Fern: beneficial properties. Application in traditional medicine. Fern: benefits and harm to human health Fern its useful properties

Description

Fern is a herb, a representative of the Osmundov family. Scientists consider North China, Korea, and the Far East to be its homeland. The fern is found in the forests of Russia, Ukraine, Finland, Central Asia, Mexico. The plant is a green stem with pinnately dissected leaves (see photo). The fern is considered one of the oldest plants on the planet, dating back to the Devonian period. Compressed fern wood, according to scientists, became the material for coal.

In order to understand what this plant is, it is necessary to trace the stages of its development: the stem of the fern grows underground, in the spring young leaves called frond begin to form, then the leaves grow and most of all resemble a huge snail, the leaves unfold and become like a hook ... The fern does not bloom, but reproduces by spores.

The plant got its scientific name Pteridium aguillinum (bracken fern) due to its resemblance to the wing of a huge bird (from the Greek language preton translates as "wing", aqulia means "eagle").

Many interesting legends are associated with the fern. People were very wary of this plant, because it looked very mysterious. Our ancestors did not understand how this plant reproduces if it never blooms. People expected the flowering of the fern as a special holiday. According to a well-known belief, a person who finds a flower of this plant on the holiday of Ivan Kupala will be able to become incredibly rich, since on this night the earth itself opens and reveals hidden riches. In Russia, they believed that this plant opens any locks and that not a single secret can be hidden in front of the fern. According to an ancient legend, the fern appeared thanks to the goddess of love Venus, supposedly she dropped her beautiful hair, and this amazing plant grew from it. Another legend says that the girl fell off a cliff, and a spring appeared in that place, and her hair became a plant, similar to the wing of a bird.

Calorie content: 34 kcal

Energy value of the Fern product:

Proteins: 4.55 g.
Fat: 0.4 g.
Carbohydrates: 5.54 g.

Beneficial features

The beneficial properties of the fern are due to its valuable chemical composition. The plant is rich in alkaloids, starch, essential oils, flavonoids, tannins. Fern shoots contain carotene, tocopherol (vitamin E), riboflavin, or vitamin B2. The presence of alkaloids makes the plant an excellent pain reliever.

Fern contains a large amount of proteins, similar to those of cereals, which are easy to digest and have a positive effect on the body. With regular use, the plant has a positive effect on growth processes.

Fern has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the nervous system, tones the body. There is evidence that the plant helps to remove radionuclides from the human body.

For medicinal purposes, the rhizome of the plant is used, which is harvested in September. The fern is effective for varicose veins, sciatic nerve inflammation, and cramps in the gastrocnemius muscle. For these diseases, the course of treatment is 3 weeks.

Cooking use

Fern has been used in cooking since ancient times. For food purposes, only two types of fern are used - bracken and ostrich. The so-called rachis, or plant shoots, are edible. And its young leaves are added to salads, fried, pickled, used instead of seasoning. Fern shoots taste like mushrooms. Due to the large presence of proteins, the plant was loved by the inhabitants of Japan, Korea, and the Far East. The calorie content of this product is 34 kcal per 100 grams.

There are two types of fern preparation: boiling and canning. In any case, before preparing the plant, its shoots must first be boiled. You should not neglect this stage and fry fresh rachis: this way you ruin the dish, because the fern will taste bitter. The leaves are washed in salted water. When the water boils, after a few minutes it is drained, the plant is washed and again filled with salted water. Next, the fern is boiled until tender. Shoots should not break, it is enough to bring them to a state where they will bend easily. The cooked plant is discarded in a colander and used according to recipes.

A popular option for cooking ferns is salting them. Thanks to salting, the product can be stored for a long time, besides, you get an excellent "semi-finished product", which can be very quickly turned into amazing tasty dish... The plant is thoroughly washed, then placed in a glass jar and covered with salt, the fern is folded in layers, sprinkled with table salt. Next, the container with the plant is pressed down on top with something heavy and placed in a cool place for 14 days. After two weeks, it will be necessary to drain the brine, and transfer the shoots to another container. Moreover, the plant is folded again in layers with the difference that the layer that was on top should be at the very bottom. The fern is again poured with brine with a minimum salt content of 22%. In this form, the fern can be stored for several years.

