We continue to get acquainted with cultivated vegetable plants, which are useful to introduce into the diet of diabetic patients.
Today I will present to you 3 cultures that have a great future.
Ipomoea batatas
Ipomoea batatas is first introduced more often as a seasonal decorative culture that has emerged in recent years in urban landscaping in the South as a beautiful ground cover and ampel plant for shady and semi-shaded areas. And then-with the so — called Ipomoea batatas-excellent tuberous-rhizome vegetable used in antidiabetic nutrition.
Ipomoea batatas-vegetable representative of the family Convolvulaceae originally from the tropical regions of India. It is a perennial (but often grown as an annual) herbaceous plant with tuberous rhizomes and erect, slightly prostrate stems with a length of up to 5-7 m. Beautiful 3-5-lobed leaves and white funnel-shaped flowers up to 4 cm long Flowering from July to September.
In food consumed sweet, semisweet or unsweetened tubers in fresh, dried, processed form (dessert, first and second courses, canned food, flour, porridge), young leaves, shoots (salads). For therapeutic purposes, tubers are used that have a softening, enveloping, astringent effect, valuable in therapeutic and preventive nutrition in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and diabetes.
Throughout the growing season (from June to October) Ipomoea batatas creates a dense drapery of shiny leaves, which can be used as a green carpet on the ground or on vertical supports. Particularly spectacular during the flowering period, when studded with large gramophones flowers.
Stachys sieboldii
If any of your family members sugar is above normal, then immediately get a in the country Stachys: his popularity as antidiabetic plants today simply “rolls over”. And this is understandable: the composition contains a rare tetrasaccharide — stachyose, which possesses insulin-like activity. In addition, the nodules Stachys sieboldii are rich in dietary fibers, they found biologically active substances with high antioxidant activity, all elements of the periodic table. It is established that they can serve as a source of chromium for diabetics (especially the elderly).
Stachys sieboldii is a perennial (but often grown as an annual) herbaceous tuber plant of the family Lamiaceae with erect branched quadrangular hollow stems 40-70 cm he Hails from South-East Asia. The leaves are very similar to mint. The flowers are light pink, collected in false whorls, forming a spiky inflorescence. Most decorative differs in the flowering period, keeping the pink colour. Fruits-prefabricated nuts.
Stachys sieboldii-well-known vegetable tuberous plant: it is cultivated for several millennia in China, Japan and Mongolia, it has long been successfully grown in Europe, America.
In diet use tubers (fresh, boiled, fried, dry, canned), which reduce blood sugar, lower blood pressure, promote healing of wounds of the gastric mucosa, have a calming effect in diseases of the nervous system, improve digestion. The original shape and white pearlescent color of the nodule resembles shells; on peat soils and areas with fertile black soil they become ivory.
To obtain valuable products (tubers that are formed on stolons, like potatoes), this plant is better placed on separate garden beds or take a place for it along the fence. Planting scheme: 60×40 cm, 60×20 cm, 45×30 cm, planting depth-4-5 cm. Care Stachys sieboldii is weeding and loosening the soil. Initially, for the institution of this culture in the country will need 20-50 nodules (as they are well preserved at a temperature of 0..+3°C, it is better to plant them in the autumn).
The vegetation period (time of growth and development) is 120-140 days. He doesn’t like the heat (it is optimal +15…+20°C) and strong sun. The best soil for growing Stachys sieboldii-well-drained loam; with poor drainage nodules rot. Preferred predecessors-cucumber, onion, tomato. With annual digging (with the introduction of manure, humus) can be grown Stachys sieboldii in one place for 2-3 years.
The tubers are dug in autumn or leave to spend the winter under the dead leaves, picking out of the ground in early spring. Keep them better in the sand-in the basement or in the refrigerator (for 2 weeks).
Practical suggestion:
- Stachys sieboldii is well stored in a dried form in special glass jars: the excavated nodules are washed, first dried in the open air, shading from direct sunlight, then — in the oven with the door ajar at a temperature of +55…+60°C;
- keep in mind, Stachys sieboldii is not a potato: he had only a large harvest of tubers out of the bushes and large nodules; hardy small “remnants” sprout, but the harvest is not given.
Polymnia sonchifolia
Today he is still rare in the country. Polymnia sonchifolia, as a wonderful vegetable for diabetics, is just beginning its star trek.
Polymnia sonchifolia, syn. Smallanthus sonchifolia is a perennial plant of the family Asteraceae height more than 1 m. he Hails from South America. The stem is pubescent, against the background of large (more than 15 cm long) spear-shaped leaves look beautiful bright yellow baskets of inflorescences.
The main areas of distribution of Polymnia sonchifolia are the mid-latitudes of South America. In addition, it is introduced into culture in the USA, New Zealand, southern Europe, Iran, Japan, Moldova, Czech Republic, Uzbekistan. Tubers Polymnia sonchifolia contain a high percentage of inulin, not so long ago scientists have proven its hypoglycemic and antioxidant properties.
The plant is quite unpretentious: it grows well in the open Sunny plot of the garden with fertile drained soils; in hot and dry summers it needs regular watering.