The flora of our planet is diverse and amazing. It would seem that everything has long been studied and known. But from time to time, each person discovers something new and unusual from the plant world.
One such discovery for many was water nut is a unique plant with a long history and healing properties.
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Botanical description of the water nut, ripening season
Water chest have different names, the most common ones are chilim and floating rogulnik.
Small walnut fruit: in the diameter up to 2-2.5 cm, in length up to 4 cm. It has from 2 to 4 long processes, similar to curved horns, therefore it is a plant among people also called the damn nut.
The plant blooms in early-mid summer white small flowers. Chilim flowers bloom just a few hours. In the place of flowers ripen the seeds of fruits in the autumn - from 5 to 12 pieces on each plant.
Inside the black-brown fruit is formed one seed, which occupies the entire inner space. Surprising seed property to maintain its viability for a long time.
Reproduction and distribution of chilim It happens with the help of fruits that spread by the flow and expand the plant's range.
The spread of seeds occurs with the help of animals - the horns of the fruit cling to the fur of animals that have come to drink, and are transferred to other places.
Damn nut refers to the water annuals, being a representative of the genus Rogulnik and the family Derbennikovye.Its stalk grows in spring from a pond that fell to the bottom of the reservoir.
The length of the flexible stem reaches 3.5-5 m, and when the water level rises, the stem can separate from the bottom and develop in the water column. When the water level drops and the roots sink to the bottom, the plant takes root again.
On the stem of the chilim two types of leaves grow. Linear opposite leaves are formed throughout the stem, located in the water column. The second type of leaves is a beautiful multi-tiered socket, floating on the water surface.
Leathery oval or diamond-shaped leaves with teeth on the edges are very similar to birch leaves. The length of the petioles is 5–9 cm, and by the time the fruit is ripening, air cavities (swimming bubbles) form on the petioles, providing the socket with additional buoyancy.
In autumn season ripened fruits sink to the bottom., and the plant dies off. With the onset of spring, the growth of the water nut begins with a new one.
Hilim habitat and habitat
The history of the appearance of water chestnuts has more than 25 million years. Paleontologists have discovered the fruits of Chilim in the layers of the earth, whose age corresponds to the Neogene era.
Even primitive people used relic nuts in food. According to some sources, three thousand years ago in China, the plant was specially diluted for medicinal and culinary purposes.
In ancient times, the rodent played the role of one of the staple foods. Archaeologists during the excavation of settlements dated X-XII centuries., Discovered large reserves of bloody nuts.
In Russia, they were eaten raw, cooked, dried or baked in fire, from dried fruits, milled flour. The plant was distributed on the territory of present-day Russia and Ukraine almost until the end of the XIX - beginning of the XX century.
Since that time, the Chilim began to gradually disappear due to the massive catch, changing climatic conditions and the qualitative composition of water bodies.
Nowadays chilim grows in the open spaces of Africa and Asia. The Asian area includes Japan, India, Pakistan, China, Vietnam and Turkey.
On the territory of the former Soviet Union, the plant is found in Georgia, Kazakhstan, the European part of Russia, in the Far East, the south of Western Siberia and in the waters of the Dnieper basin.
The water nut lives in standing lakes and swamps, floodplains of slow-flowing rivers with fresh water and a muddy bottom.
In ecologically clean waters Chilim grows, forming continuous thickets, in the polluted plant dies out. Rogul is sensitive to fluctuations in water temperature and light, and is a kind of marker that characterizes the state of lakes and rivers.
Composition and nutritional value of water chestnut
The white kernels of bloody nuts are not just tasty, but also healthy. The calorie content of the fruit is relatively small - 200 kcal per 100 gthat allows them to be eaten by supporters of proper nutrition and those who care about the figure.
