Grapes are a favorite delicacy of many people. However, not everyone knows that not only the fruits, but also the leaves of this plant are useful for humans. Grape leaves are successfully used in cosmetology, cooking and in everyday life. There are many uses for this product. Many of them were known in antiquity, and some gained popularity only in the modern world.

Description and composition

Grape leaves look quite ordinary and are not distinguished by any specific external characteristics. Fresh young leaves that have not yet become too rough bring the greatest benefit. They should be as elastic as possible, with juicy streaks. It is easy to guess that the calorie content of such a product is minimal: 100 grams of leaves contain only about 90 calories. The same amount of product accounts for 2 grams of fat, approximately 6 grams of carbohydrates and proteins.

At the same time, grape leaves contain quite a large amount of vitamins and minerals, in particular:

• vitamins A, PP, K, B;
• sodium, copper, manganese;
• phosphorus, calcium, zinc, iron.

A small portion of grape leaves contains the daily norm of many vitamins vital for the normal functioning of the human body.

Beneficial features

Since grape leaves contain many useful substances, their use has a beneficial effect on many body systems.

In particular, these trace elements help:

• strengthen the walls of blood vessels;
• prevent the formation of sclerotic plaques;
• increase the body's resistance to viruses;
• improve skin quality;
• stimulate the brain;
• remove waste and toxins from the body.

And this is far from a complete list of all those positive characteristics that distinguish the leaves of wild and domestic grapes.

Contraindications

But despite a large number of useful properties, such a product in some cases can harm a person.

So, it is contraindicated for those people who suffer from:

• deviations in the work of the gastrointestinal tract;
• overweight;
• diabetes.

With caution, grape leaves should be consumed by women during pregnancy and lactation.

Application

The scope of grape leaves is surprisingly wide. We list the main industries in which leaves are used with particular success.

For treatment

If you suffer from oral diseases, but do not want to resort to pharmacy drugs, grape leaves will come to your aid. They must be completely dried and properly crushed. The resulting powder has excellent anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. With it, any minor wounds will heal much faster. You can not even prepare the powder, but simply chew the leaves. This will have a huge positive effect on the teeth and gums.

Be sure to check out this recipe! Not a penny of money will be spent on such a medicine, there will be no harm from it, but you will see the benefits pretty quickly.

Compresses from fresh grape leaves help to cope with excessive swelling, significantly improve blood circulation and lymph outflow. This effect is achieved due to the high content of tannins in the leaves. Even compresses will be an excellent addition to the complex of procedures aimed at the treatment of varicose veins and the fight against vascular networks. They contribute to the narrowing of capillaries and reduce pain.

Grape leaf juice also occupies a special place in alternative medicine. With it, you can improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. So, it can be used by people who suffer from gastritis or ulcers. Juice helps to fight nausea, stop internal bleeding, helps to normalize the level of acidity. Such a product also has a beneficial effect on the excretory pathways.

For beauty

Grape leaves are just a real find for those who dream of perfect skin. Even in ancient times, women used them to improve the complexion and décolleté. Grape leaves have a tonic, rejuvenating, renewing, tightening effect. Maxi leaves are especially useful for people with oily skin. The leaves help to normalize the work of the sebaceous glands and narrow the pores. They have an exfoliating and polishing effect, complementing the peeling. If your work involves a lot of eye strain, or you just haven't had enough sleep, be sure to make a compress from grape leaves. Thus, you will eliminate the external signs of fatigue, swelling and redness. And the look will become more radiant and fresh.

And also a lotion from the juice of young grape leaves helps to fight excessive pigmentation of the skin of the face.

Leaves have a beneficial effect not only on the skin, but also on the hair. Rinsing curls with decoctions based on grape leaves helps to significantly strengthen the hair, give it shine, and reduce the cross section of the tips. Masks with the addition of juice stimulate hair growth, strengthen bulbs, and reduce hair loss.

In cooking

Since this product has a low calorie content, it can even be added to diet meals. The leaves go well with fresh and smoked meat, poultry, beans, rice and even fish. The most common dish prepared using grape leaves is oriental dolma. This dish is an analogue of Russian cabbage rolls, only fresh grape leaves are used instead of cabbage. In salads and rolls, leaves also replace cabbage or any other greens. In some countries, they even add this product to desserts. The list of dishes is unlimited!

And if you dry fresh leaves, grind them and brew, you get a wonderful refreshing drink. It will give you strength and vigor.

For household purposes

Nature created the leaves so that they protect the fruits of the grapes from adverse conditions. But if that's not enough, you can help save the crop with a more practical and effective application leaves. To do this, mix them with small sawdust. Such material can be used not only as a plant protection, but also for its fertilizer. Grape land sprinkled with such compositions will be better preserved until the next season. So, the harvest will certainly please you.

Procurement and storage

Leaves should be collected only from healthy, undamaged branches during the flowering period of grapes. If your garden does not have a vine, then collect leaves only in clean place away from highways and landfills. Cut the leaves not completely, about a third of them should remain to provide the fruits necessary protection. You can store them in ordinary canvas bags. And in order to prepare the leaves for the winter, you can roll them into jars, pickle, salt, and even dry freeze.

You will learn more about how to harvest grape leaves by watching the following video.

Recipes

Let's take a look at a few examples beneficial use grape leaves.

Useful decoction

It is not difficult to prepare a healing drink that will positively affect the intestinal microflora and help strengthen the walls of blood vessels. To do this, take about 100 grams of grape leaves, carefully sort them out and wash them, removing rotten and damaged leaves. Then put them in a small saucepan, knead a little and pour half a liter of boiling water over them. Put the container on a slow fire and simmer for about 60 minutes under the lid. Strain the resulting drink through gauze or a sieve, pour into a glass dish, cover and leave to infuse in a dark place.

Consume 2 tablespoons before meals for 3 weeks. The shelf life of such a decoction is no more than six months.

Tea

It is not difficult to prepare raw materials for tasty and healthy grape tea. To do this, first dry the freshly picked leaves. This can be done in several ways: with natural solar radiation, in a special dryer. You can dry the leaves as a whole, or you can fold them in several layers. After the heat treatment is completed, you can put the leaves for future tea in a cloth bag or box.

