Healing properties of acorns. Alternative food: Acorns and how to eat them

Autumn... The time to collect gifts from God according to your work... A time of meditation, a blanket by the fireplace or stove, books, quiet handicrafts and warm drinks in your favorite clay mug...

What do you associate with autumn?

For me, this is, first of all, a home, a rocking chair, quiet music, the cheerful hum of friends’ voices at the gate, collecting money for pies (I cook, my friends eat) and sorting through my herbal and book “riches” brought from my travels. And it’s also time for hot drinks to warm your soul and body.

For some of my friends it’s tea made from herbs collected this summer, for some it’s the intoxicating aroma of coffee with spices, for others it’s Portuguese cocoa with pepper and cinnamon, but for me... it’s coffee made from acorns.

And in general, autumn for me is one of my favorite times of the year, when golden leaves swirl in the air, and the smell of mushrooms and wet oak leaves after the rain. At night, the rain rustles on the roof with the music of thin violins, and here and there the falling acorns beat like a drum. Yes, autumn for me is the time of oak trees.

For our ancestors, the oak has always been a sacred tree. In pre-Christian times, he was associated with the All-God Rod, and after that, in Vladimir times, he became sacred symbol of Perun, and later... The red oak was almost destroyed in Rus' - with ever-flaming foliage that practically did not fall off even in bitter frosts.

In Siberia, back in the 17th century, there were no less oak trees than pine trees, but now only in park plantings, and a few young trees in the floodplains of rivers and along the outskirts of forests, which appeared thanks to migratory birds in the last ten years. But there are still enthusiasts in the Krasnodar and Perm Territories, Siberia, and Primorye who plant oak trees, resurrecting the mighty spirit of Holy Rus'.

But the oak was important for our ancestors not only from a mythological point of view:

his wood was valued both in the construction of temples and for laying the lower crowns of huts, brothers and sacred things of nemetons were made (*sacred temples where military initiations took place),
his bark used for the preparation of red fighting suritsa and in the treatment of many gastrointestinal infections, for tanning leather, dyeing fabrics,
leaves became an excellent stuffing for mattresses and pillows (and no living creatures would grow because of the tannins).

And what they didn’t do from acorns! And porridge, bread, flatbreads that last for several months without spoiling, sourdough, kvass (I definitely associate it with autumn). They also made a very tasty drink from acorns, somewhat reminiscent of coffee, but not harmful to health, invigorating, and carrying a lot of benefits for the body. But more on this.

Nutritional value and benefits of acorns

In addition, acorns contain substances that affect blood sugar levels, reducing them to normal levels - therefore they are useful for patients suffering from diabetes.

Oak fruits are also used as a means of normalizing the functioning of the cardiovascular system and resisting the development of arrhythmia. With regular consumption of acorn drink heartbeat disappears and a feeling of tightness in the chest area.

Hypertensive patients can safely drink “coffee” made from oak fruits. The aromatic drink does not provoke an increase in blood pressure, and the taste is very similar to coffee made from coffee beans.

Acorns have antibacterial properties: they are able to destroy infection, thereby protecting the human body from disease. Acorns contain substances that have an astringent effect. Acorns are wonderful help with diseases of the genitourinary system– increase potency, help eliminate enuresis, and are useful for treating some female diseases.

Acorns also have a beneficial effect on the digestive system, in particular in acute and chronic colitis and indigestion. Acorns are excellent for coughing with asthma or bronchitis. To treat such diseases, it is recommended to regularly drink “coffee” made from oak fruits.

And a drink made from acorns is a very good tonic and easily eliminates headaches. Acorn coffee is especially useful for children suffering from scrofula and rickets (coffee made from acorns strengthens the abdominal organs and eliminates hardening of the mesenteric glands). Children are given twice a day: morning and afternoon.

Acorn coffee: recipe

1. Collection. The time for collecting acorns is the end of September - October. You need to collect ripe acorns that are green or brown in color and feel hard to the touch. If they are pressed through with your finger, it means they are wormy. If you collect from branches, they should be easily separated from the caps.

2. Drying. Pour the collected acorns into a container with water. Remove those that float, and remove the sunken acorns from the water, spread them on a baking sheet in one layer and place in a preheated oven, oven, or pour into a cast-iron frying pan for 5 to 10 minutes. During this time, most of the acorns will burst and turn a dark brown color, making them easier to shell.

Remove the warm and moist acorns from the oven and peel them through a meat grinder (dry ones are hard to grind). Dry the resulting “minced meat” on baking sheets or in a dryer until cooked. Store finished raw materials in glass jars or multilayer paper bags.

3. Preparation. In order to prepare a coffee drink, you need to grind the acorns in a coffee grinder and fry them in a dry frying pan, stirring constantly. Depending on the degree of roasting, a different taste is obtained.

You need to brew “coffee” from acorns in the same way as preparing coffee beans, at the rate of one teaspoon of powder per cup of water. Add honey and milk to taste. The result is a rather tasty drink, somewhat reminiscent of coffee, and sometimes cocoa with milk (depending on the degree of frying in the pan and the addition of spices).

