2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 21:43
A coffee tree
Useful properties and uses of the coffee tree
Description of the coffee tree
The coffee tree is an evergreen tree, small, reaching a height of 6 m, but the cultivated species are slightly lower. This tree has dark green leaves, wavy at the edges, have an elongated shape, the length of which is 20 cm. Its flowers are snow-white in color, located in the axillary part of the leaf, they have a very pleasant, sweetish smell. And the fruits of the tree are similar to berries - they are also called coffee berries, at the beginning they are green, and then they turn red and acquire a purple hue.
The homeland of the coffee tree is the country of Ethiopia. But today it is grown in various areas of the tropics. Since ancient times, the fruits are harvested exclusively by hand. This process is quite laborious - first, the branches are combed with a special device resembling a comb, and then one berry is plucked.
The speed of their maturation, synchronicity in general depends only on the temperature regime. Typically, Brazilians harvest from May to early fall. Whether there are water bodies next to the plantations depends on what method the grain will be processed. There are two methods - "dry" and "wet". The second method is the most profitable - the fruits are soaked in barrels for 12 hours, and then sent to a special automatic cleaning.
After wet processing, the grains are dried for 10 days in open sunlight, or placed under hot air for a day. Then the shell is removed from the grains and sorted by size. However, green beans do not have any flavor and are roasted to form a caffeine oil.
Useful properties of the coffee tree
The coffee tree contains a very active substance - caffeine. It is found in coffee seeds, has an exciting effect on the cardiovascular system and the central nervous system. Caffeine has found wide application in the field of medicine, it is used there as an aphrodisiac drug, not only for heart failure, but also for poisoning, for example, with drugs. This substance is added to many medicines. Caffeine charcoal contains directly caffeine, a number of vitamins, and many other elements.
Many great people have enjoyed drinking coffee. The famous writer Honore de Balzac worked mainly at night and preferred to drink this particular drink, but he lived very little - only half a century. The philosopher Voltaire also drank coffee in large quantities, but lived to be 83 years old. But Fontenelle is also a big coffee lover, he has become a long-liver, having lived 100 years.
Traditional medicine has long been using coffee. And here the most important property of this substance was the exciting effect. It is used for heart and vascular diseases, it is taken for alcohol poisoning. In addition, coffee is a great help to cope with headaches, increase blood pressure, relieve stress and fatigue. Also, coffee will help with bad mood and depression. Since ancient times, coffee has been used to treat coughs and various inflammatory diseases.
Aromatic coffee is a storehouse of medicinal properties, it improves appetite, adds energy and strength, and increases efficiency. Everyone can choose a coffee drink to their liking, because there are a huge number of recipes, both pure coffee and with various additives.
Coffee is great for treating food poisoning. In these cases, you first need to do a gastric lavage, and then drink strong coffee. Such a drink is a complex of tannins, with the help of which the absorption of toxic substances into the body is prevented. In addition, coffee invigorates, and it will help with excessive use of sleeping pills, restore vitality, and activate the brain.
Coffee has a strong healing effect, with its help wounds heal faster. The damaged areas of the body must be washed with potassium permanganate, the concentration of which is 3%, and then sprinkled with ground coffee, pre-roasted. Such a unique powder will allow the wound to dry out and its quickest healing will occur.
Very often coffee is used to create medicinal and dietary drinks. With hypotension, regular consumption of coffee is necessary, as it tones the body. Coffee is one of the best sleep aids, it can activate physical and mental activity.
People have long understood that the coffee tree has many medicinal properties. Coffee charcoal is made from its grains, its action is very similar to activated carbon.
Thus, it can be used in case of poisoning, with increased gas production and bloating. Coffee beans are rich in various nutrients such as caffeine, vitamin B1 and D, and minerals. In the treatment of fever, severe headaches, increased uric acid content in the body and arthritis, an infusion of raw coffee beans will have an effective effect.
A coffee drink will tone up and give vigor, improve blood circulation, metabolic processes, and restore strength. But coffee is contraindicated in large quantities for people with heart disease, easily excitable, suffering from sleep disturbances.
Application of the coffee tree
Traditional medicine has long appreciated the medicinal properties of coffee and used it in the treatment of severe headaches, relieving stress and fatigue, giving strength and vigor. Plus, coffee can help relieve coughing fits. At home, you can make a drink from coffee that will not only be tasty, but also healthy, it will make the heart work more efficiently, increase efficiency, and restore appetite.
Coffee charcoal is an excellent remedy for poisoning, with its help to cleanse the gastrointestinal tract, all toxins are neutralized. In addition, this remedy will help with flatulence, and also quickly heal wounds and abrasions. The most basic active ingredient in a coffee drink is caffeine. It is he who determines all the medicinal properties of coffee. The most important action of caffeine is to stimulate the functions of the central nervous system.
Drinking coffee increases reflex excitability, the performance of the heart and respiratory organs, blood pressure, and other effects occur. But, of course, such changes are not very visible since coffee is taken in small quantities. And with an overdose, all the symptoms of arousal are already noticeable. Because of this, it is not recommended to drink coffee for excitable people, heart patients, ulcers. Excessive coffee consumption can be compared to the use of antidepressants.
For asthenia, hypotension and fatigue, a small amount of coffee perfectly tones the body. A couple of cups of this fragrant and healthy drink will remove the feeling of fatigue, sleepiness, and activate thought processes.