There is a specially harvested fern for food purposes on sale. The purchased product must be soaked in clean water for several hours to remove excess bitterness and salt. During this time, it is better to periodically drain the water and fill the plant with new water. After two hours, the fern is transferred to a saucepan and boiled for about 15 minutes without adding spices. In parallel, you need to cut the onion and meat. Next, the meat and onions should be fried in vegetable oil. Fern after heat treatment cut into small pieces and fry along with the rest of the ingredients. At the end of cooking, add 1 tbsp to the dish. l. soy sauce. The dish is served hot.

The famous recipe for this plant is "Korean fern". Onions and carrots, cut into strips, are stewed in olive oil until golden brown. Fern sprouts are added to the vegetables in the pan and mix thoroughly. The resulting mass is again thoroughly mixed and seasoned with seasoning for cooking carrots in Korean. Next, the vegetables are stewed until tender for 15 minutes.

Fern benefits and treatment

The benefits of the plant have long been known. folk medicine... Fern is used as a pain reliever for joint pain, headache. For rheumatism, it is recommended to take warm baths with fern broth. Also, decoctions of the plant are effective for jaundice, diseases of the intestines and spleen. Outwardly, the plant is used for eczema, abscesses, scrofula. Fern root powder relieves intestinal and spleen congestion.

Fern rhizome decoction can be prepared at home. To do this, boil 10 grams of crushed rhizomes for 10 minutes in 200 ml of water. Take the broth should be 1 tsp. together with bee honey. Sometimes the broth is mixed with flour and taken by dividing the "dough" into 10 parts. Fern is a potent remedy, drugs on the basis of which cannot be taken without medical indications. After taking the plant, be sure to put an enema and take a saline laxative. Other types of laxatives are strictly prohibited.

Outwardly, fern broth is used as baths or rubdowns. In order to prepare a bath with a decoction, you will need 50 grams of rhizomes per 3 liters of water. The broth is infused for several hours, and then poured into a cool bath.

Fern harm and contraindications

The plant can cause harm to the body with uncontrolled use. Fern is best used under the supervision of a phytotherapist or attending physician, since the plant is poisonous.

Fern is contraindicated for pregnant women.

Contraindications to its use are also fever, anemia, tuberculosis, liver and kidney diseases, ulcers, chronic diseases.

In case of an overdose, the patient should wash out the stomach and immediately seek medical help.

Interesting Facts

Fern is one of the oldest plants on earth that has survived to this day. Scientists believe that the compressed wood of ancient ferns became the main forming material of coal.

Everyone knows the belief that whoever finds a fern flower on the night of Ivan Kupala will be able to find all the treasures and open all hearts. This is just a legend - the fern never blooms.

This plant has a characteristic appearance, while there are about ten thousand of its varieties. Many beliefs and signs are associated with the fern; it is one of the most ancient representatives of the flora on our planet, it is widespread in different parts of the globe.

The culture refers to vascular plants, never blooms and has an unusual structure. The fern does not have what is usually called leaves, instead it has fronds, or flat branches: a complex of branches located at a single level. The stem of the plant is underground. Not only spores, but also rhizomes participate in reproduction - this method is called vegetative. Fern is also characterized by spore and sexual species.

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The most famous species of this plant:

Name	Peculiarities	Photo
Orlyak ordinary	Outwardly, it is very similar to an eagle's wing. It grows mainly in woodlands, but can spread to forest edges, glades, and occasionally lives in limestone. When cultivated in the garden, the development of the fern should be limited, since, due to its powerful rhizome, it penetrates deep into the ground and occupies a large area there, which makes it difficult to get rid of unwanted bushes. The bracken has a specific smell that repels insects. This species is able to benefit a person: the rhizome of the plant is perfectly soaped, therefore, if necessary, it can replace soap. The presence of nutrients makes the fern suitable for human consumption.
Common ostrich	A very beautiful plant, shaped like a funnel, consisting of long openwork leaves, shaped like ostrich feathers. This fern prefers shade and lives close to a moisture source. They love to use the ostrich in landscape design because of its attractive appearance, and young shoots are eaten. It is widely used in medicine - both official and folk
Female fern (or female fern)	The plant with large, triple-feathery leaves is a typical inhabitant of northern forests, but due to its appearance it resembles a representative of the tropical flora. The name "female" is ritual and comparative. Kochedyzhnik has many varieties, which allows breeders to cross them to develop new varieties. It finds application in medicine, landscape design
Dwarf (or male fern)	Unlike the female fern, the fern has less finely feathery leaves, but stronger. Loves damp and unlit areas. The rhizomes of the thyme are dug up and then dried for medicinal purposes.
Nephrolepis	A tropical fern that is a large plant. The rhizome is short, the leaves are long and scaly, hanging downward. Nephrolepis is used in pharmacology. The flower is in demand among indoor plant lovers.

