BLACK MULBERRY

Mulberries are filled with iron, riboflavin, vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, phosphorous & calcium.

The black mulberry berries are antioxidant, tonic for the blood & anti-inflammatory.
Black mulberry is used as a laxative & to treat runny nose, rhinitis.
The fruit is used in the treatment of sore throat & melancholia.
Chinese use mulberry fruit for centuries for its aphrodisiac qualities.
The fruit has a tonic effect on kidney energy.

Mulberry is used in the treatment of urinary incontinence, tinnitus, premature graying of the hair & constipation in the elderly.
Extracts of the plant have antibacterial & fungicidal activity.
The leaves are antibacterial, astringent, diaphoretic, hypoglycaemic, odontalgic & ophthalmic.
They are taken internally in the treatment of colds, influenza, eye infections & nosebleeds.
The stems are antirheumatic, diuretic, hypotensive & pectoral.
The leaves are diaphoretic & emollient.
Leaves juice keeps skin smooth, healthy & prevents throat infections, irritations & inflammations.
The leaves are antibacterial & are great during a respiratory imbalance as they can induce sweating & end a fever, while also encouraging the expulsion of congestion in the lungs.
The stems are anti-rheumatic & pain relieving.
Mulberry leaf is effective in regulating blood fat, balancing blood pressure, reducing blood glucose & boosting metabolism.
It is used for arterial health & to reduce blood sugar levels in the help to control diabetes.

The bark is said to be good in the treatment of stomach-ache & the leaves & twigs can be used for treating heavy colds, cough, red eye, insect bites & wounds.
A tincture of the bark is used to relieve toothache.
The bark is anthelmintic & purgative, it is used to expel tape worms.
The root bark is antitussive, diuretic, expectorant & hypotensive.
It is used internally in the treatment of asthma, coughs, bronchitis, oedema, hypertension & diabetes.
The root bark has been used to support healthy blood pressure.

Mulberry has the function of nourishing blood.
Regularly drinking mulberry juice helps with anemia, pallor, dizziness, insomnia & heart-palpitations.
Women who have the above symptoms after childbirth, or anyone after a long-time sickness or after a major operation, can take mulberry frequently as a restorative.
Those who experience premature aging, such as graying hair & impotence, should take mulberry regularly.

PRECAUTIONS:

Avoid this plant if diarrhea or digestive weakness is present.
People who are allergic to black mulberry might also be allergic to fig.
Black mulberry might lower blood sugar. If you have diabetes, monitor your blood sugar levels closely. The dose of your diabetes medication might need to be changed.
Black mulberry might interfere with blood sugar control during & after surgery. Stop using black mulberry at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.

RECIPES:

Black mulberries can be eaten raw, cooked or used in preserves.
A delicious slightly acid flavor, it makes an excellent dessert fruit & can be added to salads & meat dishes. 
The juicy & refreshing fruit can also be dried & ground into a powder.
Black mulberries are an excellent staple in preserves & jams as well.

Mulberry Leaf Tea:

15 g mulberry leaves
8 g honey-fried loquat leaves
800 ml water
Add all leaves into the water & heat it till it boils.
Pour the content into a vacuum flask & close the lid.
It is ready to be served after 30 minutes.
The leaves can be brewed for a second time.
The drink clears heat & soothes lungs.
It can also help reduce cough & sputum, improve dryness in mouth & throat & dispel mild pathogenic cold & heat.
Those who have fallen ill with yellowish sputum can take the drink once a day.
Those who just have a dry throat can drink once every other day.
Healthy individuals, meanwhile, can take 2-3 days a week.

If you are going to use a tincture, the dosage would be 3-5 drops 2-3 times per day.
If you are using a medicinal wine, take a small shot glass 1-2 times per day.
If you are using powdered herbs in a tea, 1-2 tsp/per cup of tea, 2-3 times per day.

Mulberry Gin or Vodka:

450 g mulberries
710 ml vodka or gin
150 g caster sugar
1 handful of roasted almonds
Put the fruit into a large sterilized jar with the vodka or gin & sugar.
Add the roasted almonds.
Close the jar tightly & put in a dark place for 2-3 months, turning it every few days until the sugar has completely dissolved.
Then strain off the mulberries & almonds.
Taste the liqueur & check that it is sweet enough.
You can always add more sugar at the tasting stage. When adding more sugar, turn the jar regularly until it dissolves.
Pour the liqueur through a funnel into a dry, warm sterilized bottle & seal.
The discarded fruit is absolutely delicious when eaten on top of ice-cream or yogurt or make a good base for a tart or pie.

