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Lovage officinalis - the name of a perennial plant, which does not require special introduction. It grows in many gardens, in personal plots, caring for it is very simple, since lovage is completely unpretentious. It can grow on any soil, does not require a lot of heat and light, and is not afraid of frost.
Plant properties
Sometimes lovage is confused with celery, which is indeed its closest relative, but they have a lot of differences. Is a vegetable, lovage is a spice. Their taste is also different: in celery it is softer and more tender, and in lovage it is more bitter and sharp. Plus, celery requires more care when growing.
Lovage grows in the form of a tall bush, its flowers are in the form of yellow umbrellas. The root of lovage is eaten, which is large and fleshy. Greens are mainly used as a spice in cooking and for salting vegetables. Found lovage in medicine. Carotene, rutin, essential oils, vitamins contained in it in large quantities make it suitable for the prevention and treatment of various diseases.
For medicinal purposes, roots, leaves, even plant seeds are used. Juice is squeezed out of the plant, decoctions or infusions are prepared, which have a diuretic effect, expectorant properties.
Traditional medicine suggests using the beneficial properties of the plant in the following cases:
- as a wound healing and antiseptic;
- to improve visual acuity;
- to improve blood flow:
- in the treatment of gout, rheumatism;
- as a laxative;
- as a proven weight loss aid;
- for the treatment of alcohol addiction.
In each case of using medicinal lovage, a unique recipe for preparation and dosage should be used.
Read also: Useful properties of wormwood
Decoction of lovage medicinal treat dropsy, inflammation of the upper respiratory tract, digestive tract organs. The sedative properties of the decoction are the reason for its recommendation for diseases of the heart muscle, neuralgia, and nervous disorders. Lovage provides invaluable assistance in the healing of festering wounds, cleanses the skin well. Tinctures of the plant on alcohol are used for rubbing with rheumatism and gout.
Lovage for men and hair beauty
For hair growth and aphrodisiac
To treat hair, reduce hair loss and create lush hair, it is recommended to use lovage decoctions. They are used to rinse hair after shampooing, leaving hair silky, shiny and voluminous. Traditional healers are sure that lovage tincture helps to restore male strength and arouse the former interest in the opposite sex. For ladies, lovage essential oil can be a natural aphrodisiac. If you apply just a few drops of aromatic oil to your skin, you will be successful in men!
In cosmetology, lovage root in the form of a decoction is used to get rid of pigmentation, which has proven itself well in practice.
To defeat alcohol addiction, traditional medicine offers the following recipe. For a quarter liter of vodka, 50 grams of lovage root and bay leaf (two pieces) are taken. Those who have already used this recipe say that after drinking a glass of such a drug, the desire to drink any alcoholic beverages disappears completely.
Preparation of a decoction of medicinal lovage
One teaspoon of dry lovage root is poured with a glass of clean hot water, boiled for half an hour under a closed lid, cooled for 10-15 minutes. After straining, it is required to bring the resulting amount of broth to the original volume with hot boiled water. For consumption use 1-2 tablespoons. funds 3 times a day.
The recipe is used in the treatment of the heart, digestive tract organs, and also as a diuretic or expectorant. It will relieve pain that occurs on the days of menstruation, and can be used for inflammation in the urogenital area.
The plant belongs to the family "Umbrella", genus "Lovage".
Among the people, this herbaceous plant has many names, and most of them are based on the word "love".
Lovage is called a lover, beloved, love potion, love-grass, love potion, lover.
Other plant names are:
- Levisticum officinale (lat.),
- Liveche (fr.),
- Lovage, Bladder seed (eng.),
- Maggikraut, Suppenlob, Labstock (German)
Appearance
- Lovage is a perennial, growing up to two meters in height.
- The root is thick and branched.
- The stem is hollow and round, of a bluish shade, and the leaves are feathery and shiny, twice pinnately dissected below, and once below.
- Single lovage flowers gather to form complex umbrellas. They appear in the summer.
- The oval fruits begin to ripen in September.
- The aroma is pronounced and resembles a ready-made seasoning made from various spices and celery.
Where grows
It is believed that the homeland of lovage is Central Asia or the Mediterranean region.
The natural habitat of the plant is Afghanistan, as well as Iran. Since lovage tolerates different climates, it is widely grown in different parts of the world.
Blank
The roots of lovage are harvested at three to four years of age:
- Having dug them up in the fall, the roots should be washed in cold water, cut into pieces, and then dried in the shade, spreading out in the open air.
- You can also put pieces of roots in a dryer (temperature - 35 degrees).
- You can also harvest lovage leaves by collecting them at any time from plants of any age. The collected leaves are dried in the shade at a low temperature so that they do not become less fragrant.
Other ways of drying the roots will weaken the aroma due to volatilization of the essential oils.
The dried roots should be turned into powder and placed in jars, which will be tightly closed. You can store this spice for up to 24 months.
