How to prepare cornflower for tea. Cornflower blue

It is used in traditional (folk) and official medicine to treat diseases at home, and is sold in herbal pharmacies.

Latin name: Centaurea cyanus.

English name: cornflower, bachelor's button.

Synonym— Cornflower.

Family: Asteraceae - Asteraceae.

Common names: ringing grass, hairweed, boletus, blueflower, bluegrass, patchwork grass, synovitsa, cyanosis.

Pharmacy name: cornflower flowers - Cyani flos, cornflower grass - Cyani heiba.

Parts used: flowers, grass.

Photo of flowers of the medicinal plant Cornflower blue

Botanical description. Blue cornflower is an annual herbaceous plant up to 40-90 cm high, lanceolate leaves, 1-4 cm long. Flowers vary in color from blue to lilac-purple. Blooms all summer.

Habitat. Grows in Great Britain, Ukraine and other European countries, America, Asia, Russia. It is found along the edges of forests, clearings, roadsides, as a weed in vegetable gardens and fields of cereal crops.

Collection and preparation. As a medicinal raw material, blue cornflower is harvested in June-July during flowering; the edge blue flowers are torn off by hand. The collected raw materials are laid out in a thin layer, dried in a dark, well-ventilated room, or in a dryer at a temperature of 40-50ºC. Flowers dried in the sun become discolored and lose their medicinal properties. Dried flowers are odorless, bright blue in color, slightly bitter in taste. If the above-ground part of the cornflower is collected, it is cut off, tied into bunches and hung to dry in a ventilated place. The shelf life of raw materials (flowers) is 2 years in glass or any closed container.

Chemical composition. The marginal flowers of cornflower baskets contain the coumarin chicorin, the bitter glycoside centaurin, tannins, chicoryin, cynarin, as well as anthocyanin compounds - cyanin (cyanine chloride) and cyanidin, which determine their bright blue color. Pelargonin chloride, chlorogenic, caffeic and quinic acids are also found in flowers. Cornflower grass contains polyacetylene compounds - polyines and polyenes. Alkaloids are found in the fruits.

How blue cornflower grows

Medicinal properties of cornflower

Experiments have shown that the galenic forms of blue cornflower flowers can increase diuresis and reduce the concentration of substances in the blood that are involved in the formation of kidney stones (inorganic phosphorus, calcium), due to their increased excretion in the urine. The bactericidal and some antitumor activity of this plant has also been proven. There is evidence of the choleretic and antispasmodic properties of blue cornflower.

Use in folk medicine

Blue cornflower flowers are used in folk medicine for edema in patients with heart disease as a diuretic; in patients with chronic inflammatory diseases of the kidneys, urinary tract (pyelonephritis, cystitis, urethritis), prostate gland, with gonorrhea as a diuretic, anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic agent; in patients with salt metabolism disorders (urolithiasis, cholelithiasis) as a diuretic and regulating salt metabolism. The bitterness found in the plant improves digestive functions. The choleretic, anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic properties of the plant are used for cholecystitis, cholangitis, biliary dyskinesia, and hepatitis.

Self-medication is dangerous! Before treating at home, consult your doctor.