Mulberry Tart:

For the pastry:
175 g plain flour
110 g butter, cut into cubes
50 g caster sugar
2 egg yolks
pinch of salt

For the filling:
125 g blanched whole almonds, coarsely ground
125 g sugar
50 g butter
3 eggs
Zest & juice of 1 lemon
150 g mulberries, plus extra to scatter over the tart at the end
A few flaked almonds, toasted for sprinkling over the top

Preheat the oven to 180C.
Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs, then add the egg, sugar & salt.
Mix again until the pastry comes together into a ball.
Wrap it in cling film & chill for an hour.
Grate the cold pastry with a coarse cheese grater into the tart tin & then spread it out with your fingers. This gives a rough texture which turns very biscuity & is delicious.
Return to the fridge for half an hour.
Then bake blind & allow to cool.
Using an electric mixer, beat the butter & sugar together until pale & light.
Add the ground almonds, pulse to combine & then the eggs one by one.
Scatter the mulberries generously over the pastry case & pour over the almond mixture.
Bake in a preheated oven for 30-40 minutes till golden brown.
As you put the tart in, turn the oven right down to 150C.
Scatter with toasted flaked almonds & serve warm with cream or crème fraîche & plenty of fresh mulberries.

BEAUTY:

Mulberries boast a high level of vitamin A & vitamin E, along with a range of carotenoid components like lutein, beta-carotene, zeaxanthin & alpha-carotene. All these elements act as antioxidants that specifically affect the skin, tissue, hair & other areas of the body where free radicals strike. Mulberries can aid in skin care, reduce the appearance of blemishes & age spots & keep hair shiny & healthy by preventing the oxidative actions of free radicals.
Mulberry fruit's anti-inflammatory activity may help improve skin tone & act as a natural skin lightener.

As the acidic properties in mulberry may act to lighten skin, you can also try mulberry on scars.

The mulberry juice can be applied topically to the head to promote healthy hair growth.

To use mulberry fruit topically to treat skin problems, steep mulberry leaves in coconut oil or olive oil for 3 days.
Apply the infused oil directly to your skin.

Mulberry Mask for Youthful Glow:

Take 8 mulberries & mash them.
Apply this mask on face for 20 minute.
Follow this daily.
Its a very good mask to prevent wrinkles, blemishes.
It will also help to remove dark spots.

Face Mask for Acne:

3 g mulberry leaves
3 g wild chrysanthemum extract
10 g natural seaweed powder
20-30 ml boiled water of honeysuckle flowers
Mix all ingredients into a smooth, thick paste.
Clean your face thoroughly & apply the paste evenly on it.
Apply a thicker layer to the area of acne or pimples.
Wash the paste off with water after 15-20 minutes of application.
For general skincare purposes, apply the fresh mask once or twice a week.
People who have a serious acne condition can use the paste in the affected area daily.
Those who are prone to suffer heat easily can use it every other day.
The mask can clear heat, reduce inflammation & skin oil secretions.

It can also reduce mild swelling & promote healing of acne.

Mulberry Mask :

6-10 mulberries
little bit honey
Mash  mulberries with honey.
Spread on the face & leave for about 20 minutes.
Rinse off with lukewarm water followed by cold water

Strawberry  & Mulberry Mask:

Strawberry is a rich source of natural astringents. They also come packed with mineral essential for your skin. These nutrients make strawberries one of the effective fruits for skin tightening.
Mulberries used in combination with strawberry do wonders to your skin.

2 medium sized ripe strawberries
20 fully ripe black or white mulberries
Crush the strawberries & mulberries together & make a fine mask by stirring them well in a jar.
Apply the mask evenly on your face.
You can also apply it to your neck.
Keep the mask on for 30 minutes before rinsing it off with lukewarm water.
Splash some cold water on your face after it is clean.
Use this mask 3 times a week to notice tightening in your skin within 2 weeks.

Mulberry Face Mask for Skin  Lightening:

Mulberry reduces the melanin, the reason for the darker skin complexion production, naturally.
It also has polyphenols & antioxidants that are highly beneficial in improving the skin tone texture. Antioxidants also keep the free radicals in check which causes skin aging & age spots.
Take some mulberries & mash them using a fork in a small dish.
Apply the mask on the clean face with the fingers & let it dry.
After 20 minutes wash the face.

MAGIC:

Mulberry fruit juice is used for inventiveness, practicality, intuition & wisdom.

Mulberry can be used to make an infusion with the leaves. Dip your finger in the infusion & draw a pentagram on your front door to protect the home.
Using the fruit in a tea will increase wisdom & your ability to think. Pick just before the sun sets & then set the fruit on your altar overnight with a candle burning until the first light of the morning.

Mulberry wood represents the beginning of time in ancient Chinese tradition.
Mulberry is a beautiful wood that makes an excellent conductor in establishing a bridge between male & female energies.
The hermaphroditic tree was seen as a representation of a time before male/female & yin/yang energies separated.
Mulberry wood can be used as a talisman or charm for protection & strength.
The wood can be used as a talisman to ward off evil & can be used for magical wands.
It will also protect your property from lightning.

German folklore on the other hand held mulberries to be evil. Perhaps because of the roots peculiar color, the devil was believed to shine his shoes with them.

The magical uses of Mulberry include wisdom, psychic awareness, strength & protection.

Mulberry can be used in pillows for sleep to increase prophetic dreams, contacting the Goddess & burned as incense during meditation.

Use in sachets & carry with you, to draw on the strength to get you through difficult situations.

Mulberry is a magical tree of protection. Place the wood or a leaf somewhere near baby’s cradle.

Use mulberry in incense for strength or for powerful protection.