Features of allspice, calorie content and chemical composition. Useful properties of berries, which are a spice. Eating restrictions, spicy recipes and interesting facts about the plant. Allspice was used by ancient healers. It was introduced into medicines for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases and tonicity.
Useful properties of allspice
One of the beneficial properties of allspice is to increase immunity, strengthen the body's defense system, and influence the production of macrophages.
The benefits of allspice for the body
- Severe analgesia with irritation of the rectum and urolithiasis;
- Anti-inflammatory action, elimination of symptoms of arthrosis;
- Relieves flatulence and intestinal colic, reduces bloating and intestinal gas;
- Suppresses the vital activity of parasites in the body, including helminths, destroys fungal spores;
- Has an antioxidant effect, promotes the destruction of free radicals;
- Reduces the likelihood of malignancy, especially with skin cancer;
- The use increases the local immunity of the oral cavity, restores the health of the gums and prevents the development of stomatitis;
- Normalizes the work of the cardiovascular system;
- Accelerates the speed of blood flow, tones the vascular walls, improves metabolism in all systems and organs;
- Stops physiological diarrhea, it is enough to swallow 2-3 peas, and the condition improves;
- Eliminates muscle tension, helps to get rid of insomnia;
- It has a mucolytic effect and helps to remove phlegm from the body.
Returns male potency and increases libido, as well as self-confidence. The last step is to add a few peppercorns to the alcohol - grog or punch.
Topical application of allspice can help stop alopecia (hair loss).
Harm and contraindications to the use of allspice
Individual intolerance is considered a contraindication to the use of allspice. If allergic reactions do not occur when introduced into the diet, then there are no other restrictions.
Moderation should be observed when using the spice, when it is used in the menu of preschoolers, pregnant women, with increased acidity of gastric juice. Do not overload the body if the seasoning is added to energy drinks or light meals, this increases the stress on the cardiovascular system.
1-2 peas for 2 liters of soup or for preparing a side dish is enough. This will help improve the taste of the dish and will not harm the body.
Allspice recipes
The spice is used to improve the taste of marinades and pickles, soup and stews, meat dishes. It is combined with sweet vegetables - pumpkin, parsnips, carrots and zucchini, suitable for baking rye bread and some types of cookies. Improves the taste of drinks - compotes, mulled wine and punch. Combines with other spices - black and white pepper, coriander, bay leaf.
Allspice recipes
- Chicken liver pate … Finely chopped onions (250 g) are fried in sunflower oil with carrots (250 g), adding sugar (2 tablespoons). Put everything in an enameled deep pan, pour in the washed and peeled chicken liver (500 g), allspice (4-5 peas), bay leaf (2 small leaves). Salt and black pepper are selected to taste if needed. Stew for 20 minutes, then put it in a colander and carefully choose the seasonings. Beat the meat with onions and carrots in a blender until the consistency of softened butter. In the process of whipping, add a little butter, to taste, but not more than 120 g. Store in a closed container on the refrigerator shelf.
- Zucchini caviar with tomatoes … Zucchini (1 kg) is peeled, the seeds and cotton core are removed, the onion and tomatoes (250 g) are cut. Oil is heated in a saucepan, onions are fried. When it becomes golden, add zucchini to the pan, then tomatoes, frying lasts 3 minutes, stirring is required. Salt, allspice (6 pieces) and bay leaf (1 piece) are added. Close with a lid and simmer for another 3 minutes. While the contents of the pan "reach", peel and chop the garlic (half the head), finely chop the parsley, sprinkle with black pepper in powder. Season with fat sour cream before serving.
- Cheese cake … Margarine (100 g) is cut into cubes or grated on a fine grater, then rubbed with hands, combining with salt, flour (200 g) and sour cream (200 g). The technology is the same as for making shortcrust pastry. The dough is kneaded, rolled into a large ball, wrapped in cellophane and put into the refrigerator. At this time, salted cheese (200 g) is rubbed on a coarse grater, you can use processed one. The onion is chopped and fried in sunflower oil. All the ingredients of the filling are mixed: cheese and fried onions, allspice on the tip of a knife, 2 eggs are driven in. The dough is divided into 2 parts, one slightly larger than the other. The sheet is covered with parchment greased with sunflower oil. The larger part of the dough is rolled out on a sheet, the sides are formed. Spread out the filling, cover with the second part of the rolled dough, close up the edges. Bake for 30 minutes at 180 ° C.
