Cranberries - a rather famous berry. It grows in swamps in the wild in the northern regions of our country. Ripens in the fall much later than other types of berries.
She earned her popularity because of her many beneficial properties.
Table of contents
The composition of berries, calorie
The cranberry is unique in its composition, namely, the presence of vitamins and minerals in it.
The composition of the berries include:
- A whole set of vitamins such as K, A, PP, groups B and C. Most of it contains vitamin C (ascorbic acid).
- Minerals (potassium, calcium, iodine, iron, magnesium, manganese, copper, boron, phosphorus, sodium, zinc, silver).
- Organic acids. The composition contains only natural acids of plant origin (citric, ursolic, chlorogenic, benzoic, oleanolic).
- Antioxidants and catechins.
- Polyunsaturated fatty acids. They are present only in the grains.
Protein, sugar, fats and carbohydrates are represented in it in small quantities. But it has a high content of fiber.
Product of the day. Cranberry:
Useful and healing properties for the human body
Cranberries are valued for their many beneficial qualities for the human body. These include:
- Normalization of metabolic processes. Help in the removal from the body of all toxins and toxic substances.
- Reducing high blood pressure.
- Strengthening capillaries.
- Normalizes blood cholesterol levels. Interferes with formation in blood vessels of blood clots and plaques, well thins blood.
- Antipyretic and anti-inflammatory effect. Well reduces high temperature with colds and flu. Helps the body to fight its intoxication.
- Strengthening immunity. Cranberry eliminates vitamin deficiency, being a kind of source for giving strength and vigor to the body.
- Prevention of education in the body of malignant tumors.
- Improved concentration.
- The analgesic effect on headaches or pains in women during menstruation.
- Strengthening the nervous system, hair and nails.
About the benefits of cranberry for the body:
Possible harm to health and contraindications
Along with other products, this berry has its contraindications to use. These include the following indicators:
- cranberry allergy. It manifests itself mainly in the form of allergic manifestations on the skin. It can be in the form of a rash, redness, itching. Therefore, it is contraindicated in women during breastfeeding, as well as children under 3 years;
- presence of gastric or intestinal ulcers. as well as various types of gastritis. You can not eat cranberries during the exacerbation of these diseases;
- low pressure (hypotension);
- the presence of urolithiasis, gout, liver disease.
Recommended do not eat fresh berries or juice before eatingso that the gastric mucosa is not irritated and gastric juice is not excreted in large quantities.
Cranberry juice before use must be diluted with water.
Traditional methods of treating various diseases
Cranberry is widely used in traditional medicine for the treatment and prevention of various diseases.
With cold and flu
Cranberry has an anti-inflammatory effect on the body, makes a person sweat. Because of this, she well knocks fever.
Drinks from it quench thirst. With colds, it is necessary to drink cranberry infusion.
Cooking method: berries (1 cup) crush and pour boiling water (1 liter). The resulting solution is brought to a boil, infused, then filtered. Drink during the day 1 glass a few times.
With hypertension
Berries, juice or jelly from them have a good diuretic effect on the human body. At the same time, potassium is not washed out of the body.
One of the recipes for cranberry drink from hypertension: Crush 2 cups of berries, add 0.5 cups of granulated sugar, add 1 cup of water.
Stir the mixture, bring to a boil and strain. Mix the mixture in the amount of several teaspoons with hot water and drink as tea.
Use for angina
In this case, cranberry juice is used.. They can gargle and use inside. To rinse the juice, you must first dilute with water by half.
When consumed inside prepare the following means: cranberry juice and beet juice, honey, vodka are mixed together in equal proportions.
The mixture is infused for 3 days, stirring occasionally every day. The finished composition take 1 tablespoon about an hour before meals.
With cystitis
Cranberry acts on the body as an anti-inflammatory, diuretic and antiseptic. The proanthocyanide contained in it does not allow bacteria that cause cystitis to accumulate on the walls of the bladder.
It is recommended for its treatment. daily drink 1 glass of freshly squeezed juice.
To strengthen the immune system and eliminate beriberi
Cranberries, due to its composition, helps to strengthen the immune system and saturate the human body with vitamins, especially in the spring.
To do this, it is recommended to take such a drink.A: A handful of berries pour 0.5 liters of hot water, leave to infuse, then strain and drink as tea. You can add honey.
The second version of the drink: The cranberry, ground with sugar, (2 spoons) is poured with boiling water, infused. Ready drink drink as usual tea.
Cranberries - berry for youth:
Cranberry during pregnancy
Cranberries are also beneficial for pregnant women. This can be explained by a large amount of ascorbic acid. Vitamin C is able at this time to protect women from viruses and infections., well helps to strengthen the immune system.
To enhance the benefits you can add a little honey. Eat cranberries in this form should be in mode 3 through 3, that is, 3 days reception, 3 days break.
Cranberries are also used as a means to prevent kidney and urinary tract diseases. Every month the uterus of a pregnant woman increases. This leads to stagnation of urine and the appearance of cystitis or urethritis.
To avoid these troubles should be daily drink diluted fresh cranberry juice. It helps to improve blood flow in the placenta, maintain the tone of the blood vessels of a pregnant woman.
Pregnant women you should not eat cranberries in any form in the last stages of pregnancy. It increases the acidity of breast milk, it hurts the baby. The timing of the termination of reception is determined by the doctor.
Application in cosmetology
Cranberries have found their application in cosmetology. She copes well with skin diseases.such as scrofula, psoriasis, versicolor, allergic skin rashes, burns.In all these cases, lotion or cranberry ointment is used.
Ointment for storage put in the fridge. Apply as needed, causing damage to the skin with a thin layer.
In addition, cranberry is part of a variety of cosmetics for the face and body. It helps gently cleanse the skin of dead cells, nourishes it.
Processing methods
Cranberries can be eaten not only raw. There are quite a few ways to process it.
The most famous are:
- Cranberries, ground with sugar. For this, 2 kg of ripe berries are ground with a blender and mixed with 3 kg of granulated sugar. It is stored for quite a long time in the refrigerator or just in a cool place.
- Cranberry Kissel. A solution of 1 tbsp. spoons of starch and 1 tbsp. cold water is poured into water with sugar and crushed cranberries. Cook the mixture until it thickens for about 10-15 minutes. Then juice is poured into the resulting kissel, mixed and removed from the heat. Kissel is ready to eat.
- Cranberry Jam. It can be cooked with only one cranberry, or with various additives, such as apples. 1 kg of apples, 1 kg of berries, 2 cups of chopped walnuts pour pre-cooked syrup and put on a slow fire. Blend the mixture for 30 minutes with constant stirring. Ready jam is transferred to sterilized jars and rolled.
- Morse. Berries (0.5 kg) are ground in a blender, squeezed juice. In the remaining berries pour water and boil for 5-10 minutes. The resulting decoction must be drained and add the pressed juice. To taste, you can add sugar or honey in the juice.
Cranberries are beautifully stored fresh. within a few months. To store them choose a well-ventilated and cool place.
The berries themselves must be ripe and well dried. In addition, the cranberries can be frozen or dried, while its shelf life increases.
Cranberries should be present in the diet of each person.. It brings many benefits to man, is a kind of natural antibiotic. But at the same time you should not forget about her some contraindications.