Most importantly, do not store raw materials where they penetrate sunlight and dampness.

Grind the leaves only immediately before brewing the drink. So it will be as tasty, fragrant, rich and healthy as possible. The proportions of tea leaves and boiling water should be approximately the same. It is necessary to infuse tea for 10 minutes, after which it can be drunk. Daily use of this tea helps to cope with colds and strengthen immune system.

salty snack

For the preparation of grape pickles, carefully prepare the leaves. Sort them and wash them first in a large container, and then under running water. Prepare a suitable number of jars and place the leaves in tight rows. Then pour into each jar a solution that consists of water and salt in a ratio of 1 liter per 100 grams. Screw the lid on tightly and lower the jar into hot water for half a minute. Then check the tightness of the closed lid, cool the jar and place canned dish in the refrigerator or basement. Pickled salted leaves will be an excellent addition to pilaf, meat, pastries.

Dolma

To date, there are many recipes for this delicious dish, but we will consider the classic version of its preparation. You will need fresh grape leaves and quality meat. Perfect minced beef, pork, lamb. You can even use chicken. Prepare a pound of meat, 2 onions, a couple of cloves of garlic, 100 grams of long-grain rice, also salt, herbs and spices to taste. Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Then soak the grape leaves in boiling water for a few minutes until they darken in color to increase their softness and elasticity.

Put a small amount of minced meat with rice and spices in the middle of the leaf and sequentially, starting from the bottom edge, wrap the filling in a leaf. Do this procedure with all minced meat. Next, lay a layer of grape foliage on the bottom of the pan, forming a kind of pillow. And already lay out the future dolma on it. Fill the contents of the pot with water, place the container over medium heat and cook the dish for about 40 minutes. This simple but very interesting and delicious recipe unusual dish won the hearts of people around the world. Be sure to try!

Cheese in grape leaves

If you're looking for a veggie vine leaf recipe, we suggest you give this one a try. You need about 400 grams of hard cheese, 50 ml of melted butter, about 20 leaves, some honey, garlic and paprika. Cut the cheese into small wedges or slices and completely wrap the leaves around it. Then fry the envelopes for butter literally a few minutes. Next, prepare a sauce of paprika, honey and garlic. Serve meals together.

That's not all possible options recipes that can be prepared from grape leaves. Therefore, do not be afraid to experiment, discover all new tastes!

With the advent of new, early and winter-hardy grape varieties, this crop is planted not only in the southern regions of the country, traditional for viticulture, but also in the central zone, in the Urals and even in the Siberian region. At the same time, getting the first harvests of berries, growers discover the benefits of grape leaves, their taste and ways of using them in cooking.

It is impossible to imagine Armenian, Greek, Bulgarian, Moldavian, Vietnamese and many other national cuisines without grape leaves. At the same time, the most famous dish of grape leaves stuffed with minced meat has become truly international. In addition, young grape leaves are used for stewing and marinades, they are salted, added to soups and meat stews.

Giving a characteristic aroma and piquancy to the taste of dishes, the leaves themselves are saturated with the aromas of meat, game and vegetables.

However, the use in cooking is not the only advantage of the product. Grape leaves are really useful. For example, US doctors, having studied the beneficial properties and contraindications of grape leaves, included this product in the national list of valuable dietary foods.

Composition of grape leaves

Young grape leaves that have not yet had time to harden are harvested for eating, whose benefits are maximum, the leaf plate is elastic, the veins are still juicy.

The energy value 100 grams of such a product, which is 93 kcal, is determined by the content of 2.1 grams of fat, 5.6 grams of protein and 6.3 grams of carbohydrates. The leaves harvested from the vine are rich in fiber, vitamins A, K and PP, ascorbic acid and a range of B vitamins.

A 100-gram serving of grape leaves can provide human body half the daily intake of sodium, manganese and copper.

Greens also contain elements such as calcium, iron, phosphorus and zinc. And just such a rich bio chemical composition determines the benefits and harms of grape leaves.

Useful properties of grape leaves

In Europe and a number of Asian countries, decoctions and infusions on green grape leaves have long been recognized as a means of relieving pain, strengthening and tonic. Until the century before last, tincture on the leaves was recommended for diseases of the female genital area and bleeding. Native Americans also noticed the benefits of grape leaves from local grape varieties. The North American Indians used herbal tea as an analgesic and antipyretic. The drink was given for indigestion, and lotions were used for manifestations of rheumatism.

Modern studies of the composition and possible benefits of grape leaves made it possible to speak about the fidelity of many guesses of folk healers.

As a source of vitamin A, grape leaves are a powerful natural antioxidant that helps:

• maintain and strengthen human immunity;
• protect the cells of the body from negative factors and substances from the external environment;
• save a person from aging.

Due to the presence of this vitamin, grape leaves are useful in diseases of the organs of vision, a decrease in its sharpness, chronic fatigue eye. Regular inclusion of dishes from grape leaves in the menu improves the quality of skin and hair. And together with calcium, carotene has a beneficial effect on the nervous system and muscle condition.

It is believed that only one leaf of grapes can protect against caries. What are the benefits and harms of grape leaves in this area? Indeed, if you chew on a leaf every day, you can thereby fight pathogenic flora, plaque deposits and the first signs of periodontal disease. However, it is important not to overdo it so that the acids in the composition of the leaves do not cause the opposite therapeutic effect.

Omega-3 fatty acids are also part of the benefits of grape leaves.

Grape leaves are useful in various inflammatory processes of the gastrointestinal tract, skin and mucous membranes. With regard to digestive processes, the benefits of grape leaves are due to the high content of fiber. Dietary fiber, filling the stomach, promotes a feeling of satiety and frees the intestines from accumulated toxins, so the leaves can be attributed to products for weight loss and body cleansing. In addition, fiber prolongs the release of sugar into the blood.

There are studies proving the benefits of Amur grape leaves in the treatment and prevention of such a complex and formidable disease as Alzheimer's disease.

And the extract from the leaves and shoots helps to reduce swelling that accompanies chronic venous insufficiency and puts additional stress on the heart.

