Modern ferns (lat. Polypodiphyta) are one of the few ancient plants (appeared about 400 million years ago) that have retained a significant diversity comparable to what it was in the past. Ferns vary greatly in size, life forms(both herbaceous and arboreal forms of life are found), life cycles(alternating asexual and sexual generation), structural features and other features. Appearance they are so characteristic that people usually call them all the same - ferns, not suspecting that this is the largest group of spore plants: there are about 300 genera and more than 10,000 species of ferns.

Ferns are ubiquitous, although they do not always attract attention. But most of them big variety- where it is warm and damp: tropics and subtropics. It is found in birch forests throughout Russia. Widely distributed in the Urals, Siberia, Altai, the Far East.
Their main feature is that they do not have seeds, and they reproduce mainly by spores.

Their main feature is that they do not have seeds. And they reproduce by spores.

Not every fern can be eaten: common bracken is considered edible (pteridium aquilinum), common ostrich (matteuccia struthiopteris), osmunda cinnamon (osmunda cinnamomea) and several other species, while others are absolutely tasteless or even poisonous.

Compound

The rhizome of bracken fern contains starch, alkaloids, saponins, hydrocyanic and bracken-tannic acid, essential oils, flavonoids, fat, tannins. Young shoots are rich in vitamins, tocopherol, riboflavin, carotene, nicotinic acid.
Of the microelements, the bracken accumulates iodine, potassium, calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper, sodium, nickel, sulfur, and phosphorus.

Bracken fern proteins in their properties and composition are close to the proteins of grain crops, they are easily digested. Fern has long been eaten by taiga residents Far East as well as residents of Korea and Japan. The use of fern favorably affects the growth processes, helps the formation of the skeleton, metabolism, and activity. nervous system improves performance, improves health endocrine system, contributes to the removal of radionuclides from the body.

calories and the nutritional value fern

Fern calories - 34 kcal.

Fern nutritional value: proteins - 4.55 g, fats - 0.4 g, carbohydrates - 5.54 g

Beneficial features

Fern has been used for medicinal purposes for a long time. Inside, a decoction of rhizomes and herbs is taken for diseases of the spleen and intestines, for aching joints, diarrhea, jaundice, headache and chest pain, for dry pleurisy, noise in the head and ears, as a laxative, diuretic, analgesic and anthelmintic.
Orlyak stimulates metabolism, relieves stress.

Outwardly, a decoction of fern rhizomes is used for wounds, eczema, scrofula, abscesses. The infusion can be used for ulcers and rheumatism in the form of baths.

Contraindications

Fern infusions and decoctions should be used very carefully, under the guidance of an experienced herbalist, since the fern is poisonous.

You can not be treated with fern during pregnancy!

Overdose can lead to nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness, convulsions, decreased blood pressure, respiratory depression, weakening of cardiac activity and even death.

Application in cooking

Fern used in cooking different peoples peace. Salads are prepared from young leaves, “snails” are boiled, fried, pickled and salted for the winter, used as a seasoning for meat.

Interesting fact: AT Slavic mythology fern flower endowed magical properties although the ferns do not bloom. On the night of Ivan Kupala, lovers are looking for this mythical fern flower (according to legend, it blooms for just a moment), believing that it will bring eternal happiness to their couple.

It's interesting that South America, Australia, New Zealand eat starch-rich rhizomes of bracken fern. Yes and in Western Europe they once made flour and even brewed beer.
Based on materials from wikipedia.org, gastronom.ru, lady.mail.ru

Under the name of the fern, 10560 species are hidden.

They have been known to mankind since the Paleozoic - this is the only ancient plant that has managed to preserve such a diversity of species so far.

They are distributed throughout the world, and differ markedly from each other.

What species are used by humans

The fern family is extensive, however, not all of them are used by humans.

Consider the most common.

Male (Dryopteris filix-mas) or shield bug

Known in the northern hemisphere, in areas with temperate climate.

Medicinal preparations are prepared from the rhizomes, the shoots are eaten.

The plant itself is actively used in decorative gardening. Some species are used in perfumery production.

The scientific name Dryopteris (lat.) is translated as oak oak forest fern.

Large land plants with a strong rhizome protruding above the ground and covered with scales.

The leaves are double- or triple-pinnate, the upper leaf plate is smooth, and on the lower leaf there are sporangia, with the help of which reproduction occurs.

Leaf rachis covered with the same scales as the rhizome.

Openwork patterned leaves are collected in neat bunches and are very decorative. The height of adult plants averages 0.3-1 m, sometimes more.

Reproduces by spores, does not bloom. It remains a mystery why the myth of a fern blooming on the night of Ivan Kupala is so widespread among the people.

The plant is poisonous, so it is not recommended to use it on its own.

Bracken (Pteridium aquilinum)

A perennial herbaceous plant with beautiful double- and thrice-pinnate leaves (fronds), sometimes called jesus grass.

