Ivan tea (Kiprey)

Ivan-tea (Chamaenerion) belongs to the perennial plants of the family Cypress. In another way, Ivan-tea is called fireweed or fiery grass. It also has many names that have been formed since ancient times.

Ivan-chai usually grows from 0.5 m to 1.5 m. Its leaves are lanceolate-shaped and sit on very short petioles. The root of the plant is thick and creeping. The stem is straight, round in shape.

Leaves in length can reach from a few centimeters to 0.1 m, they are on average 1-1.5 cm wide. The surface of the leaves is glossy, dark green. On the underside, they have a grayish tint, sometimes leaving in pink tones.

The flowers are several centimeters in diameter and are collected in brushes on the tops of plants 0.1-0.5 m long. They are occasionally white in color, and most often have a faint pinkish tint.

The fruits are similar to pods, the seeds are oblong in shape.

In total, Ivan tea has fourteen types, but Ivan tea is most widespread:

• broad-leaved;
• narrow-leaved;
• Caucasian.

Ivan-tea broad-leaved is mainly found in the northern latitudes, in the zone of the Arctic and subarctic.

The most common species - narrow-leaved willow tea - grows in the northern hemisphere, as well as in the forest zone of central Russia and in the Siberian latitudes.The plant can be found on dry soil with sand impurities in meadows or forest edges. Sometimes grows near water bodies.

Ivan tea has the following features:

• surpasses many vitamin plants in its chemical composition;
• contains more vitamin C than citrus fruits;
• serves as a raw material for the manufacture of Koporye tea.

Ivan tea has the following characteristics:

• requires a long cooking technology;
• fragrant and pleasant to the taste;
• quenches thirst;
• used for medicinal purposes.

100 grams of raw leaves of narrow-leaved willow-tea contains 103 kcal. The nutritional value of the product includes the following components:

• proteins - 4.71 g;
• fats - 2.75 g;
• carbohydrates - 8.62 g;
• dietary fiber - 10.6 g;
• ash - 2.54 g;
• water - 70.78 g.

The following components are present in the chemical composition of Ivan tea:

• vitamins: A (RE) - 180 mcg, B1 (thiamine) - 0.033 mg, B2 (riboflavin) - 0.137 mg, B3 (pantothenic) - 1.356 mg, B6 (pyridoxine) - 0.632 mg, B9 (folic) - 112 mcg, C - 2.2 mg, PP (niacin equivalent) - 4.674 mg;
• macronutrients: calcium - 429 mg, magnesium - 156 mg, sodium - 34 mg, potassium - 494 mg, phosphorus - 108 mg;
• trace elements: iron - 2.4 mg, zinc - 2.66 mg, copper - 320 mcg, manganese - 6.704 mg, selenium - 0.9 mcg.

Young leaves and roots of narrow-leaved willow-herb contain 10-20% tannins. At the same time, the plant contains a large amount of plant fibers, sugars, pectin, and organic acids. Also, Ivan-tea does not contain the most harmful compounds for humans, including caffeine.

You can learn more useful information about the properties and benefits of Ivan tea from the following video:

Fireweed has a number of the following useful properties:

• tones the body;
• adds vivacity;
• improves the function of hematopoiesis;
• helps men's health;
• accelerates the healing of wounds on the skin;
• helps fight allergies;
• gives the skin firmness and elasticity;
• helps to strengthen the hair roots.

With prolonged use of fireweed, a violation of the digestive tract is possible, manifested in the form of diarrhea.

Do not use Ivan tea in the following situations:

• with its intolerance by the body;
• with poor blood clotting.

Some believe that fireweed should not be given to young children, but these data are unreliable.

Ivan tea oil has a healing effect. To obtain it, fireweed flowers and leaves are dried and then poured with olive oil, but in a reasonable amount. About 11 hours, the liquid should languish in a water bath in a closed container. After the oil has cooled, it is filtered and stored in the refrigerator.

Fireweed juice is obtained by pressing from young leaves and tops. It should be mixed with honey in equal proportions and taken several times a day before meals.

Ivan tea is rarely used directly in cooking:

• the roots are suitable for flour;
• fresh herbs serve as an additive to salads;
• boiled shoots are useful as a side dish.

In medicine, Ivan-tea is just a storehouse of benefits and vitamins.

Due to its medicinal properties, it is used for the following purposes:

• to strengthen the immune system;
• to remove toxins and toxins;
• to relieve fever with a cold;
• to fight cancer;
• to increase energy in the body;
• to increase male potency;
• for the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
• as a sedative;
• to improve metabolism;
• in the treatment of headache;
• in case of poisoning;
• for pressure stabilization;
• to increase hemoglobin and normalize blood composition;
• as a prophylactic and anti-inflammatory agent;
• to normalize the functioning of the thyroid gland;
• to relieve pain in women during painful menstruation.

