Plant and drink a bit like coffee. Herbal coffee as an alternative to regular coffee

Julia Vern 5 114 3

Some people, due to health problems or other reasons, cannot afford to indulge in a cup. fragrant coffee. But if the love for coffee is strong, and there is no opportunity to drink it, coffee substitutes come to the rescue. This product is made from a variety of natural ingredients, have the smell of real coffee and original bitterness, while in most cases they do not contain caffeine. Among the many coffee surrogates, you can find exactly the option that will not only be ideal for taste wishes, but also bring invaluable benefit body.

Chicory is the most common alternative to organic coffee.

The substances that make up the chicory root help to remove toxic substances from the body and stimulate immune system and intestinal microflora. Also instant drink from chicory dilates blood vessels, eliminates attacks of tachycardia and has a beneficial effect on nervous system. chicory in separate form- This dietary product, useful also for diabetics due to the content of inulin.

In addition, chicory is used in combination with roasted and ground barley, rye and oat grains as well as natural coffee. This coffee has a pleasant bitterness, fragrant aroma and coffee flavor despite the fact that it does not contain caffeine. To prepare delicious drink from chicory, it is enough to dissolve two teaspoons of the powder with boiling water, bring everything to a boil and cook over low heat for three minutes. Before drinking coffee, it is necessary to let it brew and strain, if desired, you can add a spoonful of sugar or honey.

Acorn coffee is considered one of the best substitutes for traditional coffee. Such a drink has tonic properties, is useful for diseases of the heart, stomach and respiratory system. Acorn coffee powder is produced mainly in coffee factories, but you can also make it yourself. To do this, you need to collect acorns (in late autumn), select only whole and ripe fruits from them and bake in the oven until pink shade. Baked acorns are peeled and ground in a coffee grinder. You can prepare such coffee both in a Turk, and simply by dissolving a teaspoon of powder in boiling water. This drink does not contain caffeine, but at the same time it is not inferior to natural coffee in terms of taste characteristics.

Beetroot coffee

To prepare beetroot coffee, the beets are cleaned, treated with boiling water and cut into small cubes, which are then fried in a pan and ground hot in a coffee grinder.

The resulting mass is placed in boiling water in the ratio of two teaspoons per 200 ml of water, boiled for 5 minutes, and then allowed to brew. To complement the taste, lemon or sugar is added to the drink.

Beetroot coffee does not contain caffeine, so it can be drunk by both children and those people who are not able to drink. natural coffe for whatever reasons.

barley coffee

Barley drink is prepared from barley grains, which have a lot of useful properties. For example, they help with diseases of the kidneys and digestive organs. Barley contains proteins, carbohydrates and fiber, as well as a whole complex important trace elements: vitamins A, E, B, D, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, iodine. Thus, it is safe to say that barley coffee is not only original, but also healing product. In some stores you can already buy ready coffee, made from ground barley grains, which can be cooked in a Turk. However, you can prepare barley powder yourself, for this grain you need to rinse and dry. Next, the dried barley grains are fried in a pan, constantly stirring, preventing the grains from burning, after which they are ground in a coffee grinder. To complement the taste of coffee, you can add a little chicory to it.

Roasted baobab seeds

In the baobab, all its parts can be used as food, the leaves, for example, are used for salads and seasonings, oil is obtained from the fruits, the fruit pulp contains vitamins B and C and tastes like ginger.

Baobab seeds contain a lot essential oils, are consumed roasted and used for the preparation of extracts and coffee substitutes. To do this, the seeds are roasted and ground, and the resulting mass is used to brew a drink that tastes very much like coffee.

Mugitya is japanese drink, which is made from roasted wheat or barley, which tastes like Soviet coffee substitutes. For this, unrefined cereals are roasted for cast iron pan to a brownish-golden hue, insist and brew. This drink is usually consumed cold.

Mugitya cooked according to old recipe, when whole grains of oats are poured with boiling water, after which the container is tightly wrapped with a towel and allowed to brew for about five minutes.

