How helpful is hazel to human health?

Hazelnut or Hazel For several thousand years, it is well known to the peoples of Europe, Asia and North America, where its useful properties are appreciated. In addition to the pleasant taste and valuable nutritional qualities of hazel nuts (as well as its leaves, bark and even roots) have healing qualities. No wonder our ancestors believed that this plant gives immortality and endowed it with supernatural powers.

The chemical composition of hazel

Hazel nut is an energetically valuable product, as only 100 g contains 657 Kcal. In addition, hazel has a unique protein composition, identical to egg white: 17.2 g contains 18 amino acids (8 of which are essential), which the human body can receive only with food.Vegetable protein easily digestible allows you to do without meat products (which is important for vegetarians).

Hazelnuts are an important source of:

• fat (up to 70%) - mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids (52.5 and 9.1 g, respectively);

• carbohydrate (19.2%);

• dietary fiber;

• vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, B9, E, C, A, etc.);

• minerals (calcium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, potassium, copper, zinc, selenium, iodine, etc.).

In the leaves of hazel is a lot of essential oils, glycosides. In the bark - there are betulin, tannins, alcohols.

The beneficial properties of hazel for the human body

Even a simple acquaintance with the chemical composition of the hazelnut will allow you to understand the benefits of hazelnut. Only one iron in this nut contains 200% of the daily human norm. Hippocrates said that hazelnut is good for everyone (young and old) and benefits everyone.

Regular consumption of hazelnuts in the food provides the body with vital proteins, vitamins, fats and minerals:

• Vitamin C, iron, magnesium and potassium are necessary for the heart, blood vessels, hemoglobin synthesis;

• fatty acid - for the prevention of atherosclerosis, stroke and other diseases;

• phytosterols and vitamin E, copper and manganese - antioxidants with anti-aging properties;

• phosphorus, magnesium and potassium - for strengthening bones, teeth, joints;

• B vitamins - protection against nerves and stress.

There are also more specific properties of hazel, which will be useful to representatives of both strong and weaker sex.

Benefits for women

Hazelnut nuts contain many beneficial trace elements and vitamins that are of great benefit to the female body.

For example:

• a large amount of folic acid in nuts is useful for women who are expecting a baby, since eating hazel during pregnancy will ensure the normal development of the fetus;

• nuts give a lot of energy. Despite the high calorie content, the combination of acids is so optimal that regular consumption of nuts will not lead to excess centimeters at the waist, on the contrary, “bad” cholesterol will be removed from the body;

• help with nervous disorders;

• preserve the natural beauty of women and rejuvenate the skin;

• stimulate lactation.

Benefits for men

Nuts help men to cope with heavy physical exertion, but that's not all. Hazel has long been used in traditional medicine as a means to increase potency. Folic acid contributes to the process of sperm formation (30 g of hazelnuts contain 90% of the body's daily need for this acid). In addition, hazelnuts helps with prostate diseases (in inflammatory processes, it is recommended to consume 50 g of hazelnuts daily).

The use of hazel in traditional medicine

Traditional healers actively used hazel, namely nut color (earrings), nut kernels, shells, leaves, bark, roots. Healing properties (healing, antipyretic, disinfecting, vasodilating, immunopressing, antidiarrheal, and others) were noticed and effectively applied. Moreover, hazel in traditional medicine continues to be actively used today.

Tea from hazel leaves to strengthen the immune system

Hazel leaves contain many essential oils, acids (ascorbic, palmitic), myricitroside glycoside, and many others. Of these, you can prepare a tonic drink that will effectively support the immune system. It is prepared in the same way as tea: it is necessary to pour boiling water over the leaves, insist in heat for 10 minutes and drink it with honey or jam (or simply adding sugar). Hazel leaves can be brewed with regular tea or in medicinal collections.