Recipes for treating blue cornflower

1. Alopecia(hair loss, baldness). Pour 1 tablespoon of blue cornflower flowers into 200 ml of boiled water and 200 ml of vinegar. Infuse, boil. Rub the hot tincture into the scalp once a day.
2. Alopecia(hair loss, baldness). Pour 1 tablespoon of flowers into 200 ml of boiling water in a thermos, leave for 1 hour, strain through cheesecloth, bring to the original volume by adding boiled water. Store in a thermos for no more than 24 hours. Rub into the scalp for diffuse hair loss.
3. Iron deficiency anemia. Pour 1 tablespoon of blue cornflower herb into 200 ml of boiling water, close the lid and heat in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes, leave for 45 minutes. Strain and add to original volume. Drink 100 ml before meals as a source of iron. 1 tbsp. rub the plants into the scalp for hair loss during illness.
4. Cardiac arrhythmia atrial fibrillation. Leave 1 teaspoon of blue cornflower flowers for 1 hour in a sealed container in 200 ml of boiling water, cool, strain, and add to the original volume. Drink 50 ml 15-20 minutes before meals.
5. Ascites(dropsy). Pour 1 tablespoon of crushed flowers into 200 ml of boiled water at room temperature, leave in the oven for 12 hours, heat in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes, leave at room temperature for 10 minutes, strain through cheesecloth. Add boiled water to the original volume. Drink 50 ml warm 5-10 minutes before meals.
6. Blepharitis. An infusion of a crushed mixture of blue cornflower flowers, flowers or herb is applied to the festering eyes. The treatment is long-term.
7. Warts. Apply crushed blue cornflower seeds.
8. Hair(for strengthening and growth). 1 tbsp. flowers are poured with 2 cups of a mixture of vinegar and boiling water (ratio 1:1). Leave for 30 minutes, strain. Store in a dark place. Rub into hair roots daily 1-2 times a day. At night you need to rinse your hair, but without shampoo.
9. Phlebeurysm. Pour 1 teaspoon of petals into 200 ml of boiled water, close the lid and heat in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Leave for 45 minutes, strain and top up to the original volume. Drink 50 ml warm 15 minutes before meals.
10. Chronic gastritis(low acidity). 1 tsp pour 200 ml of boiled water over blue cornflower flowers, close the lid and heat in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Leave for 45 minutes. Strain and top up to original volume. Drink 50 ml 3 times a day.
11. Acute hepatitis. Pour 1 teaspoon of flowers into 200 ml of boiling water in a thermos, leave for 1 hour, strain through cheesecloth and top up to the original volume. Drink 50 ml 3 times a day. Store the solution in a thermos for no more than 24 hours.
12. Acute glomerulonephritis. 1 tsp blue cornflower petals, pour 200 ml of boiled water, close the lid and heat in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Leave for 45 minutes. Strain and top up to original volume. Drink 50 ml warm 15 minutes before meals.
13. Iridocyclitis(anterior uveitis of the eye). If vision is weakened, apply a steam* from a crushed mixture of flowers, cornflowers and grass. The treatment is long-term.
14. Conjunctivitis. Pour 1-2 teaspoons of blue cornflower flowers into 200 ml of boiling water, cover and leave for 1 hour, strain. Use for lotions.
15. Conjunctivitis. Rinse your eyes with an infusion of 1 teaspoon of marginal flowers in 200 ml of boiling water. Filter through cotton wool and drop 4-5 drops into eyes 3 times a day. At the same time, maintain sterility.
16. Acute pyelonephritis. Pour 1 teaspoon of flowers into 200 ml of boiling water in a thermos, leave for 1 hour. Strain and top up to original volume. Store the infusion in a thermos for 24 hours. Drink 50 ml warm 15 minutes before meals as a preventive measure against the formation of kidney stones.
17. Poor appetite. 1 tbsp. flowers pour 400 ml of boiled water at room temperature. Heat in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes, leave for 45 minutes. Strain and add to original volume. Drink in 3 doses 15 minutes before meals.
18. Kidney stone disease. Pour 500 ml of boiling water over 1 tablespoon of blue cornflower flowers, close the lid and heat, stirring frequently, in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes, remove from heat and leave for 45 minutes. Strain and top up to original volume. Drink 50 ml warm before meals. Contraindicated during pregnancy.
19. Prostatitis. Pour 1 teaspoon of marginal flowers into 200 ml of boiling water in a thermos, leave for 1 hour. Strain and top up to original volume. Drink warm, 50 ml per 15 minutes. before meals.
20. Cold. 2 teaspoons of dry blue cornflower herb, brew in a glass of boiling water, leave for 2 hours, filter. Drink 1 tablespoon 3-4 times a day for 15-20 minutes. before eating.
21. Uterine cancer. Pour 200 ml of boiling water over 1 teaspoon of flowers, close the lid and heat, stirring frequently, in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Leave for 45 minutes. Strain and top up to original volume. Drink 50 ml 15 minutes before meals if bleeding occurs.
22. Seborrhea. Pour 1 tablespoon of blue cornflower flowers into 200 ml of boiling water and heat in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Leave for 45 minutes. Strain and top up to original volume. Rub into the scalp.
23. Tearing. Pour 200 ml of boiled water into an enamel bowl and add 1 tbsp. caraway fruits, heat in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Pour 1 teaspoon of blue cornflower petals, crushed eyebright grass and plantain leaves into the hot, unstrained broth, wrap and leave for 1 hour, then strain until sterile. Apply these drops to your eyes several times a day for constant lacrimation, which worsens in the wind.
24. Tearing. Pour 1 tablespoon of edge flowers into 200 ml of boiling water. For eye lotions when there is watery eyes in the wind.
25. Uremia(self-poisoning of the body). 1 tbsp. flowers, pour 500 ml of boiling water in a thermos, leave for 1 hour. Strain and top up to original volume. Drink 50 ml warm before meals.
26. Urethritis. Pour 1 teaspoon of blue cornflower petals into 200 ml of boiling water, close the lid and heat in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Leave for 45 minutes. Strain and top up to original volume. Drink 50 ml warm 15 minutes before meals as a diuretic antimicrobial agent for chronic urethritis.
27. Uterine fibroids. 1 tsp petals pour 200 ml of boiling water, close the lid and heat, stirring often, in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Leave for 45 minutes. Strain and top up to original volume. Drink warm, 50 ml per 15 minutes. before meals if there is bleeding.
28. Cholangitis. Pour 1 teaspoon of blue cornflower flowers into 200 ml of boiling water, close the lid and heat, stirring frequently, in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Leave for 45 minutes. Strain and top up to original volume. Drink 50 ml 3 times a day.
29. Eczema. 1 tsp blue cornflower petals, pour 200 ml of boiled water, close the lid and heat in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Leave for 45 minutes. Strain and top up to original volume. Drink 50 ml 15 minutes before meals for microbial eczema.