Powder carob used as one of the surrogates for coffee, although it is not widely used in Russia. A drink made from carob powder tastes like cocoa, in addition, a natural sweetener - carob syrup is very popular. In the homeland of the plant, it is actively used in the culinary and medical fields, in Europe it is used by people on diets. You can usually buy carob powder from online stores that sell this product shipped from Spain.

Dandelion roots

Dandelion root is a real storehouse of vitamins and useful elements, which contains 40% inulin, about 20% proteins, 15% sugar, organic compounds, vitamins C, B2, P, iron, potassium, manganese, phosphorus, sterols, nicotinic acid, choline, flavonoids, tannins. For one cup of coffee, you will need the roots of two or three dandelions. Dandelion roots are harvested mainly during periods of early spring and late autumn, it is at this time of the year that they are not depleted of flowering and have medicinal properties. Dandelion roots are cut into small cubes, roasted or dried and used to make a drink at any time of the year. To prepare dandelion coffee, the processed pieces of the root are placed in cold water and brought to a boil. When the drink turns brown coffee color, it is removed from the fire and insisted. This coffee has an original slightly sweet taste, and somewhat reminiscent of chicory.

Guarana

Since ancient times, guarana has been used to treat headaches, as an antipyretic and invigorating agent.

Guarana is a dried pulp made from the processed seeds of the Brazilian tree vine. During the grinding of guarana, small particles of the peel remain in the finished mass and give the drink an original taste. chocolate taste with a slight bitterness.

Guarana contains even more caffeine than coffee or tea, so it may not be suitable for people looking for a decaffeinated alternative to coffee. A drink made from the seeds of this plant is common in the cultures of many peoples. Guarana coffee gained its wide popularity in the 19th century among the French, in other countries alcohol was added to the powder, getting original drink with unique flavor characteristics.

Topinamur

Jerusalem artichoke ( earthen pear) - perennial herbaceous plant aster family. Jerusalem artichoke is native to North America. This plant has many useful properties, and for diabetics it is completely ideal, since the content of inulin in it is only 20%, which is not found in any other product.

To prepare a drink from Jerusalem artichoke, you first need to wash it, chop it into pieces, dry it for fresh air and then roast in the oven until browned. Next, Jerusalem artichoke cubes are crushed in a coffee grinder and brewed according to classic recipe making coffee. Cream and sugar can be added to the prepared drink, as well as a small amount of natural coffee to enhance the taste.

Sweet potato is a plant in which all parts are edible, it contains glucose, ascorbic acid, various minerals and vitamins. Also noted in the sweet potato great content riboflavin, thiamine, iron, niacin and other valuable substances.

Sweet potato seeds are also used to make a drink that tastes like traditional coffee, for this, dry the product cut into pieces in the oven or in a frying pan, then grind it in a coffee grinder and brew it in a Turk.

In a pear, not only their fruits are useful, but also a change rich in oils, from which you can make a drink that is great alternative natural coffee. To do this, fruit seeds must be fried for hot pan, grind in a coffee grinder and brew in the same way as classic ground coffee.

Beech nut has found wide application in the production of oil, which replaces Provence, walnut, poppy and other types of oils. In addition, beech nut is actively used for the manufacture of coffee surrogate. To do this, dried nuts are roasted in the shell until a shade of natural roasted coffee appears. Processed nuts are crushed in special mills until a fine-grained structure is formed.

Curly lily is a perennial bulbous plant of the lily family, has useful properties, has a calming and analgesic effect. In addition, this plant has a food purpose, it is used raw, boiled, fried and as a seasoning. To make a lily coffee surrogate, the bulbs are dried and ground into a powder.

Cyperus esculentus (chufa)

Cyperus esculentus (chufa) - a perennial plant from the sedge family, is a natural antioxidant, has antiseptic properties, helps lower cholesterol, improve metabolism and dilate blood vessels.