4. Improved taste and aroma. And the taste of the drink can be diversified by adding spices, not only by adding them directly during cooking, but also dry them in jars where the acorns themselves are stored in whole or ground form - the aroma of the spices will permeate the fruits during storage.

I like to add:

Carnation- for those guests who are mentally sluggish and have liver problems;

Cardamom- for workaholics and perfectionists, they have an overactive gallbladder;

Black pepper for men and pink for women - for those who live “without a spark in their soul”, whose family relationships have “faded”;

Ginger— for those who have difficult relationships with ancestors and a weak gastrointestinal tract;

Cinnamon- those who have not enjoyed life for a long time and are always dissatisfied with something and who have problems with the cold;

Nutmeg- in order to loosen the tongue and so that a person frees himself from accumulated experiences and “relaxes the brain.”

In addition, the oak tree itself and its children, the acorns, strengthen the human spirit, make one forget about cowardice, and turn the hare into a hero.

Use the knowledge of your ancestors and beware of drinking anything in the witch’s kitchen, otherwise... you won’t notice how... you will change!!!)))

Drinks made from acorns

BUT the drink can be prepared not only from acorns alone - our ancestors combined ground acorns with other equally useful plants, preparing the “Cathedral” drink or sbiten. Options:

Recipe 1. Cathedral drink.

30 gr. fried acorns,
20 gr. barley, rye, oats, wheat

Recipe 2. Drink “Vritya”.

30 gr. fried acorns,
20 gr. barley, 10 gr. rye, oats,
15 gr. wheat
20 gr. wild chicory root

- grind in a coffee grinder or millstone (tastier), fry (different degrees of roasting - different taste) - store in a tightly closed dark glass jar or birch bark jar (if there are no bugs). You can brew it like Turkish coffee, you can brew it in a thermos overnight, you can infuse it in a clay teapot. Honey, brown sugar, milk - to taste.

Recipe 3. Amla drink.

30 gr. fried acorns,
20 gr. barley,
10 gr. rye, oats and dandelion root,
15 gr. wheat and 20 gr. wild chicory root

- Grind it all in a coffee grinder and pour it into a glass container - for example, a resealable jar. This mixture is brewed and drunk like tea: 1 teaspoon per 250 ml. boiling water, adding brown sugar, honey or milk to taste.

Acorn flour (an old recipe).

Golden autumn, our favorite time, we will prepare flour from acorns. You can collect acorns from the beginning of their fall from the oak trees until the beginning of October. True, in October it is already difficult to do this, because... the acorns begin to sprout, and the rains press them into the ground.

The first stage is to clean them:

Some break them with a rolling pin, others with a nut cracker. My method is exclusive. Take a cast iron frying pan, lay out some of the acorns so that they are all in contact with the bottom, put it on maximum heat and, shaking frequently, fry until they crack (no more than a minute). They will release juice and sizzle. The shells may burn, but do not let the acorns burn.

After this, with a slight movement of the hand, we remove the acorns from the shell. Remember, they are easy to remove while they are warm, but as soon as the acorn cools to room temperature, it becomes difficult to remove it.

The second stage is to sort and grind:

The second part of the process is best done during cleaning. Only slightly brown, almost milky-colored acorns suit us. Cut each acorn into 4 parts.

The third stage is bringing to readiness:

Pour the resulting acorns with cold water and soak for two days. Every day you need to change the water 3 times. After two days, add new water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, drain the water and let drain. At this stage, it is better to immediately pass them through a meat grinder (since it will be easier to grind them in a coffee grinder later).

Place on a baking sheet and dry in the oven at 40 degrees until completely dry. Dried acorns can be stored as is or ground into flour. It is better to grind before use. It is best to store this in paper bags, but you can also store it in clean glass jars.

Acorn porridge

A very nutritious porridge is cooked from such acorn grains - in a saucepan.

You will need:

acorn grits - 150 gr.,
homemade milk - 200 gr.,
water - 100 gr.,
homemade butter or ghee - 10 g.,
salt,
spices - to taste.

Pour homemade milk and water into a deep saucepan, add salt, homemade butter or ghee, heat to a boil, add cereal and stir. After the cereal swells, cook the porridge over low heat, stirring until it becomes thick. Then cover the dish with a lid and cook at low simmer on the stove or in the oven. Serve hot, topped with homemade butter or ghee.

Acorn bread

This bread is very good for the stomach, since the substances contained in acorns help cleanse it.

You need to take 400 gr. acorn flour, 100 gr. wheat flour and mix thoroughly. Next, follow your favorite recipe.

Acorn milk soup

You will need:

acorn grits - 30 gr.,
milk - 250 gr.,
oil,
sugar,
salt,
turmeric, cinnamon - to taste.

Pour acorn cereal into boiling water in a thin stream, stirring all the time, cook until the cereal is ready, then add homemade milk, sugar, salt and bring the soup to a boil. When serving, add a piece of homemade butter to the bowl of soup.

Sweet flatbreads made from acorn flour

You will need:

acorn flour - 30 gr.,
cheese - 20 gr.,
sour cream - 30 gr.,
sugar - to taste,
vegetable oil.

Heat homemade sour cream, add acorn flour, boil lightly, remove from heat and cool. Add grated cheese and sugar to the resulting mass, mix well, cut the flatbreads and brown in a frying pan.

