One of the oldest fruits is quince. The beneficial properties of this fruit are simply incredible, for which it deserves attention. This interesting fruit, on the one hand, resembles an apple, on the other - a pear, although it does not possess their taste.
In the article you can find the useful properties of quince and contraindications to its consumption. This fruit has a dry flesh with a tart, astringent and slightly sour taste. Despite such signs, in ancient times he was considered one of the symbols of fertility and love. That is why this fruit is worthy of attention.
What is quince?
The beneficial properties of the fruit are interesting to many people. Before moving on to them, you should find out what this fruit is. Since it was actively used by our ancestors, the current generation wants to learn more about it.
Quince is a plant in the form of a bush or a low tree on which edible fruits grow. It belongs to the Pink family. Quince is distributed in Central Asia, Australia, Transcaucasia, the Mediterranean, as well as certain Asian regions.
Fruits are used for cooking and various cosmetics. Like other plants, they have a number of useful properties, which is why they are on the list of traditional medicine.
What is it like
Today, there are several varieties of quince. Useful properties are in each of them, which is important. It is difficult to distinguish varieties from each other at first glance, but basic knowledge about each category can help.
The most popular varieties are:
- Chinese quince. The beneficial properties and advantages of this fruit as a whole boil down to the fact that it is rich in nutrients, vitamins and various trace elements. A distinctive feature is the appearance of flowers of a pale pink tint during flowering. Chinese quince is very fragrant, it has a rather fleshy pulp with pronounced astringency and a slight acidity. This fruit is great for treating the stomach, spleen, and liver. In addition, it can be used to eliminate edema that occurs during gestation in women.
- Japanese quince. Shrubs of this variety reach a height of 2 meters. They belong to the category of evergreens, have red flowers and incredibly tasty fruits. Their flesh contains a lot of fruit acids, so the juice obtained from it must be additionally diluted with water.
- Plain quince. The third known species are trees with large fruits. Ordinary fruits grow in the Crimea, the Baltic states, Central Asia, Greece, as well as in central Russia.
Composition and energy value
The composition and value of the product interest people no less than the useful properties of quince, so they should also be considered separately. The calorie content of fruit per 100 grams is 48 kcal, and the protein / fat / carbohydrate content is 0.6 / 0.5 / 9.6 grams.
The composition of quince is quite rich. It includes the following elements:
- provitamin A;
- vitamins E, C, EE, as well as group B;
- mineral complex (sodium, copper, potassium, phosphorus, manganese, iron);
- organic acids (malic, citric, tartronic, tartaric).
Is the fruit healthy?
Quince is a fruit whose beneficial properties and harm are known only to units. Finally, it's time to learn more about them. Due to its amazing composition, the fetus provides invaluable assistance to the human body. It:
- lowering blood cholesterol;
- prevention and treatment of viruses and colds;
- strengthening the immune system;
- reduced risk of cancer;
- body rejuvenation;
- improved blood circulation;
- ensuring a stable heartbeat;
- elimination of toxins;
- help with diarrhea;
- thrombosis;
- prevention of cholesterol plaques;
- hemorrhoid treatment.
Everyone should know these useful properties of quince for a human body. This fruit can really serve as an excellent medical tool, which will give a much greater effect than any expensive drug.
People want to know the beneficial properties of quince fruit and the harm that it can cause. Fortunately, it does not worsen health and does not pose a danger to those who take contraindications into account.
Benefits for women and men
The useful properties of quince and contraindications for women should also be known. In addition to the features described above, it is worth saying that the fruit is very important for the woman’s body. This applies to all the weaker sex, including pregnant women. The benefits for the female body are expressed in the following:
- iron contained in quince is an important element for pregnant and lactating women, as well as during "critical days";
- the fruit acts as an antiemetic, therefore, it helps pregnant women with toxicosis;
- due to folic acid, the risk of sky splitting in children is reduced, and the fruit also contributes to protein and energy security.
The useful properties of quince and contraindications for men will be no less interesting. More details about the restrictions on the consumption of fruit will be described later, but for now you need to figure out why the stronger sex generally pay attention to this fruit. The following points should be noted here:
- Vitamin A is used to prevent prostate cancer.
- Niacin (Vitamin PP) regulates the most important hormones: testosterone, insulin, estrogen and progesterone.
Contraindications
The useful properties of quince for the human body, of course, make you think about regular consumption of this fruit. But, unfortunately, the composition does not allow all people to eat it. The main contraindications are:
- pleurisy;
- constipation of a chronic nature;
- enterocolitis;
- predisposition to allergic reactions;
- individual intolerance.
All these points are absolute contraindications. This means that, if available, eating fruits is strictly prohibited.
In addition to this list, there is another list of situations in which it is allowed to eat quince, but this must be done very carefully. These include:
- stomach ulcer;
- constipation
- high blood coagulability;
- lactation;
- allergy to fruits.
Knowing the useful properties of quince and contraindications, every adult will be able to determine for himself whether this fruit can be consumed and in what quantities to do it. If there is a disease in which eating fruit is strictly forbidden, but you still want to try it, then you should consult a doctor. He will tell you how to satisfy your needs without harming your body.
Consumption rules
All the useful properties of quince make it more attractive for consumption. But few people know that eating it is quite difficult, even if it is ripe. This feature makes people think about whether it is possible to eat it raw and how to cook it properly so as not only to benefit, but also to enjoy the taste.
