The composition and calorie content of the drink. Useful properties, possible contraindications. How to serve and drink honey digestion? Sbitnya recipes, interesting facts.
Sbiten is a flavored drink that has long been the only warming drink for most of the Eastern Slavs. With the advent of tea in Europe, its popularity diminished. However, those who care about health and just love delicious drinks are advised to remember the national cuisine. The benefits of sbit are enormous, but there are also contraindications. Therefore, before starting culinary experiments, it is recommended that you carefully familiarize yourself with the composition and technology for preparing honey digestion.
Composition and calorie content of honey sbitn
In the photo, honey sbiten
The first recipe for sbitnya appeared in written sources back in the 16th century. In Domostroy (collection of rules), it was already indicated then that there are various technologies for preparing a drink, and the recipe can be changed at will. The only constant ingredient is honey, but the amount of herbs and other auxiliary components can vary.
Due to the variability of recipes, it is impossible to establish a single standard of energy value. The data is averaged. The calorie content of homemade sbitn, depending on the amount of honey, varies from 35 to 74 kcal per 100 g of drink (146, 5-309, 8 kJ).
The figure at the level of only 2% of the daily intake should not be deceiving. Indeed, when calculating the energy capacity of a diet, drinks should also be taken into account, and you can drink much more sweet sbitnya at a time than a serving of 100 g.
The balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates of the drink is seriously biased towards carbohydrates. Their high content is due to the honey in the composition and the relatively low processing temperature.
The composition of the BZHU in sbitna:
- Proteins - 0.2 g;
- Fat - 0.7 g;
- Carbohydrates - 13.5 g.
This amount of carbohydrates is as much as 10% of the daily intake. If you are monitoring a balanced diet or trying to normalize weight, then you should take into account this feature of the drink and control the amount of daily consumption. Even if sbiten contains an incredible supply of vitamins.
Vitamin composition per 100 g:
- Vitamin A - 1400 mcg;
- Thiamine (B1) - 0.005 mg;
- Riboflavin (B2) - 0, 009 mg;
- Pantothenic acid (B5) - 0.03 mg;
- Pyroxidine (B6) - 0.1 mg;
- Folate (B9) - 2.4 mcg;
- Ascorbic acid (C) - 27.3 mg;
- Alpha tocopherol (E) - 2.4 mg;
- Biotin (H) - 0.5 mcg;
- Vitamin PP - 0, 1032 mg.
The amount of minerals in sbitn is small, however, their variety cannot be compared with any other drink.
Mineral composition per 100 g:
- Potassium - 16.2 mg;
- Calcium - 7 mg;
- Magnesium - 4.3 mg;
- Sodium - 2.6 mg;
- Phosphorus - 2, 7 mg;
- Chlorine - 1.5 mg;
- Iron - 0.1 mg;
- Iodine - 0.2 mcg;
- Cobalt - 0.02 mcg;
- Manganese - 0.0028 mg;
- Copper - 4.8 mcg;
- Fluorine - 8, 1 μg;
- Zinc - 0, 0077 mg.
Also, the drink contains mono- and disaccharides - 6, 9% of the daily intake.
Key positions among nutrients in this case are occupied by vitamin A, ascorbic acid and vitamin E. They cover the daily intake of food by 156%, 30% and 16%, respectively. Since vitamin A in homemade sbitn is of natural origin, exceeding the daily intake is allowed. The amount of vitamin C and E, depending on the additional ingredients in the drink, may increase, which is important to consider for ascorbin-sensitive people.
Note! Nutrient counts are for sbitn, home-cooked just prior to consumption. The popularity of the drink has recently been trying to revive industrial enterprises. For a synthetically formulated honey drink, the amount of nutrients is not specified by the manufacturer.
Useful properties of sbitn
Until the 17th century, recipes for making sbitn were non-alcoholic. The drink was served hot and used to recuperate after hypothermia. Chilled sbiten could be used to quench thirst after a bath. Empirically, the ancient Slavs found that the drink tones up, stimulates the protective functions of the body, and maintains a high level of efficiency.
Sbiten at home is recommended:
- after hard mental or physical work - to recuperate;
- with cardiovascular diseases - to tone the body;
- with gastrointestinal disorders (constipation, flatulence) - to normalize the bowel function (in a warm state, but chilled sbiten, on the contrary, can increase the disorder);
- after operations and during the rehabilitation period after injuries - to activate and support the immune system.