Features:
- Lovage has a spicy taste. If at first it is slightly sweet, then later it becomes spicy and slightly bitter.
- The smell of the plant is pronounced, one of the strongest among herbs. It resembles celery, so one of its popular names is "winter celery".
- Until flowering, the roots are poisonous.
Nutritional value and calorie content
100 g contains:
- 20 kcal;
- 0.4 g fat;
- 7.6 g carbohydrates;
- 3.7 grams of protein.
Watch the TV show "1000 and 1 Scheherazade's spice" about lovage - you will learn a lot of interesting things.
Chemical composition
Lovage contains:
- essential oil - from 0.1 to 2.7 percent in different parts of the plant;
- resin;
- sahara;
- tannins;
- starch;
- acids - malic, angelic, ascorbic (found in the leaves);
- furocoumarins;
- minerals, etc.
Beneficial features
The benefits of lovage:
- has an analgesic effect;
- resists seizures;
- helps the separation of sputum;
- soothes;
- has bile, helminthic, wind and diuretic effect;
- stimulates wound healing;
- has an antibacterial effect.
Harm
The plant is poisonous during the flowering period, so it cannot be collected at such a time.
Contraindications
- Sharp jade.
- Acute renal failure.
- Peptic ulcer of the gastrointestinal tract.
- Pregnancy.
- Uterine bleeding.
- Allergic reactions.
- Hemorrhoidal bleeding.
- Profuse menses.
- Inflammation of the ureters.
Oil
The essential oil of lovage has aphrodisiac properties. It can be applied to the skin to attract the opposite sex. It was used by women many years ago, but now research has called into question the use of lovage as an aphrodisiac.
Also, aromatic oil from this plant is used in cooking.
Juice
The juice of the plant has a tonic and diuretic effect. Its use improves the digestive function, relieves colic, stimulates appetite, and helps to separate phlegm. Also, lovage juice can be used as a laxative.
Application
In cooking
- Fresh leaves are added to stews, soups, cottage cheese.
- Dried roots, stems, and leaves can be used to flavor pickles and beverages as well as confectionery. In addition, they are added to dishes from vegetables, fish, cereals, poultry.
- Green oil is prepared from it by rubbing with salt and oil both the green parts of the plant and the dried and powdered leaves.
- Dry lovage is used to season gravies and sauces.
- By adding some greens to canned food, you change their taste and add a peculiar flavor.
- Lovage is added to the seasoning for fish, taking in equal parts in dried form this plant, as well as yarrow and thyme.
- They can flavor salt. To do this, grind the seeds of the plant in a coffee grinder and mix 1 to 1 with fine salt. The salt is well saturated with essential oil and retains its aroma for a long time. It is added to vegetables and meat.
- Fresh lovage leaves should be added to salads. They go well with cucumbers, bell peppers, radishes, tomatoes.
Salad
Cut one or two cucumbers and two boiled eggs into slices. Add chopped lovage (6-8 young leaves), dill (20 grams) and green onions (10 grams). Season with salt and mayonnaise.
Root cutlets
Boil the roots of the plant (400 grams), and then grind in a meat grinder. Add one egg and three tablespoons to the mass. tablespoons of flour, as well as salt to taste, mix well and form the cutlets, roll them in breadcrumbs. Fry on each side.
In medicine
- The roots of the plant are recommended to be added to the diet for problems such as obesity, rheumatism, gallbladder and liver diseases.
- Scientific Russian medicine does not use lovage, but the plant is in the pharmacopoeias of some other countries.
- In ancient times, lovage was used as a means of stimulating the secretion of bile and urine.
- Traditional medicine uses the plant for diseases of the heart and respiratory system, pyelonephritis, gout, anemia, nervous disorders, migraines, dropsy.
- Lovage is recommended for strengthening hair, dandruff, age spots and freckles.
- The plant is effective for colic, bloating, constipation.
- With the help of lovage impotence is treated.
- Infusion is used to treat pustular rash on the skin and long-term healing wounds.
- With a decoction of fruits, plants cope with worms.
- Applying fresh leaves to the head relieves headaches.
Check out a few recipes that include lovage.
Decoction for hair beauty
Pour lovage roots (2 tablespoons) with 750 ml of water. Bringing to a boil, and boiling over low heat for ten minutes, leave for an hour and filter, and then rinse the hair with this broth after washing.
Remedies for painful and scanty menstruation
- Broth.Pour the roots of the plant (6 g) with a glass of water, then boil for 10 minutes on minimal heat. The broth should be infused for 4 hours and filtered. Take before meals (half an hour) on a tablespoon three times a day.
- Infusion. Pour a tablespoon of lovage roots with 500 ml of boiling water, leave for one hour. After filtering, take half a glass before meals 4 times a day.
A remedy for wound healing and insomnia
One table. pour a spoonful of plant roots with 1/4 l of boiled chilled water. After insisting four hours and straining, take half a glass twice a day.