Contraindications to the use of grape leaves

With a huge number of useful properties, contraindications of grape leaves are no less important and should be taken into account when including the product in the daily menu. People suffering from acute forms of gastrointestinal diseases, such as gastritis or ulcers, as well as in the presence of excess weight it is possible to use grape leaves after heat treatment or, especially, as part of canned food, only after the permission of the attending physician.

It is pickled or salted grape leaves that deserve especially careful handling, since such products, in addition to vegetable raw materials, contain a large amount of sodium and acids. And here the harm of grape leaves clearly prevails over the benefits. You should not get carried away with dishes with grape leaves for those who have diabetes, as well as for women at long gestations and nursing mothers.

Video about grapes

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Grape leaves

Grape leaves are harvested from young shoots of the vine, not hard, so they should be harvested in early summer or from a recently planted and established vine. Grape leaves are suitable both for culinary masterpieces and for the treatment of many diseases.

This semi-finished product will help you out a lot on winter days, when the family will require DOLMA or SARMALE (stuffed cabbage in Moldavian style).

They are sold on the market, of course, but only salted or marinated through and through in vinegar. You have to soak, boil.

This preservation does not contain extraneous acid, only the actual grape leaf and tomato juice! The main thing, as mentioned above, is that the collected leaves are not hard, from young shoots of the vine.

Pour juicy young leaves collected in the morning with cold water for an hour. You can add ice cubes to the water. Then we wash it under running water, cut off the stems and part of the thickened veins at the base of the leaf. We twist the prepared leaves of 10 pieces into rolls and place them tightly in a sterile leaf jar. It includes about 60-70 leaves. Pour boiling water for 15 minutes, cover with a lid. We drain the water away. Pour boiling tomato juice for the second time, preferably freshly squeezed. Immediately roll up and wrap in a warm blanket until it cools completely. In winter, these leaves do not need additional processing - take them out and cook. And tomato juice is perfect for sauce.

grape leaves calories

Grape leaves contain only 93 kcal, they are a good flavor addition to various dietary and gourmet dishes.

Nutritional value per 100 grams:

Grape leaves and twigs contain up to 2% sugars, a large amount of organic acids. In grape seeds - up to 20% fatty oil; tannins - flabofen; lecithin; vanillin and acetic acid. In addition, they identified picgenols - substances with antioxidant activity.

Grape roots contain a lot of vitamin C, alkaloids, glycosides, tannins. All parts of the plant contain large amounts of Si, Na, P, Fe, Cu salts.

If you eat young branches of grapes, they will not allow harmful fumes to rise to the brain. Young branches, tendrils, leaves help with hot headaches, burning eyes and hot swellings, if they are crushed and mixed with barley flour, and then applied to the sore spot. Grape branches hung around the neck of an epileptic patient prevent seizures.

Grape leaves are used in oriental medicine. Fresh, they help with coughing and increase male potency, and the juice squeezed out of them treats diseases of the stomach and intestines.

The condensed juice of grape leaves, when taken orally, strengthens a hot stomach, stops vomiting, treats hematemesis, intestinal ulcers, and bilious diarrhea. Grape juice acts in the same way if it is introduced into anus. Juice drives urine and strengthens the fetus in the womb. Grape juice, applied externally, promotes hair growth.

Grape leaves help with hemoptysis. If syrup with sugar is boiled from the juice of vineyard branches and drunk, it will cure the heartbeat from bile, improve appetite, cure a hangover, soothe the heat of bile, nausea. But this syrup is bad for coughing. Grape leaves enhance potency. Gum and condensed vineyard juice strongly purify and dry nature. If you drink them with wine, they will greatly cleanse the spleen, crush the stones of the bladder and kidneys. The juice of the plant with wine, applied externally, treats eczema. But before this procedure, you need to wipe the sore spot with soda. Gum or condensed vineyard juice mixed with olive oil, when used externally, strengthens the hair. The juice secreted by burning the branches of the vineyard, when used externally, treats warts, freckles, lichen, especially if it is rubbed with raisins.

In modern traditional medicine fresh grape leaves are used for constipation. A cold infusion of leaves is used to strengthen vision, with rheumatism. To prepare the infusion, 350 g of grape leaves are poured into 3 liters of cold water and infused for 3 days.

A decoction of grape leaves alkalizes the urine and will gradually help get rid of urate kidney stones. A decoction is also useful for gout. Grape leaves have hypoglycemic properties - they are successfully used to treat diabetes. It is also believed that grape leaves enhance potency.

Infusion of grape leaves: brew 1 cup boiling water 1 tbsp. l. dry crushed leaves, insist 25-30 minutes, strain. Drink 1-2 tbsp. l. 3 times a day for 0.5 hours before meals, as well as gargle with sore throat, wash wounds and ulcers.

Dried grape leaf powder is inhaled for nosebleeds. They also treat purulent wounds, using it as an antiseptic.

Grape seeds have a hemostatic effect in uterine bleeding. Grape juice is used to treat neurasthenia, hysteria, and functional heart diseases.

Despite the large number of useful properties that grape leaves have, they have some contraindications. They can harm in cases where a person suffers from obesity, chronic stomach ulcers, diabetes, heart failure. In these cases, they can cause significant harm only when consumed in large quantities.

Also, grape leaves may not be useful for women who are in the final stages of pregnancy, because. they have an adverse effect on the functioning of the mammary glands.

edaplus.info

Grape leaves - their beneficial properties and contraindications; benefit and harm; use in cooking and treatment; recommendations on how to prepare grape leaves for the winter; dish recipes

Grape leaves are unconventional for our region, but very popular in the East (especially in the Mediterranean region and the Caucasus), a product that is used in many national cuisines of the world.

The leaves have different shades: they can be rich green or have a bronze tint, they can be very light or with a slight golden hue (see photo). It all depends only on the grape variety and does not directly affect the beneficial properties of its leaves.

How to prepare?

It is necessary to harvest grape leaves at the beginning of summer, collecting them from young shoots of the vine. Harvested leaves should not be tough.