Acorn dumplings

You will need:

2 cups acorn flour
1/2 glass of water,
1/2 teaspoon salt,
2 onions,
vegetable oil,
homemade cream or sour cream - depending on thickness.

Homemade cream or sour cream, salt, water are added to the acorn flour and a loose dough is kneaded, which is rolled out 1/2 cm thick and cut into squares. Dumplings are boiled in salted water.

Onions are fried in vegetable oil and mixed with boiled, strained dumplings. Serve hot.

Acorn coffee jelly

You will need:

acorn coffee - 7 g.,
potato starch or ground flaxseed or agar-agar powder - 10 g.,
sugar - 15 gr.,
water - 200 gr.,
carob and honey - to taste.

Stir acorn coffee with sugar, dissolve in a small amount of hot water, then add water (180 g) and strain. Pour potato starch diluted in cold water (20 g) into boiling coffee made from acorns, pour into a glass and sprinkle with powdered sugar or granulated sugar (this is how it is prepared in Germany) to prevent the formation of a film. It is better to use honey instead of sugar, and carob instead of powdered sugar (this is what they do in Canada).

Acorn dumplings

Cook porridge from acorn cereal as described above, cool to approximately 70 degrees, add thick homemade sour cream or cream to it in 3-4 additions, stirring thoroughly after each added portion.

Scoop the porridge prepared in this way for dumplings with a tablespoon, then run this spoon over the edge of the dish so as to cut off excess porridge. As a result, the spoon is filled with porridge even with the edges.

With the second spoon, having previously dipped it in water, take half of the porridge from the first spoon and lower it into a bowl with hot salted water (10 grams of salt per 1 liter of water). Then scoop up the spoon again, etc.

Immediately boil the resulting dumplings at a very low boil in the same water in which they were immersed when cutting. Serve grated cheese in a separate bowl with the boiled dumplings.

Product consumption is the same as indicated above, but thick homemade sour cream or cream is added to it.

Acorn pudding with apples

You will need:

acorn groats - 40 gr.,
homemade butter - 5 g.,
apples - 30 gr.,
cheese - according to the required pudding thickness and taste,
sugar (preferably honey) and cinnamon - to taste,
homemade milk - 60 gr.,
jam - 30 gr.

Place acorn grits in boiling, lightly salted water and, stirring with a wooden paddle, cook until half cooked. Then, put the cereal on a sieve, transfer it to a saucepan, pour in homemade milk and cook until tender.

Add cheese, finely chopped apples, cinnamon, homemade butter to cooked acorn grits, mix well and bake in the oven. When serving, pour the pudding with jam, which should preferably be preheated.

Acorn is also indispensable in the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Acorns contain a lot of tannins and other useful natural substances, which have a very beneficial effect on eliminating ulcerative formations in the stomach and intestines, as well as on getting rid of putrefactive intestinal microflora.

Folk recipe:

1. Collect high-quality (not wormy) acorns (wormy ones float in water) and germinate them in cotton fabric, abundantly moistened with water.

2. When the acorns sprout, peel them, cut them into pieces and lightly fry them in a frying pan with vegetable oil.

3. On an empty stomach, before roasting the sprouted acorns, eat a little salad of raw herbs and vegetables that you are familiar with. After this, you eat your fill of roasted sprouted acorns until you feel full.

This should be done in the morning, and if you like, then 3 times a day for as many days as it takes to heal the ulcers and eliminate putrefactive intestinal microflora. If you do not eat meat, then acorns will eliminate your ulcerative and putrefactive problems of the gastrointestinal tract quite quickly (minimum - in 1-2 weeks, maximum - in a month).

The ancient “Organ Star” system will help cleanse the body of toxins, fungi, and helminths.

The acorn is the fruit of an oak tree, revered since ancient times for its healing properties.

For the treatment and prevention of diseases, not only acorns are used, but also bark, leaves, and oak branches.

Many people underestimate the nutritional properties of acorns, believing that they are only suitable for crafts and souvenirs or for feeding livestock.

Few people know that acorns have unique culinary properties.

The acorn was known as a medicinal product and food product 5,000 years ago. During excavations in the Mediterranean, imprints of acorns in ovens and fossilized fruits were found. In Rus', oak was considered a holy tree, personifying male strength and power. Our ancestors believed that oak helped with hopeless illnesses or fatal wounds.

This is explained by the fact that acorns have a general bactericidal, antitumor and enveloping effect.

The acorn is very helpful for diseases of the genitourinary system - it increases potency, helps with enuresis, with some female diseases, as well as with gum diseases and toothache.

Acorns also have a beneficial effect on the digestive system, in particular in acute and chronic colitis and indigestion.

Properties of acorns

Acorns are rich in proteins, carbohydrates, fatty oils, sugars, tannins, starch (up to 40%) and tannins.

Acorns are rich in B vitamins and vitamin PP, macroelements calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and microelements iron, zinc, copper, manganese.

Harm from acorns

As already mentioned, quercetin is toxic to humans. Soaking or roasting destroys the quercetin and makes the acorn edible.

Acorns that fall in the first week of September should not be eaten - most likely these are weak, infected fruits.