Chufa is nutritious product, most valuable part which are considered to be its nodules (underground cones), they contain 20% sugar, 25% starch, 20-25% oil and up to 8% protein. Cyperus tubers taste like kernels peanut, they are used in boiled and fried, used in the manufacture confectionery, drinks and coffee substitute.

hawthorn blood red

Hawthorn fruits contain many valuable elements, such as flavonoids, organic acids (citric, ursolic, coffee and others), carotenoids, tannins, fixed oils, vitamins K, E, C. Since ancient times, jelly and jams, as well as tea and coffee substitutes, have been produced from hawthorn fruits. The process of making coffee is practically no different from the preparation of other coffee substitutes, first the fruits are dried in the oven or in a pan, after which they are ground in a coffee grinder, brewed with boiling water and infused.

Dogwood ordinary

Dogwood has many useful properties, it has a diuretic, choleretic, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory effect. Dogwood berries contain pectins, which help rid the body of toxins and remove urea. In addition, dogwood strengthens the walls of blood vessels and capillaries, relieves swelling and inflammation in the veins. Dogwood fruits are used to make decoctions and jams, and the remaining seeds are used to make a coffee substitute, for this you need to rinse and dry them in a pan. Dried bones are crushed in a coffee grinder, and the resulting mass is brewed in a Turk like regular coffee.

Robinia - pseudoacacia

Robinia, or pseudoacacia, as it is also called, is a deciduous plant of the legume family. Flowers, bark and leaves of robinia have medicinal properties and contain essential oils, esters salicylic acid, tannin. Robinia seeds contain more than 10% essential oils and are used to make coffee substitutes. To do this, the seeds are dried, fried in a hot pan or oven and processed in a coffee grinder.

Coffee, brought to the Old World from America, quickly gained popularity there. At first, coffee beans were expensive, and only wealthy people could afford a cup of natural coffee. What prompted ordinary people to the search for plants from which to prepare similar drink and thus replace the taste of natural coffee.

Over time, coffee substitutes have gained popularity among a large number of people, including those who have, for medical reasons, could not drink natural coffee. Interestingly, many coffee drinks made from plants have proven to be tastier and healthier than coffee. Everything else is the psychology of perception.

There are quite a few recipes for making drinks that can replace coffee and, interestingly, all the ingredients for them can be grown in the country, in the garden, collected in the forest, in the field, or bought at a vegetable store.

Chicory coffee drink.

Beautiful blue chicory flowers can be found along the roads, in wastelands, along ravines and ditches, on the banks of rivers and in meadows. Over time, they began to make not only salads and medicinal preparations, but also use it to replace coffee. Coffee flavored drink is made from chicory roots. To do this, they need to stock up in the fall. In this case, it is best to dry the whole plant for 10 days, and only then wash off the earth from the roots, grind it and dry it in the shade or in a dryer at 70 ° C.

Then the chicory roots need to be fried in a pan until they turn brown and grind in a coffee grinder. 1 tsp chicory roots pour a glass of water, bring the water to a boil and boil over low heat for about 4 minutes. Then stand for 10 minutes. Milk can be added to the prepared drink if desired.

Beet coffee flavored drink.

Select a few medium-sized red beet tubers, peel, chop into coarse grater and dry in the oven. Lightly fry the dried beets in a pan. If you overcook it, then the taste of the drink will turn out bitter.

Grind the beets in a coffee grinder. Store excess powder like regular coffee. Next, prepare coffee in the same way as with chicory.

Coffee-flavored drink made from Jerusalem artichoke or carrot.

The taste of natural coffee can be replaced with Jerusalem artichoke or carrots. I will not repeat the descriptions, since the preparation of the drink is the same as from red beets.

Barley coffee drink.

Powder like " barley ear» You can make your own. The selected grain of barley (rye) is cleaned of impurities, washed, dried and fried in a pan with constant stirring. Next, grind the beans in a coffee grinder, and brew in the same way as natural coffee. Pearl barley can be used instead of barley.