For the winter, they are harvested for future use in small jars, often along with tomato juice, for example, according to this recipe. Carefully washed leaves should be twisted into rolls, placed in a jar and pour boiling water for 15 minutes. After that, the water should be drained, and the rolls should be re-filled with boiling tomato juice. Rolled up jars are best wrapped until completely cooled. In winter, such conservation will help out before the holidays: guests can be treated to homemade dolma.

Tomato juice after leaves can be used as a base for various sauces.

Beneficial features

Beneficial features grape leaves have long been marked by folk medicine. Grape leaves are rich in vitamins A, C, B, as well as the minerals manganese, magnesium, iron and calcium. 30 grams of grape leaves are enough to provide the body with a daily intake of vitamin A. If you do not feel like cooking anything from this product, just eat 5-6 grape leaves. So they will bring even more benefits.

Eating grape leaves will help people who suffer from edema and venous insufficiency. They can be used to improve blood circulation and relieve pain. Grape leaf tea is used to relieve menstrual pain. In order to make tea, it is enough to pour dried grape leaves with boiling water.

There is evidence that the leaves help with nosebleeds, to get rid of them, powder from dried grape leaves is inhaled. Also, this powder can be used to treat wounds as an antiseptic.

The crushed leaves have long been used for cosmetic purposes. Grape leaf powder mixed with flower honey was applied to the face with a normal skin type. This mask removes peeling and makes the skin softer.

In cooking, grape leaves are widely used in Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria. Not without grape leaves and Armenian, Arabic and Vietnamese cuisine. The plant is used in these countries for the preparation of cabbage rolls, which are called "dolma" there. For its preparation, minced meat is wrapped in grape leaves, replacing the more familiar cabbage, and fried or baked.

Grape leaves lend themselves well to heat treatment, in any form they absorb the smells of other ingredients and add their own unique taste to the dish. The leaves are especially well combined with fatty smoked meats and meat, they are best suited to lamb. In addition to excellent taste, grape leaves will decorate the usual dishes before serving.

For gastronomic purposes, as a rule, white grape leaves are used. Such leaves are best collected during the flowering period of the vine. Leaves harvested at this time will have a pleasant sourness. Red grape leaves are used less frequently. The fact is that their edge is quite uneven, which is why it is inconvenient to use such a sheet for wrapping minced meat, and it also tastes tougher.

Grape leaves are best consumed fresh, but since urban residents do not have such an opportunity, the product can be prepared for future use. The leaves can be frozen or pickled - choose any convenient storage option for you. The advantage of freezing is that the leaves retain more nutrients and taste only slightly different from fresh ones. Pickled grape leaves have a pleasant taste, but require much more time to harvest.

Grape leaves go well with legumes, they are often cooked with chickpeas, beans, lentils. Together with honey and dried fruits, it is customary to add fresh leaves to sweet pilaf. Grated soups will get a new taste if you add a few grape leaves to them.

The low calorie content of the leaves (only 13 kcal per 100 grams) allows the product to be used for weight adjustment purposes.

The benefits of grape leaves and treatment

The benefits of leaves and medicinal properties are explained by the high content of plant fibers in them (about 8% of the daily requirement for modern man). Fiber fills the stomach, leaving a feeling of satiety, helps digestion. Thus, fiber slows down the release of sugar into the blood.

Grape leaves are a valuable source of vitamin A, which has an antioxidant effect. Vitamin A is involved in the formation of immunity, protects cells from free radicals, improves vision. Regular use of the leaves helps to improve the condition of the skin and hair. Calcium, which is contained in grape leaves, is necessary for maintaining nervous and muscle tissue, for healthy teeth and bones.

Thanks to their antioxidant properties, grape leaves slow down the aging process and help prevent many chronic diseases. Grape leaves contain a substance that ensures the production of resveratrol, a very powerful antioxidant. The leaves also contain substances that reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and protect against stroke.

Consuming the leaves as food will help to cope with depression.

In North America, grape leaf tea has long been used as a remedy for hepatitis, diarrhea, and various types of abdominal pain. Tea will also help in the treatment of thrush.

In order to reduce the risk of caries, it is enough to chew a grape leaf. This simple trick will reduce the amount of "bad" bacteria in your mouth. Also, the leaves will protect against periodontal disease and the occurrence of plaque.

Harm of grape leaves and contraindications

Grape leaves can harm a person who suffers from diabetes.

People with certain chronic conditions, ulcers, and obesity should consult their healthcare professional before using this product.

There are no contraindications to the use of grape leaves, if you know the measure.

Women should refrain from consuming the leaves during the last stages of pregnancy, as the leaves affect the functioning of the mammary glands.

xcook.info

Grape leaves - benefits and taste

The use of grape leaves for cooking is typical for the national cuisines of Greece, Turkey, Vietnam and Romania. One of the most delicious original dishes is baked leaves with chicken and vegetables. Vegetarian option involves replacing meat with tofu or mushrooms. Grape leaves can also be added to pureed soups along with broccoli, onions, cabbage and other vegetables.

The traditional recipe for Greek dolma, in addition to grape leaves, includes ground beef, tomato sauce, rice and spices. Beef can be replaced with less fatty chicken breast combined with pine nuts or almonds.

If you plan to cook with canned grape leaves, be sure to rinse them to get rid of excess salt.

nutritional value

Despite the low calorie content (13 calories per 1 cup), this is a very healthy product due to the large amount of nutrients.

One of the reasons why grape leaves are added to various dishes is the high fiber content (1.5 g per cup or 5-7% of the daily value for an adult). Dietary fiber fills the stomach, slows down digestion and "slows down" the release of sugar into the blood. Thanks to this, grape leaves allow you to stay full longer and not experience hunger pangs.

It is also a good source of fat-soluble vitamins A (3,853 IU per serving) and K (15.2 mcg). They strengthen the immune system, protect cells from the aggression of free radicals, ensure the health of the skin, bones and digestive tract, improve vision and control blood clotting.