Diuretic
Filling two tables. tablespoons of lovage roots 0.75 liters of water, heat to a boil, let it boil for ten minutes and leave for an hour. After draining the broth through cheesecloth, take the liquid on the table. spoon half an hour before meals 3-4 times a day.
From alcoholism
Take a medium-sized root, wash, dry a little and chop finely. Place the chopped lovage in a saucepan, add two bay leaves and pour in 200 ml of vodka. Let the mixture sit in a dark place for two weeks. The infusion is used instead of vodka at a dose of 1 glass per week. This causes an aversion to alcohol.
Bay of China a spoonful of lovage seeds 150 ml of cold water, boil for 10 minutes and leave to cool. Strain through a sieve and take it on the table. spoon three times a day.
From arrhythmia
After washing the 40-gram lovage root, let it dry, then chop it finely, fill it with a liter of water and leave for 7-8 hours. After straining the infusion, take in small portions up to 1 liter per day.
At home
The plant is used:
- as decorative;
- as an ingredient in perfumery products.
Varieties
Such varieties of lovage are known as Leader, Semko, Hercules, Amur, Preobrazhensky and Don Juan.
Growing
Lovage is resistant to cold and frost, so the plant winters well. For the rapid emergence of seedlings, the seeds need a temperature of plus 20-25 degrees, and the soil must be sufficiently moist. Frosts can delay the emergence of seedlings from seeds, but plants grow back early from the second year of life (from the end of April).
It is better to plant lovage in a sunny place in nutritious and loose soil.By planting the plant in the shade, you will also get growth, but the greens will be less aromatic. In soil with high acidity and close standing of groundwater, the roots of lovage are often affected by rot. If the soil is too dense, the roots will grow more slowly.
The plant does not like waterlogging, but needs a sufficient amount of moisture when it grows intensively. Then the above-ground mass will have a good harvest - you will get fragrant and juicy leaves. If you don't water the plant during dry periods, you will see tighter and smaller leaves that will turn yellow quickly. Often, in this case, the lovage plunges into a state of dormancy right up to spring, but if the drought was in the summer, and the autumn was prolonged, the leaves can regrow.
The plant can be cultivated in one place for more than ten years, but it is still recommended to replace lovage with younger plants every five to seven years. You can sow lovage in early spring and before winter. The seeds are pre-soaked and then dried to give them a free-flowing state.
Do not forget that the plant is quite powerful, so a minimum of 70 centimeters is left between the beds, and the seedlings are thinned out, leaving one plant every 15 centimeters in the first year. In the second year, they are removed after one plant, in the third - after one more, so that there are 60 centimeters between the plants, then the roots will be large enough.
If you wish, you can sow seedlings - in a greenhouse or even on a windowsill.After soaking the seeds, they are planted in 3-4 pieces in pots, and when shoots appear, one plant is left, watered and fed with fertilizers, planting in the ground in May (at the age of about 50 days).
Lovage is not very susceptible to pests and diseases. The culture has septoria, damage by carrot flies and aphids. To combat these problems, plants need to be planted in a new place and placed near the onions. You should not process lovage with pesticides.
Lovage (lat.Levisticum) - a monotypic genus of the family Umbrella, represented by the species of lovage (Latin Levisticum officinale) - a herbaceous perennial native to Afghanistan and Iran. Today this plant is cultivated everywhere. Otherwise, lovage is called a love potion, lover, love-grass, love potion, Ligurian or winter celery.
The plant gained fame due to its aroma and healing properties. Lovage is a popular seasoning for meat and fish dishes, as well as a valuable medicinal raw material, which is mentioned in the writings of Pliny and the poems "On the culture of gardens" (IX century) and "On the properties of herbs" (XI century).
Planting and caring for lovage
- Landing: sowing seeds in open ground - before winter or at the end of April. Sowing seeds for seedlings - in March, transplanting seedlings into open ground - at the end of April.
- Bloom: June July.
- Lighting: bright sunlight, diffused light, partial shade.
- The soil: the composition does not matter.
- Watering: when grown in a sunny area, frequent and abundant; when grown in shade, natural moisture is sufficient.
- Top dressing: once every 2 weeks with mineral or organic solutions.
- Reproduction: seed.
- Diseases: septoria (white spot).
- Pests: carrot flies.
- Properties: the plant has medicinal properties and is grown as a medicinal plant.
Read more about growing lovage below.
Lovage plant - description
Lovage is a perennial plant with a thick, branchy, fusiform root, bare, gray, hollow and branched in the upper part with stems 1-2 m high. The leaves of lovage are large, shiny, dark green, double-pinnate, with slightly incised rhombic or obovate lobes. Small yellowish lovage flowers are collected in complex umbrellas with characteristic wrappers. The oval-elliptical fruit with winged ribs is flattened along the back. Lovage blooms in June-August, and the fruits ripen in September.