Sunflower coffee flavored drink.

Drink from sunflower seeds is prepared in the same way as from barley.

Bean coffee flavored drink.

Soak small beans in water for several hours, then rinse, and boil for 15 minutes, rinse and dry. Further - as in previous recipes.

Drink with taste of coffee from acorns and chestnuts.

Peel the acorns, divide them into several parts, pour boiling water over them and soak for 15 hours. Then dry, fry in a pan, grind in a coffee grinder. Similarly, you can make a drink from chestnuts (but not horse!). You can skip the soaking step here.

Drink with taste of coffee from other medicinal plants.

A good drink that replaces the taste of natural coffee can be prepared from the roots or a mixture of fireweed, parsnip, dandelion, scorzonera, wheatgrass, reed roots. The principle of preparation is the same. The roots are washed, cut into small pieces, dried, fried until brown, etc.

Delicious and healthy coffee drink can be prepared from seeds of okra, hawthorn, viburnum, mountain ash, wild rose. The principle of making drinks from these seeds is the same as described earlier.

blooming chicory

Coffee, brought in the Middle Ages from America, quickly gained popularity in the Old World. Naturally, coffee beans were expensive; only wealthy people could afford a cup of real aromatic coffee. But the fashion for coffee has spread to other sectors of society. It was then that people began to experiment, trying to create drinks similar in taste and color to coffee, but made from available and not expensive plants.
To prepare drinks similar to natural coffee, they began to use various cereals, vegetables, roots of garden and wild plants, acorns, chestnuts, seeds, berries, etc. Often, substitutes turned out to be very similar to real coffee. It was not without falsification, when in inexpensive coffee houses an inexperienced visitor could be served a drink in which real coffee was mixed with surrogates, or even completely replaced by them.

Over time, substitutes for the popular drink gained popularity, and not only among people who could not afford real coffee because of the high price, but also among those who, for medical reasons, had to limit themselves to drinking it. It is curious that many coffee drinks turned out to be not only tasty, but also much healthier than real coffee.

Perhaps the most commonly used coffee substitutes are chicory roots, barley, and acorns. Other plants also came into play. There are several dozen recipes for making coffee drinks, including those from exotic plants that do not grow in Europe or are extremely rare. But many recipes for making ersatz coffee are quite affordable, since the ingredients necessary for their preparation can be bought at a vegetable store, grown independently in a garden, collected in a field or in a forest.

Chicory has been known since ancient times. Pretty blue flowers of this plant can be seen in urban wastelands, along roadsides, along ditches and ravines, in meadows and river banks. Previously, chicory was used in cooking, preparing salads and seasonings from its leaves. And also in folk medicine. traditional healers used preparations from chicory for the treatment of diseases of cardio-vascular system, gastrointestinal tract, gallbladder, kidneys, liver, to normalize metabolism, improve appetite and digestion. The plant is also used to treat skin inflammations, etc. They even tried to treat hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver with chicory.

Chicory is still widely used in folk medicine, but it has long been better known as a coffee substitute. To prepare a coffee drink, long chicory roots are used. Best time for harvesting roots - autumn. If possible, then the stems from the roots are not cut off, but in this form the plant is laid out for ten days in the shade, so that during the drying of the stems and leaves, part useful substances of them passed into the roots. Then the roots are washed off the ground, cut into small pieces and dried in the shade or in a dryer at a temperature of 60-80 degrees.

To prepare a coffee drink, dried chicory roots are fried in a pan or baking sheet until brownish and ground in a coffee grinder or mortar. Brewed to taste, usually a teaspoon of roots in a glass of water, brought to a boil and kept for 3-5 minutes on low heat or a water bath. Then they give some time to brew. Milk or cream can be added to the drink. Sometimes the drink is immediately prepared with milk. Connoisseurs of useful and fragrant drink from chicory, it is recommended to add not sugar, but honey to it.