Your bones, teeth, nerves and muscles are in dire need of calcium. One cup of grape leaves contains 5 micrograms of calcium, or 5% of the daily value, as well as 0.37 mg of iron, which is necessary for the formation of red blood cells.

grape leaf antioxidants

• Vitamin A (alternatively called retinol) in grape leaves has antioxidant activity. In other words, it gives your body a lot of benefits in the fight against free radicals: strengthens vision and the immune system, prevents the development chronic diseases and fights premature aging.
• Grape leaves also contain stilbene synthase, a special enzyme, without which the production of another powerful antioxidant, resveratrol, is impossible. As you know, resveratrol or its precursors are found in many parts of the plant, from the vine to the grape seeds.
• Let's not forget about omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, of which grape leaves also contain a lot. Antioxidants from this group of substances reduce the risk of developing heart disease (for example, stroke), arthritis, protect against depression, prostate and breast cancer, and colon cancer.

Beneficial features

indigenous peoples North America used grapevine tea to treat diarrhea, hepatitis, abdominal pain and thrush. And compresses from grape leaves relieved chest pain, rheumatic and headaches.

1. For the oral cavity. It turns out that it is worth chewing some grape leaves to reduce the growth and development of microbes in the oral cavity, including those that cause tooth decay and periodontal disease. Scientists came to this conclusion when they managed to extract three powerful antimicrobial compounds from the leaves and stems of grapes. Details can be found in Notes on Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry, 2010. Grape leaves also prevent the formation of plaque.
2. For strong bones. The high concentration of calcium and vitamin K makes this product very beneficial for the musculoskeletal system. But that's not all. One serving of grape leaves contains 0.26 mg of manganese. This mineral helps the body synthesize specific proteins - proteoglycans involved in the formation of healthy cartilage and bone tissue.
3. Grape leaves will also help from chronic venous insufficiency. They can be used in diet food patients to relieve swelling of the legs, improve blood circulation and reduce associated pain.
4. Chemicals that prevent the formation of plaques in the vessels of the brain and the death of nerve cells will protect you from Alzheimer's disease. True, this useful property of grape leaves has been tested so far exclusively on rats.

Read more: Strawberry leaves: useful properties and contraindications.

- it is not only tasty, but also useful. However, in addition to fruits, vine leaves also have therapeutic properties. Since ancient times, this part of the plant has been used as food and for the treatment of various diseases.

Grape leaves: what are

Not all grape leaves are the same. Depending on the variety, they may differ in color, density and even shape. Most often, the color of fresh grape leaves varies between light green and gray-green hues, although golden or wine hues are clearly visible on the leaves of some varieties. Also leaf blades different varieties can be smooth or with a slight "fluff", and the contour - from round with almost even edges to ovoid with openwork edges.

Chemical composition and nutritional value

If grapes are a real storehouse of useful components, then it is easy to guess that the vine that “spawned” these berries is no less rich. Grape greens are a very good source of, and, and, tannins, glycosides and alkaloids. By the way, 5-6 grape leaves contain the daily requirement of vitamin A. Grape leaves are a low-calorie product. There are only about 14 calories in 5 leaves.

Beneficial features

And although grape greens were rarely used in our culinary tradition, our ancestors knew something about the beneficial properties of these leaves. For example, in folk medicine, grape leaves are known to stop bleeding and have anti-inflammatory properties. But this is only a small fraction of what this green healer is actually capable of.

In the Mediterranean and in some Asian countries, infusions and decoctions of grape leaves are known as a tonic, tonic and analgesic. Back in the 19th century, women were advised to drink tinctures from this greenery in case of diseases of the reproductive system, as well as to stop heavy menstrual bleeding. The natives of North America used grape leaf tea as a remedy for fever. In addition, the Indians noticed that such a drink helps relieve pain, treats indigestion, and also relieves the symptoms of rheumatism. And it must be said that many of these folk methods treatments over time have found scientific confirmation.

Being an excellent source of vitamin A, grape leaves have powerful properties. This means that this greenery is useful for strengthening immunity, protecting the body in conditions of poor ecology, and also for slowing down the aging process. In addition, grape greens are good for the eyes, nervous system, hair and skin.

Some folk healers advise chewing grape leaves to get rid of caries. The researchers tested this fact and confirmed its rationality. The organic acids contained in the leaves will destroy the pathogenic flora, clean the teeth from plaque and prevent the occurrence of periodontal disease. For prevention and treatment, it is enough to chew 1 small leaf per day. If more, you risk damaging the structure of the enamel.

For many, this may come as a surprise, but scientists have found grape leaves (the very ones that are found in abundance in fish and seafood). And these substances scientific world known as effective remedy against joint diseases, heart rhythm disturbances and even as protection against malignant tumors.

Traditional healers in different countries of the world guessed about the anti-inflammatory properties of grape leaves several centuries ago. Modern researchers have much more information on this subject. Scientific experiments have confirmed that grapevine greens are useful for treating inflammation in the organs of the digestive tract, damage to the mucous membranes and skin.

The results of some studies indicate that grape leaves (particularly the Amur variety) may be beneficial for the prevention of Alzheimer's disease. In addition, the young leaves and shoots of the vine contain substances that have a beneficial effect on the body with edema and vascular diseases.

Use in traditional medicine

Folk healers used grape leaves to treat hypertension, tonsillitis, bronchitis. To get rid of a severe headache, it was advised to apply a previously mashed grape leaf to the forehead and temples. The same remedy was used when it was necessary to eliminate the burning sensation in the eyes - the leaf was applied to the eyelids. Gruel from young green grapes was used to treat varicose veins (applied to sore spots according to the principle of a compress).

The people considered the juice obtained from grape greens to be useful. It was used to treat diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and men used it to increase potency. And when used externally, the juice is useful for getting rid of warts, freckles, lichen, it helps to strengthen hair and accelerate their growth.

Various diseases of the bladder, kidneys and thyroid gland were also treated by the people with grapes. But in this case, alcohol tincture was used. A decoction of the leaves is advised to drink to increase appetite, with gout or kidney stones, as well as to eliminate a hangover. Cold water infusion (350 g of greens are taken for 3 liters of cold and infused for 3 days) was drunk for rheumatism and visual acuity disorders.

Dry powdered leaves have also been used in folk medicine. People who are prone to nosebleeds may benefit from inhaling this powder from time to time. In addition, grape powder was used as an antiseptic (festered wounds were sprinkled on them).

grape green tea

This drink is very popular in folk medicine. It is useful to use it as an external agent - for washing purulent wounds and ulcers.

