate frying pan, fry horse sorrel leaves cut into small pieces and onion half rings, add cream and finely grated feta cheese.
The sauce is cooked under the lid for 7 minutes.
Pieces of salmon fillet are placed in a pre-prepared baking dish and poured with sauce.
The dish is cooked until ready within 20 minutes in an oven at 180 degrees.

RECIPE: Appetizer of horse sorrel and walnuts.

Ingredients:

horse sorrel – 200 g
onion - 1 pc.
walnuts – 50 g
salt, pepper to taste
frying oil

First of all, prepare dried horse sorrel as described above.
Cut the onion into quarters and fry for 2 minutes. Add horse sorrel leaves and fry for another 5 – 7 minutes.
Add crushed walnuts to the prepared dish.
The appetizer is eaten like a salad. It can also be served in pita bread or tartlets.

IMPORTANT: The appetizer from the above recipe can be varied - add pomegranate seeds, grated cheese, garlic.

Horse sorrel makes very tasty baked goods.

Horse sorrel soup

Horse sorrel is used to make delicious lean soup, for which you need:

horse sorrel – 200 g
lentils or bulgur – 200 g
potatoes – 3 pcs.
onion – 1 pc.
greens (dill, parsley, cilantro)
salt, pepper

For this soup, horse sorrel is boiled for 20 minutes after soaking and cutting.
In a separate pan, cook the cereal - lentils or bulgur - until tender.
Peeled, washed and cut into small cubes potatoes are sent to a saucepan with water to cook.
While the potatoes are boiling, sauté the onions.
Add cereal, aveluk and sautéed onions to the pan with almost ready potatoes. Cook together for 3 minutes.
The soup is served with chopped herbs.

VIDEO: Aveluk soup with lentils

Horse sorrel: when to collect?

The time for harvesting horse sorrel depends on what part of the plant is needed:

the root, used for medicinal purposes, is collected after the above-ground part of the plant dies, that is, at the end of autumn
leaves used for food are collected in April or May
fruits are harvested at the end of summer

The collected part of the plant is thoroughly washed and dried. Drying can take place under the sun, then the plant materials are laid out in one layer on a sheet of cardboard or plywood. During drying, the raw materials are periodically turned over to prevent rotting.

IMPORTANT: If you plan to prepare various dishes from thick sorrel leaves, they are braided and left to dry at room temperature.

How to distinguish horseradish from horse sorrel?

Due to the similarity of plant leaves, gardeners often cannot figure out what is growing on their site, horseradish or horse sorrel. Although both of them are very useful, their taste properties and applications are very different. Therefore, it is fundamentally important to distinguish them.

IMPORTANT: Horseradish and horse sorrel are plants from different families. The first belongs to the Cabbage family, the second, as is already known, to the Buckwheat family.

Before an unidentified plant blooms, it is difficult to identify it. But experienced gardeners believe that the shade of horseradish and horse sorrel leaves is somewhat different. The first one is lighter.
You can also taste the leaves. In horse sorrel they are slightly bitter, while in horseradish they have a scorching pungent taste.
When the plant blooms, the difference becomes obvious. Sorrel blooms in thyrsus of greenish-yellow flowers, horseradish - in clusters of flowers with 4 white obovate petals.

Flowering of horseradish and horse sorrel.

Horseradish and horse sorrel are similar in appearance.

VIDEO: Health in Armenian style. Aveluk

The benefits of sorrel have been known to the Slavic peoples for a long time: who doesn’t love the famous soup flavored with sour cream? Everyone knows that sorrel is useful, but not everyone can answer which organs it has a beneficial effect on. When did this plant appear in gourmet dishes and why should it be eaten?

History of the plant

The benefits of sorrel for the body first became obvious to the French. This plant began to appear on the tables of noble bourgeois and even kings from the 12th century. The Eastern Slavs, on the contrary, for a long time considered this grass unsuitable for food and weeded it out like a weed.

It is noteworthy that this “weed” is really highly persistent: it grows almost all over the world. Of the 200 species, only two can actually be eaten – horse sorrel and sour sorrel.

Cooks quickly got the hang of it and invented not only sorrel soup, but also all sorts of recipes for salads, pancakes, and also learned how to make pie filling from the plant.

Masters of traditional medicine did not stand aside either. After long experiments and observations, they found that this plant helps fight many diseases. Homemade sorrel-based recipes, which are used for various ailments, immediately began to spread among people. Why is sorrel considered such a useful product?

Benefit

The benefits of sorrel for the body are beyond doubt. First of all this dietary product. It is great for maintaining a protein diet, since this “weed” actually contains more protein than carbohydrates or fats.

The benefits of sorrel are due to its rich vitamin composition, which includes:

provitamin A;
vitamin C;
B vitamins;
vitamin E;
vitamin PP.

This vitamin cocktail also supplemented by the following useful minerals, like potassium and magnesium. Sorrel leaves contain calcium, iron, phosphorus, and sodium. And of course, we can’t help but mention a whole series organic acids: caffeic, oxalic, citric and malic. This plant is rich in flavonoids and tannins.

This entire long list of useful components that make up sorrel leaves determines many of the beneficial properties that they possess.

What diseases does it treat?