* — Napar is prepared as follows. Crushed plant materials are placed in enamel, porcelain or glass containers (but not metal) and poured with boiling water. Traditionally, in rural conditions, steam is obtained in an oven that cools down overnight. It is permissible to cook steam by placing it in a cooling oven to simmer overnight.

If you prepare steam for oral administration (drinking), then usually 10 volumetric (ml) parts of steam are obtained from one weight part (in grams) of the raw material. For external use, the concentration of napar should be 2-3 times higher.

Napar spoils quite quickly, so it is advisable to cook it every day. Storage for 2-3 days in the refrigerator is acceptable. In this case, before use, the steam must be heated, without bringing it to a boil.

Contraindications. Blue cornflower is contraindicated during pregnancy and diseases of the female genital area accompanied by uterine bleeding. When taking cornflower preparations, it is necessary to observe the dosage, since the plant can have a toxic effect due to cyanide components.

Nature has endowed cornflower inflorescences with vitamins, mineral salts, microelements and ascorbic acid. Thanks to such a rich composition, people with heart ailments, stomach and liver diseases are considered to be among those who benefit from cornflower.

• For heart problems

To normalize cardiac activity, prepare a decoction of one teaspoon of dried cornflower inflorescences and the same amount of rowan and hawthorn berries, valerian root, yarrow leaves and horsetail. Pour the raw material with two glasses of hot water and leave for half an hour. The strained broth is taken three times a day, two tablespoons.

• For problems with the gastrointestinal tract

Due to the fact that cornflower has a choleretic effect, a decoction from the inflorescences of the plant is used to treat diseases of the bladder, gastrointestinal tract and liver. Fifty grams of dried cornflower flowers are poured into a glass of hot water. Then the liquid is poured into a saucepan and brought to a boil, boiled for fifteen minutes over moderate heat. The drink is infused in the room, filtered and taken a tablespoon after meals three times a day.

• Compresses against bags under the eyes

Cornflower compresses can get rid of bags under the eyes, relieve swelling or reduce inflammation in the delicate skin around the eyes. A cotton pad is soaked in cornflower blue broth and applied to the eyelids. After fifteen minutes, wash your face with cool water. Regular rubbing with cornflower blue broth also helps eliminate pimples and blackheads on the face.

• Decoction for varicose veins

To the question of what cornflower helps with, it is difficult to give a single reasonable answer. The blue flower has a completely positive effect on the functioning of the body, improves sleep and brings the nervous system into a calm state.
For varicose veins, one tablespoon of dried cornflower flowers and fifty grams of fresh ones are diluted in two full glasses of boiling water. The drink is infused for one hour, filtered and cooled, and then a bandage is soaked in the broth and applied to painful places on the legs (calves, feet) for fifteen minutes.

• Cornflower tea

In cooking, recipes with cornflower are used to make teas. When consumed regularly, hot or warm cornflower blue drink removes excess fluid from the body and improves digestive processes. A teaspoon of plant inflorescences is brewed in a mug of boiling water, infused and drained. The prepared tea is drunk in the morning before meals. This tonic drink in folk medicine is also a proven remedy for weight loss and appetite reduction.