Hazel juice with anemia (anemia)

Hazel leaves have been used in the treatment of anemia. Fresh young leaves are collected during the flowering of hazel, after which they are crushed and squeezed using a blender. The resulting juice should be drunk during the month (30 ml) with honey (15 ml) three times a day before meals.

A mixture of hazelnuts with honey with anemia and loss of strength

With anemia, a mixture of nut kernels and honey has an effective effect (a glass of nuts will require half a glass of honey). All ingredients are mixed in a blender. Three times a day, before eating you need to take a spoonful of the drug. Hazel with anemia is also used in the form of a nut-honey drink, for which all nuts (2 tablespoons) must be crushed, add honey (2 teaspoons) and 50 ml of boiling water to them. Beat the mixture, add more boiling water (200 ml) and infuse for 30 minutes. It is necessary to use means daily (five times 50 ml), within three weeks.For the best effect, it is recommended to add dried apricots.

Decoction of hazelnut with diarrhea (diarrhea)

Diarrhea is treated with green hazel nut shells. For the preparation of the broth requires 20 g of raw nut and 25 ml of boiling water. Shells should be filled with boiling water, allowed to stand for another 15 minutes on the stove, insist and cool for a couple of hours, after which they can be drunk 60 ml four times a day.

Broth from leaves at treatment of cardiovascular diseases

Hazel leaves are quite effective in treating diseases of the heart and blood vessels, and their useful properties in these areas have been tested in practice. For the preparation of therapeutic infusion, a tablespoon of powder from the dried leaves of hazel is poured with boiling water (250 ml), sealed and kept in a water bath for 15 minutes (at the lowest heat). After that, remove the composition from the heat and let it brew for another hour. As a result, it remains only to strain the drug and drink 3-4 ml of 50 ml a day. The course of treatment is three months.

A decoction of hazel bark as a febrifuge

The hazel bark also has medicinal properties and is effectively used in the fight against colds. Dry bark powder (3 tablespoons), boiling water (1 liter), must be kept in a sealed container for 15 minutes over low heat. Then, cool, strain (the volume of decoction will decrease, you can add boiled water) and drink on an empty stomach 3-4 times a day for 1/3 cup.

Infusion of hazel leaves in prostate adenoma

For the treatment of this disease, hazel bark (harvested during sap flow) and fresh or dry leaves are used:

• fresh leaves (10 tablespoons) or dry (5 tablespoons) placed in an enamel container should be covered with a liter of freshly boiled water, closed and allowed to cool;

• chopped bark (8 tablespoons) pour boiling water (250 ml), boil for five minutes and insist for another hour;

The resulting infusions should be consumed twice a day, 100 ml each, for three months. One of the medications should definitely take place from 19.00 to 21.00, since it is at this time that the prostate is most effectively treatable.

Hepatitis leaves tincture

To prepare the tincture need fresh leaves of hazel. Using a blender, they need to grind, and the resulting slurry placed in a glass container (made of green or brown opaque glass), and so that it took ½ volume. In the remaining half topped up with dry white wine. The vessel must be placed in a dark and cool place (it must be shaken every day). After a week, drain, carefully squeeze. Take three times a day for 0.5 cups per month.

Infusion of hazel bark with varicose veins

A hazelnut can also help with a disease like varicose veins, in which case you will need an appropriate infusion. For its preparation it is necessary to take the bark of hazel and mountain arnica (1: 1) 1.5 tablespoons, chop and mix them, pour boiling water in a thermos (1000 ml). Next, hermetically seal and leave overnight. Take before meals. This procedure can be combined with compresses (soak gauze infusion of bark and whey in a 1: 1 ratio.

Peanut oil for parasitic infections (roundworm)

It is no secret that hazel oil helps the body to gently and safely get rid of parasites such as roundworm. In this case, take the drug should be 15 ml before a meal (for 25 minutes) four times a day. Duration of treatment - three weeks.

