Mankind has known about the positive effect of needles on the body for a long time: even before the adoption of Christianity, in Russia, at the bed of a sick person, branches of coniferous trees were burned. How to cook and eat spruce broth with health benefits will be discussed in the article.

The chemical composition of spruce broth

In various parts of the spruce contains a lot of useful substances, the effect of which has a therapeutic and prophylactic effect on the body. Among the most significant vitamins, minerals and other substances contained in needles, they are distinguished (the minimum and maximum content of substances are indicated through a dash, the indicators in summer / winter are oblique):

• amino acids, including irreplaceable;
• benzoic acid;
• essential oils and volatile;
• starch and protein;
• minerals;
• metal salts (Co, Mn, Fe, Cu, Cr, etc.);
• carotene: 160–320 mg;
• vitamin E: 340-360 mg;
• ascorbic acid: 250–300 mg;
• Vitamin P: 880–2270 mg / 2210–3780 mg;
• Vitamin K: 13/19 mg;
• PP: 139/31 mg;
• H: 0.07 / 0.16 mg;
• B1: 8/21 mg;
• B2: 6 mg;
• B3: 15/31 mg;
• B6: 0.9 / 1.9 mg.

Did you know? In winter, poultry is fed with chopped pine or spruce needles. Poultry farmers have established that this is the most effective vitamin product rich in essential feathered mineral salts, protein and carbohydrates.

Beneficial features

• Spruce has a lot of useful properties, the most significant of which are:
• natural diuretic that improves the urinary system;
• antiviral and antimicrobial action, which is especially important in spring and autumn;
• has a mild sedative effect, helps with sleep problems, with mental and physical strain, excessive nervous excitability;
• high content of natural essential oils and phytoncides in needles, cones and products based on them, are very effective for problems with the nose (rhinitis, sinusitis, etc.), and for the prevention of acute respiratory infections;
• spruce broth is able to help with colds of the respiratory system, bronchitis;
• It has a strong and effective bactericidal effect, which helps to destroy pathogenic bacteria as soon as possible and neutralize the harmful effects of their toxins.

In addition, products based on various parts of spruce can increase immunity, improve the condition of the skin, reduce temperature, increase body tone and appetite, and relieve anxiety.

A decoction of spruce needles has the following medicinal properties:

• antimicrobial;
• diuretic and diaphoretic;
• anti-inflammatory;
• analgesic;
• choleretic.

A decoction of spruce needles is effective for a lack of vitamins. When cooking needles, useful substances are not destroyed, but remain in the broth. Such an elixir removes toxins, toxins and salts of heavy metals from the body, helps to normalize metabolism, helps to lose weight.

Did you know? In period 30–50s XX century., During the time of mass repressions, in the Gulags the only vitamin remedy for prisoners was a decoction of needles. They forced him to drink, in order to avoid scurvy.

When to use?

Decoctions and infusions of cones and needles help with such problems:

• diseases of the digestive tract;
• tonsillitis, stomatitis, inflammatory processes in the throat and oral cavity. Phytoncides and oils relieve pain, reduce swelling and inflammation;
• kidney, gall and bladder diseases. A decoction of young needles has a diuretic and antimicrobial effect;
• colds of various etiologies. Decoctions and infusions prevent the development of inflammation, have an expectorant effect;
• malaise caused by endocrine problems. Funds from spruce needles contribute to the normalization of metabolic processes in the body;
• lack of sleep, stress, excessive nervousness and irritability. Needles have a calming effect on the central nervous system, providing a mild sedative effect of natural origin;
• dermatological problems. The antimicrobial and healing effect of spruce products helps to heal the skin, speedy healing of wounds;
• vitamin deficiency. It has long been known about the high content of vitamins in needles, their good digestibility. In addition, the beneficial substances in trees, pines and their products are in a state in which they are not destroyed during heat treatment;
• joint diseases. Needles and cones contain substances that help strengthen bone tissue, which helps with degenerative changes in the joints and with childhood rickets.

Selection and collection of ingredients

The most favorable season for collecting cones and needles is winter. At this time, all parts of the tree contain the greatest amount of nutrients. In the warm season, spruce stores vitamins and nutrients, which nature is rich in from spring to late autumn. Since conifers are evergreen trees, life processes in them slow down in winter, but do not stop. And for their normal course and those vitamins and minerals are necessary. So, collecting pine needles and cones in the winter, you stock up on natural pills for many diseases.

Important! In no case do not cut young spruce branches on which there are shoots, otherwise it can lead to illness and even death of the fluffy beauty. Choose young Christmas trees and pines, cut off their lower branches.