Horse sorrel, the benefits and harms of which are the subject of discussion not only among traditional healers, but also among doctors, is readily used in everyday life as a means of combating many problems:

Cholecystitis, liver dysfunction. Oxalum leaves, rich in chrysophanic acid, stimulate the liver, as well as the process of bile production.
Intestinal dysfunction. The same chrysophanic acid allows you to effectively get rid of constipation. But the tannins of the plant save in some cases from diarrhea.
Bleeding. Sorrel leaves do an excellent job of stopping bleeding. They can be applied externally to the wound, and when internal bleeding It is better to take it orally in the form of decoctions.
Boils, dermatitis. The unique juice of the plant is suitable for treating the skin: it accelerates the healing of ulcers and the resorption of boils. Sorrel juice will also help with dermatitis.
Menstrual and menopausal syndromes. The Persian scientist Avicenna suggested using oxalic decoctions a few days before the onset of menstruation to reduce their pain and profuseness. Such decoctions are also suitable for the treatment of menopausal syndrome, reducing nervousness and eliminating many unpleasant symptoms menopause.

Folk recipes

How choleretic agent, as well as a remedy for constipation, oxaline juice is good, which you need to drink 3 times a day, a tablespoon. You can also use a decoction from the rhizome of the plant to normalize stool. The decoction is prepared according to standard recipe: pour a tablespoon of chopped herbs hot water(250 ml) and boil for half an hour; then insist, strain and drink a quarter glass 3 times a day.

The benefits of sorrel for menopausal and menstrual syndrome become obvious if you drink sorrel decoction at more high doses– 100 ml half an hour before breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Few people know, but oxaline juice also turns out to be effective for rhinitis and sinusitis. A decoction of sorrel root can also be placed in each nostril a few drops.

Oxalor will save you from rheumatism alcohol tincture. To prepare it, just pour 20 g of sorrel rhizome with 10-15 ml of vodka. Infuse the mixture in a dark and warm place for 10 days, then strain and take 20 drops several times a day a few minutes before meals.

Sorrel - a blood purifying plant

The benefits of horse sorrel also lie in its ability to cleanse the blood. This property of the plant will come in handy for any disease, from allergies to dysentery. Purified and vitamin-enriched blood will speed up the recovery process from any disease.

A decoction for blood purification is prepared quite simply: just pour 1 tablespoon of the crushed plant into 2 cups of hot water, and then simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. The broth is infused for an hour, and the vessel in which it will stand should be covered with a towel. Before use, you need to strain the infusion.

You need to drink oxaline decoction 15 minutes before meals, preferably 4 times a day, a quarter glass.

Sorrel: benefits and harm. Contraindications

For everyone's use, even the most useful product, there are always contraindications. It’s the same with sorrel: benefits and harms, this plant also has contraindications.

In the spring, when the first leaves appear on the beds, the level of oxalic acid in them is low. Therefore, the plant is not dangerous for the kidneys. But the older the leaves, the more oxalic acid they contain. Getting into the human body in large quantities, it enters chemical reaction with calcium and is deposited in the kidneys in the form of stones and sand.

Also high content acids in this plant forces sorrel to be excluded from the diet of all those people who are sick with gastritis, ulcers or suffer from increased acidity stomach. It is not recommended for consumption by pregnant women.

Nutritionists tend to assume that oxalic acid, subjected to heat treatment, is difficult for the body to process. Therefore, sorrel is healthier when eaten fresh.

Horse sorrel, the benefits and harms of which are discussed by nutritionists, has been eaten since ancient times not only by the French. The Greeks, Dutch, Germans, and Bulgarians also became addicted to the sour plant.

In Rus', the plant began to be added to dishes only in the 16th century. Moreover, people did not call it sorrel: following the example of their ancestors, the Eastern Slavs continued to refer to the plant in their speech as “wild beet” or “meadow apple”.

Due to the fact that its leaves resemble a spear in shape, the plant is called Rumex in Latin.

Sorrel, the benefits and contraindications of which have not yet been fully studied, still remains a regular on our dinner table. It should be consumed in any case, but preferably fresh, while observing the norm.

Common and horse sorrel, the medicinal properties and contraindications of which we will consider, are classified by botanists as members of the large buckwheat family. Representatives of this family grow on all continents. They have a pleasant sour taste and have been popular in cooking and folk medicine since ancient times.

Russian linguists believe that the word “sorrel” goes back to the Old Slavic ščаvь, which is consonant with the concept of “cabbage soup,” because juicy sour grass is an indispensable component of this ancient stew. In everyday life, this plant is often called “kislichka”, “kislitsa”, “kislusha”, “kislyachok” and other consonant words indicating its original sourish taste.

Sorrel: what is it?

One hundred and fifty species of such plants have been found on all continents. Most of them are useless weeds. Leaves of sorrel (common) and horse sorrel are suitable for food.

It is not difficult to recognize them - a herbaceous plant with an elongated petiole. At first, only a rosette of leaves appears, collected at the root. Later, flower shoots are released. The leaves are shaped like a spear blade. And if in an ordinary sorrel they are the size of a palm, then in a horse sorrel they are 3-4 times larger

Color: from pale green to deep emerald, and in horseback also with reddish streaks.

Recently, a selective (artificially bred) variety – spinach – has become popular.

Juicy greens with sourness in cooking

Common sorrel is cultivated for garden growing, horsetail is not so popular - most often it is collected in meadows, forest clearings, and forest edges. The first one has a bright sour taste, the second one does not feel sour sourness, there is a slight bitterness.

Combine ordinary sorrel with horse sorrel in dishes: each of them will bring its own flavor to the culinary work.

Horse sorrel is rarely eaten fresh - it is bitter. But the dried one tastes simply incomparable.

In Armenia, for example, aveluk (horse sorrel) is harvested in a special way- weave fresh leaves into braids, leaving them to dry in the fresh air. Fermentation occurs, due to which the bitterness goes away, but the original taste remains.