Acorns are slow to digest.

Raw, unprocessed acorns are bad for the bladder.

Benefits and uses of acorn

Acorn is an undeservedly forgotten and undervalued food product.

The Indians of North America boiled acorns in boiling water, dried them and made flour from which they made acorn cakes, which were good for the stomach;

Acorns have enveloping, bactericidal and antitumor properties;

Acorns help with heavy periods, stop bleeding;

For hemoptysis and ulcers of the lungs and chest, acorns can be an alternative to traditional remedies;

Acorns strengthen and cleanse the stomach (Take the acorn infusion orally 3 times a day, half a glass, for a month, repeat after a month.

Preparation of the infusion - pour 1 teaspoon of processed acorns with a glass of boiling water, cool and strain);

Acorn juice eliminates bladder weakness, enhances potency (recipe for acorn juice - juice is squeezed from green fruits, mixed with honey in a 1:1 ratio, take 3 tablespoons on an empty stomach 3 times a day);

Acorns help with acute poisoning;

You can use acorns to dye your hair;

Coffee made from acorns is good for heart disease, cough, bronchitis, asthma (recipe for coffee made from acorns - fry the fruits until red, grind them and brew them like coffee);

To treat a hernia, use a warm 25% tincture of acorns in red wine;

Acorn caps can be used to treat pancreatitis. Dry the ripe, not dried acorns in the shade, and separate the caps. Pour 1 tablespoon of caps with a glass of boiling water, leave for 3 hours and strain. Take the infusion, gradually increasing the dose from 1 teaspoon to 70 ml daily;

To treat diabetes, you can take 1 teaspoon of dried acorn powder 2 times a day - an hour before breakfast and before bed.

Collection and processing of acorns

Acorns are very nutritious and healthy. But it is very important to be able to collect and process them correctly.

The period for collecting acorns is the end of September - the beginning of October. At the beginning of September, under the tree of your choice, fallen acorns are removed and thrown away - they are most likely sick and infected. Substances toxic to humans are easily removed by soaking the acorn.

The acorns are peeled, cut into 4 parts and filled with water at room temperature. Soak for 2 days, changing the water three times a day. The soaked acorns are poured with water (twice the number of acorns) and brought to a boil. After this, the acorns are crushed, laid out in an even layer and dried at room temperature.

Dried acorns are pounded or ground in a mill. The resulting cereal or flour is used to make flatbreads and bread. To make coffee, acorns are not soaked, but rather roasted and crushed.

Most city residents are already accustomed to thinking that food is what is sold in stores, preferably in ready-made form; at best - what is grown in household plots. But in living nature, almost everything is edible: animals and plants (especially if they are not disturbed) get along well with each other, and always know what is useful and what is not.

The percentage of vitamins is very high, especially group B - nicotinic and pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, riboflavin, thiamine; There is also vitamin A and minerals: potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, manganese, copper, zinc, etc.

Medicinal properties and benefits of acorn

Acorns and their preparations, prepared according to folk recipes, are useful for: people prone to kidney and gastrointestinal diseases, anemia and metabolic disorders; with weak immunity, disorders of the central nervous system and homocysteinemia. Homocysteine, a compound synthesized during metabolism, is necessary for the body, but excess leads to the development of serious diseases, including thrombosis of arteries and veins. Vitamin B6, contained in acorns, normalizes homocysteine levels, improves blood composition, prevents the development of anemia, restores decreased appetite, etc.

Acorns, due to their high folic acid content, are also beneficial for pregnant women. They can be consumed after consultation with a doctor, and not in raw form, but as a food additive, coffee substitute, in the form of decoctions, infusions and other dosage forms. It is known that a lack of folic acid inhibits the growth of fetal cells, leading to serious disturbances in its development and irreversible pathologies.

A little about quercetin in acorns. This flavonol is an antioxidant with many therapeutic effects: antisclerotic, tonic, cardioprotective, hypotensive, antiallergic, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, regenerative, anticancer. Quercetin gives acorns a bitter taste: you should not eat them raw, although nothing bad will happen from 1-2 pieces - many remember this from childhood.

Preparations based on acorns have antitumor, enveloping, astringent, and bactericidal effects, and they have been popularly used for a number of diseases for many centuries. Thus, an alcohol tincture of acorns helps with joint diseases, osteochondrosis and hypertension, and acorn coffee is useful for bronchitis, asthma and other diseases accompanied by cough.

Treatment and use of acorns

For anemia, prolonged and heavy menstruation and nervous disorders Take acorn juice with honey before meals, 2 tbsp. 4 times a day. Green acorns are cleaned, ground in a meat grinder, the juice is squeezed out and mixed with honey 1:1.

For tuberculosis drink an infusion of roasted acorns. Peeled acorns are kept in the oven at 170-180°C, stirring occasionally; when they turn a little red (after about half an hour), they are crushed. The resulting powder (3-4 tsp) is poured with boiling water (350 ml), left to cool, and filtered. Drink 1 tbsp. before meals, with the addition of honey (milk) for a long time, until the condition improves.

For cystitis crushed acorns (1 tbsp) pour 200 ml of water, bring to a boil, cook for several minutes, cool, filter. The decoction is drunk in small portions throughout the day.