In general, there are several versions about the origin of the name of this common fern.

Someone sees in him a resemblance sheet plate with the wing of a bird, others saw an eagle from the state emblem on the cut of the stem, and for some the plant resembles an eagle posture.

The rhizomes of the common bracken lie deep, which contributes to vegetative propagation.

The leaves do not grow in bunches, but singly, its thickets form a continuous carpet.

Distributed in the European part of Russia and beyond the Urals - a lot of it in Siberia and the Far East.

Common bracken is used as food in many countries, and in Japan and China it is considered a delicacy.

Tightly twisted, like a spring, young juicy shoots that have not yet had time to unfold are suitable for use, only if they are specially processed - they are not eaten fresh, because they are poisonous.

Processing is carried out immediately after collection - cut young sprouts instantly coarsen, while the concentration of toxic substances increases.

Picking young shoots is like picking flower bouquet- fragile stems are broken off at a height of 15-20 cm and collected in bunches.

The use of the common bracken is not limited to young shoots.

Harvesting time is early spring or autumn.

Roots (pro medicinal properties read horse sorrel) are dug up with a spatula, cleaned of the ground, cut into pieces and dried at a temperature not higher than 40 degrees.

Useful properties are stored throughout the year.

When harvesting, part of the roots (the medicinal properties of burdock are described in the article) of the plant are left untouched so that it continues to grow.

If a we are talking about the harvesting of fern for use in food, then the subject of collection are young sprouts - rachis.

Only very small shoots, up to 20 cm long, are suitable for eating.

They must be fragile and brittle.- if the escape cannot be broken off, then you should not even try to do it - in this case it is no longer suitable. The most delicious part of the shoots is the twisted part ("snails").

Interestingly, fresh shoots are not eaten; preliminary preparation is necessary.

To do this, they are boiled in salted water, changing the water several times. You can not cook for a long time, 3 minutes is enough.

The task is to get rid of bitterness and toxins, but not to allow softening.

Shoots should remain elastic and crispy.

After boiling, they are used to prepare salads and side dishes, independent dishes.

There are two ways of salting:

1. Layers of fresh fern sprinkle with salt, press down with a load.
   After 2 weeks, the brine is drained, and the fern is shifted and again covered with salt, only the concentration is reduced.
   Before use in food, salted shoots are soaked in cold water two days, while changing the water 6-8 times.
2. Speed ​​up the curing process, will help boiling and draining the water.
   Then the shoots are covered with salt at the rate of 250-300 g per 1 kg of fern.
   Soak before use in the same way as in the first case.

Salted fern is freed from brine and dried. Pickled fern as well as mushrooms.

Harm and contraindications

The only real harm is misapplication fern for treatment or nutrition.

The reason is the poisonous properties of the plant. It is impossible to carry out treatment with fern and preparations based on it for children, pregnant women, people with weakened immunity.

Drug overdose is dangerous. Treatment is carried out under the supervision of the attending physician.

Watch a tutorial on how to cook healthy dish from fern leaves at home.

Fern - in cooking, young shoots of one of the varieties of the same name herbaceous plant, as a rule, male fern (male shield). It grows and is grown as an agricultural crop in temperate regions. Popular in cooking, thanks to the original taste, at the same time similar to asparagus and green green beans.

calories

100 grams of young fern shoots contain about 34 kcal.

Compound

Chemical composition young fern shoots are characterized by a high content of carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins (A, B6, C), minerals (sodium, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium) and phytonutrients (beta-carotene).

How to cook and serve

As noted earlier, young shoots of fern are used for food purposes. Due to the taste, which at the same time resembles green string beans and asparagus, they have found a fairly wide application in cooking. This is preceded by a not too complicated preparatory process. First, the surface of the fern shoots is cleaned of surface brown scales, while the lower part of the climbing stem is cut off. After that, they are washed under cold running water and then placed in a boiling salt water for 1-2 minutes. This procedure allows you to make the taste less bitter, so it is recommended to repeat it 2-3 times.

Young shoots of fern are eaten exclusively in cooked form. They are prepared in exactly the same way as asparagus, green beans. Most often, fern shoots are stewed and served as a side dish, both separately, seasoned with ghee, salt and pepper, and together with vegetables for meat dishes, poultry and fish.

How to choose

When choosing young fern shoots, one should take into account the period of their collection, which lasts from April to June. The highest quality of them are clearly distinguished in green and densely pressed to each other leaves.

Storage

Fresh fern shoots should be stored in the refrigerator, after placing them in a tightly closed plastic container, and then eating them within 2-3 days.

Beneficial features

The unique appearance of young fern shoots is surprisingly combined with their chemical composition, which is extremely rich in a number of vital minerals and vitamins, which causes them to have a lot of useful properties. In particular, their use improves vision, increases resistance to infectious, inflammatory and oncological diseases, and also normalizes work. of cardio-vascular system and gastro- intestinal tract.