Aveluk is then soaked in several waters and used for salads, first and second courses.

Sorrel leaves add a recognizable flavor to green soups, botvins, and vegetable appetizers. This delicious filling for pies, pies. Baked fish with this herb is especially good. The plant's acid is similar in effect to citric acid - it makes meat or fish softer and more tender.

The most healthy, tasty, juicy leaves come from a young plant that has not yet put out its arrows.. In aging leaves, the acidity rapidly increases, and they themselves are more rigid.

If you still prepare a dish from old leaves, add 1 g of crushed school chalk (white only!) per kilogram of leaves during cooking: oxalic acid will react with the chalk and precipitate.

Secrets of the composition

Thanks to useful components sorrel takes its rightful place among medicinal plants. Its leaves contain vitamins A, B, C, K, PP, E. It is rich in sugar, proteins, starch, carotene, resin, fiber and tannins.

The plant can “boast” of a large assortment of microelements necessary for human health:

potassium;
calcium;
iron;
copper;
manganese;
molybdenum;
magnesium;
sodium;
boron;
titanium;
nickel;
phosphorus;
fluorine;
zinc

It also abounds in organic acids, including pyrogallic, caffeic, gallic, tartaric, malic, citric, and oxalic.

The benefits of sorrel for the human body

Thanks to an impressive amount of vitamins sorrel is effective in combating vitamin deficiency. By introducing it into your diet, you can improve the functioning of your liver and gallbladder. Experimental studies revealed that the plant has antibacterial and antitumor activity. The juice of the plant is often used for medicinal purposes.

Sorrel has long been in demand for diseases such as:

scurvy;
allergies accompanied by itchy skin;
angina;
dysentery;
hemoptysis;
inflammation of the gums;
scabies;
lichen.

Is it harmful for anyone to eat sorrel?

The danger of oxalic acid is that it affects the process of salt metabolism in the body, causing a decrease in blood clotting, stimulating the central nervous system and clogging the urination channels.

This is fraught with the occurrence of dangerous nephritis, urinary retention, and uremia. Consequently, sorrel in any form is absolutely unacceptable for people with a tendency to urolithiasis and gallstone diseases. Patients with an imbalance of salt metabolism in the body should also forget about it.

Horse sorrel: benefits and contraindications

All components are suitable as medicinal raw materials: from roots to seeds.. They contain organic acids, tannins, essential oils, resins, vitamins, and microelements in different proportions.

Sorrel infusions, decoctions, powders, ointments have the following effects:

astringent;
anthelmintic;
hemostatic;
wound-healing bactericidal;
antiscorbutic.

These drugs are simultaneously effective as laxatives and fixatives (depending on the dosage).

anemia;
gallbladder;
colitis

The plant is a food, despite all its healing properties, should not be consumed excessively or daily. It promotes the leaching of calcium from the body, which can lead to osteoporosis and the formation of kidney stones in people with a tendency to gallstone diseases.

Attention!

Women who are pregnant should not get carried away with sorrel.

In cooking Only young (spring) leaves of horse sorrel are used: they are pleasant with their sourness and slight bitterness. As the plant matures, these taste qualities acquire a too strong, even repulsive taste.

Among one and a half hundred species of sorrel, only 2 are named after the country of growth: Russia (Rūmex rōssicus) and Ukraine (Rumex ucranicus).
Sorrel cabbage soup is mentioned in the calendar, where there is the day of Moors-green cabbage soup (May 16). Just by this time, the first leaves were growing, and cabbage soup began to be prepared in the summer way: not from sour barrel cabbage, but from a fresh vitamin product.
On the territory of the Russian Federation, this plant is found even in Siberia (Yakutia).
There are thickets of half-meter plants covering an area of 3-5 hectares.

Useful video

About special properties horse sorrel is interestingly described in this video:

Today, sorrel is cultivated everywhere; juicy green leaves can be found in every garden. Juicy pies with sourness, first and second courses, and twists are prepared from the plant. In order not to harm your health during consumption, it is necessary to take into account possible contraindications.

Chemical composition

Of course, the entire value of sorrel is contained in its list valuable elements. Sour grass includes esters, flavonoids, antioxidants, carotene. Collectively, these enzymes affect the heart muscle, digestive tract and even the nervous system.
It is difficult not to mention the PP vitamins, thiamine, retinol, riboflavin, beta-carotene, tocopherol and other elements beneficial to humans. Sorrel is rich in organic acids, in particular tannic, pyrogallic, oxalic, and ascorbic.
Minerals in the form of potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, sodium, magnesium support immune system, they are responsible for the beauty of hair, nails and skin.
With such an impressive list, sorrel is a low-calorie plant. For 100 gr. grass accounts for only 18 kcal. For this reason, it is useful to eat for people who watch their figure.

benefits and harms of boiled beets for the body

health benefits and harms of cauliflower

The benefits of sorrel for women

During menopause female body experiences a sharp release and, on the contrary, a lack of hormones. During menopause, drinking a small amount of sorrel juice mixed with water in equal quantities combats frequent migraines, uterine bleeding, changes in blood pressure, and “hot flashes.” The woman’s psycho-emotional background is also normalized, irritability and depression are eliminated.
If you experience enormous discomfort during PMS, accompanied by nervousness, lower back pain, migraines, sorrel will remove these symptoms. Folic acid, which is part of the plant, helps cope with the sensations of heavy discharge during menstruation, as it increases hemoglobin in the blood.
For the beauty of your facial skin, it is useful to prepare masks from sorrel pulp. It is enough to grind the plants with a blender, then apply them in the form of a compress. This way you will saturate the epidermis with moisture, partially smooth out wrinkles, and remove age spots. The mask is famous for its anti-inflammatory and stretching properties.
More often female doctors The use of sorrel is prescribed to girls who are breastfed. The plant increases lactation and improves the quality of milk, it becomes not bitter, but moderately thick. At the same time, sorrel strengthens the immunity of not only the mother, but also the newborn baby.
The benefits of sorrel leaves have been proven for weight loss. If you want to lose extra pounds, just include the plant with stems in daily diet. This way you will get rid of old waste, cleanse the walls of the intestines and stomach of poisons, and increase the metabolic processes of the whole body.