It is also good to drink this remedy as herbal tea. In this case, it can be useful for circulatory disorders, edema, heavy and painful menstruation in women. It is useful to use the drink to strengthen the immune system, with hepatitis, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, as well as with candidiasis. The same tea can be used to gargle with sore throat. It is not difficult to prepare this miracle remedy. All you need is 10 g of dry crushed grape leaves, which should be poured with a glass of boiling water and insisted for 5-10 minutes.

Hazardous Properties

Sour grape leaves are a prohibited product for people with gastritis, ulcers and some other diseases. digestive organs especially in the acute period. In addition, it is advised to refrain from consuming this product for people with diabetes, obesity, and heart failure. Also, with caution, grape leaves should be treated by women in the last months of pregnancy.

Use in cooking

If for us, grape leaves on a plate as a main course are exotic, then for Armenians, Greeks, Bulgarians, Arabs, Vietnamese, and Turkish people, such dishes are a national culinary treasure. In the Caucasus, for example, they cook dolma, in Greece - dolmades (something similar to cabbage rolls, but grape greens are used instead of cabbage). And even in Ukrainian Transcarpathia, similar dishes have been prepared since ancient times.

For cooking, only young leaves are taken. In addition, gourmets are advised to give preference to greens from white grape varieties, as dark leaves are tougher. The most delicious are the leaves collected during the flowering period of the vine. At this time, they are the most juicy, tender and with a pleasant sourness.

As a rule, grape leaves should be cooked right on the day of harvest. But if necessary, they can be stored in the refrigerator for several days. If you think that you can enjoy dishes from grape leaves only in spring or summer, then you are deeply mistaken. This greens perfectly lends itself to freezing, salting, pickling. Although, after salting, there are fewer nutritional components in the product than in fresh or frozen ones. By the way, in order for the leaves to retain their appearance and the necessary density, culinary specialists advise them to defrost by immersing them in cold water.

If many fruits and vegetables taste worse after heat treatment, then grape leaves, on the contrary, open their “bouquet” under the influence of temperature. Therefore, boiling, frying, baking and stewing is an ideal way to prepare these greens. In addition, during the cooking process, the leaves perfectly absorb the aroma of other products, which, in turn, are given a pleasant refreshing sourness.

Best of all, grape greens are combined with fatty meat, smoked meats. From vegetables, legumes, such as, chickpeas, are well suited to them.

It is good to add tender young grape leaves to sweet pilaf (sour greens are in perfect harmony with dried fruits and).

For dolma (and other dishes), grape leaves are not boiled, but only blanched. Stuffing is wrapped in such a way that the glossy side of the sheet "looks" outward. By the way, traditionally leaves stuffed with meat are served as a hot dish, and grape greens with cereals are served as an appetizer. By the way, fillings from minced meat and cereals are not the only way to use grape leaves. You can wrap or pieces in a sheet plate, then cover everything with filo dough and bake in the oven. You can also use fish as a filling.

Salmon in grapes

Chop into small cubes and marinate in a mixture of chopped, lemon juice, pepper. Drain the liquid, add chopped herbs and mix everything thoroughly. Grease a grape leaf (blanched or harvested for the winter) with a layer of cream cheese, on which lay the minced fish. Roll up in the same way as the cabbage rolls. Put in a heat-resistant dish, on the bottom of which pour a little salted water. Bake in the oven for approximately 10-15 minutes.

Vine leaves for the winter

The leaves prepared according to this recipe are considered the most useful, since vinegar, salt or other not the most useful components are not used in the salting process. For harvesting for the winter, it is best to take juicy young greens collected in the morning. For about an hour, the product is poured with cold water (it is possible with ice cubes), after which each leaf is washed and cleaned of thick veins at the base. Then twist the leaves into dense rolls (each contains about 10 pieces), which are thickly placed in sterile jars. Pour boiling water over the filled vessels, cover with lids and leave for 15 minutes, then drain all the water. After that, pour the leaves with boiling tomato juice (preferably freshly squeezed), roll up, wrap in a warm blanket and leave to cool completely. Leaves harvested in this way do not require additional heat treatment, and tomato juice can be used to make sauce in winter.

Application in cosmetology

Tannins, organic acids and essential oils, vitamins, minerals - these are the components due to which cosmetologists also paid attention to grape greens. Masks and tonics prepared on the basis of green grapes are used to rejuvenate the skin, tighten pores, smooth wrinkles and improve facial contours.

At home, it is easy to prepare a face mask from flower honey and crushed grape leaves. It is useful to apply this gruel 1-2 times a week. The result is soft and smooth facial skin.

Grapes in our latitudes are not exotic. But if almost everyone eats the berries harvested from the vine, then many frankly ignore the greens of this culture. But now that you know about the beneficial properties of grape leaves, you can also please loved ones with delicious original dish from sour greens.

Nutritional value and chemical composition of raw grape leaves

For a long time, folk healers have used the beneficial properties of grape leaves due to their composition. After all, they are rich in vitamins, macro- and microelements, as well as minerals. In order to provide a daily ration of usefulness to a person, it is enough to consume 30 g of grape leaves, which do not even have to be cooked, but can simply be chewed raw. Among the minerals in grape leaves, there are especially many manganese, magnesium, iron, calcium, etc., and the vitamin composition includes vitamins A, C and B.

100g of raw grape leaves contains:

• Proteins - 5.6.
• Fats - 2.1.
• Carbohydrates - 6.3.
• Kcal - 93.

Grape leaves are not only used to wrap minced meat, but they are also baked, stewed, boiled and steamed. During heat treatment, grape leaves absorb the aroma of the products with which they are cooked and give the dish its own shade of a peculiar taste. You should know that grape leaves are not used to cut any salads.