Contraindications

The only exception to those for whom cornflower is contraindicated are pregnant and breastfeeding women. As for everyone else, do not forget to take breaks between regular doses of medicinal cornflower decoctions.

Cornflower is a beautiful and delicate flower that belongs to the Asteraceae family. It is a plant up to eighty centimeters high with gray-green leaves and blue flowers. You can meet it on the roadsides, in fields and meadows. It is also called voloshka, blue flower, cyanosis.

Healing properties of cornflower

Cornflower flowers have healing properties. Their healing qualities have been known among the people for several centuries. It is used as an anti-inflammatory, diuretic, antipyretic agent. With the help of cornflower flowers, tuberculosis, colds and viral diseases are treated. Its healing properties are recognized by official medicine; plant components are used in many preparations:

• antispasmodics;
• general strengthening;
• eye drops.

People prepare decoctions, tinctures, and powders from cornflower flowers, which are taken for a huge number of diseases. Lotions are used to treat many eye diseases - conjunctivitis, blepharitis, eye fatigue. The infusion is drunk for severe coughing, whooping cough, for the treatment of inflammatory processes in the kidneys, for disorders of the genitourinary system, gastrointestinal tract, for uterine bleeding, to reduce pain symptoms, for heart rhythm disturbances, for nervous disorders and other diseases. Such extensive use is quite extensive, because blue cornflower contains anthocyanins - which have an antioxidant effect, tannins, alkaloids, organic compounds, resins, bitterness, vitamins A, C, mineral salts and other effective but not yet fully studied components. The plant also contains glycosides, toxic and poisonous substances, so it belongs to the category of mildly poisonous. But despite this, it is highly effective in combating many ailments.

Cornflower in folk medicine

Recipe 1.

Making a tincture of cornflower flowers is quite simple. It is necessary to stock up on raw materials when the plant is flowering, dry them and use them as needed, or you can also buy the herb at the pharmacy, it is always freely available there. You can brew the decoction according to the recipe using a water bath. You need to take one large spoon of flowers, pour 250 milliliters of boiling water over them, and simmer for fifteen minutes in a water bath. Then the medicine must be infused for forty-five minutes and strained. Since a certain amount of water will evaporate while on fire, the infusion is diluted with boiled water, bringing it to the same volume - 250 milliliters. Be sure to drink on an empty stomach, one spoon three times a day. The finished decoction must be used within 48 hours, so you should not prepare large volumes; it is more effective to use fresh. It is used as a good choleretic and diuretic. If you need to stop inflammatory processes in the genitourinary system, then it is better to drink a decoction of flowers and stems with leaves. To prepare, take two teaspoons of the collection and brew it in 250 milliliters of liquid heated to one hundred degrees. The infusion is kept for an hour, and only then do I drink two spoons before each meal.

Preparations from blue cornflower are indicated for severe toxicosis in pregnant women (although the use should be very careful, in strictly prescribed dosages and with the permission of the treating doctor). Many herbalists recommend an infusion to improve lactation in nursing women. You can drink the decoction for food and other poisoning.

Traditional medicine knows the positive results of using hair even for diabetes. Regular use helps reduce blood sugar levels.

Recipe 2.

Colds will subside if you drink 30 ml of cornflower every four hours. Prepare the medicine according to the recipe from two spoons of flowers and a glass of boiling water, which are infused in a warm place for at least two hours.

Recipe 3.

A good and effective tincture made from flowers in alcohol. You will need twenty grams of raw materials and 200 milliliters of alcohol or vodka. The components are placed in a glass container and kept for fourteen days with the lid closed. I drink thirty drops diluted in a small amount of water before meals. The daily dose should not exceed one hundred and twenty drops. Used for diseases of the kidneys, liver, bile ducts.

This drug has a beneficial effect on the male reproductive system. Its use increases male strength and prolongs sexual intercourse.

Recipe 4.

Using alcohol tincture you can get rid of toothache. It needs to be diluted in water. Therapeutic proportion is 1:10. It is necessary to rinse the mouth with the solution every thirty minutes until the pain is relieved. This medicine helps well in the treatment of trophic ulcers, eczema, and furunculosis. The elixir is taken orally in twenty drops and used externally for compresses and rubbing.

Recipe 5.