Fern as a houseplant

Fern's beneficial properties, such as its ability to absorb dust, make it a good option for breeding and growing at home. Almost all types are unpretentious in care, but nephrolepis is considered the most popular indoor representative. The pots of this fern are usually placed on high surfaces so that the leaves can hang freely.

The benefits of the plant for flower growers also lie in the possibility of using its roots as a substrate for growing orchids.

Nephrolepis root is used in the treatment of inflammation, and its juice is an effective tool in the treatment and prevention of skin diseases and burns. The medicinal properties of the kochedyzhnik lie in its ability to have a calming effect on the nervous system.

Many experts recognize that fern is beneficial to health. But the uncontrolled use of plant infusions can harm the body. There are contraindications to the use of fern-based products, such as anemia, stomach ulcers, pregnancy. You should not be treated with a plant on your own, you must first consult a doctor.

Cooking applications

Since ancient times, fern has been used in cooking. Only 2 representatives are edible species - bracken and ostrich. Young shoots and leaves of a flower are used in food. They can be used for salads, as a seasoning or as a main course - fried tastes like mushrooms. The plant contains a large amount of proteins, and its caloric content is about 34 kcal per 100 g of product.

Regardless of the option for using the fern, first you need to boil it. This is done so that the shoots do not give off bitterness. The fern is boiled in several stages: first, the plant must be washed in slightly salted water. After boiling, you should drain it, rinse the raw material again and fill it with salted water. In this case, you need to cook the fern until tender. It is easy to define it - the shoots should bend easily. When the plant is cooked, you need to let the moisture drain from it and use it according to the chosen recipe (for example, add to any salad to taste).

Salted use is common. Salted fern is stored longer, this cooking method is an effective way of preserving the product, from which you can cook any dish in the future. To do this, you must thoroughly rinse the plant and put it in a glass jar in layers, sprinkling each new one with salt. Then the container with the fern should be pressed down on top with something heavy and left for 2 weeks in a cool place. After that, you need to get the jar, drain all the brine and transfer the plant to another dish. Layers are laid out in the opposite order. Further, the raw material is again poured with brine with a salt content of no more than 22%. This canned fern can be stored for up to several years.

Signs and superstitions

The unusual appearance of the plant has given rise to many legends and beliefs. People treated him with caution, since the fern never blooms, which is why no one could understand how it reproduces. A well-known sign is associated with this feature. It is believed that the fern blooms once a year, on the night of the holiday of Ivan Kupala. Some believe that a person who finds its buds will become rich, since at this time the earth itself reveals and reveals the riches hidden in it.

It was believed that not a single secret could be hidden in front of the fern, since it reveals the whole truth. There is a legend explaining the appearance of the plant. According to her, the goddess of love Venus once dropped one lock on the ground, and a fern grew out of it. Another legend tells about a girl who fell from a cliff into a pond, a source allegedly appeared at the place of her death, and her hair turned into this plant.

Today, there are two opposite views on the maintenance of ferns in the house. According to some, it is beneficial, others talk about its negative impact on a person. Positive qualities include:

beneficial effect on the atmosphere in the room, as well as on its inhabitants;
the ability to establish relationships between people of different ages;
scaring away evil spirits;
attraction of monetary luck.

It is advised to put it next to household appliances because of its ability to absorb radiation.

Opponents of keeping this plant in the house believe that the fern brings misfortune and disease, sucks vital energy out of a person.

Modern ferns (Latin Polypodiphyta) are one of the few ancient plants (appeared about 400 million years ago) that have retained a significant diversity, comparable to what was in the past. Ferns vary greatly in size, life forms (both herbaceous and arboreal forms of life are found), life cycles (asexual and sexual generations alternate), structural features, and other features. Their appearance is so characteristic that people usually call them all the same - ferns, not suspecting that this is the largest group of spore plants: there are about 300 genera and more than 10,000 species of ferns.