It is not necessary to collect conifers at the edges of the road. Do not be too lazy to take a walk, delving into the forest, it is there that the most environmentally friendly and healthy trees grow. Treat spruces with care, cut branches with a pruner. Do not remove more than two branches from one tree. It happens that next to conifers lies a lapnik broken off by a strong wind, it is quite suitable, you can safely collect it.

Do not collect a large number of branches; during prolonged storage, they lose useful qualities. Fresh needles are stored at room temperature, without loss of medicinal properties, for no more than 15 days. Moreover, the content of ascorbic acid for the indicated period is reduced by 50%. Old needles and products prepared on its basis have no therapeutic effect. When storing coniferous products in a cold place, they retain their usefulness for 2 months. Moreover, the needles are not afraid of low temperatures.

Coniferous branches should not be kept in containers with water if you thus want to extend the shelf life of the spruce branches. In this case, all the healing substances go into the water. But in order to fill the air with phytoncides and aromatize it, you can put several branches of needles, including cedar and fir, into a vase with water.

In addition, for aromatizing indoor air, you can use the following incense: set fire to several needles and extinguish them, but not completely. Lay a few smoke emitting needles on a saucer or other non-combustible backing.

In order to keep the needles as long as possible, and at the same time it remains useful, you need to proceed as follows:

1. Dry needles properly. Lapnik is laid out on cotton in a well and regularly ventilated area. The needles will gradually crumble as the branches dry. Showered needles are collected in clean, dry glass containers and placed in a darkened place. From time to time, the contents of the cans should be mixed in order to avoid the occurrence of putrefactive processes. It is possible to store coniferous harvest in this way for two years.
2. Remove fresh needles from the branches without waiting for them to dry. Rinse the needles well in running water, dry and finely chop. Pour sugar in a ratio of 4: 1 (four needles more needles). Mix well and fill in clean, dry jars. This mixture retains its useful qualities for 100 days in a dry, dark place at room temperature, and up to 9 months in the refrigerator.
3. Rinse the spruce branches in running water and dry well. Then scroll the whole branches into a meat grinder, place them in clean, dry glass containers and close them with tight nylon covers, or screw them under tin threads. Keep in the refrigerator or freezer for up to one year.

How to make a decoction

Despite the rich vitamin composition, the drug from spruce products must be properly prepared. Otherwise, with illiterate use, the most useful products can be completely ineffective or even harmful.

Did you know? Essential oils, which are rich in conifers, oxidizing in air form triatomic oxygen - ozone. This phenomenon is immediately felt in the pine forest: the nervous system calms down, the pressure normalizes, it is easy to breathe there, including for people suffering from asthma.

From the needles

There are many recipes for the preparation of medicinal decoctions from the needles of spruce and pine. Below are a few of them, the most simple and universal:

Recipe 1

To prepare the broth you will need: 8 tbsp. l chopped needles, 3 tbsp. finely chopped rosehip berries, 3 tbsp. grated onion peel.

1. The needles are washed and finely chopped with a knife or a blender. Do the same with rosehip berries. Grind the onion peel with your hands.
2. Combine all components, fill with 1.5 liters of water and place on the stove. After boiling, reduce the heat to a minimum.
3. 7-8 minutes later remove from heat, cover with a thick towel and insist all night, or 9-10 hours. Filter the broth through cheesecloth.
4. Take in a warm form, if necessary - slightly warm up (not in the microwave). The intake rate is 200-400 ml daily.

Recipe 2

1. Rinse spruce or pine needles, let dry and pass through a meat grinder. You can use a blender.
2. Combine the chopped needles with the same mass of honey. Mix the composition well, place in a glass or ceramic dish. Put in a dark place for 15 days, periodically mixing.
3. After the specified time, with a few layers of gauze, squeeze the mass, you only need the juice obtained. Throw the cake.
4. Keep the juice in a cool, dark place, consume 2 tbsp. daily before breakfast.

Recipe 3

The simplest tool that has proven itself during the Second World War, as an immunostimulant, anti-zingotic agent. In addition, such a decoction can help with inflammation of the lungs, colds and dermatological problems.

Did you know? Fir trees and pines have an interesting ability to multiply: in a fire in a coniferous forest, cones explode when heated, like hand grenades. As a result, in a radius of up to 40 m, not only seeds fly apart, but also smoldering parts of cones, carrying the fire further through the forest.

For cooking, you only need spruce or pine needles and water.

1. Grind the needles with available means (knife, meat grinder, blender).
2. Pour a tablespoon of chopped needles with one glass of water. Put on fire, after boiling, cook for half an hour.
3. Remove from the stove, cover with a thick towel and let it brew for 3-4 hours. Filter the cooled substance through cheesecloth. Take 1/2 cup daily.