Use restrictions

Not all wild fern species are suitable for food use. The use of shoots of some of them significantly increases the risk of cancer due to the high content of carcinogens in them.

The scientific name of the fern comes from the following words: pteron - from Greek word"wing", and aquila is from the Latin "eagle". The leaves of this plant are really very reminiscent of the wing of a huge bird.

The fern stem grows underground. In May, young leaves are formed - fronds, at first very similar to a snail, and, growing up, they unfold and resemble a hook. The petiole of a leaf is called a rachis. Ferns reproduce by spores.

The bracken is one of the oldest plants on earth that have survived to this day. The opinion of scientists boils down to the fact that the compressed wood of the most ancient species of ferns is the main material that forms coal.

There is a belief that a fern flower found on the night of Ivan Kupala will be able to find all the treasures and pick up the key to other people's hearts. But it's just beautiful legend The fern never blooms.

The content of proteins in the bracken fern in its properties and composition is close to the indicators of proteins in grain crops, therefore it is easily digested. This plant has long been included in the diet of taiga residents of the Far East, as well as residents of Japan and Korea. Eating bracken has a beneficial effect on growth processes, promotes the formation of the skeleton, improves metabolism, normalizes the activity of the nervous system, increases the body's performance, removes radionuclides from the body, improves the state of the endocrine system.

Different peoples of the world use fern in cooking. Salads are prepared from shoots and young leaves, and “snails” are boiled, fried, marinated and salted for the winter, they are used as seasonings for meat. Fern rachis taste like mushrooms. Without processing, i.e. fresh, bracken is not eaten!

Composition and calories

The rhizome of the fern contains saponins, starch, alkaloids, hydrocyanic and orlyakovo-tannic acids, flavonoids, essential oils, fat and tannins. Young shoots contain many vitamins, tocopherols, riboflavins, carotene and nicotinic acid.

The nutritional value of fern is as follows: proteins - 4.55 grams, fats - 0.4 grams, carbohydrates - 5.54 grams, calorie content of bracken - 34 kcal.

Beneficial features

In medicine, bracken fern has been used for a long time. In diseases of the intestines and spleen, with diarrhea, aching joints, jaundice, with headaches and chest pains, with dry pleurisy, with noise in the ears and head, as well as as a laxative, analgesic, anthelmintic and diuretic, it is recommended to take a decoction of rhizomes and fern grass.

Decoctions from the rhizome of bracken fern are also used externally. Indications for such treatment may be wounds, scrofula, eczema, abscesses. You can take baths with an infusion of this plant for ulcers and rheumatism.

Harm and contraindications

With great care, decoctions and infusions of bracken fern should be used. It is desirable - under the supervision of an experienced herbalist, since the fern is a poisonous plant.

The use of bracken during pregnancy is contraindicated!

An overdose of fern can cause vomiting, nausea, headache, convulsions, dizziness, lowering blood pressure, respiratory depression, weakening of cardiac activity and even death.

fern with meat rich in vitamins and minerals such as: vitamin A - 29.9%, beta-carotene - 31.5%, vitamin B2 - 11.9%, vitamin C - 21.2%, vitamin PP - 15.3%, cobalt - 28%, manganese - 17.7%, copper - 16.1%

What is useful fern with meat

• Vitamin A is responsible for normal development, reproductive function, skin and eye health, and maintaining immunity.
• B-carotene is a provitamin A and has antioxidant properties. 6 micrograms of beta-carotene is equivalent to 1 microgram of vitamin A.
• Vitamin B2 participates in redox reactions, increases the susceptibility of color by the visual analyzer and dark adaptation. Insufficient intake of vitamin B2 is accompanied by a violation of the condition skin, mucous membranes, impaired light and twilight vision.
• Vitamin C participates in redox reactions, functioning immune system promotes the absorption of iron. Deficiency leads to friable and bleeding gums, nosebleeds due to increased permeability and fragility of blood capillaries.
• Vitamin PP participates in redox reactions of energy metabolism. Inadequate vitamin intake is accompanied by a violation of the normal state of the skin, gastrointestinal tract and nervous system.
• Cobalt is part of vitamin B12. Activates metabolic enzymes fatty acids and folic acid metabolism.
• Manganese participates in the formation of bone connective tissue, is part of the enzymes involved in the metabolism of amino acids, carbohydrates, catecholamines; necessary for the synthesis of cholesterol and nucleotides. Insufficient consumption is accompanied by growth retardation, disorders in the reproductive system, increased fragility of bone tissue, disorders of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism.
• Copper is part of the enzymes that have redox activity and are involved in the metabolism of iron, stimulates the absorption of proteins and carbohydrates. Participates in the processes of providing tissues of the human body with oxygen. Deficiency is manifested by violations of the formation of the cardiovascular system and skeleton, the development of connective tissue dysplasia.

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