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The beneficial properties of black currant are popularly used to treat many diseases. Official medicine does not recognize the plant as medicinal, albeit as a vitamin supplement. Tincture on black currant leaves turns out to be aromatic and pleasant to the taste.
The benefits and harms of infusion of currant leaves
Official studies of the properties of infusion from currant leaves have not been carried out. Therefore, information about its healing effects came only from the experience of using it in traditional medicine.
The beneficial properties of currant infusions can be judged by the substances and trace elements contained in the plant. The berry bush is famous for its high amount of vitamins. Currant leaves contain up to 400 mg of ascorbic acid per 100 g of raw material. In different periods of plant development, the content of chemical elements changes in quantitative composition. But their set remains unchanged:
- Ascorbic acid is a natural antioxidant. Participates in redox processes in cells.
- Vitamin A - promotes the development of immunity, affects the health of the mucous membranes (eyes).
- Phytoncides - negatively affect pathogens.
- Essential oils have a beneficial effect on the digestive system, remove excess phlegm from the bronchi and lungs.
Among other things, the plant contains a complex of minerals: sodium, potassium, manganese, magnesium and others.
In folk medicine, an infusion of black currant leaves is advised for the treatment of vitamin deficiency. Alcohol preparations based on currants are used and as an antirheumatic agent. With diabetes mellitus, water infusions of leaves and branches are recommended.
The antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties of the shrub parts help with coughs, bronchitis and any inflammatory diseases.
How to make a tincture on currant leaves and branches
For the preparation of the medicinal tincture, herbal raw materials are harvested in May. Before the beginning of fruiting, it is the leaves that contain the greatest amount of substances useful for the body.
Currant greens are harvested in dry, clear weather. You can use shoots and foliage of garden black currant if the site is located away from highways. But the most valuable are wild bushes. Currant grows in nature near streams and swamps. Its leaves have a rich musky aroma. No wonder the name contains the root "currant". Wild currant tincture is more aromatic than horticultural.
It is advisable to prepare the tincture in a dark glass dish. Fresh leaves are placed in a jar and poured with alcohol or other alcohol-containing product. It is recommended to insist the remedy for medicinal purposes for at least three weeks. Most sources contain information about different periods of infusion of liquid. But the general rules for the preparation of infusions from plant raw materials indicate the need for a long exposure of funds. Substances must not only be impregnated with a liquid substance, but also give up useful components.
If branches with bark are used to prepare the infusion, then the liquid is brownish. The leaf infusion can be light yellow or greenish.
After the required infusion period has expired, the liquid is drained, and the leaves and branches are squeezed out.
Recipes for tinctures on currant leaves and branches
Most alcoholic tinctures are prepared according to a standard recipe. Leaves and twigs can be used fresh or dry. It is important that the alcohol-containing liquid is of a high degree of purification, without fusel oils and the content of technical types of alcohol.
Tincture on currant leaves with vodka
An excellent aromatic vodka is obtained from currant leaves, which can be drunk at a feast. To prepare 1 liter of drink, you need to fill the jar with young herbs by a third. Add to content:
- 0.5 tsp lemon peel;
- 1 - 2 cloves (seasoning);
- 1 tbsp. l. granulated sugar;
- 1 liter of vodka.
Close the jar tightly. Insist in a dark place for 7 to 10 days. Strain the liquid through cheesecloth and squeeze out the contents. Close the container with the drink tightly and store in the refrigerator.
Tincture on currant leaves on moonshine
Lovers of homemade tinctures prepare drinks based on moonshine from currant leaves. The leaves are believed to impart a pleasant aroma to the drink, hiding the natural smell and aftertaste of the homemade drink.
The recipe for tincture of moonshine on black currant leaves has several options. A simple infusion is prepared by pouring the moonshine into a jar filled with fresh bush greens. You can improve the taste of the drink by adding berries or spices.
To prepare a flavored drink, you need:
- 30 currant leaves;
- 200 g ripe berries:
- 1 tbsp. Sahara;
- 800 g of purified moonshine.
At the bottom of a clean, dry container, plant components are laid in layers, sprinkled with sugar. Pour with moonshine and insist for three weeks in a dark place. During the infusion period, the container must be shaken 1 - 2 times. Strain the finished drink, squeeze the berries and mix with liquid.
The leaves give the infusion a pleasant aroma, and the berries - the color. It is important to keep the drink well corked.
Tincture on currant leaves with alcohol
The recipe for making alcoholic tincture from blackcurrant leaves differs little from the usual infusion of medicinal herbs. But you should not use such a drink undiluted.
To prepare a liter of currant alcohol, you need:
- 500 g of young black currant leaves;
- 100 g sugar (optional);
- 500 g of alcohol 96%;
- 500 g of water.
Rinse the greens, dry and wrinkle lightly. Fold the plant materials into a jar and add alcohol. Insist a little more than a week in the dark. Strain the finished tincture and dilute with water.
If the agent is used as a therapeutic or prophylactic, then it is possible not to dilute it with water. Home remedy is used in small doses (1 tsp) to add to hot drinks for colds and flu.
Tincture on currant branches
The taste of the tincture on blackcurrant sprigs is more astringent than when using greens. If lignified currant twigs are used, then the infusion acquires a pleasant golden brown hue.
The branches for preparing the drink can be harvested after picking the berries. The leftovers after trimming the shrub are also suitable. The main thing is that the branches are healthy, without obvious signs of fungus and the vital activity of pests.
To prepare a drink, the branches are cut into pieces of 1.5 - 2 cm and placed in a container, filling it no more than a third. Vegetable raw materials are poured with alcohol. You need to insist the twigs for at least a month. At the end of the term, the liquid should be filtered and diluted with cold boiled water.
Contraindications
Restrictions on the use of blackcurrant leaf tincture relate to contraindications associated with the use of alcohol-containing liquids.The leaves of the plant do not contain harmful substances, therefore, in aqueous infusions, they can be used externally and internally, if there is no individual intolerance.
Alcohol tinctures are contraindicated:
- children;
- pregnant women and during the period of breastfeeding;
- with alcohol dependence;
- with gastritis and peptic ulcer;
- with cardiovascular diseases.
Terms and conditions of storage
Tincture of black currant leaves with vodka should be stored for no more than a year in a cool place. Be sure to seal the container tightly. Alcohol-based tinctures without added water can be stored in a dark place for up to 3 years.
Conclusion
Tincture on black currant leaves is popular with connoisseurs of home remedies. An aromatic alcoholic drink, according to reviews, is soft and pleasant to the taste. But do not forget that the abuse of even such a useful infusion can lead to undesirable consequences.
