What is the usefulness of dogwood? It is recommended for many diseases

PhD in Medical Sciences, doctor of integrative, preventive and conventional medicine, nutritionist

How useful is dogwood and who should eat it?

For some reason, exotic for Russia berries and fruits are becoming fashionable: goji, acai, lychee, papaya. They are now called “superfoods”. But, speaking of superfoods, we forget about the products that people have used for centuries, not only in cooking, but also in medicine.

Such fruits include dogwood, but not only its berries. And the whole bush: and the root, and leaves, and inflorescences, and fruits. Each part of the plant has unique properties.

Before we talk about the direct benefits of this berry, we need to see what it is rich in. In the composition of dogwood is about 50 mg of vitamin C. It also has a lot of iron, potassium, sulfur and magnesium – all those nutrients that we try to get from supplements and drugs. And the caloric content of dogwood is minimal – only 50 kcal per 100 g.

If we talk about other parts of the plant, then in its seeds – fatty essential oils, in the leaves – tannids (choleretic) and phytoncides (antibacterial agent). So what are the benefits of dogwood?

Fights bacteria

There are studies showing the effectiveness of introducing dogwood into the diet when infected with pathogenic bacteria. Berry due to its composition really has antibacterial and immunomodulatory properties. Cotoneaster is useful in infectious intestinal diseases.

Stimulates immunity

In addition to eliminating colonies of pathogens (together with complex therapy, of course), it stimulates cellular immunity. And thanks to the pectin in the composition can help in the restoration of microflora after antibiotics. But provided there is no syndrome of excessive fungal and bacterial growth – in this case, pectin can feed and pathogens. Therefore, first of all it is worth consulting a doctor.

Helps to recover from blood loss

Saturation with iron makes cornel a restorative remedy after heavy bleeding (with injuries or heavy menstruation).

In addition to all of the above, dogwood is a powerful antioxidant that slows down the aging of the body.

Tea from dogwood flowers and decoction of dogwood is not a bad remedy against fever. It can also help with migraines.

Who should not eat dogwood

As with any product, berries should not be overdone. In everything, the norm is important. Especially not recommended to eat a lot of dogwood for those who are prone to stomach problems – because of the high concentration of vitamin C berries can irritate the mucosa and provoke unpleasant sensations.