Harvesting chicory roots is not so simple. Those who do not have such an opportunity can be advised to use other plants to prepare a coffee drink, for example, ordinary vegetables, which can be bought in a store or grown on a personal plot. Moreover, the process of making ersatz coffee from beets, carrots or Jerusalem artichoke does not take much time and effort.

To prepare a coffee drink, medium-sized red beets are used, which are pre-peeled, cut into small pieces (you can use a coarse grater) and dried in the oven. Before preparing the drink, dried beets are fried in a pan or baking sheet. It is important not to overdo it, otherwise the taste of the drink will turn out to be unnecessarily bitter.

Roasted beets are ground in a coffee grinder or mortar. If beetroot powder is made in excess, it can be stored in glass jar With tight lid. The principle of brewing a coffee drink from beets is about the same as from chicory. The time of boiling and infusion is chosen independently, in this, as in the preparation of real coffee, there may be various options, including the use of an electric coffee maker.

The procedure for preparing a coffee drink from Jerusalem artichoke or carrots is the same as from red beets. I met mentions that you can make a drink from sugar beets, moreover, you don’t need to add sugar to it. The only problem is the sugar beets in retail practically never occurs.

There are a significant number of other plants from which you can make a delicious and healthy coffee drink.

Used to make coffee drinks various plants. In the previous part of the article, it was told how to make ersatz coffee from. No less original drink can be obtained from rye, barley, sunflower seeds, beans, acorns, and even or. And this list is far from complete.

Many people are probably familiar with barley coffee drink. I don't know how it is now, but Soviet times V baby food it was not recommended to use real coffee, so in school canteens and pioneer camps they usually gave it instead barley drink. In those days, the powder for making such drinks was freely sold, even the name is vaguely remembered, either “Spikelet”, or “Barley Ear”, or simply “Barley”.

Probably, something similar is now available for sale. But if desired, the powder for such a drink can be prepared independently. To do this, you can use barley or rye. Clean the selected grain from impurities, rinse, dry and fry in a pan or baking sheet with constant stirring. Grind in a coffee grinder, brew in the same way as natural coffee, adding milk, cream, sugar to taste. If it is difficult to buy real barley, you can use it.

There is another recipe for preparing a powder for a coffee drink from grains, but more complex. The selected grain of rye or barley is soaked for 15-20 hours in cold water. Then washed and boiled until the grains begin to burst. Washed again and dried. The further principle of preparation is standard.

If desired, you can make a coffee substitute not from grain, but from flour, although this is more troublesome. For this, from rye or barley flour in milk with the addition of eggs, a stiff dough is kneaded, which is rolled out and cut into small noodles. Further preparation goes the same way as from grain - the noodles are dried, fried, crushed, etc.

Sometimes, according to the same principle as from rye or barley, a coffee drink is prepared from sunflower seeds. But more often, sunflower is not used on its own for a drink, but is added to give an original flavor to the powder from chicory, beets, barley, etc.

It is not difficult to prepare a coffee substitute from small beans. To do this, they are soaked in water for several hours, washed, boiled for 15-20 minutes, washed again and dried. The further order of preparation is standard.

A coffee drink can also be made from acorns. To do this, the acorns are peeled, cut into several pieces, poured with boiling water and allowed to brew for 10-15 hours. After that, they are dried, fried, chopped, etc. A coffee drink is made from chestnuts (real ones, not horse ones!), Only in this case, you can do without soaking.

The original coffee drink can be prepared from the roots of fireweed, burdock, dandelion, parsnip, wheatgrass, reed (bulrush, not to be confused with cattail). The procedure for preparing drinks is, in principle, the same for all these plants. Just keep in mind that burdock (a biennial plant) uses the root of the first year. The roots are washed, cut into small pieces, dried, fried until brown, etc.