There are different treatment options for diabetes mellitus. The easiest way is to take 1 tsp in the morning, before breakfast, and at night. powder of dried acorns, washed down with water.

People with heart and vascular diseases Instead of real coffee, you can drink acorn coffee: the drinks taste similar, but acorn coffee is both safe and healthy; you can add milk, cream, sugar - just like with regular coffee.

To “get healthier” with the help of acorns, it is not necessary to use only dosage forms. By learning “acorn cooking,” you can speed up your recovery and avoid many health problems.

Acorn in cooking: healing food

There are many known recipes for coffee made from acorns – you can choose any one. For example, use not pure acorn powder, but a mixture with chicory, dandelion, barley grains: all this also makes excellent coffee.

Acorn flour is often used - for adding to baked goods, and cereals - it makes a delicious porridge. You can get these products at home by collecting acorns in the nearest forest, but in order for them to be edible, the technology must be followed: properly soak the acorns, dry them, chop them, dry them, etc.; How this is done is also not difficult to find out.

If you grind dried (fried) acorns finely in a coffee grinder, you get flour; Using a blender or food processor, you can get crumbs with a taste no worse than some nuts, and add it to salads and other dishes - even cakes.

The same crumbs, of different grinds, are used as cereal: porridge from it, cooked in a saucepan, is very nutritious and healthy. Pour the cereal into water (you can use milk), bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, reduce the heat and cook for about 30 minutes; place in a preheated oven for about the same time. It is recommended to add butter, salt and sugar when the porridge is ready.

Fluffy and tasty flatbreads are made from acorn flour and sour cream. Bring the sour cream to a boil, add flour, cook for a couple of minutes, stirring; remove, cool; stir in grated cheese, egg, sugar. Form small cakes and fry, as usual, in a small amount of oil in a frying pan.

Don't forget to subscribe to our channel at

Which has many medicinal properties. Its flowers are unisexual, but bloom only on one tree. Male flowers have an attractive appearance - earrings are yellow-green, long and thin. Women's ones are quite small and sometimes difficult to see. They are small grains with a red tip. They are located separately, while the male ones hang in bunches, on the tips of thin branches. There may be from 1 to 3 female flowers nearby. It is from flowers that acorns grow. Their ripening time is autumn.

Acorns have an unusual appearance - the nut in the shell “sits” in a special cup. Each nut has only one seed inside.

Kinds

To date, scientists have counted more than 450 species of oak. Accordingly, their acorns are varied.

Let's talk about the most popular types of oak and how their fruits differ:

Black has round acorns with a sharp tip. Their size is about 20 millimeters. The calyx is scaly, almost half covering the fruit.
Large-fruited has the largest acorns, the length of which reaches 40 millimeters. The calyx (plus) is deep, covering half of the fruit.
Red has small acorns enclosed in a small cup. The length of the fruit is approximately 10 millimeters.
Laurel-leaved also carries small fruits about 10 millimeters long. However, they grow in pairs. The calyx covers only a quarter of the nut.
Stone or vergina on one stalk they have 3-5 acorns, capable of growing up to a maximum of 25 millimeters. They can be elongated or round with a sharp tip. The plus covers a quarter of the nut. The color of acorns is black and shiny.
Lyre-shaped- one of the few on which the nuts are almost completely covered by the plus.
Small bears long brown fruits approximately 20 millimeters long. Almost half of the cup covers the nut.
White Oregon has long large acorns, but the plus is very small.

Where do they grow?

Despite the might of oak, this tree does not tolerate excessive heat and cold. You can find different types of wood in different parts of the world. For example, in Russia the most famous and valuable type of oak grows - pedunculate. Shrub oaks grow in Spain, red oaks grow in Central America and the USA, and swamp (white) ones grow in Mexico and the Mississippi region.

Collection and processing

To get the maximum benefit from acorns, you need to learn how to collect them, as well as how to process them correctly.

The collection period is from late September to early October. In early September, many acorns may fall from the tree. But this only means that the fruits are sick or infected.

It is necessary to remove the acorns that fell in September under the tree that you have chosen, so that you can then collect high-quality ripe fruits by the end of the month.

Cooking flour

Preparing acorn flour:

To get rid of toxins in nuts that are dangerous to humans, simply soak them. The peel is peeled, the nut is cut into four parts and filled with water. Soaking lasts 48 hours, and you need to change the water three times a day. Some housewives do not remove the peel and soak the acorns whole.
After the acorns have been soaked, they need to be filled with water (take twice as much water as acorns) and brought to a boil. Now the fruits can be laid out on a cloth and allowed to dry.
When dry, put them through a mill to make flour or grits. Strain through a sieve. Grind again if necessary.

From the resulting acorn flour you can prepare various baked goods.

Store flour in a dark place.

Coffee

To obtain acorn coffee:

Peel the acorns and grind the kernels.
Pour the powder with water in a ratio of 1:2 and cook until it becomes mushy. Bake this paste in the oven or fry in a frying pan until pinkish. After cooling, peel and grind in a coffee grinder or blender.
To make coffee, 1 tsp. dilute the resulting powder into 250-300 ml. hot water or milk. If desired, you can add sugar.