• Ivan-tea helps to bring the body back to normal after a course of chemotherapy for cancer. Infusions are especially recommended for medical purposes.
• For the treatment of diseases of the mouth and throat the following infusion is used externally: 4 teaspoons of the dried plant must be poured with two cups of boiling water. Insist should be within 5-7 hours. After strain.
• For the treatment of diseases of the kidneys and bladder 15 g of dried willow-tea should be poured with a glass of boiling water and insisted for a couple of hours. After that, strain the infusion and drink a third of a glass several times a day.
• For insomnia and stress it is recommended to take a soothing infusion: pour 15 g of dry crushed roots with a glass of boiling water and leave for a little less than an hour. Then strain and drink 20 ml several times a day.
• Infusion and decoction of willow-tea are also used as compresses and lotions. They wash the wounds or gargle during the period of infectious diseases.
• For preventive purposes prepare the following decoction: pour a couple of tablespoons of dry raw materials with a glass of water and bring to a boil. Then keep the broth on low heat for 15-20 minutes. He insists a little more than an hour. Reception is carried out on a tablespoon several times a day.
• Also, for the prevention of diseases, an infusion is prepared.: pour 15 g of dry willow-tea with 250 ml of boiling water.It is recommended to insist 15 minutes, then the liquid is filtered. It is recommended to drink an infusion of 125 ml before breakfast and the same amount 30 minutes before dinner.

It is useful to rinse the hair with fireweed decoctions, as they become stronger at the roots. If you have frequent problems with skin rashes, then you can steam the leaves of fireweed, and then spread them on the skin.

For the skin make a mask according to the following recipe: mix a tablespoon of alcohol tincture of fireweed flowers, a few grams of salt and oatmeal. All components are thoroughly mixed to a homogeneous substance and applied to the skin. Hold up to 10-15 minutes.

You can steam 10 g of Ivan-tea flowers with 250 ml of boiling water. The decoction is used as a steam bath for the face.

It is recommended to drink fireweed tea (Koporsky tea) to improve metabolism and better digestion of food, as well as to saturate the body with vitamins. Tea should be consumed as part of a complex of other measures for weight loss.

Domestic use of fireweed is as follows:

• grown for ornamental purposes;
• serves as fodder for livestock;
• is an excellent honey plant;
• helps to strengthen embankments and ravines;
• down is used for stuffing pillows.

When growing fireweed in the garden, it is imperative to prepare the soil, having previously generously enriched it with minerals, and also make sure that the plant receives a lot of sunlight. At night, the air needs to be humid.

So that light fluff seeds do not scatter when sown in different directions, they are glued to thin paper strips.

There should be no competitors at the intended place for growing fireweed, otherwise the seeds may not germinate at all.Therefore, before planting, a fire is usually made on the ground, which destroys all possible remnants of roots or seeds of other plants.

Furrows several centimeters deep are made in the ground. Between them there should be at least 0.1 m. Strips with willow-tea seeds are carefully laid in the furrows. Initially, it is recommended to sprinkle the crops with a layer of ash mixed in equal proportions with sand.

For the first irrigation, melt water is needed, it should be stocked up in advance. In order to create the necessary humidity for Ivan tea at night, it is desirable to have at least a small local reservoir nearby. The optimal time for planting a plant is mid-spring. In cloudy and rainy weather, it is better not to sow the seeds.

• Ivan-chai is mentioned in ancient historical chronicles, because tea was brewed from it in Russia.
• Fireweed fluff was used for the production of cotton wool.
• Fireweed is a very productive honey plant, but the sugar content in honey depends on the weather.
• Fireweed tea was consumed in Russia not only by poor people, but also by representatives of the rich estates, including the royal family.
• After sailors from England tried Russian Koporye tea, the plant gained recognition abroad. By the way, there was a time when Ivan-chai overtook other well-known and elite varieties of tea in popularity.
• The exported volumes of willow-tea were significantly higher than those of other products.
• It is most useful to use Ivan-tea before going to bed, it helps to saturate the body with strength.
• The recognition that fireweed is a unique plant that increases male strength came after the famous Russian doctor Peter Badmaev investigated the properties of Ivan tea. At the same time, he regularly used it and lived for more than a century.And his first child was born at the turn of the century. If he had not ended up in prison, he would have lived even longer.