Useful properties of grape leaves and contraindications to their use

Benefit:

• Grape leaves, as well as grape seeds and oil from them, are widely used in cosmetology because they contain organic acids, sugars and tannins.
• The leaves are used to treat bronchitis, as they help to expel phlegm from the bronchi.
• An infusion of grape leaves is used in the treatment of hypertension and tonsillitis. Grape leaves are also used to heal wounds and stop bleeding, like the leaves of the plantain herb.
• Grape leaves are used in the treatment of the digestive tract, with diarrhea, vomiting, and with urinary tract diseases.
• The external use of the leaves includes the removal of warts, age spots and freckles. They are used as an antiseptic for treating wounds, to restore the structure and accelerate hair growth.

Harm:

• Grape leaves are not used to prepare remedies for diabetes mellitus and tuberculosis, as well as for malignant tumors of the gastrointestinal tract.
• You can not get too carried away with dishes that include grape leaves.

The use of grape leaves in cooking

The peoples of the Balkan Peninsula and Transcaucasia often use grape leaves as the main ingredient in many dishes. The leaves are stuffed not only with meat, but also with rice with raisins and olive oil, and excellent kvass is also prepared. A drink made from grape leaves contains a large amount of vitamin C, which is an antioxidant, thanks to which collagen is formed, which is responsible for the beauty and youth of the skin and protects the whole body from free radicals.

How to cook kvass from grape leaves? To do this, they are cut finely and put in a jar (for a 3-liter jar, you should take ½ cup of granulated sugar and 5-7 pieces of raisins). Pour boiling water over everything, cover with a gauze cloth and leave to ferment for 3-4 days in a warm place. After cooking, drain the kvass, cork and refrigerate for 3-4 days.

grape leaf tea. Rinse the greens of the vine, cut and pour boiling water in a teapot, like regular tea. The drink turns out tonic and fragrant. A contraindication to its use is the presence of diabetes and gastrointestinal diseases.

Preparation of grape leaves includes freezing, canning and salting. The easiest way is to collect young leaves of white grapes, twist and fold tightly into a plastic bag to freeze. Use all year round as needed.

If there are no contraindications to the use and eating of grape leaves, be sure to include healthy preparations from this wonderful plant in your diet and delight your household with the preparation of various dishes based on them.

How to pickle grape leaves, see the video below:

grape leaves benefits

grape leaves benefits

Grape leaves are used in cooking for the preparation of various dishes, for example, the well-known dolma. Besides the fact that they are delicious, it is impossible not to note the benefits of grape leaves for the body. Young leaves are used for food, which have not yet had time to harden and contain the maximum amount of useful substances. As for calories, there are only 93 kcal per 100 g.

The benefits and harms of grape leaves

Since ancient times, grape leaves have been used in traditional medicine recipes for the preparation of various decoctions and infusions.

The benefits of grape leaves:

It is important to consider that grape leaves for dolma and other dishes are not only beneficial, but can also harm the body. The product is contraindicated in acute forms of the gastrointestinal tract, for example, with gastritis and ulcers. In case of obesity, it is forbidden to eat leaves that have undergone heat treatment. It is recommended to be as careful as possible with pickled and salted leaves. Leaf dishes can be harmful to people with diabetes, pregnant and breastfeeding women. If there are serious health problems, then before using the leaves, it is recommended to consult a doctor.

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Good health, dear owners and followers of a healthy lifestyle! Since spring, I have prepared for the future a solid harvest of an unusual and valuable plant. Grape leaves, the benefits and harms of shoots of garden vines, have been repeatedly considered in specialized publications.

In the kitchen different peoples the green parts of the plant are used to prepare a dish that resembles our cabbage rolls. They are stewed, fried, boiled, stewed in oil, only they are not suitable for salad. I have a large vineyard in my country house, I like to experiment, I will describe what happened. Along the way, I will share information that I myself learned from various sources.

1. green medicine
2. Universal medicine
3. Cooking for the future
4. Preparation and storage
5. A few more ways
6. What to cook
7. Video: grape leaf dolma

green medicine

Who would have thought that a pantry of vitamins and valuable organic compounds grows right in the country! I selected elite varieties, but it turns out that ordinary grapes are more valuable. Its young shoots contain a lot of substances useful for the body:

• Easily digestible sugars of natural origin;
• Tannins;
• Antioxidant compounds, vitamins A, C, E;
• Salts of silicon, sodium, phosphorus, copper, iron.

In folk medicine, the wine berry has found wide application. Dry raw materials are used to prepare infusions for sore throats and inflammatory diseases of the throat.

Grape leaves - benefits and harms. Recipes with grape leaves

I make a decoction classic recipe: I add a tablespoon of chopped dry raw materials to a glass of boiling water. I leave it in a thermos for 2 hours, after which I rinse as needed during the day. I try to carry out procedures before meals, so as not to “lubricate” the therapeutic effect of the remedy.

I read an article in the newspaper that the powder of dry crushed greens is used for nosebleeds (it is inhaled) and festering wounds. I confess that I myself did not dare to conduct such an experiment. For me - it is more reliable to use a decoction. It has an antiseptic effect, but softer. And experiments with the inhalation of powders will not lead to anything good!

Universal medicine

Fresh young foliage cures cough, improves potency in men, juice helps with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: stops vomiting, diarrhea, improves peristalsis. Contains fiber that improves gastrointestinal motility, contributing to the rapid digestion of food.

The decoction is used for headaches, constipation, it has a weak diuretic effect, dissolves stones in bladder. Infused with cold water greens (300 grams per 3 liters of water, leave in a cool dark place for 3 days) when ingested improves vision, alleviates rheumatic pains.

When used externally, the infusion promotes hair growth, brightens freckles, improves complexion, reduces warts.

Useful properties and contraindications for use vegetable product incomparable: grapes help everyone. Only in large quantities it should not be eaten by people with:

• Diseases of the cardiovascular system;
• Ulcer of the stomach and duodenum;
• Diabetes.

Fortunately, I do not suffer from any disease, so I eat a natural and tasty product for my own pleasure!

Cooking for the future

I know many people who lead a healthy lifestyle, collect medicinal herbs, instead of coffee drink healthy herbal teas. But when we are talking about harvesting wine berry greens, they all plan to use raw materials for cooking dishes of Asian and Oriental cuisine - cabbage rolls or dolma.

If you don’t know how to prepare grape leaves, use the advice of culinary specialists. There are several ways to keep them almost fresh, ready to use and not subject to any additional processing.

