In some regions of our country, honeysuckle has long been considered a traditional crop, in others it is a new and unknown berry. Meanwhile, it contains many useful microelements, and it tastes good both fresh, in the form of jam, and as part of dishes. Let’s get acquainted with garden and wild honeysuckle, find out what taste and color it comes in, what its benefits are, in what cases this berry can be harmful to humans, and also how to properly harvest and eat it.
Honeysuckle is an unpretentious berry that has been living in many dachas for a long time. It blooms and bears fruit profusely and grows equally well in the central regions of Russia, the North-West, Kamchatka, the Far East, Siberia, and the Urals.
Together with Evgeniy Belousov, Candidate of Medical Sciences, gastroenterologist at Meditsina JSC (academician Roitberg’s clinic) , we will figure out why honeysuckle is useful, to whom it is contraindicated, which varieties will be beneficial and which are harmful to health, and we will also suggest simple recipes for preparing berries at home.
We have collected some useful facts about honeysuckle.
| There are edible and inedible varieties | You can distinguish them simply by the color of the berries. Blue and gray-black ones are eaten, orange and red ones are poisonous. One of the varieties of such honeysuckle is called wolfberry. |
| There are approximately equal numbers of wild and garden varieties | There are about 240 wild varieties and about 250 garden varieties. |
| Honeysuckle contains a record amount of antioxidants | According to the Canadian Honeysuckle Growers Association, honeysuckle contains more of these beneficial compounds than other berries (1). |
| All parts of the plant, except the roots, are used in cooking, medicine, and household | Drinks and dishes are prepared from the berries; buds, leaves, bark are used for decoctions and compresses; Handles for homemade tools are cut from strong trunks. |
Composition and calorie content of honeysuckle
The properties of this berry allow you to simultaneously quench both hunger and thirst – this is what, for example, hunters do in the taiga if they do not have supplies of water and food with them. It’s all about the unique composition of the plant.
Honeysuckle is the champion among berries in terms of the amount of antioxidants, macro- and microelements. The balance of sweet and sour with a bitter taste and the juiciness of the berries allow you to quench your thirst for a while, and fiber and microelements such as potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, as well as vitamins A, B1, B2, C, give a feeling of fullness. It is noteworthy that honeysuckle has no equal in terms of the amount of anthocyanins (antioxidants): from 1700 mg per 100 g, which, when taken regularly, prolongs the youth of the heart and strengthens blood vessels. (2).
During the season, it is enough for an adult to eat half a glass of fresh honeysuckle daily; for children under 12 years old, 50 grams is enough – one handful.
Calorie content and BZHU
Honeysuckle berries are rich in nutrients, minerals, and vitamins.
Chemical composition per 100 g:
- calorie content – 30-40 kcal;
- proteins – 0 g;
- fats – 0 g;
- carbohydrates – 8 g;
- fiber – 1.3 g;
- water – 87 g.
Vitamins and minerals
In order to understand exactly why honeysuckle is rich and useful and why it is actively used in medicine, we will provide a detailed analysis of the composition of vitamins and microelements (% of the daily value).
| Vitamins | content (%) |
| A | 7.8 |
| B1 | 2 |
| B2 | 1.7 |
| B9 | 2.8 |
| C | 33 |
| K | 33 |
| R | 0.04 |
| Minerals | content (%) |
| Calcium | 1.9 |
| Potassium | 2.8 |
| Phosphorus | 4.4 |
| Magnesium | 5.3 |
| Iron | 4.5 |
| Sodium | 2.7 |
The benefits of honeysuckle for the body
Research conducted by specialists from the Altai State Technical Institute named after. I. I. Polzunov confirmed the high content of micro- and macroelements, biologically active phenolic and pyrocatechol compounds in honeysuckle. Thanks to them, the berry has anti-aging and anti-cancer properties. (2)
For women
Honeysuckle helps preserve the youth of the female body. Regular consumption of fresh or frozen berries gives elasticity to the skin, improves the appearance of hair, and helps strengthen nails (1).
Infusions for washing from the bark and leaves of the plant reduce rashes and dry out inflammation.
Honeysuckle contains iron, so it is useful for people with low hemoglobin levels, as well as for women during menstruation to prevent iron deficiency.
During pregnancy, the berry helps normalize blood pressure and reduce swelling. The fiber in the composition contributes to the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
The concentration of nutrients in honeysuckle juice is higher than in fresh berries. But you need to take into account that it loses in fiber content.
For men
Regular consumption of honeysuckle has a beneficial effect on testosterone production in men, improving body tone and increasing libido.
Some more beneficial properties of honeysuckle for adult men:
- helps remove harmful cholesterol from the body and serves to prevent atherosclerosis;
- has a tonic and strengthening effect on blood vessels, prevents the formation of plaques on their walls and stabilizes the functioning of the heart;
- It is low in sugar and suitable for diabetics.