Growing lovage in the garden
Sowing lovage
Lovage is almost indifferent to the composition of the soil and grows well even on clay soils, however, before planting seedlings or sowing seeds, it is advisable to dig up the soil in a plot with compost at the rate of 3 kg of fertilizer per 1 m². In addition to organic matter, 25 g of urea, superphosphate and potassium sulfate, as well as 300 g (one and a half cups) of wood ash are added to the same unit of area.
In the photo: Growing lovage in the garden
Lovage is sown in open ground before winter or at the end of April. Sowing of seeds is not carried out randomly, but in rows. When shoots appear, they are thinned out in 10-15 cm increments, in the same year, one more thinning is carried out in 30-40 cm increments.In the next season, the distance between the bushes is brought to 60-70 cm: this area of \u200b\u200bnutrition for the development of a powerful perennial plant will be enough.
However, it is better to first sow lovage seedlings at home, and then transplant it into open ground. Lovage seeds are sown in March in containers filled with soil substrate according to the 5x5 or 6x6 cm scheme, deepening them by 2 cm.When the crops are kept at a temperature of 20-25 ˚C and under bright light, the seeds will begin to germinate in 12-14 days. After the emergence of seedlings, the temperature in the room is lowered to 12-15 ˚C, and after a week, a constant temperature regime is set within 15-20 ˚C. Two weeks after the germination of the seeds, the seedlings are fed with a solution of mineral fertilizers of the following composition: 15 g of calcium chloride, the same amount of ammonium nitrate and 25 g of superphosphate are diluted in 10 liters of water. After two weeks, the seedlings are re-fed with the same composition. When the seedling of lovage reaches the age of 45-50 days, it is planted in open ground in rows with an interval of 60-70 cm. Usually, lovage is planted at the end of April.
In the first year, the lovage develops a root system and forms a rosette of leaves, and in the next season the plant throws out peduncles and sets seeds.
Lovage care
Lovage has such valuable qualities as winter hardiness and undemanding lighting, therefore it is grown both in sunny areas and in shade. The plant will need the greatest amount of sunlight in the second year, when it begins to form flower stalks and inflorescences.
If you planted lovage in the sun, it will require you to moisten the soil quite often, otherwise the greens will become coarse and bitter, but if the lovage grows in partial shade, where the ground does not dry out so quickly, with normal rainfall in the season you will not have to water it.
After rain or watering, weeds should be removed between rows and the soil around the bushes should be loosened to a depth of 5-6 cm so that air can flow to the roots.
In the photo: How to grow lovage in the garden
Care should be taken when watering bushes growing in bright sun: excessive moisture leads to the death of the roots. To keep moisture in the soil as long as possible, cover the area with peat or other organic matter.
The lovage practically does not need care, but it will respond with gratitude to your concern: feeding in the form of mineral complexes and organic solutions every 2 weeks and removing peduncles as soon as they appear. To get a large rhizome, try not to cut too much greenery from the bush and feed the plants with wood ash, but if you are going to harvest not the lovage root, but only its greens, then feed the plant with organic nitrogen and boldly cut off the rapidly growing foliage.
Pests and diseases lovage
Lovage can be damaged by aphids or carrot flies, and the most dangerous disease for the plant is septoria. Since the greens of lovage are eaten and used for the preparation of medicines, the fight against pests and infections of lovage is carried out exclusively by agrotechnical methods and folk remedies.
Septoria, or white spot, appears as yellow spots on the leaves and petioles of the plant. Black dots of pycnidia can be seen in the center of the spots. With the development of the disease, the spots turn brown, the affected lovage leaves dry up, and the plant dies. To prevent the development of infection, an irrigation regime should be developed in which moisture will saturate the soil, without forming stagnation in the roots of the plant. If septoria does appear, remove the affected leaves and treat the plant with whey and a few drops of iodine.
The larvae of the carrot fly devour the roots of the lovage, which makes the ground organs of the plant turn yellow and dry out. To get rid of the pest, you should treat the lovage on the leaves with a solution of 1 tablespoon of ground black or red hot pepper in 10 liters of water. Consumption of the composition - 1 bucket per 10 m².
Aphids devour the testes of the lovage and reproduce at an incredible rate. To destroy it, the bushes are treated with a solution of 300 g of grated green soap in 10 liters of water, which should be abundantly moistened with the ground part. In addition to soapy water, infusions of onion, pepper, tobacco and yarrow are effective in the fight against aphids.
Slugs and snails, feeding on lovage leaves, make large holes on them, and sometimes they leave only a skeleton of veins from the foliage. To protect the plant from gastropods, scatter ash or ash within a radius of 50 cm from the bush, and superphosphate granules on top: they will serve as a fertilizer for lovage and will greatly impede the movement of slugs.
Collection and storage of lovage
Lovage roots are harvested in early spring or autumn. When harvesting them in spring, they are dug up, washed, too large roots are cut in half, after which they are strung on a rope and dried under a canopy or in a room with good ventilation. You can speed up the process by using an oven or electric dryer for drying. The optimum temperature for lovage roots is 35 ˚C. Dry raw materials are ground on a coffee grinder, sifted through a sieve and stored in hermetically sealed glass jars in a dry, cool, dark room.