Blue cornflower also has enormous potential in the treatment of skin diseases. You need to prepare a tincture of flowers - 30 grams and 250 milliliters of water. Wounds are washed with it and used as lotions for:

• diathesis;
• skin rashes;
• abscesses;
• swelling of the eyelids.

Recipe 6.

The same decoction is used to rinse hair when it is falling out; for effective use, it is rubbed into the scalp with massage movements to strengthen and stimulate the hair follicles.

A decoction of 15 grams of herb and 250 milliliters of boiling water, brewed for thirty minutes, helps rid the skin of youthful acne. For medicinal purposes, the skin of the face is wiped with a cotton pad soaked in the solution several times a day.

Powder made from hair is also suitable for external use. It is used to treat edema. It's easy to prepare. Dry leaves are ground in coffee grinders to a powdery state. They sprinkle it on swollen areas and cover them in the form of compresses.

Recipe 7.

Open wounds heal well, and compresses made from fresh flowers soothe pain and relieve inflammation. They are poured with boiling water, left for 5-7 minutes and applied to the affected area of ​​the skin.

Recipe 8.

A bath with a decoction of flowers will help increase vitality and relieve skin itching. A tincture is prepared in advance, which is then added to the bath water. Take 30 grams of flower and 500 ml of water, the decoction is prepared for half an hour in a water bath. Leave for about thirty minutes, filter and add to water. It helps soothe irritated skin due to diathesis and eczema.

Recipe 9.

To treat conjunctivitis, prepare a decoction of flowers - 10 grams and 250 milliliters of water. The medicine must be allowed to brew for three hours, then strain and apply externally to wash the eyes, for lotions and compresses. Before use, a small amount of liquid must be heated to 30 degrees.

Since blue cornflower, although to a small extent, is a poisonous plant, its use should be strictly dosed. It cannot be used for uterine bleeding; use during pregnancy is highly undesirable, but in special cases it is possible with the permission of the doctor. Also, when treating with this drug, be sure to take breaks so that the body can cope with accumulated toxins.

Cornflower, the medicinal properties and contraindications of which we will consider in the article, is an annual plant whose homeland is considered to be the Mediterranean. It grows in Europe, Russia, Kazakhstan. The plant is often found on forest edges and roadsides.

Legends

Many legends are associated with the origin of cornflower. According to one of them, the centaur cured a wound inflicted by Hercules with the juice of the plant. According to Roman beliefs, a certain young man named Cianus wore dark blue clothes. The goddess Flora did not like this, and she turned him into a flower. And in Ukraine they say that once a peasant named Vasily was mowing rye. The mermaid liked him and decided to bewitch him. Vasily followed her, spellbound. And she, not wanting to let go, turned him into a cornflower (photo of flowers in front of you), which resembles water in color.

Magic

This plant is credited with magical properties. They say that flowers can protect people from evil spirits. For example, on the day of Ivan Kupala, girls wash themselves with infusion from this flower so that evil spells cannot overcome them. And on the wedding day, the bride and groom were baptized with a bunch of cornflowers. It is customary to consecrate them on August 14, the day of Makovei or the First Savior. They also make wreaths from them and keep them at home for a whole year. Cornflower is also mentioned in folk songs. Medicinal properties and contraindications have long been known in folk medicine. Even Hippocrates knew about this flower. It is still used today in the treatment of many ailments.

Science has about 700 species, and they are not only blue, but also white, black, yellow and purple. However, the classic cornflower is blue in color.

Collection, preparation of raw materials and storage

The flowers are collected throughout the summer while they are in bloom. The best ones are those that have fully blossomed. The raw material is blue flowers, which are separated from the tubular bases to achieve better quality of the medicine.

The plucked flowers are ventilated by placing them in a cool, dark place. If the raw material is prepared correctly, it will turn blue, have no odor, and if you taste it, the cornflower will be bitter. Flowers are stored in glass containers or paper bags for two years.

If the sun's rays hit the plant during drying, the cornflower flowers will lose their medicinal properties and become useless for traditional medicine. This, by the way, can be seen by the color - it will turn white.

Compound

The fact that cornflower has medicinal properties and contraindications is explained by its composition. It includes the following microelements and substances:

• potassium;
• magnesium;
• calcium;
• copper;
• iron;
• vanadium;
• chromium;
• cobalt;
• luteilin;
• selenium;
• Pelargonin chloride.