A tasty and healthy coffee drink can be prepared from seeds, hawthorn, viburnum, rose hips. But this is rather exotic, since okra is just beginning to gain popularity among our gardeners, and in order to prepare the seeds of other plants, you will have to tinker. In addition, rosehip seeds must be washed very thoroughly so that there are no hairs left in them. But for the sake of experiment or for testing, drinks can be prepared from them, fortunately, all these plants are medicinal, so ersatz coffee will be not only original, but also very useful. The principle of making drinks from these seeds is standard: drying, roasting, grinding, etc.

It is not necessary to make a coffee drink from just one plant. The taste will be richer and more original if you use a mixture of different plants in the preparation. Similar recipes with quantitative ratios can be found on the Internet. But it is much more interesting to experiment on your own, perhaps you will get ratios that allow you to get a drink with not only the original, but also exquisite taste. It is worth considering that the listed plants are far from exhausting the list of those from which coffee drinks can be prepared. So there is a lot of room for experimentation.

Among gardeners and gardeners okra everything is perceived as, although in Lately it is becoming more and more popular. This is largely facilitated by its excellent taste and the possibility of using in diet food. The birthplace of okra is Africa, in the southern countries where this plant has been cultivated for a long time, it is known by many names - bhindi, okra, vegetable hibiscus, gombo.

In Russia, attempts to cultivate okra began a long time ago, especially since it is not so difficult. I met references in the literature that it was grown in the Moscow region, the former not only famous writer but also by a practicing physician. Apparently, he was interested not only in its taste, but also healing properties.

In the Mediterranean, the healing properties of okra have been used since ancient times. Its fruits contain many vitamins, carotene, easily digestible protein, carbohydrates, potassium salts, mucous substances. From the seeds of okra, an oil is obtained that can compete with olive oil. The plant is traditionally used to restore strength after an illness or when the body is depleted, to feed people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Decoctions of young fruits are used in the treatment of bronchitis.

Okra is an annual plant of the Malvaceae family, its "relatives" are garden mallow, cotton. Like most mallows, the plant is tall. Varieties considered dwarf reach 30-40 centimeters, they are usually grown as ornamentals. To obtain fruits, tall forms of plants are often planted, reaching two meters in height. Young fruits are eaten, resembling in shape long pods green pepper 5-25 cm long. The fruits grow very quickly, if they are not harvested at the age of 3-5 days, they become coarse, start to turn brown and lose nutritional value. Fruits are allowed to ripen only for the sake of seeds, unripe seeds are used for food instead, ripe ones are used in medical practice to obtain oil and a substitute.

Okra fruits are eaten as fresh(they can be used in the preparation of salads), and boiled, stewed, fried, used as a seasoning for soups and sauces. In addition, they are dried, frozen, canned. There are many recipes for cooking dishes with okra. If you wish, you can experiment, since it is difficult to spoil dishes with okra.

Growing okra under conditions middle lane presents no particular difficulties, but has its own characteristics. Okra is a heat-loving plant, so it can be planted with seeds in the ground only in areas with a relatively hot climate or in heated greenhouses. Gardeners often plant seedlings of okra in the first half of June, when the soil warms up enough.

Seeds for seedlings are sown in late April - early May in deep pots (preferably in peat humus), as the plant has a long taproot, which is highly undesirable to injure during transplantation. The soil for seedlings is prepared from light fertile soil with the addition of humus and mineral fertilizers. Seeds are usually deepened by 2-4 centimeters and watered moderately so that there is no waterlogging and no crust appears on the ground.

Okra usually germinates in 1-2 weeks if the soil temperature is close to 15 degrees. With more low temperatures seed germination is delayed, and seedlings appear frail. After germination, it is advisable to feed the plant with phosphate fertilizers, you can use nitrophoska (1 tablespoon per 5 liters of water). Periodic top dressing is carried out during the growth period.

When planting in the soil, it must be borne in mind that okra does not like thickening. Usually, in a row between plants, the distance is 30-40 cm, and between rows - at least 50 cm. It does not require abundant watering, but it also does not tolerate drying out of the soil. The plant has a long root, so the earth should be well moistened to a depth of at least 30-40 cm. When growing okra in greenhouses, periodic ventilation is necessary to prevent overheating and high humidity.

