The Wild Strawberry /Fragaria vesca L./ is a perennial herb of the family Rosaceae. Grows in forests, meadows and thickets throughout at up to 2000 m altitude. Leaves of wild strawberry are with long handles and consist of three toothed, ovate leaflets. The flowers are white.
Fruit of the wild strawberry consists of tiny seeds that are located on the surface of the fleshy torus. Blooms in the months from May to June. This Strawberry is a delicious, but very useful product with proven health benefits. It has become part of traditional folk medicine, which uses not only the fruit, but infusions of the plant.
Composition of wild strawberry
The fresh fruit wild strawberry contains about 9% of sugars /fructose and glucose/, malic and citric acid, tannins, flavonoids, pectin, essential oil, folic acid, vitamins of the B group, carotene, aromatic esters, phosphate salts.
Trace elements in the largest quantities are iron, chromium, copper and manganese. Leaves of wild strawberries contain vitamin C, tannins, flavonoids and qwertsitin, traces of alkaloids.
Collection and storage of wild strawberry
As mentioned, wild strawberry grows in meadows, forests and shrubs. Usable parts are both the fruit and leaves. Collection of fruits is done by taking the flesh only in dry weather.
The strawberries are consumed fresh or dried in a desiccator. Dried fruits should have a deep red color, no smell and a sour taste. The leaves are collected and the stalks are dried in ventilated rooms.
Fresh fruits are cleaned thoroughly and you must remove rotting or rotten strawberries. In the fridge you can keep them for 2-3 days, in a bowl and between each row, put a piece of paper. If you want, you can freeze them for winter - sprinkle with sugar and freeze in the freezer.
Use of wild strawberry
This Strawberry has excellent taste, and is also valuable dietary product. The small sweet fruits can be eaten both fresh and cooked in various jams, fruit sauces and sweets. In addition to cooking, Strawberry is widely spread in folk medicine and in some cosmetics. The queen of berries, as this Strawberry is called, is incredibly fragrant and useful.
Benefits of wild strawberry
Strawberry dilates peripheral vessels and lowers blood pressure in hypertension, increases the amplitude of cardiac contractions. Decoctions of wild strawberry enhance uterine musculature, thus eing applied in gynecological diseases.
Strawberry increases metabolism and has an anti-inflammatory effect on diseases such as kidney stones, gall bladder, gout, inflammations of the intestines and stomach. It is a good diuretic. Due to the presence of tannins and flavonoids in the leaves of strawberry, they have a good effect on diarrhea. Leaves and fruits are an especially good remedy for deficiency and anemia.
The fruit of wild strawberry acts as a therapeutic means for ulcers of the stomach and duodenum, gout and arthritis due to impaired water-salt metabolism. Strawberry relieves thirst, improves digestion and helps with constipation. Furthermore, the appetizing fruits improve the liver and reduces cholesterol.
To deal with constipation, a very effective method is tea from dried wild strawberry. For this purpose, a handful of dried fruit in mixed with 500 ml boiling water and left to brew for a few minutes.
Fresh juice of crushed wild strawberries helps rheumatism and glycemia and has a good detoxifying effect. Treatment with the juice takes about 10 days.
Crumpled wild strawberries can be used as a valuable therapeutic mask. They slow the aging process and the appearance of wrinkles, restore tired skin. Another amazing cosmetic product is cream with wild strawberries. For this purpose, pour 250 g wild strawberries and 100 g of sugar into a saucepan and allow to boil on the fire. Cool them and return to a boil again. Cool again and place the mixture in the refrigerator. It makes a great lotion for oily skin.
Dangers of the wild strawberry
Some people can not tolerate the consumption of strawberries. If you eat the fruit, you can get hives, itching, and other signs of allergic reaction. Upon the occurrence of such symptoms, you should consult a doctor.
Strawberries have anti- thyroid action and if consumed in excessive amounts, can reduce the absorption of iodine by the thyroid gland.
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