The benefits of cranberries have been known since ancient times. Tsar Peter I considered cranberry juice to be the elixir of youth and the best remedy for many diseases. Over the years, with the deepening of knowledge about the value of the plant, the use of cranberries in folk treatment has become more diverse and detailed. Cranberry heals many ailments, but it is especially necessary for the female body.
Cranberries are good for everyone, but most of all the female body needs it, which carries a great emotional and physical stress throughout its life. The fruits and leaves of the plant contain substances that are analogs of a natural antibiotic, which, unlike drugs, does not cause harm and complications.
Cranberries contain a lot of essential minerals, trace elements, sugars, tannins and vitamins. The berry is valued for its high content of various acids and pectins, which determine the uniqueness of the chemical composition of the plant.
The benefits of cranberries as a product for women's health
Cranberries are one of the low-calorie foods. 100 grams of ripe berries contain, on average, 25-26 kcal, which is important for overweight women.
Fruits and juice increase appetite, relieve fatigue, dizziness. It is effective to use its fruits after serious illnesses.
With flu, high fever, juice, fruit drinks, cranberry drinks help a weakened body to fight infection.
Cranberry is an excellent antipyretic and vitamin remedy. The addition of honey enhances the healing effect of the drinks.
Cranberry juice treats itchy dermatitis. Therefore, it is successfully used for burns, wounds, ulcers, mastitis. The juice has antimicrobial and bactericidal action. It frees the body from harmful putrefactive microorganisms, staphylococci, streptococci, Escherichia coli. With common female infectious diseases associated with the genitourinary system (cystitis, pyelonephritis, etc.), berry drinks have a positive effect on a speedy recovery, have diuretic and anti-inflammatory properties.
Berries improve the functioning of the stomach and intestines, promote the growth of beneficial bacteria, and suppress harmful pathogens. The pectins in the fruit cleanse the intestines and provide soft stools. The role of pectins is especially great, since they perform important biological functions: they adsorb heavy metals from the body, which is important for residents living in areas with high radiation and poor ecology.
A decoction of the leaves and shoots of the plant is also healing. It is used to rinse a sore throat for sore throat and colds.
The people know the original method that helps with stupor: put one cold large viburnum berry in each ear. The method can also be used for headaches, tinnitus, if this is associated with a drop in atmospheric pressure and a change in weather.
Cranberries are used to combat periodontal disease, for swelling, inflammation and bleeding of the gums, as well as for loosening of the teeth. To do this, the berries roll their tongue on the gums. This massage quickly removes inflammation of the gums, strengthens them better than any expensive toothpaste.
Berry masks remove pigmentation on the skin and are used as a cosmetic.
The use of cranberries normalizes metabolic processes, relieves vascular spasms, especially with a tendency to migraines, high blood pressure.
Cranberries, like any product, should be consumed in moderation.
How to choose the right cranberries for treatment
The most important condition for treatment is that the berries should be fully ripe when picked in autumn. Fruits with a white barrel are not recommended for treatment. In unripe berries, valuable benzoic acid is practically absent, which is the main element in treatment. Its content will be low, even if the berries ripen in the house or in the attic.
The use of cranberries in cooking
Cranberries are widely used fresh, frozen, dried, and soaked. She in any form is a nutritious and healthy product. Cranberries are a good companion in combination with many fruits: oranges, apples, grapes, rose hips. The addition of cranberry berries to vegetable dishes with beets, carrots, cabbage, radishes enriches their nutritional composition. Cranberries are appropriate with mushrooms and nuts.
It is in perfect harmony with fish, seafood, chicken, turkey, meat. Berries are used in the preparation of sweet and savory sauces.
Excellent fruit drinks, jelly, kvass are obtained from cranberries. Using its gelling properties, various preserves, jams, jellies, marmalade, marshmallows are prepared from the fruits. In the wine and vodka industry, cranberry raw materials are used for the preparation of liqueurs, punches, balsams. Pies are baked with cranberry filling, delicious desserts are made. Many dishes are decorated with berries.
Housewives harvest cranberries for the winter. An easy way to preserve valuable raw materials at home is to freeze them: the berries will not lose their medicinal and nutritional properties within a year. Another good recipe for saving cranberries is to cover the berries in powdered sugar.
Such a delicacy is to everyone's taste. Among home preservation methods, there is a simple classic recipe: cranberries, mashed with sugar in a 1: 1 ratio. This option allows you to prepare many dishes at any time from this workpiece and saves space in the freezer.
Simple recipes with cranberries
Step by step recipe.
Products: cranberries 150-200 g, pancake flour 200-230 g, milk 300 ml, egg 1 pc, sugar 1 full tbsp. spoon, salt to taste, 1 tbsp. l melted butter, baking powder 1 tsp, vegetable oil for frying about 100 grams.
- Rinse the cranberries and dry the berries from excess moisture.
- Add sugar, salt, egg, melted butter, pancake flour, baking powder to the milk and mix all the ingredients.
- Add the cranberries to the pancake dough.
- Bake in vegetable oil at moderate temperature like regular pancakes. Pancakes are delicious both hot and cold.
It is a light dish that is quick and easy to prepare. Chop the cabbage, add salt, ground pepper to taste, sugar. Wash apples and cranberries. Cored apples and cut into pieces or wedges. Mix apples and cranberries with cabbage. Put on a platter and garnish with herbs and berries.
Peking cabbage can be replaced with white or red cabbage, add onions and herbs.