How to choose

To choose good oak fruits, you need to know some features:

It is better to collect them in the fall. If you are in the forest collecting acorns, then only pick up those that have fallen to the ground. This indicates that they are ripe. Also suitable are fruits that can be easily removed from the branches and do not require any effort.
If the acorns are green, you should absolutely not eat them.
The plus must be present. This is also a sign that the acorn is good.
The nut should be free of wormholes, holes and other damage.
Almost all acorns are suitable for consumption. However, black oak fruits are bitter and take a long time to cook. However, there is no need to worry about poisoning.

Characteristics

Calorie content

Acorns are a nutritious and very healthy product. Many people underestimate these fruits as a food product. It is important to note that per 100 grams of this nut there are:

Protein - 8.1 grams;
Fat - 31.4 grams;
Carbohydrates - 53.7 grams;
Calories - 509 kcal.

Chemical composition

From acorns you can get an impressive portion of useful microelements and macroelements.

Macroelements: Mg, K, Ca, P.

Microelements: Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu.

Beneficial features

As we have already noted, acorns are often underestimated. Nevertheless, a person can receive enormous benefits from them.

You just need to know about the main beneficial properties of the product:

Nuts help fight bacteria and cancer formation and have an enveloping effect;
Acorns act as an alternative in the treatment of chest and lung ulcers, and coughing up blood;
The fruits help stop bleeding during heavy periods;
With their help you can strengthen and cleanse your stomach. For this, a tincture of acorns is made. The recipe is simple - 1 tsp. pour boiling water over the processed nuts, leave and strain. Take 100 ml three times a day for a whole month;
The juice obtained from acorns strengthens the functioning of the bladder and improves potency;
Oak fruits are recommended for severe food poisoning;
Acorns are used to color hair;
They are used to treat hernia, diabetes, pancreatitis, asthma, heart problems, cough, etc.

Harm

There are several features of these fruits that you should know before consuming:

You should not eat fruits that were collected in early September (fallen from trees). They are usually contaminated and dangerous;
Nuts are digested quite slowly in the stomach, so if the stomach is weak, it is better not to eat them;
To avoid harm to your bladder, do not eat raw acorns.
Do not consume oak fruits excessively so that the benefits do not turn into harm.

Oil

Oil can also be obtained from acorns by squeezing the fruit. A kilogram of fruit yields approximately 300 grams of oil.

It was previously used by hunters in North America to attract animals and mask their own odors. However, at that time this oil was never used in food.

Some oak trees produce soft nuts (North Africa, Europe), from which an exquisite oil is obtained. In its characteristics and appearance it is similar to olive and is considered a delicacy in many countries.

Application

In cooking

Frankly speaking, acorns have never found widespread use in cooking. Some varieties are used simply as nuts, although their taste is not for everyone.

The main scope of application is confectionery, baked goods and coffee.

So, previously, acorns were fried or dried, after which they were covered with a layer of sugar. Healthy, sweet and quite tasty;
And in the 19th century, few people could afford coffee. And people found an alternative in acorns. They were fried, ground and made into a hot drink. Many people consume acorn coffee today;
To make bread, the fruits are ground into flour, after which you can create masterpieces;
Another area of application is a thickener. The high starch content allows you to thicken liquid dishes using acorns;
Acorn butter, similar to almond and peanut butter, is sometimes found;
Acorns are most popular in Korea. Here they are used in national cuisine, making jelly and noodles.

In medicine

Acorn infusion. It is recommended to use if you have problems with the intestines, genitourinary system, as well as severe poisoning, pain in the gums, tuberculosis, diabetes, and diseases of the nervous system. It's quite simple to prepare. The fruits are crushed in a coffee grinder along with the shells. Pour half a teaspoon of the resulting mixture into 200 milliliters of water and bring to a boil, but only over low heat. Leave for 15 minutes, divide into three parts and consume three times a day before meals.

Healthy coffee from acorns is also easy to make. Take about half a teaspoon of powdered acorn and 1 teaspoon of coffee itself. The proportions can be changed depending on your preferences. This drink tones, gives energy, and also has a beneficial effect on almost the entire body.

For stomach diseases, acorn coffee is also suitable. But it needs to be prepared differently. Take an acorn, wheat or barley grains in equal proportions, fry them, then add chicory root and dandelion to your taste. Grind the mixture and use it to make coffee.

If you have heart problems, it is recommended to fry the acorns until red, make a powder from the fruits and brew it like regular coffee.

Add sugar to taste, and milk to improve the taste. This drink is useful for children with bronchitis or severe cough. For diabetics, the following recipe is recommended.

Dry and grind a glass of fruit using a meat grinder and add one and a half liters of water. Boil the mixture for 30 minutes over low heat, then leave for 24 hours. After this, boil again for half an hour. Leave for 24 hours, strain and dilute with a glass of vodka. The tincture is stored in the refrigerator and taken six times a day for two weeks. One serving is two dessert spoons.

Please note that the use of oak acorns as a treatment is only possible after consultation with a doctor.

Many people dream of growing an oak tree on their own plot. This is a perennial tree that can stand for hundreds of years.

