Replacing sweets with dried dogwood: useful properties of sweet berries and contraindications to their use
The benefits of dogwood have been known for a long time, however, fresh berries can be found only according to the season, therefore many lovers often harvest it for future use on their own, drying it. It is not surprising, because dried dogwood retains useful properties (however, as well as contraindications) in the maximum volume, besides, its taste only gets better from this, because sourness almost disappears from it, and the pulp itself gets a softer structure.
If this unique shrub grows in your garden, be sure to try making yourself vitamin reserves for the winter. Of course, if you wish, you can buy ready-made dried dogwood in the store, but homemade products are always of high quality, natural and harmless, which cannot be said about purchased products. What are the beneficial properties of dried dogwood, and what contraindications it has - we'll talk about this today.
Read also the article: useful properties of honeysuckle.
What is the use of dried dogwood?
What is the use of dried dogwood? The rich vitamin composition allows it to have a beneficial effect on human health, namely:
- strengthen immunity;
- increase appetite;
- facilitate the course of colds and accelerate recovery;
- remove toxins in case of poisoning;
- prevent the occurrence of anemia;
- remove heartburn;
- replenish the lack of potassium and other trace elements;
- strengthen blood vessels and normalize blood pressure.
Cornel helps food to digest better and prevents the oxidation of fats obtained from other foods, thereby regulating fat metabolism and easy weight management.
Dried dogwood for diabetics: serving as a natural source of glucose at the same time, he himself helps to lower its level in the blood. Thus, while savoring sweet berries, people with this disease can afford to eat sweets (and without the use of artificial substitutes), and even without negative consequences.
Features of the calorie content of fresh and dried berries
Undoubtedly, dogwood is a healthy dietary product, since it does not contain any fats. However, it should be noted that the calorie content of dried dogwood is several times higher than that of fresh berries. However, this does not play a special role, since his indicators are still insignificant "for the figure", namely: slightly more than 200 kcal in dried dogwood versus 44 kcal in fresh fruits (per 100 g of weight).
But diabetics should limit the use of dried dogwood, despite its benefits, because 100 g of dried berries contain almost 50 g of carbohydrates, while fresh ones have only 10 g. The ratio of proteins does not change significantly: about 5 g versus 1 g.
When should you not eat dogwood?
Despite the benefits, dried dogwood can also cause harm, especially if you do not take into account the existing health problems. So, it is better to refuse tasty berries and decoctions or tinctures based on them if there are such violations:
- in the stomach (gastritis, ulcer, acidity);
- increased excitability of the nervous system;
- a tendency to constipation;
- exacerbation of chronic renal disease.
In the presence of the above problems, the inclusion of dogwood in the diet will only aggravate their course: for example, vitamin C will negatively affect digestion, and the tonic effect will harm the nervous system and provide insomnia. Do not forget about individual intolerance - this also happens and instead of benefit from the dogwood there will only be harm.
With care, you need to give dried dogwood and small children. A couple of berries are enough for one-year-old babies, and 200 g is enough for preschoolers (in the absence of a negative reaction).
How to prepare dogwood?
In order to dry the berries for the winter, it is better to start picking them in early autumn - at this time the entire crop will already ripen and accumulate a maximum of useful substances. You need to select only whole and not overripe berries so that they are stored longer.
Recommendation! The best option for drying dogwood at home is to use a special dryer, in which housewives usually dry various fruits (in the mode for apples).
The easiest way to wilted dogwood is to simply put it on a baking sheet in one layer and leave it in a well-ventilated room for two weeks. Turn the berries periodically. "Cornelian drying" should be stored in cloth or paper bags so that the dogwood "breathes", no more than three years.
If you decide to buy ready-made dried dogwood, you need to know how to distinguish it from a fake. Often there are such cases when instead of berries, vegetables are brought home, namely sweetened sun-dried small tomatoes (cherry).
It is necessary to ask the seller "for a test" one berry and break it in half: if there is a seed inside - you are not deceived and this is a real dogwood, if there are small seeds there - it is cherry.
How to use dried dogwood?
The dried dogwood shown in the photo is good in any form. You can feast on them instead of sweets, carefully gnawing the tasty pulp around the bone, or you can prepare vitamin decoctions by pouring 1 tbsp. l. berries with a glass of boiling water and infused for 2 hours. Such a concentrated drink should be drunk a day (fresh, not stored), divided into three doses.
A very aromatic jelly is obtained from dried dogwood. To prepare it, the amount of the product must be tripled by the same volume of water. Sugar can not be added, jelly and so it will be moderately sweet. Sweet tooths, on the other hand, will like the rich cornelian cherry compote from such a number of products:
- 500 g of dried berries;
- 1.5 l of water:
- 100 g of sugar.
Cornel must be washed, filled with water, and after boiling, add sugar. After 5 minutes, remove the pan from the stove and let it brew until the compote cools.
Dried dogwood, with the useful properties and contraindications of which we have got acquainted, undoubtedly, is of great value for the human body. In addition, the red sun-dried berries are also very tasty and even children will love them. Harvest healthy fruits, enjoy their taste and do not get sick!