If you harvest the roots in the fall, you can store them all winter in the cellar, like carrots, sprinkled with dry sand.
In the photo: Lovage leaves
The leaves of lovage must be collected during or after flowering: until umbrellas appear on the plant, there are too few nutrients in its leaves. It is better to cut the leaves after a good rain, after waiting for the bushes to dry. The leaves are dried under the same conditions as the roots: they are laid out in a layer on paper or fabric under a canopy or in a ventilated attic. Greens can also be dried in a dryer at 35 ˚C. Store dry lovage leaves in a glass container.
Lovage fruits are also medicinal raw materials, which are harvested after they are fully ripe, dried, threshed and stored in a tightly closed container.
Types and varieties of lovage
Medicinal lovage has several popular varieties:
- Hercules - very aromatic, winter-hardy and high-yielding variety with large and juicy green leaves covered with a waxy bloom. The plant quickly grows leaf mass, which can be cut off within 20 days from the moment of germination;
- Leader - a frost-hardy fruitful plant up to 70 cm high with light green, juicy leaves of a mild taste with a barely expressed hint of garlic in the aroma. The first crop can be removed one month after germination;
- Amur - a productive variety of medium cold resistance with compact bushes up to 60 cm high and large fragrant gray-green leaves that grow in 25 days;
- Preobrazhensky Semko - neat bushes up to 2 m high with large fragrant dark green leaves of a sharp bitter taste. Leaves begin to grow straight from the roots. The variety is distinguished by the highest productivity and increased frost resistance, therefore, it does not require shelter for the winter when grown in areas with a cold climate;
- Odysseus - a frost-resistant variety with aromatic and spicy-tasting leaves, forming bushes up to 2 m high, which can grow in one place for up to 10 years;
- Dude - a high-yielding variety with bushes up to 1 m high and large yellow-green fragrant leaves, of which there can be up to 40 in the outlet;
- Don Juan - a perennial plant with up to six harvests per season with long-stemmed glossy toothed leaves with a strong aroma.
Properties of lovage - harm and benefit
Medicinal properties of lovage
The beneficial properties of lovage are due to the content of essential oils, vitamins, minerals, starch, organic acids, resins, mono- and disaccharides, coumarin and gum. The root of the plant has anticonvulsant, antibacterial, diuretic, choleretic and analgesic effects. Lovage root powder is used to increase appetite, with edema, gout and urinary retention. Decoction of the root is used to treat a lingering cough, excessive nervousness, heart pain and insomnia. The root of lovage is recommended for those suffering from diseases of the reproductive system. The fresh leaves of the plant are a powerful aphrodisiac.
Since ancient times, our ancestors used herbs to treat various diseases. Both plant harvests and single herbs were used. All the recipes are countless, because each plant has its own characteristics, and even more so. One of the commonly used herbs was lovage. The root of this plant is one of the ingredients in many folk recipes. The variety of its beneficial properties is amazing, and its ease of preparation makes it one of the most beloved herbs. More on this in the article.
What does lovage look like?
It is a tall plant with bluish stems and yellow umbrella-shaped flowers. Leaves are oval, feather-like with cuts. Inflorescences are released from the beginning of June. The oval-shaped fruit capsules with hard, flattened ribs ripen in September. The root of lovage, the use of which we will consider today, is oblong, brown and fleshy. The plant is perennial, has a specific smell.
What is it used for?
The bush itself is not very widely used. The ancient Slavs preferred to plant this plant in front of the gate to protect the courtyard and the inhabitants of the house from evil spirits and the evil eye. Leaves, flowers and grass are used for cosmetic needs. What, then, is lovage useful? The root of this plant, dry or fresh, has wider uses. Most often these are tinctures, decoctions and essences, which have found wide application in traditional medicine. You will find more detailed information about this below.
Why is Levisticum officinale valuable?
Leaves, stems and flowers contain very useful essential compounds, which are widely used in dermatology, perfumery, cosmetology, treatment of diseases of internal organs and systems, and skin injuries.
In addition, greens are rich in vitamin C, rutin and carotene, which have a positive effect on the compaction of the walls of blood vessels in case of venous insufficiency, fragility of blood vessels and capillaries.
What else is lovage famous for among the people? The root of the plant is a storehouse of nutrients. The fibers of the underground part contain sugars, flavonoids, useful acids (acetic, benzoic), tannins and minerals.
Lovage root: application
Medicinal properties are one of the many qualities for which our ancestors loved the plant. The beneficial substances contained in all lovage make it possible to use it to treat many diseases.
Most often, decoctions and infusions are used. They support the body with diseases of the stomach, duodenum, pancreas, cholecystitis, and bloating. Also, medicines based on lovage improve the secretion of gastric juice and help in the fight against constipation.