The main difficulty in growing oak trees using acorns is finding suitable fruits and preserving them until planting. Needs to be planted in spring. It is also allowed in the fall, but there is a high probability that the acorns will be eaten by mice in the winter.

The most suitable acorns for planting are those that fall from the oak tree last.

So it is advisable to collect them in early October. Find a tall, powerful tree and look for the biggest and most beautiful fruits.

To preserve them, place the nuts in the basement, or simply leave them in the refrigerator. Fruits require zero temperature, moderate humidity and circulating air. So there is no need to pack the fruits. If you store it at a temperature of about 15-20 degrees, the nuts will dry out and you won’t be able to grow anything from them.

There are two ways to determine fetal viability: By color.
Dead nuts are black in color, while those suitable for planting have a light yellow tint under the shell. Place the fruit in a glass of water. If the nut is unusable, it will float to the surface. Good fruit will drown.

In the spring, as soon as the ground warms up, planting can begin. If desired, you can grow several seedlings.

Acorns should be placed in parallel grooves. The distance between them is about 20 cm.

The acorns themselves are placed 2-10 centimeters from each other. If the chosen place is permanent, then make the distance about 15 centimeters. The depth of oak nut laying is 20-30 millimeters. The fruits are placed horizontally. The root begins to develop first, so you will see a shoot no earlier than after 30 days.

Weak seedlings are removed, leaving only the strongest ones.

Almost everyone knows how majestic and powerful oak trees can be. However, not everyone knows what capabilities the bark of this tree can boast of.

Useful and healing properties

The list of these features of this product is extensive, and therefore we will focus on the main ones.

Has an anti-inflammatory effect.
Disinfects, fights bacteria, has astringent properties.
An astringent made from oak bark is used for hemorrhoidal bleeding.
Helps cope with dysentery, as well as gastrointestinal diseases.
Burns, wounds and inflammations are relieved with oak decoctions and bark-based infusions.
For inflammation and to strengthen gums.
The mucous membrane in the mouth is treated.
Has a healing effect on vaginitis and colpitis.
Restores hair, eliminates dandruff, strengthens.

Compound

The following components predominate in the composition of oak bark:

Pentosans - 14 percent. They have a strong anti-inflammatory effect;
Pectins - 6 percent;
20 percent tannins (their percentage increases as the oak tree grows);
Sugar;
Starch;
Squirrels.

Decoction

Preparing a decoction based on oak bark is quite simple.

There are several common recipes:

Take 1 tbsp. bark, pour 400-500 milliliters of boiling water over it and boil over low heat for 10 minutes. The broth is infused for half an hour, after which it is filtered and consumed.

Pour 20 grams of ground bark into 200 ml of boiled but cooled water and place in a boiling water bath. Cooking lasts about 30 minutes, accompanied by constant stirring. After this, the broth is cooled, filtered and taken.

How to use: A decoction of 100 ml is consumed three times a day.

Useful for:

diarrhea,
stomach problems,
sore throat.

In the case of a sore throat, gargling is prescribed.

Recipe for external use

Add 200 ml of water to 40 grams of bark and boil for 30 minutes. The decoction is infused for 2 hours, after which it is filtered and used as lotions, enemas or baths.

Treats from:

burns,
sweaty hands,
hemorrhoids,

In case of mushroom poisoning or excessive menstruation, this decoction can be taken orally.

Tincture

It is quite possible to make an alcohol-based tincture using oak bark at home. To do this, take 1 tsp. ground bark and filled with 400 milliliters of high-quality vodka. The mixture must be infused for a week, then strained.

Used in the treatment of stomach ulcers. Take 1 drop per day on an empty stomach. You need to add a little sugar to the tincture. Wash it down with milk.

The tincture is also made based on spring water:

For internal use, add 200 milliliters of boiling water to 10 grams of bark and take 1 tablespoon three times a day.
For external use, take 200 milliliters of boiling water per 20 grams of bark.

Infusion

Making an infusion from the bark is also simple. Take a teaspoon of the product, add 0.5 liters of boiled but cooled water. Leave for 8-10 hours.

The decoction is taken throughout the day in equal portions, into which 500 milliliters of infusion should be divided. It can be used for an enema.

Other recipes

For beauty, health and hair coloring

You can achieve beauty, strength and health in your hair using oak bark. There are several simple but very useful recipes for this.

For example, strengthening and adding volume, as well as eliminating dandruff, is achieved by rinsing with decoctions of bark. Masks, balms, and hair dye are also made from the bark.

How to brew:

For rinse aid. For 1 tbsp. l. bark, add 500 ml of boiling water and boil the mixture for 10 minutes. Allow the composition to cool, after which it can be used. Use the decoction after using shampoo.
For coloring. If you want to make the color darker, then add natural brewed coffee to the specified recipe (just take fresh coffee, not yesterday's coffee). If the goal is to lighten your hair, then dried chamomile will be an additional ingredient to the decoction. Also used as rinses.
Against hair loss. Take equal amounts of dandelion, plantain, mint and bark. Grind everything thoroughly. Add 2-3 tbsp. burdock oil and make porridge from the mixture. After infusing the product and heating it in a water bath, apply it to the scalp and distribute the mixture throughout your hair. After this, put on a polyethylene cap and wrap your head in a towel. You need to leave it on for about an hour, and then rinse with shampoo and rinse your hair with a decoction prepared on the basis of the bark. Strengthening the result is achieved through a 10-day course of such procedures.