Okra grows fast, bloom and bear fruit early maturing varieties usually start 2-2.5 months after planting. During the fruiting period, it is advisable to moderately feed with humus and potassium nitrate. Harvesting is carried out at intervals of 2-4 days, not allowing the pods to overripe. Since the fruits are plucked unripe, they are stored poorly - they begin to coarsen. It is advisable to use them for food or for canning in the first days after collection.

Okra bears fruit for a long time, until the onset of the first frost. It can survive short-term frosts down to minus 3 degrees, but fruiting will slow down with a decrease in temperature. To produce seeds on several plants, the pods are allowed to fully mature. By the way, ripe okra seeds are an excellent coffee substitute. The drink turns out to be fragrant, and since it does not contain caffeine, it can be drunk at night and given to children. Thanks to the wonderful palatability and high yields, okra is becoming increasingly popular. Recently, on sale you can find seeds of several varieties of this interesting plant. According to the Internet, most often lovers of this exotic plant the following varieties are grown: Green velvet, White velvet, White cylindrical 127, Lady fingers, Dwarf greens. Try and you plant this representative of sultry Africa on your site.

Coffee addiction is a very common problem that often leads to Negative consequences for good health. Despite the fact that coffee contains a lot of useful substances and, if consumed in moderation, can have a positive effect on the body, an excess of this drink and regular use is still dangerous.

An instant drink sublimated from natural grains is especially harmful. On different technological processes use chemical substances, which not only change the composition of the drink, but also accumulate in the human body, slowly destroying it. Therefore, many people are looking for an alternative to an invigorating drink.

In fact, there are many other products in nature that have a stimulating and tonic effect. Below we consider 5 plants that can replace coffee without harm to health.

Echinacea.

Echinacea has a strong stimulating effect. Plant extract - alcohol or water, is used to combat chronic fatigue syndrome, overwork, to improve brain function and as a general tonic. The plant is quite capable of replacing coffee, because after the first intake of a drink or extract, you can feel cheerfulness and a surge of vitality.

Echinacea stimulates the processes of energy metabolism, accelerates the processing of supplied carbohydrates and fats into energy and strength. You can make a tea with the flowers of the plant, or you can add a small amount of the herb to a teapot with other herbs or green tea.

Eleutherococcus.

The plant is distributed in Eastern countries. Eleutherococcus is used as the main component in preparations with adaptogenic properties. A small amount of Eleutherococcus tinctures or decoctions will give vivacity for the whole day, for this reason it is not recommended to take it in the afternoon, so as not to disturb the sleep pattern. Eleutherococcus contributes not only to vivacity, but also increases concentration, endurance, stimulates recovery processes in the body.

Ginseng.

The world-famous ginseng root has many health benefits. But, its main advantage is the ability to invigorate, tone, activate the brain. The ideal alternative coffee - ginseng root tincture. Despite the fact that it is alcohol, such a dose of alcohol will not harm the body, because only 20-30 drops are enough to achieve the effect. Of course, if there are contraindications to the use of alcohol, you can use an aqueous infusion or decoction.

Guarana.

Many people know this plant because it is often used in the preparation of energy and tonic drinks. Guarana grows in Colombia, Brazil, Peru and several other countries. The fruits of this plant are used as a stimulant. They contain several compounds of caffeine, as well as tannin and theophylline. In tandem, all these substances have a stimulating effect. A drink made from guarana can invigorate you in a matter of seconds, but still, do not forget that it also contains caffeine, and regular use This substance depletes the nervous system and flushes minerals from the body.

Chinese Lemongrass.

This plant has the same beneficial properties as the previous ones. In addition, lemongrass has pleasant aroma, for which it is highly valued in its homeland in China and beyond. Almost all parts of the plant are used in oriental medicine as a tonic, tonic, able to invigorate and relieve fatigue in a matter of minutes.