benefits and harms of Chinese cabbage

The benefits of sorrel for men

The value of sorrel leaves for the stronger half of humanity is determined by its chemical composition. Acids, macro- and microelements fight dysfunctions genitourinary system: increase blood circulation in prostate gland, relieve inflammation and pain, protect against infection, eliminate congestion.
To enhance potency and reproductive function, you need to mix crushed sorrel leaves with honey or melted cane sugar.
If you have been diagnosed with infertility, drink sorrel-based juice. In addition, the composition helps eliminate hangovers, quick withdrawal intoxication, accelerating the elimination of ethyl alcohol.
Men suffering from alopecia (massive hair loss) are recommended to rub fresh squeezed juice based on aloe vera and sorrel leaves (ratio 1 to 1) into the scalp.

Sorrel for pregnant women: benefits and harms

Despite all the usefulness of sorrel, the plant should be eaten in limited quantities by expectant mothers and breastfeeding women.

A large accumulation of the acid of the same name blocks the absorption of calcium. It is known that the element is responsible for the formation of bone tissue and the skeleton of the unborn baby, as well as the heart muscle of a woman.
To neutralize the effect of oxalic acid, combine fresh leaves of the plant with sour dairy products. For example, prepare a salad and season it with sour cream. Mix sorrel pulp with whey or tan. This way you will eliminate the accumulation of acid in the body.
It is useful to eat sorrel if the expectant or new mother has a sore throat. The plant quickly reduces fever and strengthens the immune system. Sorrel leaves eliminate constipation and diarrhea, fight liver and intestinal diseases.
If you are taking a course of drugs that include large amounts of calcium, it is useful to eat wild sorrel. It is perfectly absorbed by the body and will facilitate the absorption of the element from medications.
Pregnant girls who have been diagnosed with urolithiasis, gout and gastrointestinal upset should not eat sorrel. You will only create heavy load on the liver, provoke neoplasms on the gastric mucosa and endanger the kidneys.

benefits and harms of Jerusalem artichoke

Harm of sorrel

Gastroenterologists unanimously say that you should not eat sorrel if you have pancreatitis. This rule applies not only to exacerbation of the disease, but also to remission. If you neglect the recommendation, the acids will attack the pancreatic mucosa and cause complications of the disease.
Oxalic acid, which is responsible for the sourness in the plant, provokes the accumulation of salts of the same acid in the body. Oxalates form sand and stones in the kidneys and gall bladder. If you have solid tumors in the listed internal organs, stop eating the leaves.
Sorrel promotes accelerated acid production in the stomach, thereby provoking the appearance of gastritis or ulcers. If you have already encountered these ailments, you should not eat green grass.

It has been proven that sorrel leaves are not only tasty, but also beneficial for human body. Most often, the plant is recommended for people with digestive disorders and sexual dysfunction, girls during menstruation, and men after 45 years.

benefits and harms of boiled corn

Video: how to prepare sorrel for the winter

In the article we discuss horse sorrel. You will learn what the plant looks like and where it is found. We will tell you how horse sorrel is useful for diabetes, hemorrhoids, epicondylitis and diarrhea. Following our tips, you will learn how to brew tea, prepare drops, extract and tincture of horse sorrel.

Horse sorrel

Horse sorrel is a weedy herbaceous plant of the Buckwheat family (lat. Polygonaceae). Latin name - Rumex confertus. Other names are horse sorrel, hernial moth, frog sorrel, aveluk, thick sorrel.

What does it look like

Spring view (photo) of horse sorrel The horse sorrel herb has a thick, weakly branched rhizome. Its length ranges from 10 to 25 cm. It has many adventitious roots. Look what horse sorrel root looks like in the photo.

The stems of the plant are erect, bare and furrowed. The height of the shoots reaches 150 cm, thickness - 2 cm.

The lower leaves are triangular-ovate with a heart-shaped base. The length of the leaf plate reaches 25 cm, width - up to 13 cm. The apical leaves are pointed, ovate-lanceolate with small hard hairs.

Small flowers of horse sorrel are collected in whorled inflorescences - thyrsus. The flowers consist of six petals of a greenish-yellow hue. The plant blooms from May to June.

The fruits are brown, oval-shaped nuts enclosed in a tricuspid perianth. The length of the fruit is from 4 to 7 mm. The plant bears fruit from June to July. Ripe nuts fall off in winter.

You found out what horse sorrel looks like. Now we will tell you where the plant is found and what type of soil it prefers.

Where does it grow

The horse sorrel plant prefers moist soil. Grows on silty soils with short-term flooding. Does not tolerate waterlogging.

Where to find horse sorrel? It is found in river valleys, forest edges, clearings, ravines and weedy places. Grows in forest, forest-steppe and steppe zones.

Horse sorrel grows both in single specimens and in large groups plants. It is not uncommon to find vast, dense thickets of weed.

Distributed throughout the CIS countries. It does not grow only in the Far North.

