Ground cherry

Ground cherry – the largest perennial plant of family solanaceous. Height of a ground cherry makes 0,5 - 1 meters. In the people it is called a senna, pesy cherry, a marunky, earth cranberry, a sleepy grass.

South America is considered the homeland of a plant. A ground cherry is widespread in the Baltics, in Bulgaria, in Central Asia, in the Caucasus and in the countries of the Mediterranean, and also in many regions of Russia including in the Far East. It grows usually in the light woods and areas with edges, bushes and ravines, and also in gardens and kitchen gardens.

There is a set of species of cape gooseberry. Species of this plant are most widespread berry (strawberry), vegetable and decorative. A vegetable ground cherry is considered edible. A berry ground cherry very sweet, but it it is possible to eat too. A decorative ground cherry is very graceful and beautiful, however it is used an interior, exclusive for ornament.

Distinctive feature of a ground cherry of all types – the fruit berry of yellow-orange or flavovirent color placed in a cover. The cover is formed by accrete calux lobes and in the form reminds the Chinese small lamp. The period of maturing of berries of a ground cherry lasts from the middle of June on September.

Structure, nutrition value and caloric content of a ground cherry

Useful properties of a ground cherry consist in its structure. Hundred grams of a ground cherry vegetable contain 0,96 g of proteins, 1,02 g of fats and 3,94 g of carbohydrates, and also 6 mg of vitamin A, 0,04 mg of B1 vitamin, 0,04 mg of B2 vitamin, 1,85 mg of RR vitamin, 11,70 mg of vitamin C, 0,06 mg of carotene.

Fruits contain 1 mg of sodium, 268 potassium, 7 mg of calcium, 20 mg of magnesium, 39 mg of phosphorus, 0,62 mg of iron.

Ground cherry caloric content – 32 kcal on 100 g of fruits.

Fruits contain sugar, bitter also the tannins, pectins, phytoncides, nontoxic alkaloids gelatinizing substances, and also lemon, apple, amber and wine, sinapovy, ferulic and coffee organic acids.

Various alkaloids – теглоидин, pseudo-tropine, кускигрин and tropine are a part of roots of a plant. Leaves of a ground cherry contain a set of steroids – cholesterol, sitosterol, кампестерин and изофукостерин, and also carotinoids – alpha carotene, Luteinum, beta carotene, zeaxanthin, ether of zeaxanthin and Luteinum, beta carotene, cryptoxanthine, физоксантин.

Useful properties of a ground cherry

The advantage of a ground cherry is proved long ago. Still Avicenna at bronchial asthma and for treatment of ulcers advised to apply gruel from fruits outwardly. Useful properties of a ground cherry are explained by the maintenance of a large amount of natural water and the balanced set micro and macrocells, nutrients and vitamins. Because of low caloric content a ground cherry is quite often used in dietary food.

The lycopene which is a part of fruits is considered powerful antioxidant. He prevents development of oncological diseases.

The important advantage of a ground cherry consists in acceleration of recovery at various diseases proceeding in especially severe form.

Alkaloid физалин as a part of fruits of a ground cherry possesses soothing, styptic, antiinflammatory, cholagogue and diuretic action. The advantage of a ground cherry in treatment of a hypertension, diseases of a digestive tract and respiratory tracts, cholecystitis, pyelonephritis, hepatitis, epilepsy, purulent inflammations of urinary channels, an urolithiasis is explained by it. Addition of a fruit in the menu promotes removal of stones in a gall bladder and kidneys. Besides, the regular use of a ground cherry suppresses process of formation of stones.

Broth of roots of a plant has expectorant, antibechic and soothing properties.

Juice of a ground cherry is used for treatment depriving, and ointment from its fruits is applied at gout and rheumatism, eczema, diathesis.

In Central Asia by means of a ground cherry successfully treat a hypertension, anemia and locks. At a hypertension also make tea from fruits and leaves of a plant. Also there are data on treatment of gonorrhea ground cherry leaves.

Bulgaria applies plant decoction to treatment of diseases of a stomach and intestines, jaundice and hemorrhages.

In Tajikistan make quinsy, laryngitis and stomatitis medicine at children of gruel of fruits. For this purpose gruel of fruits of a ground cherry is mixed with milk, cooked on slow fire and allowed to drink to children.

It is necessary to use big fruits on 5-8 pieces, and smaller – till 9-16, in ten minutes prior to meal. At a stomach hyperoxemia the dose should be reduced twice and to use a ground cherry only before acceptance of food.

At an elevated part of a plant (in a bract) there are alkaloids, toxic for a human body. Therefore you house conditions to apply fruits follows with extra care.

Ground cherry routes of administration

Most often fruits of a ground cherry are used in the raw. Do jam, jams, candied fruits, candies, syrups of berry cape gooseberry and use as a stuffing for various desserts. Some confectioners use ground cherry fruits as ornament.

Fruits of a vegetable ground cherry can preserve, dry, cook, salt, to be pickled. Juice of a ground cherry is perfectly combined with meat and fish dishes. Gruel and juice of a ground cherry can be added to kefir, cottage cheese, kissel or tea.

Roots of a plant prepare in the fall, dry, crush and insist on alcohol or make.

Ground cherry storage conditions

It is recommended to store berries in the dry cool room, in the trellised boxes or boxes with air vents containing no more than three kilograms of fruits. At a temperature of +12-14 °C mature berries are stored 1-2 months. Immature fruits of a ground cherry can be stored much longer. At increase to temperature it ripens quicker and begins to spoil. The entire period of storage a ground cherry needs to be looked through regularly, choosing ripe berries and throwing out deteriorated.