There is one simple but very effective recipe. To get rid of a headache, you need to prepare an infusion of raw tree grains. To do this, pour a tablespoon of ground coffee beans with a glass of hot boiled water. Then place the resulting liquid in a dry warm place and leave for an hour. And it is recommended to take such an infusion three times a day after meals for 1/3 cup.
Coffee tree fruit
The fruit of the coffee tree is subsequently the coffee beans. After harvesting the fruits, they are dried for 20 days, in the open sun, while it is necessary to separate the already dry pulp from the hard shell. Interestingly, Ethiopians have used the fruit as a chewing gum since ancient times. In the production of coffee in factories, the seeds are polished to remove their shell. And at home you can simply fry them in a pan until brown.
It has long been known about the stimulating effect of plant seeds. These grains contain fiber, nitrogenous compounds, caffeine, sugar, fat and minerals. Due to caffeine, coffee tones the central nervous system very well. Even in the healthiest people, excessive coffee consumption can lead to frequent heartbeats and sleep disturbances.
Raw grains can be used to make a drink. They must be fried in a cast iron pan, stirring constantly, while the fire must be very low. After they turn brown, grind them in a coffee grinder. In the event that the grains have been stored for a long period of time, they just need to be dipped in water and dried over a fire.
Growing a coffee tree
Anyone can grow a coffee tree - they can be purchased from botanical stores. But if you wish, you can get a seedling yourself, you just need to plant the grains in the ground. The most optimal soil for them is wet peat or leafy soil, but it should be warm enough. Fresh seeds are a guarantee that they will germinate accurately and must be sown immediately after harvest. If after that they are also stored, then you may not get seedlings at all. Seeds that have lain for a year are not completely subject to planting.
Fully ripe grain is best for sowing. All seeds that have defects, such as small size, floating in water, are immediately removed. The grains are only cleaned by hand to avoid any serious damage. The optimum depth for sowing seeds is 1.5 cm into the soil, consisting of turf, sand and humus.
You also need to pay special attention to feeding. When planting, superphosphate is used - 200 grams of fertilizer is added to 10 liters of water. The temperature should be 20 ° C. The first shoots appear in about a month. After the seedlings grow a little, they dive. Irrigate abundantly and regularly. And plantings bloom in 3.5 years, but possibly earlier.
Caring for the coffee tree. The coffee tree is very unpretentious, but it is thermophilic and needs fresh air. It is better to install the tree in a bright place, and in winter you need to protect it from the cold, since all the leaves can fall off. In the summer, he prefers partial shade. Young trees are transplanted every spring, and when they grow up, transplanting occurs less often - only once every two years.
Plants need to be watered regularly, dry soil is unacceptable. But the water must be settled, and at the same time at room temperature. Leaves should be cleaned of dust with a soft sponge. And from February to September, you need to feed the tree with fertilizers. You can buy them at all flower shops. And for annual feeding, it is better to use humus, with its help the plant will begin to develop faster.
The coffee tree must be grown in humid conditions. To do this, he needs to carry out water procedures, that is, spray more often from a spray bottle. If the ends of the leaves dry up, then the air is still dry. In summer, the plant should be watered abundantly, and in winter - moderately, but the soil should always be moist. Water for irrigation - only at room temperature. In the heat, warm water should not be watered, since the plant can get sick, including the likelihood of dark spots on the leaves.
For the cultivation of a coffee tree to be successful, it is necessary to create all the necessary conditions for it - an abundance of light, water, fertilizers. With a lack of all this, the tree may die, and all efforts will be in vain.
Coffee tree leaves
The coffee tree has dark green leaves with a wavy edge. They are large enough with dense skin. But with a lack of water, dark brown spots may appear on them. To prevent such consequences, it is necessary to regularly spray the leaves with water. If the leaves on the tree turn yellow and fall off, then there is nothing to worry about, this is a natural process.
A situation can often arise when the leaves of the coffee tree acquire a brown color. This mainly occurs when the tree is growing at home in very low humidity during the fall and winter months. But this phenomenon cannot be attributed to a disease. To create a more comfortable climate, the plant is best placed in a pan with water.
Many people often ask the question: is it necessary to form a crown of a coffee tree. There is no need for this. The crown of this tree already has the correct shape, reminiscent of a Christmas tree. If suddenly there are long branches growing to the side, then they can simply be cut off. This will help the crown to be dense and form many buds.
Contraindications of the coffee tree
Excessive coffee consumption can negatively affect the cardiovascular system and central nervous system. Caffeine is categorically contraindicated for people who are easily aroused, and those who suffer from sleep disturbances, rapid heartbeat, stomach ulcers and other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
With large doses of a strong coffee drink, even healthy people can experience mild caffeine poisoning. Signs of acute poisoning include tinnitus or ringing in the ears, migraines, blurred consciousness, anxiety, and seizures. Regular consumption of coffee in large quantities will ultimately lead to increased levels of nervous excitability, insomnia and itching of the skin.
Drinking coffee is contraindicated in several categories of people. It should not be drunk by those who suffer from atherosclerosis and hypertension. In addition, glaucoma patients are prohibited from drinking this drink, as it increases intraocular pressure. it is also not recommended for small children to drink coffee. Seniors should also give up coffee.
You shouldn't drink coffee during pregnancy. During the feeding period, women should also not drink this drink, since there is a risk that milk will disappear, and caffeine will have a negative effect on the child's health.
The author of the article: Sokolova Nina Vladimirovna | Phytotherapist
Education: Diploma in "General Medicine" and "Therapy" received at the Pirogov University (2005 and 2006). Advanced training at the Department of Phytotherapy at the Peoples' Friendship University of Moscow (2008).
