Rapeseed, grape seeds, cherry stones… – Useful helpers from nature
Everyone knows them and they are often left over after a delicious fruit salad or cake: grape seeds and cherry stones. They simply end up in the trash, but they can be used in a practical way. You may also be familiar with seeds such as linseed from your daily muesli and these can also be used in a practical way:
Grape seeds, cherry stones, rapeseed and linseed are natural fillers that have the property of absorbing heat very well and releasing it evenly. This makes them perfect as fillers for cuddly heat pads for young and old. A Cherry stone pillow is the classic among heat pads. Heat is particularly important for babies to feel comfortable and safe. In this blog post, we would like to tell you more about the different filling materials and their advantages when used as heat carriers in heat pads.
Proven home remedy
What grandmother already knew: Heat therapy is one of the oldest medical procedures, because heat can be used to relieve symptoms in a gentle and natural way. The effects of heat are recognized as strong basic forces of nature, which have a positive influence on health. A proven product for the application of heat therapy is the well-known Cherry stone pillow, that has a long history. During excavations in a waste pit from the late Middle Ages between 1997 and 1999, historians came across an interesting discovery: cherry stones! 400 grams of cherry stones, which were once probably surrounded by now decayed material and which people in the 14th and 15th centuries had already used as Cherry stone pillow are said to have served.
Natural home remedies that have proven themselves and have been widely used for such a long time must offer great added value. And they do, because products with natural filling materials such as cherry stone, grape stone, rapeseed or linseed pillows are still used today for soothing heat applications. They therefore ensure a naturally effective therapy, without chemical additives!
What are the differences?
If you are looking for a heating pad with natural fillings, you will quickly come across the different types of filling materials. There is a good reason for this: each filling offers different advantages when it comes to finding the right heating pad for yourself or babies and children.
Cherry stones are the classic among the natural filling materials for heat pads and, thanks to their size, also offer a pleasant massage effect.
Grape seeds are much smaller than cherry stones and adapt very well to the individual body shape. They are therefore perfect for the little ones. The movement of the stones creates a noticeable and pleasant massage effect on the skin. When heated, they develop a pleasant, light grape smell.
Rapeseeds are small and round and therefore particularly cuddly. The fine-grained seeds ensure that the heat pads are very flexible. Rapeseeds are known for their particularly long-lasting heat storage.
Linseeds are small, flat and have a very smooth surface. Thanks to the very fineness of the seeds, they fit perfectly to the corresponding part of the body. This makes them particularly suitable for heat pads for babies and children. Just like rapeseeds, they have the ability to store heat for a long time.
How are natural fillers obtained and what should be taken into account?
As a manufacturer of heat pads with natural fillings for more than 25 years, we have a long experience with natural fillings. We would like to explain the processing of the fillings using cherry stones as an example:
A single cherry stone has to travel a long way to become suitable for use in a cherry stone pillow. This journey is important in order to prepare for use and to ensure that the cherry stone pillow owner can enjoy it for a long time.
After the cherries have been harvested, the stones are extracted by pitting them. After the pulp has been removed, the stones are cleaned with water and, of course, without the use of chemicals. Immediately after cleaning, the cherry stones are dried at sauna temperatures for 8 to 12 hours. Good and sufficient drying is important to prevent mold from forming later.
After drying, the dried cherry stones are transported further; they pass through a sieve drum and a metal detector, then move onto a sorting belt and then into containers to be filled into bags as a final step.
Which fillers are less suitable?
Many heat pads are made from spelt husks or other grains (e.g. wheat chaff). But be careful, these pillows have the potential to cause allergies: The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) has examined grain pillows and their potential impact on humans. In a statement, the experts pointed out that organic filling materials can pose a risk, especially for older people, small children and people with weakened immune systems. The reason for this is bacteria and mold, which can form much more easily on the surface of grain husks than on the filling materials we use.
As you can see, it is amazing what lies behind a heat pad and a simple cherry stone. If you have any questions about our natural fillings, please send us an email to communication@gruenspecht.de . We would also be happy to hear what your favorite filling material for a heat pad is.