The plant contains a lot of:

• vitamin C, which normalizes the functioning of the central nervous system, activates the activity of the endocrine glands and normalizes hematopoiesis;
• carotene, an immunostimulating substance, as well as an excellent antioxidant;
• resins that have antibacterial, disinfectant and immunomodulatory effects;
• coumarins, which reduce blood clotting, and also have astringent, antiseptic and diuretic properties.

Useful properties of blue cornflower

The healing properties of the plant have long been used in folk medicine. Antipyretic and diuretic drugs are prepared on its basis. An ancient Roman doctor named Galen treated patients’ kidneys with the plant. Until now, cornflower is used for problems in the genitourinary system, for example, neuritis or cystitis.

Other medicinal properties of cornflower include choleretic and cleansing. Thanks to the first, the plant treats liver diseases. Cornflower protects the body from viruses and infections. And the cleansing property is actively used during diets. By removing unnecessary water, cornflower promotes rapid fat burning. Decoctions from it normalize digestion and help eliminate toxins and waste, eliminating harmful substances.

The flower has a known positive effect on vision. So, for blepharitis, cotton pads soaked in an infusion of cornflowers are applied to the eyelids. The same remedy will relieve fatigue after working at the computer for a long time.

Contraindications

First of all, you should not discount individual intolerance. Some trace elements make the plant toxic. We are talking about potentially dangerous cyanide components that cornflower contains. Medicinal properties and contraindications vary greatly in percentage terms, however, it must be borne in mind that the plant is slightly poisonous. Therefore, its use is prohibited for pregnant women, as well as women during lactation and children. It is also known that folk remedies for uterine bleeding are not made from it. Moreover, if you have such a problem, you cannot use it in any form. The coumarins contained in cornflower are very strong anticoagulants; they inhibit blood clotting.

Application

For those who want to normalize the digestive process, improve appetite, or recover from a cold, it is useful to drink tea brewed with cornflower. The flowers are added to black or green tea, and the drink is drunk twenty minutes before meals. It actively eliminates toxins. A healing mixture is also prepared from various components. To do this, take a teaspoon of bearberry and pour 500 milliliters of boiling water and leave on the fire for 3-4 minutes, after which add the same amount of cornflower, cool the solution and leave for several hours. Take the medicine three times a day according to Art. spoon.

Recipes

The following tincture will have an excellent effect as a diuretic for edema and to increase appetite. Take one part of the flowers and pour ten parts of vodka. The medicine is infused for two weeks, after which it is filtered. Take twenty drops before meals, diluted in a tablespoon of water at room temperature.

The decoction is good for making eye lotions for inflammation and fatigue. Take a teaspoon of flowers, add boiling water to a glass and keep on fire for several minutes. Then leave for an hour, filter, moisten cotton pads in a cool broth and apply to the eyelids. It is also taken orally, two tbsp. spoons three times a day an hour before meals for sore throat, bronchitis and laryngitis.

They also prepare an infusion for colds. These same recipes are folk remedies for diarrhea in children and adults, stomach pain and kidney disease. The cooking recipe is as follows. Three teaspoons of cornflowers are poured with 400 milliliters of boiling water, left for a couple of hours, and then filtered. Take the product 4 times a day 15 minutes before meals.

Cornflower for beauty

Look at the cornflower! The photo of the flowers shows how beautiful these plants are. It's no surprise that they are widely used in the beauty industry. The flower has a beneficial effect on the skin of the face, eyelids and hair.

The plant extract is included in many cleansing lotions sold in stores. But they also prepare it themselves. For this, two tbsp. spoons are poured with two glasses of boiling water and left for an hour. The product is useful for washing your face in the morning or wiping your face. It is also frozen and rubbed with an ice cube. It perfectly tones the skin and tightens pores. Cornflower is especially suitable for oily and combination skin, as it reduces sebum production and the appearance of acne. If you use it constantly, your face will become matte and fresh.

When working at the computer for a long time, cornflower infusion becomes an indispensable remedy. Compresses are made with it on the eyelids. They also wash the skin around the eyes after removing makeup and before applying cosmetics to the face.

The infusion will help breathe strength into weakened and lifeless hair. It is rubbed into the roots after washing your hair. It’s also good to simply rinse your curls. Cornflower will help stop hair loss and get rid of dandruff.

Herbalists recommend doing flower baths. They relieve fatigue. This is facilitated by the essential oils contained in the plant. Preparing a bath is simple. A glass of flowers is poured with boiling water, left for an hour and poured into the bath. The duration of the procedure is 20 minutes.