Sbiten has a beneficial general strengthening effect on the human body thanks to honey. But the composition also includes herbs and tinctures that have their own beneficial properties. For example, sbiten with ginger, thyme, and sage has a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect. Cinnamon helps to normalize metabolic processes in the digestive tract, cloves give energy and relieve spasms, and cardamom supports the nervous system. Knowing the properties of various spices and herbs, you can, at your own discretion, change the recipe of the drink, enhancing certain properties.
Important! Honey sbiten is not a medicine. The drink should only be used as an adjuvant after consulting a doctor.
Contraindications and harm to sbitnya
The cornerstone of the Slavic drink is honey. It is this product that has a general strengthening, tonic and restorative effect on the functional systems of the body. However, all bee products are also the strongest allergens. Harm from sbitnya can manifest itself in the form of a strong allergic reaction to honey, up to the onset of anaphylactic shock or asphyxia.
It is necessary to use the product with extreme caution:
- Pregnant and breastfeeding women - the allergen may not affect the mother, but cause an allergic reaction in the baby. The first tasting of the drink by the mother can be carried out when the child reaches the age of three months only with the permission of the doctor.
- Children under 3 years old - it is necessary to introduce dishes with beekeeping products into the diet under the supervision of parents and in minimal quantities.
- With exacerbation of chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract - honey and derivatives are considered a "heavy" product, and although the benefits from them are enormous, the body, which is not always weakened by chronic pathology, is able to assimilate all the useful substances.
A high carbohydrate value also puts an increased stress on the excretory system. Sbiten, consumed in large quantities, can negatively affect the kidneys and liver. People with diabetes should use the drink with extreme caution.
Well, those who monitor the calorie content of the diet, the rating of nutrients and the composition of the diet, should be especially careful about the amount of drink consumed. It is important to understand that sbiten is not just a thirst quenching liquid, but a source of additional carbohydrates and nutrients in your diet.
How do they drink sbiten?
Before the advent of tea in Russia, it was the main strong drink. The authentic sbitnya recipe has not survived, but there are records in the chronicles that a samovar was used for cooking. There are also descriptions of the work of the beaten. The merchant carried two vessels with concentrated components, and immediately before serving, he mixed their contents with each other.
Today, this tradition of consuming a street drink has been lost. At home, sbiten is served at the end of the meal as a sweet dessert drink. A freshly prepared warm mixture is also good for recuperating after a winter walk. And chilled drink is served in the sauna. Modern manufacturers are trying to revive the tradition of drinking sbitn as an everyday street drink, but the process has not yet become widespread.
Before drinking sbiten, pay attention to its degree. The first alcoholic honey drinks appeared not earlier than the 17th century, and already at the beginning of the 20th they were practically forgotten. Therefore, the culture of drinking alcohol mixture has not been formed. However, gastronomic aesthetes believe that it is best to use 4-7 degrees honey sbiten hot, like mulled wine.
Rolls and bagels can be served with the drink as an addition. An earthenware mug is considered the ideal container.
Honey sbitn recipes
For a long time, recipes for making sbitn were passed from mouth to mouth, so there is no strict recipe or a single technology for home preparation. Honey is the key ingredient for the drink, and the herbs or roots are selected at your own discretion.
There are two ways of mixing ingredients:
- Simple … The honey wort is infused in a separate bowl from the herbal broth. Before use, two or more ingredients (depending on the amount of herbal infusions) are mixed.
- Custard … All the ingredients according to the recipe for sbitn at home are boiled together and infused for a day, then dry yeast is poured into the chilled composition and removed for 1-2 weeks in a cool place. Some recipes use hops instead of yeast.
To make sbiten, it is enough to mix the ingredients (infused or brewed), strain the composition through a sieve or cheesecloth and pour into clean glass jars no more than 4/5 of the total container volume. The finished drink is kept in the refrigerator.
The most popular recipes for cooking sbiten:
- Classical … For 1 kg of molasses (natural is best, but you can take artificial honey), you will need 250 g of honey. Dissolve the molasses in 5 liters of boiling water, and then wait for it to cool to 40 ° C. Only after cooling, add honey and stir thoroughly, then leave on low heat for 15-20 minutes. Add cloves (5 buds), cinnamon (on the tip of a knife), ginger root (1 tablespoon powder), allspice and cardamom as desired. After boiling the liquid for another 5 minutes, remove from heat. Serve hot ginger sbiten.