Ferns are ubiquitous, although they don't always attract attention. But their greatest variety is where it is warm and damp: tropics and subtropics. Found in birch forests throughout Russia. It is widely distributed in the Urals, Siberia, Altai, and the Far East.
Their main feature is that they do not have seeds, and they reproduce mainly by spores.

Their main feature is that they do not have seeds. And they multiply by spores.

Not every fern can be eaten: the common bracken is considered edible. (pteridium aquilinum), common ostrich (matteuccia struthiopteris), osmund cinnamon (osmunda cinnamomea) and several other species, others are absolutely tasteless or even poisonous.

Composition

Bracken fern rhizome contains starch, alkaloids, saponins, hydrocyanic and bracken-tannic acid, essential oils, flavonoids, fat, tannins. Young shoots are rich in vitamins, tocopherol, riboflavin, carotene, niacin.
From trace elements, bracken accumulates iodine, potassium, calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper, sodium, nickel, sulfur, phosphorus.

Bracken fern proteins in their properties and composition are close to the proteins of grain crops, are easily assimilated. The fern has long been eaten by taiga in the Far East, as well as by the inhabitants of Korea and Japan. The use of fern has a beneficial effect on growth processes, helps in the formation of the skeleton, metabolism, the activity of the nervous system, increases efficiency, improves the state of the endocrine system, and promotes the removal of radionuclides from the body.

Calorie content and nutritional value of fern

Fern calories - 34 kcal.

Fern nutritional value: proteins - 4.55 g, fats - 0.4 g, carbohydrates - 5.54 g

Beneficial features

For medicinal purposes, the fern has been used for a long time. Inside, a decoction of rhizomes and herbs is taken for diseases of the spleen and intestines, for joint aches, diarrhea, jaundice, headache and chest pain, dry pleurisy, noise in the head and ears, as a laxative, diuretic, analgesic and anthelmintic.
Bracken stimulates metabolism, relieves stress.

Outwardly, a decoction of fern rhizomes is used for wounds, eczema, scrofula, abscesses. The infusion can be used for ulcers and rheumatism in the form of baths.

Contraindications

Fern infusions and decoctions should be consumed very carefully, under the guidance of an experienced herbalist, as the fern is poisonous.

You can not be treated with a fern during pregnancy!

Overdose can lead to nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness, seizures, low blood pressure, respiratory depression, weakening of the heart, and even death.

Cooking applications

The fern is used in the culinary arts of different peoples of the world. Salads are prepared from young leaves, "snails" are boiled, fried, pickled and salted for the winter, used as a seasoning for meat.

Interesting fact: In Slavic mythology, the fern flower was endowed magical properties though ferns don't bloom. On the night of Ivan Kupala, lovers are looking for this mythical fern flower (according to legend, it blooms for just a moment), believing that it will bring eternal happiness to their couple.

Interestingly, South America, Australia, New Zealand eat starch-rich bracken fern rhizomes. Yes, and in Western Europe, they were once used to make flour and even brew beer.
Based on materials from wikipedia.org, gastronom.ru, lady.mail.ru

Fern's scientific name comes from the Greek words for "wing" and "eagle". This plant is called so because it resembles the wing of a large bird - an eagle. There is a belief, legend, if a person finds a fern flower on the night of Ivan Kupala, he will be able to find all the treasures, and also open all hearts. The problem is that the fern doesn't bloom. The beneficial properties of the fern have found their application in folk medicine.

Fern - medicinal properties and contraindications

The beneficial properties of the fern are manifold. Of the many fern species, only Eagle (Pteridium aquilinum Kuhn.) Is used for food - young shoots and rhizomes.

For medical purposes, only male dryopteris (Dryopteris filix mas Schott) is suitable, beneficial features powder from the rhizome of which is used to expel worms (pharmaceutical preparations Piperazin, Filiksan).

Fern rhizome is rich in starch (up to 46%), it is used for food, for making beer, and edible starch paste is brewed. The collection of fern rhizomes on the same plantation is carried out every 5-6 years, otherwise the plant does not have time to recover.

As you know, the fern rhizome contains: alkaloids, starch, saponins, hydrocyanic acid, bracken-tannic acid, essential oils, fat, flavonoids, tannins. The useful properties of the fern are enormous: young shoots of the plant are rich in tocopherol, riboflavin, carotene, niacin and various vitamins. As for fern proteins, their composition is close to the composition of cereal proteins, they are quite easily absorbed.

