Diseases such as flu, cold, and persistent cough, which are common during winter and seasonal transitions, direct citizens to natural products. Citizens who want to be protected from diseases are looking for healing from plants collected from nature, as well as medicines. The syrup made from cones collected on Ilgaz Mountain in Çankırı’s Ilgaz district also attracts great interest from citizens.
Syrup is made by boiling the pine cones collected from Ilgaz Mountain, which is the subject of folk songs with the lines “Ilgaz, you are the supreme mountain of Anatolia”, for hours by the citizens living in the region. Pinecone syrup, which opens the upper respiratory tract and is known to be good for many diseases, attracts great interest from citizens, especially asthma and bronchitis diseases. Citizens who produce cone syrup sell its jar for approximately 150 TL. Ömer Faruk Özdemir, who produces cone syrup in the region, stated that even healthcare workers ask for cone syrup from them.
“I BELIEVE IT CURES COUGH MORE THAN COUGH SYRUP”
Stating that he has been producing cone syrup for 6 months, Ömer Faruk Özdemir said, “I have been thinking for a while about providing added value to our village. Pinecone syrup came to my mind. I got into this business by doing a study. I’ve been doing it for about 6 years. The trees from which we collect cones are places that do not see exhaust fumes.
THEY ARE KEPT IN WATER FOR 10 DAYS
Since larch trees are predominant in the Ilgaz region, we collect them. We wash the collected cones thoroughly with plenty of water. Then we soak it in sanitary barrels for about 10 days.
IT IS OFFERED FOR SALE WITH OR WITHOUT SUGAR.
The cones release their dirt, dust and resin. When we pour the water in which we kept the cones, we boil the resulting cones. We also filter the natural waste that floats to the surface along with the hot water. When our cone water emerges clearly, we take the cones out of the water. We store the resulting juice in vacuum jars, with or without added sugar, as desired.
It removes phlegm and cleans the lungs
Pinecones do not cure. One should not expect too much from this syrup. I believe it reduces cough more than cough syrup. It improves people’s quality of life, expectorates phlegm, cleans the lungs, helps us get over viruses such as corona faster and kills germs. Even the staff working in the hospital take pine cone syrup. “This proves that pine cone syrup is beneficial,” he said.