Use in cooking

Cornflower seeds are used as a seasoning. They are added to gravies, sauces, salads, and hot dishes. The leaves are used for pickling and added to pates and sausages. All dishes with cornflower acquire a special, refined taste.

Conclusion

These are the medicinal properties and contraindications they have. Of course, the plant is worth trying for treatment. But before you start taking it orally, you need to make sure there are no contraindications, and also consult a doctor.

Blue cornflower is a symbol of purity, friendliness, courtesy, an obligatory element of the Ukrainian maiden wreath and beautiful holiday rituals. There are many legends and myths about the origin of its name, many of which are associated with stories of love and kindness. Since ancient times, the Slavs have valued not only the beauty of this blue flower, but also its healing properties.

Plant composition

Cornflower is a series of herbs from the Asteraceae family., which are distributed throughout Ukraine, Russia and other countries of Eastern and Central Europe, except for the northernmost and southernmost regions. Cornflower has accompanied people since ancient times and has always been considered a weed. This flower grows in fields along with cereals, along roadsides, in open meadows, and blooms from early summer until late autumn. In nature, cornflowers are found in bright blue, red, white, purple, burgundy, and yellow colors. There are 500 species of this plant in total.

The blue cornflower is considered the national flower of Estonia and is especially revered in Germany.

This flower is familiar to everyone thanks to its amazing blue color of the petals. The erect stem grows up to 80 cm in height. It is covered along its entire length with gray-green woolly leaves. Each flower is located on a separate stem in a single basket. The petals in the inflorescence are arranged in such a way that they resemble a royal crown. Thanks to this quality, cornflower is called a royal flower. Other names are voloshka (Ukrainian), blue flower, patchwork, blade.

Only the marginal blue petals of cornflower are used in medicine. This color of the petals is due to the presence of anthocyanin compounds - cyanines, cytaurines and cyanidins (derivatives of hydrocyanic acid). In addition, the medicinal flowers of the plant contain:

• flavonoids;
• glycosides with natural bitter components;
• carotene;
• ascorbic acid;
• coumarin;
• pelargonin chloride;
• acids: caffeic, quinic;
• tanning and resinous components;
• trace elements: zinc, cobalt, selenium, calcium.

Medicinal cornflower flowers are often combined with other medicinal herbs; it is included in many medicinal pharmaceutical preparations.

Useful properties of blue cornflower

Anthocyanins in blue cornflower are natural dyes, the purpose of which is to make the flower or plant as bright as possible and attract bees or other insects for pollination. In terms of their therapeutic effect, they are powerful antioxidants. Thanks to antioxidants, the body's immune system successfully fights bacterial infections and inflammation. Anthocyanins are not produced by the body, so their reserves must be replenished from the outside. To do this, their intake together with food or herbal decoctions must be constant and continuous.

The bright blue color of cornflower petals is due to the presence of magnesium and potassium in anthocyanin compounds. These minerals are simply indispensable for stable heart function. The anthocyanin compound centaurine can slow down the onset of orgasm in men and help anyone who suffers from rapid ejaculation. So, thanks to cytaurine, your partner will become a tireless lover.

Bitter glycosides in the plant are complex compounds of plant origin, the therapeutic effect of which is aimed at stabilizing the work of the heart muscle and irritating the intestines. In addition, glycosides have an antimicrobial and mild laxative effect.

It is the presence of acids and flavonoids that determines most of the pharmacological properties of cornflower. Flowers have the following effects:

• choleretic;
• diuretic;
• antispasmodic;
• antipyretic;
• bactericidal;
• sweatshop;
• painkillers.

A large amount of anthocyanin compounds and other beneficial components are found in all varieties.

Use in folk medicine

In pharmacies, medicinal cornflower is sold in the form of essential oil of inflorescences, dry collection, and alcohol tincture. Ancient manuscripts mention methods of treating skin diseases with crushed flower seeds. But today these recipes are not used.

The medicinal collection of blue cornflower treats:

• hepatitis;
• cholecystitis;
• arrhythmia;
• high blood pressure;
• nephritis;
• cystitis.