Fern use in traditional medicine

Ferns have long been eaten by taiga in the Far East and by the inhabitants of Korea and Japan.

Due to the abundance of useful properties, the use of fern has a beneficial effect on growth processes, and also helps to form the skeleton, promotes metabolism and normalizes the activity of the nervous system, increases efficiency, improves the state of the endocrine system, fern helps to remove radionuclides from the body. From young leaves of the Fern, the beneficial properties of which we are discussing, salads are prepared, snails are boiled, fried, pickled, you can even pickle for the winter, use the plant as a seasoning. However, remember that only these Ferns are edible and have the maximum amount of useful properties: Bracken, Ostrich common, Osmunda cinnamon (as well as some other species).

As mentioned earlier, one of the main beneficial properties of the fern is its unique ability to remove radiation from the body. This feature was first noticed by the Japanese. A strange feature was noted - the ants best survived the consequences of the nuclear bombings of 1945, more precisely, the species of ants that fed exclusively on ferns. And for more than fifty years now, Japan has been the main buyer of this ancient plant.

Use of the beneficial properties of the Fern in cooking

Jar fern recipe

The most acceptable option is to cork it in a jar. It should be noted that after harvesting, the lower part of the fern stalks - an ordinary bracken - instantly becomes hard, so they need to be salted or boiled immediately, boil preferably in slightly salted water. After that we dry the plant.

Salted fern recipe

First of all, we put the plant in an enamel pan, fill it with salt (two hundred and fifty grams of salt per kilogram of the harvested plant). We cover with a wooden lid, press down on top with oppression, and then leave for seven to eight days. As soon as the brine begins to cover the lid, drain it. Together with such a brine, the bitterness that is characteristic of young shoots will also go away. You can stew the plant prepared according to this recipe, this will not reduce the beneficial properties of the fern.

To do this, you need to separately fry the previously prepared onions and the fern itself, then you need to stew in sour cream. You can serve the dish with pre-fried tomatoes and herbs. You can fry the onion, then dip the onion and fern in the pancake batter and deep-fry until cooked.

Fern Korean salad recipe

You will need: one hundred grams of fried onions, one hundred grams of canned corn, one hundred grams of rye croutons, one hundred grams of sliced cheese, one hundred grams of finely chopped veal or beef, and one hundred grams of Korean carrots and ferns. Mix the ingredients and season with the sauce. For the sauce - mix the ingredients thoroughly (sour cream, grated garlic, mayonnaise).

Dried bracken rhizome recipe

The washed rhizomes are dried in sufficient heat and ground into flour. It is added to ordinary dough when baking bread and pies. Useful properties of fern rhizomes are preserved even in dry form

Bracken rhizome starch recipe

Raw rhizomes are washed, chopped in a meat grinder and washed on a sieve, collecting water after washing. Then the suspension is defended, the liquid is drained, and the starch remaining at the bottom is dried. It is used in the confectionery industry, in the preparation of various dishes.

Recipe for salted bracken shoots

Young hook-shaped shoots are broken out at the base, washed and tied in bunches of 10-15 together. A layer of coarse salt is poured on the bottom of the barrel and the prepared bundles are laid, sprinkling with salt 2-3 cm each row. For 10 kg of shoots, 4 g of salt is used. Pour saline solution into 1 L container (400 g of salt per 1 L of water) and put the circle under heavy oppression. They are kept for 20 days, then transferred to another container and salted in rows at the rate of 1 kg of salt per 10 kg of shoots. Pour with brine (2.5 kg of salt per 10 l of water) and keep in it for 10 days. Stored for a year, then the beneficial properties of the fern are lost.

Dried male dry rhizome recipe

In the fall, a fern rhizome with a light middle is dug up, cleaned of brown leaves and scales and thoroughly dried in a not hot oven at a temperature not exceeding 60 ° C, otherwise the raw material loses its activity. The crushed powder is used to expel tapeworms in humans and animals. Since the potion is quite toxic, it is used with caution, preferably in a hospital. 10 g of powder is poured into 200 ml of water and boiled until the liquid evaporates by half. Then the liquid is drained and mixed with flour and honey. The resulting mass is divided into 10 servings and taken in the morning on an empty stomach, 1 ball every 5 minutes, washed down with water. After 30 minutes, they give a saline laxative (magnesia 10-30 g) and wait for the bowel movement.

