Description of the "love" herb. Chemical composition and beneficial properties of lovage root. Contraindications for the use of the product. Rhizome recipes and interesting facts about the plant. The composition of the starch contained in the lovage root is minerals (sodium, potassium, phosphorus and calcium) and vitamin PP. These nutrients play a huge role in the body: they maintain water and electrolyte balance, are responsible for muscle contractions and bone strength. Vitamin PP normalizes hormonal production and stimulates the reproduction of red blood cells, erythrocytes.
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.
Tannins help cleanse the body of toxins and toxins, isolate free radicals circulating in the intestines, remove waste products of pathogenic bacteria, and stimulate the absorption of nutrients.
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 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;
- It has an antiparasitic effect, helps to get rid of helminths that colonize the intestines and liver;
- 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.
The use of the product in the diet helps to cope with the feeling of hunger, which causes significant discomfort to those losing weight. Root dishes block appetite without reducing the production of enzymes, dull the sensitivity of taste buds.
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 an exacerbation stage;
- Pregnancy, so as not to provoke uterine tone;
- Individual intolerance.
It is not recommended to use the product in lovage root for children under adolescence.
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 peels are 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 pepper and salt in the future. The filling should be absorbed into the bite 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. The threads and filling should be removed before serving.
- Diet salad … Ingredients: oranges, some leeks, boiled chicken fillet, tomatoes, cream, lovage root. Seeds and films are removed from 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 mushrooms.
- 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 they are thrown into a colander to make all the glass. 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 spicy 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 is 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 fruit 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 with lemon juice.
- Candied roots … Boil clean roots for 10 minutes. Keep the fire small so as not to digest. The 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 taste of "sweets" is too interesting.
You can experiment endlessly with the root. To taste, it is combined with fatty meat - pork or lamb, with sauerkraut. Desserts acquire an interesting taste if you add a little rhizome powder to them. The main thing is not to overdo it with the "ingredient". The recommended dose is 2 tablespoons per 0.5 kg of the main component.
Interesting facts about lovage root
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 also 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 the 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".
The harvesting of the 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 mentioned in 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 to hawthorn and pharmacy chamomile in popularity in Ukraine.