Horse sorrel root

The leaves, flowers and fruits of horse sorrel, most often the rhizome, are used as medicinal raw materials. Based on parts of the plant, infusions and decoctions are prepared at home. In pharmacies you can buy ready-made pharmaceuticals with horse sorrel. Horse sorrel roots are most often used in medicine.

Chemical composition

Chemical composition of horse sorrel:

tannins;
anthraquinone;
flavonoids;
essential oil;
ascorbic acid;
routine;
carotene;
organic acids;
iron;
calcium oxalate;
vitamin K;
resin.

Medicinal properties

The medicinal properties and contraindications of horse sorrel lie in the chemical composition of the plant. Thanks to its rich composition, the plant has antibacterial, hemostatic and astringent effects.

Horse sorrel is used to treat diseases of the gastrointestinal tract A. It normalizes digestion, enhances the production of gastric juice and eliminates inflammatory processes in the body.

Horse sorrel has an analgesic effect for rheumatism, muscle and tendon strains. Products based on it are used externally to heal wounds, treat skin diseases and varicose veins.

You found out what horse sorrel helps with. Now we will tell you how to prepare and store medicinal raw materials.

How to collect

The rhizome of horse sorrel is harvested after the aerial part of the plant has completely flowered. It is dug up, cleared of soil and cut into pieces. Before drying horse sorrel, the raw material is washed under running water.

Leaves and flowers are harvested throughout the growing season, fruits - from August to late autumn. Medicinal raw materials are dried under a canopy at a temperature not exceeding 50 degrees.

Store dry horse sorrel in fabric bags or paper bags in a ventilated area. The shelf life of raw materials is up to 2 years.

You have learned how and when to harvest horse sorrel. Now we will tell you how to use raw materials to prepare medicines.

How to use

Decoctions, infusions and tinctures are made from horse sorrel. Horse sorrel is used in folk and traditional medicine. Based on medicinal raw materials, infusions, decoctions, drops, and extracts are prepared at home.

Plant-based products are used as an antidiarrheal drug to treat adults and children. In small doses, horse sorrel stops diarrhea, in large doses it exhibits laxative properties. Therefore, horse sorrel for diarrhea should be taken strictly according to the instructions, without exceeding the dosage.

In folk medicine, horse sorrel is used to treat gynecological diseases. A decoction and infusion of the plant is used for douching. Has anti-inflammatory, disinfectant and hemostatic effects.

Horse sorrel extract is used externally to treat skin diseases. The product effectively eliminates headache, if you apply it massage movements to the temple area.

Horse sorrel infusion is used to treat diseases of the mouth and throat. Rinse with medicinal solution effectively eliminate inflammation, sore throat, cough and runny nose.

Decoction for diarrhea (for adults and children)

A decoction of horse sorrel has an astringent and antidiarrheal effect. The roots of the plant are used to prepare the product. We'll tell you how to brew horse sorrel for diarrhea in adults.

Ingredients:

Water - 250 ml.

How to cook: Wash and peel the sorrel root, cut it into small pieces and pour boiling water over it. Place the container over medium heat, bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and leave for at least an hour. Strain the cooled broth through cheesecloth.

How to use: Take 70 ml of decoction 3 times a day. Adults should take a decoction of horse sorrel for diarrhea strictly according to the prescribed dosage. Maximum daily norm- 230 ml.

Result: The product effectively stops diarrhea and has a hemostatic effect in case of bloody diarrhea.

Herbal decoction used to treat diarrhea in children over 8 years of age. For cooking children's product use the leaves and fruits of the plant or double the water content in the decoction to obtain a less concentrated drink. Consider a recipe for horse sorrel for diarrhea for children based on the fruits of the plant.

Ingredients:

Sorrel fruits - 1 tablespoon.
Water - 250 ml.

How to cook: Pour boiling water over the sorrel fruits, place the container over medium heat and bring to a boil. Boil the liquid for 10 minutes, remove from heat, cover and leave for at least an hour. Strain the broth through cheesecloth.

How to use: Take ½ tablespoon up to 3 times daily.

Result: Horse sorrel effectively stops diarrhea for children and has anti-inflammatory and astringent effects.

Tincture for hemorrhoids

Horse sorrel tincture for hemorrhoids is prepared with vodka, alcohol or purified moonshine. Consider the recipe for a vodka drink.

Ingredients:

Horse sorrel root - 2 tablespoons.
Water - 8 tablespoons.

How to cook: Wash and chop the horse sorrel root, pour in vodka and close the lid tightly. Leave at room temperature for 14 days. Ready product strain through multilayer cheesecloth.

How to use: Take 20 drops 3 times a day before meals.

Result: Horse sorrel tincture eliminates hemorrhoids pain syndrome, normalizes blood circulation in the pelvic organs and has a hemostatic effect during rectal bleeding.

Infusion for diabetes

Horse sorrel at diabetes mellitus include in the diet fresh or in infusion form. Despite the fact that the plant reduces blood glucose levels, you should consult a specialist before using it so as not to harm the body. Consider a recipe for an infusion for diabetes.

Ingredients:

Horse sorrel root - 1 tablespoon.
Horse sorrel seeds - 1 tablespoon.
Water - 250 ml.

How to cook: Wash and chop the root of the plant, add the seeds and pour a glass of boiling water. Cover with a lid, insulate with a towel and leave for at least 2 hours.

How to use: Take 1 tablespoon 15-20 minutes before meals.

Result: Infusion of horse sorrel for diabetes effectively reduces blood sugar levels, normalizes blood pressure and metabolism.