In addition, since ancient times, this herb was considered a good remedy for improving male strength and reducing the inflammatory processes of the prostate gland, restoring the functioning of the testicles damaged due to addictions and various infectious diseases.
But lovage is useful not only for male ailments. The root of this plant is an excellent helper for women with pelvic problems. It is also used for menstrual irregularities. A decoction is also used for climacteric disorders, as well as for the restoration of the mucous membrane with infectious and fungal secretions.
The root of the herb lovage is an excellent remedy for the treatment of bronchial cough and all inflammatory processes associated with the ENT organs.
For a long time, decoction of the root was considered an excellent remedy for people with problems of the urinary system. It was given to relieve edema in case of dropsy, salt metabolism disorders, heart and circulatory system diseases, gout.
Those suffering from disorders of the nervous system, neuroses, hysteria, severe headaches, rapid heart rate were advised to take a decoction of the leaves for a long time.
But do not forget that self-medication can harm your health. Before using any folk remedy, you should consult with a specialist.
How is alcoholism treated?
Does lovage root help alcoholism? Reviews say that it really is! To do this, use a pure infusion of lovage root or variations of the collection with other herbs.
The main and most famous method is infusion in a glass of vodka for two weeks.
- 250 ml of vodka or 70% alcohol;
- 2 bay leaves;
- 1 medium lovage root.
All components are placed in a container for two weeks, kept in a dark place until tender. The patient is given 10 ml before the main meals until he is completely disgusted with strong drinks (2-3 weeks). If necessary, the procedure can be repeated after a month.
According to reviews, the tincture tastes very disgusting, but nevertheless effective. People who have tested the remedy on themselves or on their loved ones note a positive result. The craving for strong drinks disappears after the first week of the course.
Also, many note that in the collection with other herbs, lovage contributes not only to the development of aversion to alcohol, but also to the strengthening of the nervous system.
Collection of a mixture of herbs and infusion of lovage
This broth is also effective in combating alcoholism.
- Leaves and
- mountain and ordinary.
- Chabra.
- Bedstraw.
- Bogorodskaya grass.
- Marjoram.
- Oregano.
- Valerian.
- Hop cones.
All components are mixed in equal proportions. Pour two tablespoons of half a liter of boiling water and put on fire for ten minutes. Then it is cooled and filtered. Add 100 ml of lovage extract to the broth.
Take two weeks for ¼ glass before breakfast and lunch.
Lovage (grass) and lubka two-leaved
Composition: equal amounts of lovage root and herb.
Pour four spoons of collection with a liter of water and leave for 12 hours. Then boil over low heat for 15 minutes. Cool and filter. The course of treatment is two months. This method is good for those who have decided to "quit" the addiction.
Many patients who took such infusions were able to get rid of addiction very quickly. The root of the herb lovage has a good effect. He's making a drink yesterday afternoon.
The infusion does not have a pronounced taste or smell. This allows it to be used even without the knowledge of the patient.
Decoctions and tea recipes
To maintain the body in good shape and prevent diseases of the abdominal cavity in the old days, they used teas based on dried lovage root with the addition of some herbs.
Pour 2 tablespoons of finely chopped root with a glass of water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, strain and take 1 cup each morning and evening.
For men
For beloved men, in order to maintain their health and longevity, women prepared the so-called "love potion".
Pour 30 grams of chopped lovage root with two glasses of boiling water and boil for half an hour. Cool, strain and take 10 ml 2-3 times daily before meals. This will help the stronger sex to overcome his male problems.
Diuretic
Lovage root, the properties of which we are considering in the article, pour 250 ml of water and heat over low heat until it boils. Boil for 10 minutes, leave for 1 hour, drain through cheesecloth. Take 3-4 p. per day for 1 tbsp. l. half an hour before meals.
Baths
For its anti-inflammatory, wound healing and antibacterial properties, lovage is popular for dermatological diseases: psoriasis, eczema, dermatitis. For their treatment, baths are taken with a decoction of herb leaves.
Pour 100 grams of herbs with a liter of boiling water and leave until completely cooled. Strain, add to the bathroom and take for 15 minutes. Then rinse with cool water.
Where can I get lovage (root)? A pharmacy is the best way out of the situation if you are not engaged in harvesting herbs yourself. Almost all medicinal herbs are available from pharmacists, including lovage root.
Lovage essential oil
The roots of lovage, the medicinal properties of which have been known since ancient times, are not the only valuable part of this plant (this was already mentioned above). Its oil is very rich in auxiliary nutrients. It is made from lovage leaves, stems and flowers. Depending on which part was used in preparation, the color of the product ranges from light green to yellow.
Essential oil is not used in its pure form; a base oil is necessarily used for it. It can be both sunflower and olive, peach. The basis is chosen depending on the procedure to be carried out.
Oil use
The most popular application for oil is cosmetology.