For diarrhea

Diarrhea is an extremely unpleasant “event” in a person’s life, therefore it is advisable to always have remedies against it on hand. We offer you two effective recipes that allow you to quickly deal with the problem.

Can be brewed in two ways:

1. Add a tablespoon (tablespoon) of bark to 200 ml of boiling water. The mixture is infused for an hour, then filtered. You need to drink 1-2 tsp all day. The resulting infusion should be enough for a day.

2. Pour vodka (0.4 l) over the crushed bark. It infuses for a week, so it’s better to prepare it in advance. Reception is carried out twice a day - morning and evening. Portion - 20 drops.

From sweating

Intense sweating is familiar to many. These are unpleasant sensations that cause you and even those around you. People who, due to their duty, have to meet familiar and new people every day, especially suffer from sweating. But there is an effective remedy for such a problem.

How to brew: It is necessary to pour approximately 50 grams of bark into 1000 ml of boiling water. When the mixture has cooled to a comfortable room temperature, immerse your feet in the bath and hold for about 20 minutes. 10 days of the course and sweating disappeared. If sweating is associated with your hands, rinse your hands regularly in this infusion. The effect is similar to foot baths.

For gums

How to brew: Add 200 ml of boiled water to 3 tablespoons of bark. Warm the mixture in a water bath for 20-25 minutes. By using a bathhouse, maximum preservation of the beneficial components of the bark is achieved. Strain the broth, squeeze out the grounds and remove them. Add more boiled water to the remaining water. In total you should get 300 milliliters of decoction.

Store the product in a cool place and use within 2 days. Rinse your mouth at least 8 times throughout the day. The same recipe helps with sore throats and stomatitis.

With chamomile for thrush

The following recipe involves using the bark and chamomile together. The resulting product copes excellently with thrush.

How to brew: Take bark and chamomile (inflorescences) in equal proportions, mix with knotweed grass and nettle leaves. Pour the resulting mixture into liters of water and place on the fire until the components boil for about 5 minutes. Then cool and strain the broth. It is used for douching or to create tampons.

For sore throat

If you have a sore throat, it can be effectively treated with bark. To do this, prepare a simple decoction for rinsing.

How to brew: For 1 tsp. bark add about 250 ml of water. The mixture is boiled for 10 minutes using a water bath, then infused and filtered. You need to gargle with the resulting decoction 3-4 times a day.

For children

As we noted earlier, oak bark is contraindicated for children. And this applies, first of all, to children under 2 years old.

Older children can be treated with bark, but only after consultation with a specialist:

If you have a sore throat or sore throat, you can rinse your mouth.
The problem of prickly heat can be eliminated by preparing a bath based on oak bark. With its help, many cope with children's skin problems.

Harm and contraindications

First of all, you need to remember one main rule regarding taking oak bark based products. It consists in the fact that the course of treatment should not exceed 14 days. Plus, the use of this product for medicinal or even preventive purposes requires consultation with a doctor.

The negative effects of oak bark can manifest themselves in the following:

Prolonged rinsing of the mouth with decoctions or infusions can cause a deterioration in the sense of smell, and an overdose of the drug causes vomiting.
In some cases, the product causes allergies.
Children are contraindicated in taking medications containing this ingredient.
Contraindicated for hemorrhoids and constipation.
Nursing and pregnant women can take oak bark and preparations made from it only after consultation with specialists.
Long-term use of decoctions can lead to stomach diseases.
Individual intolerance.

Where to find or buy

However, you can collect oak bark yourself. The bark from a young tree has the most beneficial properties.

Please note that the highest concentration of nutrients in the bark is observed in the period before the appearance of young leaves. Therefore, the collection should be carried out in early spring.

I hope everyone managed to stock up on acorns? If not, then maybe it’s not too late to look? And not in order to make crafts from them, but in order to eat them.

Since childhood, I have dreamed of snacking on acorns, but because of their bitter taste, it is impossible to fully do this, just take a small bite. Having reached the point of readiness for incarnation in the next life in the form of a pig, it was decided to find a way to prepare them at all costs.

In general, the process of turning acorns into food comes down to processing them into flour.

To do this, we dried the collected acorns for several days, peeled them and dried them a little more.

They peeled them off.

To rid the acorns of bitterness, they soaked them for five days, changing the water as many times as desired. I think this is the most important stage.

Dried it again.

Passed through a meat grinder twice. Not an easy stage!

Once through a coffee grinder.

The result is real flour, from which you can now bake something.

Add wheat flour for stickiness, stir with a small amount of water and salt. Here's the dough.

Roll out and cut out flat cakes with a cup.

Fry them in sunflower oil and sprinkle with vanilla sugar.

I would not call this the most delicious dish, despite the fact that it was the most difficult and time-consuming for us to prepare. But I achieved what I wanted, I ate acorns and it wasn’t disgusting. It was even tasty, as tasty as oak fruits can be.