Allspice drinks
- Christmas cider … Squeeze fresh juice from oranges (10 pcs.) And lemons (8 pcs.). Sugar syrup is boiled by dissolving 3 glasses of sugar in 1 liter of water - 2 white and 1 brown. After the sugar has completely dissolved, bring the liquid to a boil and remove the pan from the heat. Pour in spices: 12 cloves, 7 allspice peas, 4 cinnamon sticks and grated ginger - 2 tablespoons. Close and let stand under the lid for at least an hour. Reheat the mixture over the fire, without bringing it to a boil, pour in citrus juice, let it boil over high heat and immediately remove it. Serve hot.
- Grog … It is very easy to prepare. 0, 6 liters of water is brought to a boil, sugar is added (5 tablespoons). Seasonings are added: 3 pieces of cloves and black peppercorns each, 4 allspice peas, cinnamon and nutmeg on the tip of a knife. Next, add 2 tablespoons of strong black English tea, pour in 1 liter of rum. As soon as it boils, remove the drink from the heat, let it brew for 10 minutes and pour it into glasses.
- Indian Massala Tea … Mix water with milk in a ratio of 1 to 2, for 2 glasses of water - 4 milk. While the mixture is simmering over low heat, heat the pan. Without using oil, spices are fried: 2 cinnamon sticks, crushed cloves - 20 cloves, anise - 4 pieces, allspice and black peas - 20 pieces each, a piece of ginger root weighing 30 g, 10 almonds and 20 pieces of cardamom seeds. The latter is fried only if it is in a pod, taking out seeds. If it is ground, then you do not need to fry; powder is added to the drink at the tip of a knife. Spices are poured into boiling milk and enhance the flavor with cane sugar (honey) and nutmeg. They are guided by their impressions. Assam tea is poured, 2 tablespoons, and the drink is boiled for another 5 minutes, but already over low heat, so that it boils weakly. After turning it off, let it brew for another 5 minutes, and then pour it into circles. Drink hot. You can supplement the drink with fennel and shambhala seeds.
- Coffee … Strong coffee is cooled, rum, sugar and allspice, ground into powder, are added to taste. The drink helps to get rid of thirst on a hot day.
Allspice is used in the form of peas and ground into powder. Peas are put into marinades, used in the preparation of soups, meat and fish dishes, jellied meat. Powdered pepper is added to baked goods, to sweet dishes - puddings or jams, to cereals, regardless of the type of cereals from which they are cooked.
Jamaican pepper retains its properties only when stored properly. You need to buy a spice in a sealed package. More pronounced aroma in fresh peas of the new crop. After purchase, the spice is poured into a glass jar and removed to a dark place. Shelf life is 1 year, then it loses its useful properties.
Interesting facts about allspice
Allspice is just a name, it has nothing to do with the fruits of pepper. Berries are the seeds of the medicinal pimento.
The Aztecs began to grow pimento: they planted small plantations of a dozen trees and used the fruits for religious events and as medicines. They made sure to add sweet peas to the drink of the newlyweds during the wedding and the warriors before the battle. It was believed that in this way you can increase endurance.
In Egypt, pimento berries were used for embalming.
For the first time the seasoning was described by the English naturalist John Ray in the 17th century, the book was called "The History of Plants". Allspice he called pimento. In England, the seasoning was so popular that they began to call it "English" pepper, but the name did not catch on. Civil war veterans poured peas into their boots to prevent the development of the fungus.
The famous Old Spice men's cologne scent is based on essential oil obtained from allspice. By the way, its powder is an aphrodisiac.
Plantations begin to bear fruit when the trees are 6 years old. Under favorable conditions, the plant remains consistently productive for about 100 years. Up to 50 kg of berries can be harvested from one tree; the collection is carried out manually. They do not wait for ripening, they begin to remove the inflorescences when the shell hardens. Ripe fruits, when dried, lose their aroma and become tasteless.
The largest harvest was recorded in 1925 - 6 thousand tons. Currently, no more than 4, 5 thousand tons of allspice are sold per year.
It is impossible to grow pimento medicinal at home, even if conditions close to natural are created. When planted in a greenhouse, the myrtle tree does not bear fruit.
Allspice is able to neutralize unpleasant odors. The fruits are added to sachet formulations to remove the bad smell of things in the closet or shoes.
Watch the video about allspice:
The taste of the spice is quite strong and can paralyze the taste buds, after which it is impossible to feel the taste of the main dish. Therefore, there are culinary restrictions: when preparing 1 kg of cold dishes - no more than 10 peas, and only 3 fragrant berries are added to hot ones for the same amount of food.