All these plants are useful not only because they have an invigorating effect. Regular use can restore vital energy and get rid of fatigue. Invigorating plants have not only a short-term effect, but also have a therapeutic effect.

Now our story about coffee has reached the point where we should talk about how coffee is made. For this, ripened fruits coffee tree selectively hand-picked into baskets. Only the most mature of them can be plucked by coffee pickers. Unripe coffee berries are left on the branches for further ripening, as their seeds are not tasty. Overripe coffee beans are picked and discarded. Collecting coffee is a laborious process that requires attention and patience. Even one coffee berry that does not meet the requirements and standards can ruin the entire crop. Manual collection of coffee is used in Central America, Kenya, Ethiopia, India and some other countries. This collection of fruits is also used by plantation owners who maintain a reputation as a quality coffee supplier. It is believed that hand-picked produce the highest quality coffee beans.

Sometimes, in order to speed up the harvesting process before the expected rainy period, a continuous manual harvest of coffee is used. Do it when most of ripened coffee berries. In some countries, special combs are used, and the berries, as it were, are combed from the branches onto burlap, spread under the tree. After such a collection, the fruits of the coffee tree have to be additionally sorted out, sorting out overripe and unripe fruits.

In Brazil and Hawaii, mechanized harvesting of coffee fruits is used. This is due to the approximately simultaneous ripening of the crop in these countries, requiring the simultaneous collection of all berries. This is a high performance coffee collection. But after it, you have to sort the fruits, as well as remove the knots and leaves that fall during such a collection. During mechanized fruit picking, the coffee branches are subjected to vibrations, after which the mature coffee berries themselves fall off the branches.

The next step in obtaining coffee is the processing and drying of its fruits. This is done directly on the coffee plantations. You can't be slow about it. Otherwise, the crop may become moldy or rancid. There are two ways to process and dry coffee beans. The oldest and simplest of them is the dry method. The coffee beans are not washed. Coffee berries are first dried in the sun for 20 days. Every day, coffee fruits are turned over several times with a wooden rake, and covered at night so that they do not become damp again. This method is used in areas with a lack of water or during a period of drought. Sometimes mechanized drying of coffee fruits is used. But coffee beans dried in this way do not have the bouquet of taste and aroma characteristic of naturally dry dried beans. When the coffee beans are dried, they are subjected to mechanical peeling, while removing the dried pulp of the berries along with the peel and parchment shell of the seeds.

The second method of processing coffee berries is the wet method. With this method, the highest quality coffee beans are obtained. One of its advantages is the ability to harvest even during the rainy season. First, coffee berries are soaked in water and the pulp is removed using mechanical friction. The pulp remaining on the grains is subjected to fermentation, that is, coffee beans are left for 2-3 days in containers with water, where they undergo a fermentation process. This reaction improves the taste and aroma of coffee. This is what improves the quality. coffee beans. After that, the remnants of the pulp are washed off the grains with a stream of water and laid out to dry in the sun for two weeks. Dry coffee beans for several hours a day, constantly stirring them. After drying, they are covered from the sun and night moisture. Fast drying, just like long drying, degrades the quality of the coffee. Dried coffee beans move freely in their seed coat. If you rub them between the palms, it easily exfoliates. All dried coffee beans are freed from the seed coat by friction. Coffee beans prepared in this way have green color. They are sorted by size. The larger the coffee bean, the higher the coffee grade and price. Coffee beans are packed in bags. Store and transport bags with coffee beans on wooden decks, in cool rooms with high ceilings and ventilation. In the chemical laboratories of processing plants, coffee beans are examined, sorted, polished, and mixed using electronic devices. various varieties. After roasting, real black coffee can be prepared from such coffee beans. We hope that our story about coffee helped you get acquainted with the history of coffee, learn about the plant on which it grows, and how to harvest coffee beans.