The pulp of the fruit is quite dense, it has a peculiar taste and aroma. Of course, some people like just that, but most of them find it all unusual.
Despite the fact that quince is a fruit, not only desserts can be prepared from it. It is perfect as a side dish for meat dishes if you fry it. In addition, it is often supplemented with pilaf, to which the fruit gives more saturation and aroma.
Also from quince you can easily cook compote, jam, infusion and so on. All this is easily done at home. To prepare a delicious dish with an amazing aroma, you do not need to have special cooking skills or acquire special equipment. The only difficulty is that you can not get quince everywhere, although you can find everything if you want.
Quince jam
Due to the useful properties of quince (Japanese, ordinary and Chinese), experienced chefs have developed several recipes that attract the attention of consumers. One of them is jam. This fruit acquires its true taste only after heat treatment. After it, unpleasant astringency and viscosity disappears, and a great taste and aroma appear. At the same time, useful properties are by no means lost.
First of all, 1 kg of fruit must be thoroughly washed and cut into large slices. Then they need to be put in boiling water and cook for 15 minutes. When quince is ready, the broth should be drained and add a couple of tablespoons of sugar to it. Next, the liquid must be put on fire and allowed to boil, then combine with boiled fruit slices and leave for 5 hours. After this time, the jam almost ready again must be put on the fire and boil for another 4 minutes. When the mass has cooled, it is recommended to add a teaspoon of lemon juice.
Having learned the basic useful properties of quince and recipes for its preparation, many people immediately run after it to the store. In fact, it is better to look for it in the market where sellers take fruits directly from the greenhouses, where they are grown according to a special technology in compliance with all the rules.
Compote
Like any other fruit, quince can be used to make compote. For it, you will need to take the following ingredients:
- 3 fruits;
- a pair of cinnamon sticks;
- 6 tablespoons of granulated sugar;
- 3 glasses of water;
- a pinch of citric acid.
First you need to thoroughly rinse all the fruits and cut each of them into 4 parts. After that, it is required to extract the seeds and, if desired, remove the peel, although it does not hurt. Next, each slice should be cut into small slices and placed in a pre-washed container, where the drink will be closed. After that you need to boil the water and pour it into a jar, substituting a knife or a spoon so that the glass does not crack under the influence of high temperature. Then the jar needs to be covered with a tin lid and left for about 20 minutes. The duration of the infusion must be chosen depending on the desired hardness of the fruit - the longer it is steamed, the softer it will be.
The next step in the pan is to put cinnamon, granulated sugar and citric acid. After 20 minutes, pour syrup from a jar of steamed fruit into this container and boil the contents. Further from there, it is required to remove cinnamon, and return the remaining liquid to a jar with slices. After the container should be corked with a hot tin lid using a special sealing device. Before placing in a basement or cellar, it is necessary to check it for leaks and allow to cool completely.
Thus, a wonderful compote is obtained, which can be obtained in the winter. Ready-made, it will be not only tasty, but also healthy. When the cold comes and the risk of catching the virus is very high, then compote can be used as a prophylactic. It will help improve the immune system and energize. Such a drink with great pleasure will be drunk by both adults and children. At first, his taste will seem unusual, but he cannot be called disgusting. And the aroma of a newly opened can will attract the attention of all the people nearby. The velvety and moderately sweet smell of quince will appeal to every person.
What to do with seeds
When people learn more about the fruit in question, they are less interested in the beneficial properties of quince. The fruit has amazing seeds that can also be used in cooking and medicine.
The most interesting recipe is an emollient for colic. For it, you need to take about 15 grams of seeds and a glass of water. The components must be combined and then shaken for 10 minutes. The result is a kind of infusion, which should be consumed in a tablespoon after each main meal (no more than three times a day).
Another option for using seeds is to prepare a decoction for use as lotions for skin diseases, burns, eye diseases, as well as baldness. To do this, pour a teaspoon of the main component with 300 ml of water and heat in a water bath for 15 minutes. Next, the vessel must be removed from the fire, wrapped in a towel and left for a couple of hours. Then the broth should be filtered, after which it will be ready for use.
How to use leaves
Of particular note are the beneficial properties of quince leaves. They are collected during the flowering period of trees and stored in a dry place. These ingredients help to cope with many diseases. They are allowed to be used by both adults and children.
In order to relieve an exacerbated attack of bronchial asthma, a decoction of 6 leaves and a glass of boiling water should be prepared. They need to be combined, held in a water bath for 16 minutes, and then squeezed the raw materials into another vessel and add a little cooled boiled water there to get the original volume. Ready liquid is recommended to take 3 times a day for a couple of tablespoons.
In the treatment of tonsillitis will help another decoction. It is prepared from one tablespoon of dry leaves, which are poured into a glass of boiling water and boiled for 5 minutes. Once the product has cooled, it can immediately be used. Drinking a ready-made broth is allowed no more than 3 times a day, one tablespoon each.
Henomeles
The list of useful properties of quince for the body of each person helps many people find a universal remedy for various diseases. In this regard, the Japanese fruit, scientifically called henomeles, is especially popular. It contains vitamin C, which improves the functioning of internal organs.
From Japanese quince, you can cook all the same dishes that are provided above. If there are no contraindications, then you can consume it in unlimited quantities. But at the same time, it is worth considering that because of its amazing features, the fetus does not allow people to enjoy it for too long.