In the absence of a chair, an enema is given after 3 hours. 2 days before the procedure, a low-fat diet is prescribed, and a saline laxative is taken the day before. To expel the tapeworm entirely with a scolex (head), the enema is repeated twice. The same method is used for large animals, and poultry is given a powder with magnesia and starch.

Fern Korean salad recipe

Mix pieces of salted fern shoots and boiled chicken fillet, fried in oil and chopped. Cut the celery stalk into slices, and dice the cheese, apple and mango. Cut small tomatoes in half and add to the salad, season with salt and pepper, pour over the sauce made from vinegar seeds, mustard and vegetable oil... 200 g salted bracken shoots, 200 g chicken fillet, 2 celery branches, 200 g cheese, 1 apple, 1 mango, 150 g cherry tomatoes, 4 tbsp. l. vinegar, 2 tsp. mustard, 3 tbsp. l. vegetable oil, salt, sugar, black pepper. Thus, it turns out not only tasty, but also with useful properties, a dish.

Fern Far East bread recipe

Mix baking flour with bran and flour from bracken rhizomes. Add dry yeast, rolled oats, buckwheat, wheat and bran flakes. Add salt, sugar, milk powder and mix everything thoroughly. Pour water into the groove in the flour and knead the dough (you can use a bread maker). Let it brew for 2 hours, knead, distance for another 1 hour and put on a baking sheet in the form of a wicker or log. Bake for 40-50 minutes at 220 ° C. Remove from oven, sprinkle with water, brush with oil and sprinkle with a handful of sesame seeds. Cover with a towel until it cools.

For 300 g of flour - 200 g of flour from the rhizome of bracken, 2 tbsp each. l. bran and various flakes, 2 tsp. salt, 2 tbsp. l. sugar, 2 tbsp. l. powdered milk, 300 ml of water, a handful of sesame seeds.

Useful properties of Fern: video

Ferns are the most ancient group of higher plants. For a long time, in the representation of many peoples, ferns have been associated with various superstitions and legends, which is largely due to the poisonous properties of a significant part of ferns. They contain essential oils, flavonoids, tannins, phenol phloroglucinol, which has found its application in medicine. In addition, ferns are used as fodder (common bracken, due to their high protein content), medicinal (especially male fern), food (mainly common bracken and common ostrich), decorative (female cochidian, common ostrich) plants; some are weeds.

Birch-fern forest

For example, phloroglucinol derivatives contained in Male shieldworm (Dryopteris filix mas L.), when administered into a vein in toxic doses, cause convulsions and cardiac arrest in warm-blooded animals. When administered orally, irritate the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract. After absorption into the blood after about 2 hours, they cause convulsions and death of animals.

Phloroglucinol derivatives and their decay products are toxic to living protoplasm, but they are especially toxic to the muscle cells of worms and molluscs. This feature is associated with the antihelminthic effect of fern rhizomes.

With storage, the antihelminthic effect of the fern and its preparations becomes weaker. The loss of activity is associated with the transition of fern acid to the inactive anhydride - filicin.

Male fern or male fern (Driopteris fílix-mas)

Preparations from the rhizome of the thyme are used against tapeworms. Fern preparations are especially effective for infestations with bovine and pork tapeworms (teniosis), as well as for diphyllobothriasis and hymenolipedosis.

The extract from the rhizomes of the male dwarf plant and the drug Filixan are used - the sum of the active substances of the rhizomes of the male dwarf plant.

There are indications that Filixan is less toxic than the extract of male thyme. However, with the appointment of both drugs, side effects are possible: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea with blood and mucus, in pregnant women, as a result of reflex uterine contraction, there may be miscarriage, dizziness, headache, respiratory depression, convulsions; weakening of cardiac activity, lowering of blood pressure, collapse may occur. N.P. Kravkov reported cases of optic nerve atrophy as a result of poisoning with fern extract. That's why treatment with male thyroid medications is carried out under the close supervision of a doctor.

Also, there is a widespread tradition or superstition aboutflower (fire flower) fernto be found on the night of Ivana Kupala , is connected just with the Male Shield. Whoever found such a flower that night opened up underground treasures, foresight ... The “fiery” flower supposedly could make any person invisible, give power over the dark forces, make him fabulously rich or happy.