Powder for epicondylitis

To treat epicondylitis, horse sorrel root powder is used. On its basis, an ointment is made for external use, combining it with animal fat. The product heals wounds and helps with muscle and ligament sprains. Consider a recipe for powder from the roots of the plant.

Ingredients:

Horse sorrel root - 50 gr.

How to cook: Rinse the plant root under running water, peel it and cut it into pieces. Grind them in a coffee grinder until powdery.

How to use: Take 0.25 g. powder 3 times a day, washed down with 1 glass warm water.

Result: Horse sorrel for epicondylitis eliminates the inflammatory process and has an analgesic effect. On late stage diseases to enhance therapeutic effect Additionally, a powder-based ointment is used.

You found out what horse sorrel cures. Let's look at recipes for basic plant-based dosage forms.

Forms of horse sorrel

Based on horse sorrel, you can prepare many products both for external use and for oral administration. Let's consider the main dosage forms based on the plant.

Extract

You can purchase ready-made horse sorrel extract in pharmacies or prepare it at home. It is used to treat thrombophlebitis, varicose veins and work disorders cardiovascular system and gastrointestinal tract.

Ingredients:

Horse sorrel root - 10 gr.
Horse sorrel flowers - 10 gr.
Olive oil - 60 ml.

How to cook: Wash the roots and flowers of the plant, dry them with a towel. Grind the medicinal raw material in a coffee grinder to a powder consistency. Heat in a water bath olive oil, add powder and stir. Simmer the product for 10 minutes over low heat, remove from the stove and let it brew under the lid for at least an hour. Strain the finished extract through a cotton-gauze filter and store in the refrigerator.

How to use: Take 1 teaspoon 3 times a day. Use the extract externally for varicose veins veins Apply the product with massage movements onto the affected skin 2-3 times a day for 1 month.

Result: Plant extract reduces blood pressure, normalizes blood circulation, eliminates blood clots and normalizes digestion.

Tincture

How to make horse sorrel water infusions, and alcohol-containing tinctures. Above we looked at the recipe for making a vodka-based product. Now we’ll tell you how to make a drink with alcohol. Let's look at the recipe for preparing horse sorrel tincture and instructions for using the product.

Ingredients:

Horse sorrel root - 20 gr.
Alcohol - 50 ml.
Granulated sugar - 1 teaspoon.

How to cook: Wash and chop the root of the plant, add sugar and alcohol. Close the lid tightly, shake the container and store in a dark place for 2 weeks. Filter the finished drink.

How to use: Take 20 drops up to 3 times a day before meals.

Result: An infusion of horse sorrel with alcohol reduces blood pressure, cleanses the blood and normalizes digestion.

Tea

Horse sorrel tea is prepared from the leaves and flowers of the plant. The drink is taken to prevent and treat helminthiasis and indigestion.

Ingredients:

Horse sorrel leaves - 20 gr.
Water - 500 ml.

How to cook: Rinse the horse sorrel leaves under running water, pour boiling water over them and cover with a lid. Infuse the drink for 15 minutes.

How to use: Take 1 glass of drink 3 times a day before meals.

Drops

Horse sorrel drops are used to treat rheumatism, work disorders digestive system and at uterine bleeding. The product is used for rinsing the mouth for stomatitis, gingivitis and periodontitis.

Ingredients:

Horse sorrel leaves - 40 gr.
Water - 200 ml.

How to cook: Wash the leaves of the plant and grind them in a blender to a paste consistency. Squeeze out the juice, add water and place on low heat. Cook the product for 5-7 minutes. Remove from stove and cool.

How to use: Take 15-20 drops up to 3 times a day. To prepare a mouth rinse solution, dilute 2 tablespoons of the product in a glass of warm water. Carry out the procedure 3 to 5 times a day.

Result: Drops have anti-inflammatory, disinfectant and healing effects. With regular use, the product eliminates pain in muscles and joints.

Horse sorrel during pregnancy

Ingesting horse sorrel during pregnancy is strictly contraindicated. This prohibition is associated with the chrysophanic and oxalic acids contained in the plant. They increase the load on the kidneys and, if consumed excessively, lead to the formation of stones.

During the period of bearing a child, a woman is allowed to use products based on horse sorrel for her hair. The herbal decoction is used as a rinse. The product gives hair a healthy and well-groomed appearance, reduces hair fragility and regulates scalp oiliness.

Contraindications

Before starting treatment with horse sorrel, you should consult a specialist. It is important to strictly follow the dosage prescribed by your doctor so as not to cause harm to your health.

Contraindications to the use of horse sorrel:

renal failure;
kidney stone disease;
individual intolerance;
gout;
pregnancy period.

Classification

Horse sorrel belongs to the genus Sorrel (lat. Rumex), family Buckwheat (lat. Polygonaceae). The plant belongs to the order Cloves (lat. Caryophyllales), class Dicotyledons (lat. Dicotyledones), department Flowering (lat. Magnoliophyta).

Varieties

The genus Sorrel (lat. Rumex) unites more than 150 species of plants. The most common of them:

common sorrel;
curly sorrel;
Russian sorrel;
horse sorrel;
spinach sorrel;
small sorrel;
curly sorrel;
seaside sorrel.

For more information about horse sorrel, watch the video:

Horse sorrel infographics

Photo of horse sorrel, its beneficial properties and applications Infographics of horse sorrel

What to remember

Useful properties The benefits of horse sorrel seeds and other parts of the plant lie in their chemical composition. They contain organic acids, vitamins, tannins, flavonoids, and essential oil.
Based on medicinal raw materials, infusions, decoctions, drops, and extracts are prepared at home.
During pregnancy and breastfeeding, it is prohibited to use products based on horse sorrel.