The nutritional value of 100 g of the product is:
- proteins - 11.9 g;
- fats 3.4 g;
- carbohydrates - 55.4 g;
- water - 10.4 g;
- ash - 2.4 g
The healing properties of chilim are explained by the content of a wide range of nutrients. All parts of water chestnut contain:
- flavonoids;
- phenolic compounds;
- triterpenoids;
- tannins;
- nitrogen compounds;
- glucose;
- minerals: manganese, calcium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium and chlorine.
Beneficial features
If in our regions water chestnut is not as popular as a remedy, then in the expanses of Asia, traditional medicine can not do without it.
There is probably not a single disease for the treatment of which Tibetan monks and Chinese healers would not use a rodent.
List of indications for medical use pretty big:
- diuretic (diuretic) agent - used to treat the kidneys and urogenital system;
- antimicrobial and antiviral - helps get rid of gonorrhea, herpes, follicular and purulent tonsillitis;
- fixing - fresh fruit or fresh juice is eaten with diarrhea;
- antitumor - treats tumors of different nature;
- choleretic - activates the liver and gallbladder;
- astringent - accelerates wound healing;
- antispasmodic - relieves pain and cramps;
- toning - increases vitality and performance;
- sedative - soothes and helps fight stress;
- fortifying - helps to recover from severe ills.
Rogul-based drugs have proven themselves in the treatment atherosclerosis, impotence, eye diseases, toothaches, insect bites and snakes.
Used for medical purposes not only kernels of nuts, but also stalks, flowers and leaves. Chilim is used to prepare fresh juice, spirit tinctures, tinctures on the steam bath and decoctions.
Chilim Vodka used to clean the blood vessels. To do this, pour 10 kernels of walnut with a glass of vodka and insist for 10 days.
Tincture taken three times a day for 1 tbsp. l The course of treatment lasts 10 days, repeated treatment is carried out after 10 days break.
Fresh Peanut Juice smears herpes vesicles on the lips and itchy insect bites. The juice diluted with water (10: 1) rinse the throat for inflammation of the throat and mouth.
Beauticians use watercake infusion for the treatment of acne and inflammation of the skin.
Nut Recipes
As already mentioned, tasty and juicy fruits of the rogger eat raw or boiled in salted water. When baking, the delicacy resembles the taste of roasted chestnut.
Flour obtained by grinding dried fruit is added to bread, tortillas and pancakes. Seed pulp is used in salads, snacks and confectionery.
Cooking with water chestnuts is available mainly to the population of Asian and African countries. Those who are lucky to get these unique fruits can try the most popular recipes in their kitchen.
Watercake in bacon. This dish is more complicated, it needs 240 g of canned water chestnuts.
Dried bacon (1.5 kg) cut into slices, wrap in each nut and fix with a toothpick. If the fruits are very large, they can be cut into two halves. Bacon put in a baking dish.
In a saucepan, mix 1 cup of ketchup, 1 cup of brown sugar and 1 teaspoon of Worcester sauce, heat to boiling. Pour the hot sauce over the bacon, put the form in the oven preheated to 180 ° C. Bake until ready 45-50 minutes.
Peanut Puree. For making mashed potatoes, 200 g of fruits should be peeled and cut into slices. Put sliced fruit into a saucepan and pour 150 g of milk. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 30-40 minutes.
At the end of cooking, rub the nut pieces through a sieve or crush with a tolkushka, add milk, in which fruits, butter and sugar are cooked to taste. The resulting mass is heated, stirring so as not to burn.
The finished puree is used as a side dish for meat dishes.
Braised chilim with apples. Clean 100 g of chilim, pour boiled water and stew under a lid. 100 g of apples peeled and cut into slices.
Add apples to chilim, put butter and sugar to taste in a saucepan. Simmer everything together until the fruit is soft.
Keep the water nut fruits in a cool place. (refrigerator or cellar), previously wrapped in cotton fabric.
Peel the nuts immediately before cooking.otherwise, peeled fruits quickly lose taste.
Seeing on the water surface a spectacular rosette of leaves of the rodent, you know, in front of you is not some kind of aquatic weed, but a wonderful plant with nutritious fruits and unique healing properties.