• Sterilization of freshly harvested raw materials;
• Filling with marinade;
• salting;
• Freeze.

Regardless of which technique you prefer, you will have to follow certain rules before harvesting the “harvest” so that useful properties and minerals are not lost during the winter.

Only young pale green leaves are plucked. Most suitable for culinary purposes are light cultivars with a pleasant sweetish aftertaste. Pruning is done on a dry day, in the morning, to avoid dew drops that cause spots.

To gain a knack, practice in advance on fresh blanks. Do not be afraid of cooking: a couple of unsuccessful attempts, and then everything will work out! In my family, cabbage rolls in any of their versions are a familiar and favorite dish.

That's all, dear readers. I would be grateful for the feedback in the comments and activity in social networks.

Are you taking vine leaves? What dishes do you cook? What do you think is tastier - traditional cabbage rolls or grape dolma? What is easier for you personally to cook? Do the first and second cases require special skills? Do you prepare the green "shell" yourself or buy ready-made? See you soon, always happy to chat!

Fermented tea from garden leaves and wild plants. The most popular herbal fermented drink is, of course, Koporsky tea - traditional Russian fireweed tea (fermented Ivan-tea) (Koporsky tea). But from many other plants you can make completely unusual teas and healthy drinks. Many people dry various flowers and herbs for the winter in order to make tea. But in dried preparations, the aroma and taste are lost compared to fresh ones, and thanks to the fermentation of the leaves we get.

herbal tea with rich taste, color and aroma.

fermented tea does not contain caffeine (unlike green or black tea).

contains easily digestible and water-soluble substances (brewing such tea is possible even at low water temperatures.

The recipe for the fermentation of fireweed leaves (Koporsky tea) has already talked about the fermentation procedure for Ivan tea. Similarly, you can prepare tea from the leaves of various garden and wild plants.

In order to get a tasty and fragrant tea, it is important to choose the right plants for its preparation.

In the collected leaves should be the presence of tannins (tannins). Young leaves are richer in tannin than older ones.

We collect leaves from those plants, the fruits of which we eat with pleasure. This is an apple tree, strawberry, sweet cherry, cherry, chokeberry, raspberry, black currant, strawberry, pear, plum, blackthorn, grapes, quince, etc.

The whole process will consist of several stages (each stage is important and a violation of technology can lead to a negative result.

Stages of preparation.

The leaves are collected in dry weather. It is advisable not to wash them, but if you wash them, then immediately dry them from moisture. Juicy leaves are better fermented, so they are best collected in the morning and in the shade. We collect leaves throughout the season, but do not delay until autumn. It is better to do this at the beginning of the fruiting of plants, but not to the detriment of the main plant.

Scatter the leaves in a layer of about 4-5 cm and dry until they become limp. Be sure to stir occasionally. Due to drying, we get rid of excess moisture in the leaves, which will allow us to qualitatively carry out subsequent fermentation. The rays of the sun and the wind should not be directed at the leaves, otherwise the leaves will dry out and not wither. A well-cured leaf curls better and makes better tea than an uncured one. Checking the end of drying with a strong compression of a bunch of withered leaves into a fist, the lump does not crumble, and there is no characteristic crunch of fresh leaves. If there is not enough time to follow the drying process, you can put the plants in cotton or linen with a small layer or sausage.

3. Rolling or granulating - the stage in which the leaves are rolled by hand into small "sausages" or balls until they darken or are passed through a meat grinder (get granules). This can be done in one of three ways.

The first way is twisting the leaves by hand. Take a few leaves (7 - 10), roll them several times between the palms until the leaves turn dark from the juice that has come out. As a result, it is possible to form rolls up to 10 cm long and 1 - 1.5 cm thick or balls with a diameter of 1.5 - 2 cm. Fireweed tea in the form of balls is the most time-consuming, but the highest quality and looks very impressive.

The second way is twisting the leaves in a meat grinder (grid with large holes). Periodically let the meat grinder cool down, as it quickly heats up when grinding the dried leaves. This method is considered easier, especially if tea is harvested in large quantities.

The third way is freezing the leaves. We send the leaves in the bag to the freezer. As a result, the leaf is destroyed evenly and the juice stands out well. By the way, frozen leaves curl very easily and quickly. Pre-freeze the leaves, then defrost them for a short time, and then twist the rolls or balls.

Everyone chooses for himself which method to use.

4. Fermentation is a very important step! At this stage, it is necessary to destroy the structure of the dried leaf before the juice is released, which allows you to most fully extract from the plant useful material and better for fermentation. At this stage, the main thing is to observe the conditions for fermentation - a sufficient volume of fermented mass, temperature and humidity.

We lay the prepared mass in a layer of 8 - 10 cm in an enameled container, press down a little with our hands. We close with a damp linen or cotton cloth and put in a warm place for fermentation. The amount of mass should be in abundance, this affects the further quality of tea. We clean in a dark warm place. Depending on the temperature, it will take more or less time for fermentation - from several hours to two days.

Too high temperature and overexposure tea acquires the smell of low-grade tea are dangerous. Optimum temperature for fermentation 22 - 26 °C. Access to oxygen is required. The signal for the end of fermentation is a change in color (grass will turn from green to dark, brown or even black), and a characteristically sour floral and pleasant smell. rich floral-fruity aroma.

5. Drying - the stage on which the color and aroma of tea depends.

Grape leaves - benefits and taste

If you twisted the leaves, then after fermentation they should be finely chopped or left in small rolls. Sliced, twisted or ground raw materials are laid out on a baking sheet with a layer of 1 cm, and then dried at a temperature of 80-100C for about an hour. When properly dried, the leaves take on the color of black tea and have a very strong and rich aroma. Provide ventilation and do not overdry, so that the tea leaves do not crumble into dust.

6. Storage - a process that enhances and improves all the beneficial properties of this amazing tea. It is best to store fermented tea from the leaves of various garden and wild plants in a glass jar with a plastic or screw cap.

Drink fermented tea from the leaves of various garden and wild plants. Be healthy.

Fermented tea from the leaves of garden and wild plants.

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