For children
Honeysuckle is recommended as complementary food from the age of 9 months onwards. A slight bitter taste stimulates the appetite. You can start with one berry a day, gradually increasing the portion.
Important: before introducing a new product into the diet of a child under one year old, consult your pediatrician.
Honeysuckle helps strengthen children’s immune system, protect against viruses, improve concentration and endurance.
Can honeysuckle be harmful to health?
People who have pancreatic diseases, peptic ulcers, or chronic gastritis with high acidity should be more careful when consuming honeysuckle. Excess ascorbic acid can cause heartburn, pain and discomfort, especially if you eat more than normal.
It is also recommended to eat honeysuckle with caution in case of allergic reactions . If you have food allergies and want to try honeysuckle for the first time in your life, eat one or two berries and observe your body’s reaction for a few hours. If there are no alarming symptoms, you can eat more, but within the recommended norm.
Recipes for simple and delicious dishes with honeysuckle
Honeysuckle berries are tender, juicy, and do not last long. But you can prepare simple, tasty and healthy dishes from them.
1. Pureed frozen honeysuckle
A simple recipe that allows you to preserve all the properties of fresh berries.
Ingredients
| Honeysuckle | 1 kg |
| Sugar | 1 kg |
Preparation
- Rinse the berries and let the water drain.
- Grind the berries along with sugar in a food processor or meat grinder.
- Place puree into small disposable containers.
- At room temperature, let the sugar dissolve for 1-2 hours.
- Place in the freezer. Store for up to 10 months.
Honeysuckle pureed with sugar can be added to cottage cheese, yogurt, porridge, pancakes and pancakes. A few hours before use, you need to remove it from the refrigerator.
2. Five-minute honeysuckle jam
The fastest jam recipe allows you to preserve a maximum of vitamins, compared to the usual “long” method of cooking the delicacy.
Ingredients
| Honeysuckle | 1 kg |
| Sugar | 1 kg |
| Water | 1 glass |
| Lemon acid | 1-2 g |
Preparation
- Wash the berries and place in a wide-bottomed pan.
- Pour in all the sugar, add a glass of water.
- Boil over low heat until foam appears and simmer for 2-5 minutes. Wait until the jam has cooled completely.
- Repeat the previous step twice more. At the last step, you can add citric acid on the tip of a knife so that the jam does not become sugary.
3. Honeysuckle salad
An unusual vitamin recipe that will diversify your summer diet.
Ingredients
| Brynza | 200 g |
| Honeysuckle | 200 g |
| Basil | 1 bunch |
| Lemon | ¼ pcs. |
| Honey | 1 tsp. |
| Olive oil | 1 tbsp. l. |
Preparation
- Cut the cheese into cubes.
- Tear the basil into large pieces with your hands.
- Mix feta cheese, basil, honeysuckle berries in a bowl, sprinkle with the juice of a quarter of a lemon mixed with honey and butter. Ready.
Where and when to collect honeysuckle
Garden and wild plants bear fruit at approximately the same time, in late June – early July. The period of ripening and harvesting of berries is short, usually two to three weeks. If you plan to go into the forest to pick berries, follow the usual rules for safely picking wild berries:
- choose areas away from roads;
- Before picking the berries, check whether it is definitely an edible honeysuckle;
- At home, rinse the berries well under running water.
The largest harvest can be harvested in sunlit lowlands, protected from the wind.
How to properly store honeysuckle
Honeysuckle has tender, juicy and perishable berries. They are stored in the refrigerator for no more than 2-3 days. Therefore, it is best to process them immediately after collection: boil juice, jelly, jam, or freeze them for the winter.
Varieties of honeysuckle
The most valued varieties of honeysuckle are those with large berries, a soft, balanced taste and a bountiful harvest.
The most popular varieties of honeysuckle:
- “Bakcharskaya”;
- “silginka”;
- “parabel”;
- “kingfisher”;
- “viliga”;
- “violet”;
- “kuminovka”;
- “Laura”;
- “Slav”.
The most productive varieties that give a stable and abundant harvest (more than 3 kg per bush) are “blue cliff”, “yugana”, “daughter of a giant”, “Bakchar giant”, “ussulga” (2).
Questions and answers
Our expert, gastroenterologist Evgeniy Belousov, answers popular questions about honeysuckle.
Is it possible to eat honeysuckle every day? In what quantity?
Honeysuckle can be consumed daily in reasonable quantities. Eating 100-200 g of berries per day is healthy and quite safe.
Is honeysuckle jam healthy?
Most of the vitamins and minerals of this berry are preserved in the jam. But still, some nutrients are lost during the cooking process due to exposure to high temperatures, for example, vitamin C. In addition, there is always a lot of sugar in jam, so it is recommended to eat it little by little.
Does frozen honeysuckle retain its beneficial properties?
Yes, frozen berries retain most of their beneficial properties, vitamins and minerals. This allows you to enjoy honeysuckle all year round and reap the health benefits even outside of its ripening season.