Nut kernels to improve lactation

Hazel nut - reliable means to increase the nutritional value of breast milk and its amount. To do this, chop in a blender to a glass of raw hazelnuts, pour boiling cow milk (2 cups) over them and heat (without boiling) another 10 minutes. Add sugar or honey, close and cool. Drink warm, about half an hour before feeding the baby.

Collection, preparation and storage of hazel

In order for hazel to save its properties, it is necessary to know how to collect and store the collected product. It is desirable to harvest the medicinal plants in environmentally clean areas. Earliest begin to harvest the bark - with the beginning of the awakening of the nut (better, until the buds have dissolved). It must be removed from the branches, which will be cut during thinning. Drying takes several weeks (until it becomes brittle when pressed).

The collection of leaves also has its own characteristics:

• It is desirable to carry out the procedure during flowering (early May). At this time, when the weather is dry, young leaves and catkins (in separate containers) break down.

• When collecting the leaves in the summer, the usefulness in them will be smaller than in spring, but the harm to the tree will be minimal.

Drying leaves produced in a dark place with good ventilation. The leaves are laid out in one layer on a sheet of plywood, paper, canvas, where they need to be mixed periodically. The collection of nuts takes place in September, when they turn brown and begin to fall from the tree. They harvest the crop in a ply (casing), then sorted (it is necessary to remove the damaged, undermined by pests, etc.) and finally dried in the sun or in the oven. Dried raw materials should be stored in cardboard boxes, wooden boxes and drawers or bags of linen no longer than one year (bark - two years).

How to use hazel in cosmetology

Common Hazel - it's just a godsend for lovers of environmentally friendly cosmetics without any chemicals. In folk cosmetology, a decoction of leaves and young stalks of hazel is often used. It effectively relieves the swelling of the eyelids and any redness on the skin. Fifteen minutes taking a 37-degree bath with the addition of broth (4 tablespoons of dried leaves of hazel brew in a liter of boiling water, leaving for half an hour) invigorates, improves tone, rejuvenates the skin. A special place is occupied by hazel oil (cold pressed).

Oil is used in the care of:

• for hair (in a small amount it is rubbed into the scalp to strengthen the roots: when brittle, oil heated to 50 ° C is applied to clean hair, wrapped for 5-6 hours, then washed off with shampoo);

• for problematic skin of the face (oil is absorbed without leaving a trace, cleans well).Hazel oil (15 ml) mixed with essential oils of spruce, orange and cypress (one drop each) makes the skin silky, smoothes wrinkles. A mixture of 15 ml of peanut butter, two drops of eucalyptus oil and a drop of sage oil helps against acne. Pure nut oil should be rubbed into the eyelid skin.

Nut kernels are used in the preparation of masks:

• Wrinkles: ten nuts must be crushed in a blender, pour boiled milk (45 ml), add liquid honey (15 ml) and apply on the skin. After 15 minutes, the mask is washed off with warm water.

• For dry skin: six nuts should be crushed in a blender, mixed with 20 ml of olive oil (until the consistency of sour cream), insist half an hour, apply the composition to the face and hold for 10 minutes. Take off this mask swab with green tea. After that, it remains to wait 5 minutes and wash your face with cool water.

• For normal skin: walnut oil (15 ml) must be mixed with walnut oil (15 ml), strong tea (15 ml), chopped oatmeal (1.5 tablespoons). The mask is applied for 30 minutes, then washed off with warm water.

Walnut oil is also used for massage of the whole body and feet, as it has a tonic effect.

Contraindications

Before proceeding with the treatment, it should be remembered that in addition to its therapeutic properties, hazel has certain contraindications.

In particular, you should not get involved in hazel people who have:

• chronic diseases of the liver and gallbladder;

• diathesis;

• severe diabetes;

• individual intolerance (allergic reactions).

  

Hazel leaves have contraindications for hypertensive patients, as they can increase pressure, and nut kernels can increase chronic skin diseases, which should be considered in patients with psoriasis.