It is used to reduce puffiness and bags under the eyes, to treat problem skin (acne, dermatitis, inflammation of the skin), to deodorize the body from the smell of sweat, for cosmetic masks that restore hair structure.
Another way of using the oil is massage to relieve pain in case of gouty and rheumatic pains. Thus, the blood circulation of the damaged area improves, and pain is relieved.
Massage for headaches is also effective. 1 drop of oil per 10 ml of base. A small amount is rubbed into the whiskey.
For diseases of the ENT organs, the best way to treat is inhalation. 1 drop of oil in a glass of hot water.
It is possible to use compresses on inflamed, irritated areas. 1-2 drops per 10 ml of base oil.
Description of the "love" herb. Chemical composition and useful properties of lovage root. Contraindications for the use of the product. Rhizome recipes and interesting facts about the plant.
The content of the article:
Lovage root is an underground part of a perennial herb of the Umbelliferae family that matures under conditions such as shade and sufficient moisture. In appearance, the herb bush resembles celery, its height can reach 2-2.5 m. The powerful root system is represented by a large fusiform root with white or yellowish pulp and multiple thin branches. The leaves are shiny, toothed, similar in shape to parsley or cilantro, only larger. The flowers are small and can range in color from light yellow to brownish orange. Flowering time is from June to almost the end of August. The smell of the plant is characteristic, sharp, spicy. The leaves, the stem when broken, the root when the side shoots are damaged. It grows in temperate and warm climates in the United States, in Ukraine, in the Middle East from Afghanistan to Iran. The root is used for food, like celery, a close relative. Popular names of perennial grass: libistic, dawn, dawn, love-grass, love spell-grass ... All names are somehow connected with love.
Composition and calorie content of lovage root
Dishes from the root of the plant can be safely added to the dietary menu.
The calorie content of lovage root is 20 kcal per 100 g, of which:
- Proteins - 3.7 g;
- Fat - 0.4 g;
- Carbohydrates - 7.6 g.
- Furocoumarins, bergapten and psoralen, which increase susceptibility to ultraviolet radiation, eliminate vasospasm and block the malignancy of organic tissues.
- The gum lowers blood cholesterol and blocks appetite.
- Lecithin, which performs a transport function, accelerates the entry of oxygen and nutrients into organs and organic systems, and provides the body's regenerative capabilities.
- Starch is a polysaccharide with an energetic function.
Acids in the rhizome of the plant:
- Apple - stimulates the intestines, participates in the process of respiration and collagen production;
- Angelic - antihypoxic effect, prevents the development of oxygen deficiency at the cellular level;
- Acetic - breaks down carbohydrates and fats from food, prevents the formation of fatty tissue;
- Lemon - removes toxins from the liver, improves digestion, prevents the development of purulent-inflammatory processes;
- Izovalerianic - normalizes the intestinal microflora;
- Benzoic - has antimicrobial and antifungal effects, has pronounced antiseptic properties.
The pulp of lovage root contains a small amount of vitamin C, choline, sesquiterpenes-flavors and carvacrol, a substance with a pronounced antibacterial effect.
Useful properties of lovage root
The rhizome is dug from biennial plants. If you do the harvesting in the first year, you can get poisoned. The young root has a high content of alkaloids. The healing properties of the underground part of the plant are confirmed by official scientific research.
Benefits of lovage root:
- Removes excess fluid from the body and eliminates edema;
- Dissolves salts deposited in the joints and calculi in the kidneys and renal pelvis;
- Reduces the severity of symptoms in arthritis;
- Reduces blood sugar levels;
- Has a calming and sedative effect;
- Prevents the development of allergic reactions, stops the production of histamine;
- Has a laxative effect, increases the speed of peristalsis;
- Normalizes metabolic processes, reduces the production of intestinal gases;
- Helps to cope with migraines, improves memory function;
- Eliminates premenstrual pain, restores the monthly cycle;
- Accelerates blood circulation in the pelvic organs, prevents congestion in the reproductive organs.
Harm and contraindications to the use of lovage root
Not everyone can replenish their vitamin and mineral reserves or lose weight with a healthy product.
Contraindications to the use of lovage root are as follows:
- Acute stage of hemorrhoids and acute inflammatory processes of the large intestine;
- Kidney disease: pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis, renal failure;
- The menstrual cycle, if a lot of blood is released during menstruation, with regular intermenstrual bleeding;
- With a stomach ulcer in the acute stage;
- Pregnancy, so as not to provoke uterine tone;
- Individual intolerance.
You should not lose weight with this product within 2 months after giving birth, you can provoke uterine contraction and postpartum bleeding.
Lovage root recipes
The roots of lovage in cooking are used fresh and in powder form. Dried rhizomes are added as an ingredient in sauces and hot dishes. Before use, the roots are washed, young shoots are removed, and thin skin is removed.