Recipe 4

1. Rinse fresh pine or spruce branches, separate the needles from the branches.
2. Grind through a meat grinder, blender or knife, so many needles to get 2 tbsp. spoons. Pour them with a glass of cold water and put on the stove, bring to a boil, then make the fire minimal and cook for another 20 minutes.
3. Let the broth cool, filter it through several layers of gauze. Take the drug in this way: 1 glass for 3 doses during the day.

The duration of the course is 30 days. This month is enough for the body to fully receive the necessary supply of vitamins and minerals, and your general condition has become much better. Especially relevant is the intake of such a drink during vitamin deficiency - in the beginning and middle of spring.

From branches

Therapeutic and preventive decoctions can be prepared from all parts of a pine or spruce branch.

Recipe 1

For cooking, you need 15 g of young shoots and cones, 1 liter of milk.

1. Rinse conifers in running water, fill with milk, put on a stove and bring to a boil.
2. When the broth cools down, filter it through several layers of gauze. Divide the resulting drink into 3 equal parts and drink three times a day.

The remedy is effective for problems with joints and skin diseases.

Recipe 2

1. Take a large pan, fill it with fir and pine branches for 4/5 volumes. If the branches are large, cut them into pieces of a suitable size.
2. Pour the pan with water almost to the very top and put on the stove, bring to a boil. Then reduce the fire to such an extent that the contents are barely boiling. In this mode, cook the product for another half hour.
3. Remove from the stove, cover with a blanket and let cool. Filter the broth through cheesecloth, pour into clean glass containers and store in the refrigerator.

The product is added when bathing in the bathroom. Such water procedures prevent the development of colds, calm the nervous system, tone and normalize the skin condition.

Of cones

Decoctions and infusions of young coniferous cones are an excellent remedy for various colds, inflammation of the respiratory system, throat and oral cavity. The tool is effective for bronchitis, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, etc.

Recipe 1

1. Grind young cones (40 g) with a blender and pour in a glass of water. Put the container on the stove, after boiling, reduce the heat to such an extent that the broth does not boil too intensely.
2. Cook in this mode for another 30 minutes. Then remove from the stove, cool and strain through cheesecloth.
3. The broth is stored in a cool dark place for 3 days. Use as follows: 30 ml of the product is heated and inhalation is performed. With laryngitis, rinses are done, at least three times a day. When rhinitis, it is useful to instill the drug into the nose.

Recipe 2

Infusion helps with osteochondrosis and arthritis.

1. Find a bump that is large enough to fit in the cup (0.3–0.35 l). Rinse it, place it in a cup previously rinsed with boiling water.
2. Fill the container with the cone to the top with boiling water, cover with a lid and a thick towel, let it brew overnight.
3. In the morning, before eating, drink half the liquid, and pour the contents of the cup to the top with boiling water. In the evening, complete the contents and prepare the product again, in exactly the same way.
4. Accepted for 2 weeks, then 10 days off, then another 14 days of admission. The course should be repeated after six months, it is better to do it in the fall and spring.

Recipe 3

A tool that copes with cough of various etiologies.

1. Put half a liter of milk on the stove, add 7 young spruce cones the size of a plum stone. As soon as the contents begin to boil, make the fire minimal and cook for another 20 minutes.
2. When the broth cools down a little (40–45 ° С), filter it through the gauze cloth. The resulting volume is designed for 1 day. Divide into 3 parts, in one add honey to taste and drink immediately. Put the other two doses in the refrigerator and heat on the stove, but not in the microwave, before use. The course of admission is a week. The tool significantly eases the cough, including chronic, characteristic of smokers.

Important! Honey should be put in a decoction, heated to a temperature not exceeding + 45 ° C, otherwise the beekeeping product loses its useful properties.

Contraindications

Means based on various parts of conifers can help a person cope with many ailments. However, like all medicines, including natural ones, needles have a number of contraindications. Before you start using decoctions or infusions, you need to consult a doctor.

• Among the contraindications to the use of coniferous therapy, there are:
• pregnancy and breastfeeding;
• acute kidney disease;
• hepatitis in the acute phase;
• malignant tumors, suspected oncology;
• chronic hypertension, exacerbation of hypertension;
• acute inflammation;
• individual intolerance and allergy.

• In addition, in the treatment of coniferous products, some side effects are possible, such as:
• headache;
• the occurrence of colic and exacerbation of inflammatory processes in the digestive tract;
• allergic rhinitis.

Medicines based on coniferous products can really help with many diseases of various systems and organs. However, in severe diseases that threaten health and even life, such as pneumonia, heart and vascular diseases, the needles should not be used as the main drugs. In such cases, you should not take risks, it is much more correct to take advantage of the achievements of traditional medicine and pharmacology, and use folk remedies as auxiliary.