Taking the medicinal tincture internally helps:

• lower the temperature during fevers or colds;
• get rid of swelling;
• improve appetite and digestion;
• relieve spasms from the bronchi during severe coughing or whooping cough;
• accelerate the formation of red blood cells and get rid of anemia;
• cleanse the body of toxins;
• prevent Alzheimer's disease;
• reduce the risk of diabetes;
• eliminate inflammatory processes;
• improve coronary circulation, especially with swelling of the heart muscle;
• accelerate fat burning and weight loss;
• remove salts from the body and reduce salt deposits on the joints.

The most pronounced medicinal properties of the flower are manifested when applied externally:

• lotions with tinctures are used for eczema, furunculosis, open ulcers;
• tincture of flowers is used to wash the eyes for purulent conjunctivitis, barley and chronic eye fatigue;

• compresses with tincture are allowed to be used by pregnant women to relieve swelling from the legs;
• A few drops of cornflower essential oil can be added to the cream for a relaxing massage.

The drugs also have a wide range of medicinal properties.

Contraindications

Blue cornflower is a low-toxic substance, therefore, in order not to cause harm to yourself, in addition to the benefits of taking it, it is necessary to alternate periods of taking it and short breaks.
Infusions should not be taken orally if:

• pregnancy or breastfeeding;
• uterine or gastric bleeding;
• intolerance to components.

The components of the plant can accumulate in organ tissues, so before taking it or combining it with other drugs, you should consult a doctor.

Helpful information

Cornflower color is not used in large quantities. Healers recommend adding a small pinch of petals when preparing a medicinal mixture. This is called “salting” with cornflower.

The infusion is prepared according to the standard recipe

1. Take 1 teaspoon of dry petals and a glass of boiling water.
2. Pour the color into a porcelain bowl, add hot water and cover.
3. Place the cup in a container of water and heat over medium heat for 15 minutes.
4. Cool for 45 minutes, strain and make up to 200 ml volume with warm water.

Take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day as a mild choleretic, diuretic or antimicrobial agent. For a more intense therapeutic result, before starting to use infusions, you should consult with your doctor.

Cosmetic oil

1. Fill a small dark glass container with fresh petals and pour warm sunflower oil over everything.
2. Seal tightly with a lid and leave in the refrigerator for 10 days.
3. Store in the refrigerator for 6 months.

This oil is not recommended for use on the face - it has a pungent odor. But you can cure inflamed acne on the back (lubricate it) and get rid of cracked heels (make compresses).

Application in cosmetology

• Cornflower decoction and tincture are used to care for oily skin of the face and scalp, as well as to combat dandruff.
• To get rid of excess fat on the face, you need to wipe the skin with alcohol tincture (dilute with water 1:1).
• Lotions with cornflower extract smooth the skin, reduce enlarged pores, and eliminate inflammation. The mattifying effect of their use lasts all day.
• Cornflower extract is included in creams for the care of the skin around the eyes. Creams gently care for eyelids, relieve swelling and swelling.

• Cotton swabs soaked in cold broth will also help relieve swelling from the skin around the eyes.
• Essential oil from this flower restores collagen and elasticity of facial skin, removes crow's feet around the eyes. Can also be used for soft makeup removal.
• An infusion of flowers is rubbed into the scalp or used to rinse hair.
• Rubbing with the infusion helps improve the condition of dry skin on the hands, neck and décolleté.

Other Applications

• The petals are used as a dye for champagne (pink).
• The aroma of cornflower contains notes of mint, cloves and lemon, so in cooking it is used as a seasoning for meat. Perfect for sweet dishes.
• Honey from cornflower flowers has a greenish tint and a bitter taste, vaguely reminiscent of almonds.

How to collect, dry and store

The most difficult thing in harvesting blue cornflower is to collect and properly dry the petals. The flowers are carefully cut with scissors and then sorted. The marginal petals must be manually removed from each flower to prevent weeds or other impurities from entering the collection. The most important thing is to dry them in such a way that they do not lose their amazing color. Along with the shade, the healing properties of blue cornflower will also disappear.

For proper drying you need:

• spread the petals in a thin layer on a piece of thick burlap or canvas;
• dry in a dark place at a temperature of 60 degrees, preferably in an oven or in artificial dryers;
• While drying, gently stir the petals so that they dry evenly.

Store in a cool place in a paper bag or box for up to 2 years. Dry petals have no odor, but have a bitter and astringent taste. The longer dried flowers are stored, the more they fade and lose their benefits.

You've probably often seen these beautiful bright blue flowers in the fields. Share in the comments if you are familiar with all its medicinal properties.