Lovage Root Recipes:
- Baked pork... A good piece of loin is washed, all films are removed. Directly in the piece, 2 non-through cuts are made, such as a pocket. In the future, the filling will be laid in them. For the filling, use pieces of lovage rhizome, lard, garlic, add salt, pepper. Salt and pepper are added a little more than "to taste", since additionally the meat is not further pepper and salt. The filling should be absorbed into the piece when baked. They put the filling in the pockets and pull the piece with a harsh waxed thread so that the juice does not flow out of them. The meat is wrapped in foil, poured abundantly with white wine, once again tied tightly and spread on a baking sheet. Bake for about 1 hour at 180 ° C. The finished meat is cut into portions. Remove the threads and filling before serving.
- Diet salad... Ingredients: oranges, some leeks, boiled chicken, tomatoes, cream, lovage root. Seeds and films are removed from the oranges, cut into even pieces, the remaining ingredients are also cut into pieces, the root is grated. All are mixed, achieving an ideal combination, poured with 2-3 tablespoons of lemon or lime juice. Salted to taste, seasoned with yogurt. A more hearty salad option is adding boiled champignons.
- Mediterranean salad... Mix the grated root, green apples and crushed walnuts. Dressing - olive oil, lemon juice and a little paprika.
- Odessa-style pickles... About 3 kg of small cucumbers are poured with cold running water, allowed to soak well with liquid, and then thrown back in a colander so that all the glass is. They put the brine to boil: for 1 liter of water - 2 tablespoons of coarse salt. In a deep enameled container, first put cloves of peeled garlic from 2 heads, and then cucumbers in layers, shifting with grated root and finely chopped sprigs of herbs. If you want to get a more familiar taste, then add dill, 2 bunches, but it is not used in the classic recipe. Also no pepper needed. Pour the contents of the pan with boiling brine, close the lid and set the oppression. Cucumbers will "reach" in 48 hours. You do not need to take them out of the pan, the oppression is removed from the container and everything is put into the refrigerator.
- Vitamin salad... On a coarse grater, rub the root of fresh lovage, kohlrabi and carrots. Onions and green salad are chopped as small as possible, green apples, peaches or apricots are cut into strips. Pears cut into large slices from compote are added. All the ingredients of the salad are mixed, poured over with syrup, sour cream and salt are added. The proportions of the ingredients are approximately as follows: in equal amounts, about 200 g each, carrots, kohlrabi, compote fruits and low-fat sour cream, 2 tablespoons each of chopped onions, green salad and grated root, 250 g green apples. Sugar is a tablespoon. If it's too sweet, you can season it with lemon juice.
- Candied roots... Boil clean roots for 10 minutes. Keep the fire small so as not to digest. Readiness can be judged by the color of the pulp, it should brighten, become white. Cut across to make rounds, leave in a colander to dry a little. Sugar syrup is boiled. Syrup proportions: 1 part water and 4 parts sugar. The roots are dipped carefully in boiling syrup so as not to deform, and left to boil. When they are ready, they will look like glass - the flesh will become almost transparent. Spread a sheet of parchment on a baking sheet, lay out the roots one at a time, sprinkle with powdered sugar. If storage is planned, the leaf is removed in a cool place so that the candied fruits dry out. True, rarely does anyone wait for the end of the process, the "sweets" taste too interesting.
The inhabitants of which country first became interested in the plant is unknown. Healers of the Ancient East have long used the root for medicinal purposes. In Iran, the plant is planted on plantations for food and medical purposes, and in Ukraine it is more common as a weed and is considered a love herb. The root as an aphrodisiac was used by the Bedouin Arabs.
If residents of eastern countries added the root to food to increase libido and reproductive function, residents of Ukraine and southern Russia attributed a rejuvenating effect to the product. Women brewed drinks to stop the appearance of wrinkles, washed themselves with a healing infusion, washed their hair in it.
To attract the attention of a young man, young girls rubbed the skin between their breasts and behind the ears with root juice or grass, like perfume. And to ensure a happy family life, a piece of a plant was sewn into the hem of the wedding dress.
It was believed that it is worth putting a piece of rhizome under the pillow, and the newlyweds will not have any problems.
In the villages, the lovage root was valued for another important property - the drink from it beat off the craving for alcohol. True, this property has not been scientifically confirmed - too many components were included in the anti-alcohol "potion".
Harvesting a plant takes place in several stages. In the first year, only the upper young leaves are removed. In the second year, from awakening to the end of flowering, leaves, seeds and inflorescences. And in the fall, after the end of flowering, the root is already dug up. The older the plant, the more nutrients accumulate in it.
Russian doctors pay little attention to the plant, but abroad it is officially recognized and is mentioned in the pharmacopoeias.
Watch a video about lovage root:
People have long believed that diseases of the body begin with an internal mood, as they say now, diseases from the nerves. Lovage tea soothes and relieves bad thoughts. Maybe this is a placebo effect, but lovage is not inferior in popularity in Ukraine to hawthorn and pharmacy chamomile.
