Today many herbs are actively used in cookery, perfumery, for treatment of many diseases.
In this article we will tell about a plant a marjoram, about its useful properties and methods of application.
Description of a plant
The grass a marjoram has characteristic taste thanks to which it is very much appreciated by culinary specialists around the world. Its spicy aroma can often be met in perfumery means, and thanks to its medicinal properties it is possible to overcome many illnesses.
It is important! If you plan to grow up a marjoram, allocate it well lit site as the lack of light leads to decrease in contents in a plant of essential oils.
The plant belongs to family of yasnotkovy, has juicy taste. Its length is about 40-50 cm. Possesses tetrahedral stalks on which oval foliage is located. On a land part of a grass there are small fibers which create to it a velvety look.
The hyssop, rosemary carry a grass to the Yasnotkovye family.
Blossoming falls on July, at this time the grass is allocated thanks to white and pink with florets, collected in false cones.
The perennial plant for the existence gives preference to warm areas. He can be met in Turkey, in a northern part of Africa, in the Mediterranean. In territories where severe winters have an effect, only annual plants meet. The countries which grow up a marjoram commercially is India, Egypt, South America and the Middle East.
Chemical composition
Foliage of a plant contains essential oils, carbohydrates, proteins, fats and vegetable cellulose.
The chemical composition of a marjoram includes:
- B1, B2, B6, B12 vitamins, ascorbic acid;
- oil-soluble vitamins A, E, K;
- organic acids;
- bitterness and tannins;
- minerals: iron, copper, zinc, selenium, manganese;
- macrocells: phosphorus, sodium, calcium, potassium, magnesium.
Medicinal properties
The marjoram is capable not only to improve taste of many dishes, but also to have beneficial influence on the state of health.
The plant possesses the following medicinal properties:
- kills a headache;
- prevents development of asthma and other pulmonary diseases;
- is effective expectorant medicine;
- it is used for treatment of diabetes;
- it is applied to therapy of violations of menstrual cycles and at a climax;
- is an effective remedy from heart troubles and vessels;
- normalizes digestion, removes inflammation in intestines, saves from a meteorizm;
The linden, crude beet, cauliflower, pearl barley, meadow honey, lentil are also capable to normalize digestion.
- fights against inflammatory processes in a bladder, is diuretic;
- helps to struggle with insomnia.
Nutrition value
In 100 g of a marjoram contains:
- calories — 271 kcal;
- proteins — 12.7 g;
- fats — 7 g;
- carbohydrates — 60.6 g;
- food fibers — 40.3 g;
- waters — 7.64 g.
Application
Traditional medicine contains a set of the recipes prepared from a grass which was collected during blossoming.
Whether you know? In Latin the marjoram sounds as amaracum that has a certain similarity to fishing of amor — love. Not for nothing in the ancient time used a plant as aphrodisiac and believed that it is capable to give courage and love force.
Tea is recommended to be used if there is no appetite, migraines, intestinal spasms, a meteorizm, menstrual pains often disturb. That to prepare it, it is necessary to fill in with 2 h a spoon of a grass 250 ml of hot water and to insist within 5 minutes. Then tea needs to be filtered. You should not drink more than 2 cups of drink a day.
Except tea, a plant grass ointments are actively used. At intestinal gripes at kids, it needs to pound area near a navel. Noticeable improvement is guaranteed 10-20 minutes later.
If you have a cold, it is necessary to grease with ointment nasal bosoms.
At cold also use bear fat, a mushroom of a chag, propolis, sea-buckthorn oil.
Ready ointment is on sale in drugstore, but it can be prepared and independently. For this purpose 1 h the spoon of a marjoram fills in 1 h with a spoon of wine alcohol and insisted 2-3 hours. Then add to mix 1 h a butter spoon.
After that it needs to be heated on a water bath on an extent of 10 minutes, to filter and cool. With use of marjoram oil often do massages, compresses, inhalations.
For holding massage procedures and grindings it is necessary to add oil to basic medicine (6 drops of oil on 10 g of a basis).
Learn about such types of massage as Ayurvedic, Bali, massage of the yoni, stone massage, massage of a guash, hiromassazh persons.
At catarrhal diseases it is recommended to carry out hot inhalations. For this purpose in ware with hot water it is necessary to drip 2-3 droplets of oil and for 4-5 minutes to do inhalation.
Acceptance of a bathtub with marjoram oil will help to restore forces. If you want to take the toning bath — add to water of 6 drops of oil.
Important! Before the use or use of medicines which contain a marjoram surely it is worth consulting with the attending physician and to find out whether you have contraindications.
The plant is actively used also in cosmetology.
To soften callosities and the coarsened skin standing, it is necessary to do oil appliques according to the following recipe: it is necessary to mix 3 droplets of almond oil and 5 drops of oil of a marjoram, to apply gruel on sites of skin, to take about 1 hour and to remove the softened callosities.
Except medicinal and cosmetic properties, the marjoram found broad application in cookery. As additive it will ideally add a meat and fish dish, soups, vegetable stew.
The dried-up grass is also used in preservation, the plant is added at production of wine, beer and soft drinks.
Harm and contraindications
If to use a grass in reasonable quantities, it is not capable to do harm to an organism. However at big dosages, appearance of a headache and weakness is possible.
In certain cases note manifestation of allergic reaction to a plant. Therefore before the use or use of a marjoram it is recommended to apply a small drop of oil to skin.
If you feel insignificant burning — it speaks about normal reaction, at the same time there should not be a reddening, skin should not itch.
It is not recommended to use a grass and to use it as medical or cosmetic:
- during pregnancy and feeding by a breast;
- to children up to 5 years;
- to the people having hypotonia;
- in the presence of thrombophlebitis and the increased blood clotting;
- at individual sensitivity.
Also it is not recommended to use a marjoram as spice more than 10 days in a row.
Rules of storage
Collecting a grass is recommended to be carried out in June — July when the plant begins to blossom. After collecting it is necessary to spread out it under a canopy and it is good to dry. Then it is necessary to tear off foliage and florets.
If you want spice to be stored long, it is necessary to delete and throw out stalks in due time. Leaves and florets should be put in a glass jar and to put in the darkened place. The marjoram period of storage in such look makes 3 years.
Whether you know? In the Middle Ages in Europe in rich circles was considered to serve obscenely the dishes which did not contain some spices or additives from a marjoram.
Marjoram — a unique plant which is irreplaceable ingredient in many spheres. At the correct application of a grass you will be able not only to improve the health, but also will look beautiful and well-groomed.