- Monastic custard … Dissolve 1 kg of honey in 3 liters of water and heat it over low heat for 3 hours, stirring constantly. If foam forms on the surface of the mixture, remove it with a clean spoon. Put 2 teaspoons of hops in cheesecloth along with the load (you can use a boiled pebble) and put it in a honey solution. We boil this mixture for another 1 hour. We remove the honey composition from the heat and filter through a fine sieve, pour it into a clean glass jar, so that 1/5 of the volume remains free. We leave the jars in a warm place for honey fermentation. The composition will begin to ferment (sizzle) after 1-2 days, when this process is over, pour half a glass of strong green tea into the jar, let it brew for another 30 minutes, and then filter the finished drink through a sieve.
- Petrovsky sbiten … Favorite drink of Peter I. Mix 1 liter of homemade bread kvass with two teaspoons of honey and 3 teaspoons of grated horseradish. It is infused for a day, then filtered through a sieve and served chilled to the table. According to legend, only with this drink Peter the Great was warmed up in harsh winters.
- Invigorating drink … Finely rub 2-3 sprigs of fresh mint and 15 g of ginger root, cut 1/2 lemon into slices. Add ginger, mint, cloves (5-6 buds), allspice, anise, cinnamon (1 stick) to boiling water (0.5 l), boil over low heat for 20 minutes. In the fragrant broth, when the liquid cools down a little, add chopped lemon and 100 g of honey. Let the liquid brew for at least 20 minutes. This drink can be warmed up or served chilled. It is noted that sbiten with lemon and ginger invigorates better than coffee, it gives you a boost of energy for the whole morning.
- Low alcohol sbiten … Fermentation products were used as the basis for such a drink. In modern conditions, the recipe for making sbitn will include wine. The drink can be chosen to taste, but experienced chefs recommend paying attention to dry red wines. 1 liter of the wine of your choice should be heated to 70 ° C, add 150 g of honey in small portions and achieve complete dissolution of the product in the liquid. Then add a cinnamon stick, a pinch of nutmeg, and a few cloves to the pan. The mixture remains on the fire for another 10-15 minutes, but is not brought to a boil, then it is infused for 30 minutes. Before drinking, the drink is filtered through a sieve.
The first preparation of a warming drink is best done strictly according to the recipe. After you get a delicious sbiten tea, try experimenting - change the herbal composition, the amount of spices, and the concentration of the drink. Only in this case it will be possible to achieve the perfect taste for you.
Important! If you want to enhance the beneficial properties of sbitn by adding infusions of medicinal plants to it, for example, St. John's wort or coltsfoot, then prepare and store both compositions separately, mixing the ingredients only before use. With this mixing technology, the beneficial properties of both drinks are preserved to the maximum, and the tastes are complemented. It should also be remembered that the beneficial properties of honey are destroyed by boiling, and therefore it is better not to bring honey to a boil during the preparation of sbitn.
Interesting facts about sbitna
The honey drink was first mentioned in historical annals in 1128. The chronicler notes that Prince Vsevolod demands to serve a digest at the feast (another name for sbitnya). The majority of foreign diplomats noted their interest in the drink, and during the time of Peter the Great it even got another name - "Russian mulled wine".
The most delicious was considered not just a drink created according to a home recipe, but properly served at the table. The dishes for the honey substance were called sbitnitsa and were made exclusively of clay. In appearance, the sbitnitsa resembled a vessel with a spout and a lid.
In Russia, they believed that homemade sbiten enhances potency. That is why the drink was given to men after the wedding. And although the official version of the concept of "honeymoon" has not yet been established, it is likely that this fact is also involved in the formation of the term.
How to cook sbiten - watch the video:
Sbiten is a healthy and tasty drink with a long history. For a long time, it was he who was the main warming agent during the periods of winter cold. The popularity of the drink due to the decline in the production of beekeeping products during the October Revolution has significantly decreased. Today, fortunately, the tradition is being revived little by little. The benefits of sbit are incredibly high. The drink has a beneficial effect on overall health and has a mild anti-inflammatory effect. However, as with any product, it is necessary to know the recipe and observe consumption measures, take into account possible contraindications.