Orlyak ordinary(Pteridium aquilinum)

Due to the peculiarities of development and powerful rhizome, bracken is considered in some countries an intractable weed. At the same time, man has long tried to benefit from this plant. In England, for example, until the 19th century. dry bracken leaves were used for roofing work, as bedding for livestock, as fuel and as fertilizer. In California, baskets were woven from large petioles, and in Europe pillows and mattresses were stuffed with bracken leaves.

Common bracken (Pteridium aquilinum)

At one time, fern ash was also widely used.

There is information about the possibility of using bracken in leather production as a tanning agent. Antimicrobial properties allow the use of fern leaves for packaging vegetables and fruits.

There are various opinions about the possibility of using bracken as animal feed. On the one hand, the high protein content tempts, and on the other hand, it is known that fresh and dried bracken causes poisoning of animals. Nevertheless, the experiments of P.V. Maksimov (1936) on ensiling forest grass, which is 90% fern, confirmed that animals eat such food willingly and do not have any consequences. Does not cause animal poisoning and flour obtained from fern dried in artificial conditions.

The literature discusses and medicinal properties bracken. So in the review by A.I.Shreter and L.M. Kornishina (1975) it is indicated that the leaves and rhizomes of bracken were used as a hemostatic, tonic, antipyretic, astringent, antihelminthic, analgesic agent, as well as in diseases of the nervous system and some other pathologies.

Fern also plays a certain role in human nutrition.

It is known, for example, that the local population of New Zealand and the Canary Islands, South America and Australia baked bread from the flour of pre-dried bracken rhizomes rich in starch. In hungry years, such bread was baked in the countries of Western Europe. Rhizome flour has good taste, but is rather coarse due to the significant amount of fiber. The rhizomes themselves are edible; they taste like baked potatoes.

During the First World War, which caused significant difficulties in providing the population with food, young bracken shoots were recommended in England as substitutes for asparagus.

Ferns are especially popular in the diet of the population of Japan and Korea. Japanese cuisine is rich in recipes for a wide variety of fern dishes. So, bracken is recommended to be used for the preparation of various seasonings, salads, snacks, you can add it to soups, eat with bean curd. The best taste is the fern fried in oil, and all dishes from it with the addition of walnut... Recently, interest in fern has increased, which is associated with an increase in its export to other countries, as well as with the increasing popularity of dishes from it in public catering throughout Russia.

Nutritional advantages of common bracken.

Young shoots of bracken are edible only at a certain stage of development. I.V. Dalin (1981) divided the period of intensive fern growth into several stages, giving each one its own name:

– « sprout»(Ring) - the petiole of the future leaf is annularly curved;

– « undergrowth»- the top of the frond breaks off from the soil, the petiole begins to straighten, but is still rather strongly curved;

– « elimination of bending»- the main part of the petiole is already growing straight up, but the top of the frond is still curved;

– « schilze»- the top is fully straightened, the whole frond is straight;

– « threesome"- leaf blades begin to unfold from the top of the frond.

The optimal stages of development in the practice of blanks are considered to be "elimination of bending", "splint" and "triplet" at the very beginning of the unfolding of the leaf blade.

In terms of the biological value of protein, bracken fern is close to proteins of grain products, which are considered easily digestible, and mushrooms, but inferior to proteins of animal origin.

Common ostrich(Matteuccia struthiopteris)

It is known that the Norwegians used the fern to feed their goats and also to make beer. In Russia, it was used as an anthelmintic.

The common ostrich is one of the most beautiful species; it is cultivated as an ornamental plant, and in Canada for food purposes.

According to the Japanese, ostrich feather is considered especially tasty among edible ferns. Unlike many other ferns, it can be eaten not only boiled, but also fresh.

Common ostrich, or Black sarana (Matteuccia struthiopteris)

The ostrich appears in early spring. They begin to collect it at the stage when the top of the leaf just emerges above the soil and is coiled like a cochlea. In this case, the length of the petiole should be at a level no more than 3 cm from the soil; there should not be any lateral leaves - only this stage of development is suitable for food purposes. If the fern is overgrown, its snail-like folded leaf will unwind during processing, and the dish prepared from such a plant will have an unattractive appearance.

In Canada and some US states, the ostrich is a traditional spring food for local Indians. The population prefers frozen fern to all other types of processing, and its harvesting in some provinces reaches 200 tons.

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