Horse sorrel (horse sorrel, frog sorrel, horse sorrel) is a plant distributed throughout Russia. Finding it won't be difficult. It grows everywhere: in fields, forest edges and even along roadsides. This plant has been used in folk medicine since ancient times and almost everywhere.

Description

Horse sorrel, the medicinal properties and contraindications of which have been well studied, is from the buckwheat order. It is a perennial with a strong, multi-headed and highly branched rhizome, with a long and fairly powerful root. It is the root that allows the plant to live and bear fruit for more than one year. Once this plant is planted in the garden, it is almost impossible to remove it.

The upper part of horse sorrel is herbaceous, with rather large alternate leaves, in the lower part - large-petiolate, with short-petioled leaves in the upper part, with an ovate-lanceolate shape.

Bloom

The plant blooms with inconspicuous whitish-greenish bisexual flowers, which are collected in tall and rather dense panicles. Horse sorrel seeds are small, having three sides, 4-8 mm in size, chestnut, mostly light in color.

Sorrel begins flowering in the second half of May and continues until mid-July, it is at this time that the fruits ripen. But sometimes re-blooming may occur. In this case, seed ripening occurs in August-September.

Reproduction

For the most part, horse sorrel propagation occurs through seeds, but it can also be vegetative, that is, through division of rhizomes. This is what led to the fact that it can be found everywhere. Sorrel is classified as a weed that grows everywhere. But there is one condition under which sorrel feels good - moderate humidity. With increased water content in the soil, it disappears.

Useful properties

This unpretentious plant is popular for good reason. Nature has endowed him with many useful substances. First of all this:

A number of vitamins, including ascorbic acid, vitamins B and K.
Carotene.
Essential oils.
Organic acids, for example, oxalic and pyrogallic.
Organic substances: calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus.
Tannins and anthraquinone (derivatives).

Without knowing the chemical composition of this plant, since ancient times people have used the medicinal properties of horse sorrel, using it in the form of decoctions and tinctures for various diseases. Later it began to be used for food. This was facilitated by a pleasant sour taste. Gradually, sorrel became a cultivated plant that replenished the body’s need for nutrients.

What parts of sorrel are used in medicine?

Both aboveground and underground parts of the plant, as well as branches and seeds, are used to prepare medicines. But the most useful is the root of horse sorrel, it contains greatest number useful substances. The seeds are collected after full ripening.

The aerial part, seeds and leaves, are harvested from April to May. The underground part, the root, is dug up in the fall, when the leaves and stems have dried or when they have not yet formed, that is, in early spring. The raw materials are dried in a draft, avoiding direct sunlight; it is best to do this using a canopy. After complete drying, they are crushed and packaged in dry glass containers or clean canvas bags.

In what cases is horse sorrel used?

The medicinal properties of horse sorrel have been well known since ancient times. Moreover, they are recognized both by the people and official medicine. The action of the above-ground part of sorrel is slightly different than the underground part. Let's first talk about the use of this plant, it is used:

Use for medicinal purposes

Horse sorrel has medicinal properties and contraindications just like any plant. Tinctures, decoctions, powder from crushed roots, extracts, extracts, and ointments are made from it. Most often prepared at home fresh juice sorrel, decoctions, tinctures, dry powder. The leaves are used fresh for cooking. They serve as a supplier of vitamins and minerals. You should keep in mind the contraindications of horse sorrel.

Preparing a decoction from sorrel parts

This is the most common medicinal preparation based on horse sorrel. It is taken orally and lotions are made from it. skin diseases and enemas for hemorrhoidal bleeding. Here are a few recipes:

Recipe 1. For it you need to take 1 tablespoon of dry crushed roots, pour them into a container, pour 250 ml of boiling water into it, close the container with a lid and let it brew for 30 minutes. Squeeze and strain. Use the finished decoction 4 times a day, 1 table. spoon. Recommended for rectal fissures, hemorrhoids, colitis.

Recipe 2. Place 1.5 tablespoons of crushed sorrel roots in a saucepan, pour 350 ml of boiling water, then boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, cover with a lid and leave for 20 minutes. Squeeze and strain. We use a decoction of 100 ml 3 times a day. Its use normalizes blood circulation in the brain.

Recipe 3. Take 1 tablespoon of sorrel seeds, put it in a metal cup, pour a glass of boiling water and put it on fire. Boil for 10 minutes, remove from heat and leave to steep for 1 hour. We filter the broth. We use 50-70 mg 3 times a day. Used for bloody diarrhea.

Preparation of the powder

When taking horse sorrel, you can often hear that it is much more beneficial to take the dry powder internally, since when heated, some of the beneficial substances are simply lost. The powder is recommended for anemia, constipation as a preventive measure, and to normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. An ointment is prepared from it for external use for certain skin diseases, for example, scabies, lichen, and for wound healing. An ordinary coffee grinder is suitable for preparing sorrel powder.

Preparing the tincture

To prepare a product from sorrel for future use and to make it easier to take the drug, since you will not need to specially prepare it before each use, a tincture of sorrel root is suitable. This will require 2 tables. tablespoons of raw materials and 8 tablespoons of vodka, which are mixed in a small, tightly sealed container. Leave for 2 weeks in a dark place to infuse. After this, we filter, and the tincture is ready for use. Take 3 times a day before meals, 20 drops.

Use in food

Since time immemorial, in many countries, after a long winter, people collected the horse sorrel plant in the fields. Later they began to cultivate and grow it. For example, in France more than 50 species of sorrel are planted annually. In the old days, in Russian villages it was impossible to find a vegetable garden where this plant did not grow. It was used in the spring to replenish the body with useful substances.

In Russian cuisine there are many recipes for pies and pies with cabbage soup with sorrel, sour cream and eggs. In France, warm salads and sauces are prepared from it. In Great Britain, it is stewed and fried like cabbage as a side dish. In Central Asia it is used for baking flatbreads.

In many other countries it is used as an ingredient in salads. Dry leaves of horse sorrel are especially widely used in Armenia and Azerbaijan for preparing various dishes. The fact is that when dried, sorrel practically loses its slight bitterness, acquiring an extraordinary taste.

Contraindications

Like any other plant, sorrel has its own contraindications and medicinal properties. The fact is that it promotes the formation of kidney stones. If you have a predisposition to this, then this plant is not for you. It has been established that acid helps create salts. They increase the formation of deposits in the kidneys. The use of drugs based on sorrel during pregnancy and inflammatory processes in the body is prohibited.

Horse sorrel is a medicinal plant that traditional doctors It is recommended to keep it in home medicine cabinet. This natural remedy will help you cure many diseases, and you can use it not only as an auxiliary, but in some cases as the main drug.

Treatment with horse sorrel was practiced in the Middle Ages

Plant characteristics

Horse sorrel is a herbaceous perennial from the Buckwheat family. Its height can reach 1.5 m. The plant has a large root that grows deep and a branched multi-headed rhizome. Its stem is erect, in most cases single, the main part of the stem is bare and only the apex is branched.

Horse sorrel has large leaves, the lower ones being long-petiolate and heart-shaped, and the upper ones ovate-lanceolate on short petioles. During the flowering period, the plant is covered with small flowers, painted in a soft green hue. The flowers form thin, rather long inflorescences, the shape of which resembles a thick panicle.

The period of full ripening occurs in the first half of summer. The plant bears fruits that look like a triangular nut and are colored light brown. Reproduction occurs vegetatively or by seeds.
You can find horse sorrel in any of the former CIS countries. It prefers open meadows, vegetable gardens, clearings, as well as areas along lakes, rivers and wet ditches.

Use in folk medicine

The medicinal properties of horse sorrel deserve special attention, and they are due the richest composition all parts of this plant. Both the roots and succulent leaves are simply stuffed with the most valuable substances, among which are flavonoids and tannins, organic and caffeic acids, as well as oxalic acid calcium, rutin, carotene and ascorbic acid.

Thanks to these components, based on horse sorrel, you can prepare remedies that will help cure diseases inflammatory in nature, bacterial lesions and relieve spasms. This plant will normalize blood pressure and reduce cholesterol levels.

If you suffer from insomnia, irritability, or stress often occurs in your life, then horse sorrel will come to your aid here too. It will have a mild sedative effect, calm the nerves, relieve tension and help you fall asleep.

Note! If you want to use horse sorrel for medicinal purposes, then remember that it must be collected in April or May. The roots are dug up only after the upper part of the plant has completely died off.

Preparation of medicinal preparations

In folk medicine, horse sorrel is used to prepare various decoctions and infusions that are used both internally and externally. We invite you to consider the recipes of some of them.

Diseases of the digestive organs. For the base, dry rhizomes of the plant are used, of which you need to take no more than 5 g. The raw materials are poured with hot boiled water and sent to simmer water bath. After about 30 minutes, the broth is removed, filtered and allowed to cool. Before use, the product is diluted with a small amount of water and drunk 1/3 of a glass before meals three times a day.
Diarrhea. In case of diarrhea, the astringent properties of horse sorrel become relevant.
Important! To stop diarrhea, plant preparations must be used in small quantities! An overdose will have the opposite effect!!!

Here again we will use the root of the plant. Pour a teaspoon of raw material into 5 glasses of water, bring to a boil, boil over medium heat for 4-5 minutes and cool at room temperature. Filter the broth and drink 1/3 of a glass twice a day.
Constipation. As mentioned above, constipation can be eliminated using a concentrated remedy. To prepare it, pour 2 tablespoons of roots into 200 ml of hot water, boil for about 30 minutes and turn off the heat. After 10 minutes, filter the broth and squeeze. Drink 1/3 of a glass half an hour before meals three times a day. Another remedy can have a laxative effect. Dry roots in the amount of 7 tablespoons pour 5 glasses of water. Bring the mixture to a boil, boil for 15 minutes, leave, filter. Take a tablespoon every 3 hours until relief.
Rheumatism. Horse sorrel roots – 20 g, pour 10 ml of vodka or alcohol and transfer to a shaded place. Leave for 10 days. After the specified time, strain the drug and drink 20 drops daily before meals.
Allergy. Pour 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh leaves into a glass of water and put on fire. Boil everything for 5 minutes, strain and leave for 1 hour. Take half a glass 4 times a day a quarter of an hour before meals.
Skin diseases - boils, pimples, ulcers. To treat these ailments, you can use freshly squeezed juice from horse sorrel leaves or simply apply mashed young leaves to the affected areas. In some cases, a medicinal paste is prepared: a paste of leaves is combined with sour milk or with cream.

Note! Horse sorrel has even found its place in traditional medicine! There are a number of drugs that contain it in powder form.

Contraindications

But no matter how large a list of medicinal properties horse sorrel has, its preparations also have contraindications. These include:

renal dysfunction;
pregnancy period.

In addition, children based on this plant should be given in low dosage.

All materials on the website are presented for informational purposes only. Before using any product, consultation with a doctor is MANDATORY!