What are the useful vitamins, micro- and macroelements, acids that are part of the medlar. How does it affect human health, what harm it causes. Who shouldn't eat this fruit and how to cook it according to all the rules. Interesting information about him. Important! You should not eat more than 1 kg of fruit per day to avoid diarrhea - the product is heavy enough for the stomach.
Harm and contraindications to the use of medlar
This fruit is similar to persimmon in its contraindications. It should not be eaten with exacerbation of all possible diseases, especially the gastrointestinal tract. It should be treated with care by children, the elderly and pregnant women. If abused, it may cause abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, heartburn. In this case, you need to rinse the stomach with water or activated charcoal, taking it strictly according to the instructions. An allergic reaction is also possible, manifested in redness and itching of the skin, weakness, and discomfort in the abdomen.
The product is strictly contraindicated for the following diseases:
- Acute pancreatitis … It refers to inflammation of the pancreas, which occurs most often with yellowing of the sclera of the eyes and an increase in the level of bilirubin.
- Renal failure … In this case, the load on the kidneys will be increased, and they may not be able to cope with it. As a result, it can begin to pull the lower back, bother colic in the back and darken the urine. With such problems, you should immediately consult a doctor.
- Gastritis … We are talking only about the form, which is characterized by low acidity. The fact is that the pulp of the fruit reduces the production of gastric juice, which further exacerbates the situation.
In order for the benefits of medlar to be appreciated, babies under 2 years old are given no more than 1-2 pcs. fruits per week. Moreover, you cannot eat them on an empty stomach, before that you should drink warm water.
Medlar recipes
These fruits are ideal for making jams, liqueurs, wines, yoghurts, sorbet, ice cream. They make very tasty desserts, but they are almost never added to the first and second courses. Fruit and vegetable salads, in which medlar is an indispensable ingredient, are a rare exception to the rule. It goes well with honey, apples, Chinese cabbage, cottage cheese, coffee, chocolate.
We offer such simple but interesting recipes:
- Kvass … You will need to squeeze the juice from the fruit, it should turn out to be about 3 liters. To do this, you can use a juicer or skip the fruit through a meat grinder, separating the liquid through cheesecloth. Next, dissolve it in half with boiled cooled water and refrigerate it in the freezer. Then dissolve sugar (120 g) and dry yeast (50 g) in it, then soak rye bread (200 g). Now pour the composition into a three-liter glass jar, cover the neck first with a gauze cut, and then with a plastic lid with holes and leave for three days in a warm place for fermentation. For diabetics, fructose can be used instead of sugar.
- Salad … Boil durum wheat pasta (250 g), combine them with slices of fresh pineapple (3rd part), Kishmish grapes (50 g), boiled eggs (2 pcs.), Cut into slices, and basic fruits (2 pcs.) Without peel. The latter must be crushed into cubes. Before serving, this dish will need to be warmed up and poured over with lemon juice.
- Sherbet … You need to wash and peel 0.5 kg medlar. Next, it should be cut as small as possible, covered with sugar (4 tablespoons), filled with orange juice (120 ml) and clean water (50 ml). Let the mass stand for an hour to let the fruit juice, and cook it over low heat for about 30 minutes. Then turn off the hotplate, transfer the mixture to small glass bowls and freeze in the refrigerator. This dessert is served solid. Top it can be decorated with cherries or cherries.
- Jam … All you need to do is wash, peel and cut the medlar (3 kg). Next, you need to fill the mass with sugar (700 g) and let it stand for 2-3 hours until a large amount of juice is released. Then add a little water, about 400 ml, transfer the mixture to an enamel pot and cook over low heat for 1-2 hours. Remember to stir it from time to time to prevent it from burning. Put the finished jam in sterilized jars, which need to be rolled up and after 2 days lowered into the basement.
- Marmalade … Wash the desired fruits (7 pcs.), Remove the peel from them and remove the seeds. Then cut the pulp into 7-9 pieces, mixing it with lemon wedges (1-2 pieces). Next, add 220 g of sugar, transfer the mixture to a saucepan with thick walls, cover with water (150 ml) and cook over low heat for about an hour. Stir the mixture periodically so that it does not burn. As a result, the fruits should boil well, then transfer them to a deep container and freeze in the freezer.
- Puree … Peel 1 kg of medlar, and then cut the fruit into several pieces and whisk together with heavy cream (0.5 cups) and sugar (70 g). Thus, you get a dessert that can be eaten either in its pure form or added to fruit salads. Top it can be sprinkled with almonds or pistachios, preferably raw.
Note! Existing medlar recipes allow mainly the preparation of desserts and salads, they are almost never used in the first and second courses.
Interesting facts about medlar
The name of the fruit is borrowed from the Turkish language and in Russian transcription sounds exactly like Medlar. It grows both in the form of trees and shrubs, experiencing an increased need for moisture. Its height is about 6 m, the tops are always lush and green. The length of the leaves is about 22 cm, they are characterized by smoothness and slight curl. Flowering occurs in September-October.
This plant is very fond of warmth, the crop dies at temperatures below 5 ° C. In case of frost, it can bloom, but it will not bear fruit.
In the countries of Eastern Europe, it is grown at home for decorative purposes because of its beautiful appearance. In this case, it must be borne in mind that the medlar is prone to branching, therefore, the resulting shoots should be immediately removed with pruning shears.
Medlar is practically not exported to other countries from Italy, Spain, Israel, where it is actively grown. This is due to the fact that its fruits deteriorate at room temperature the very next day and simply do not reach the customer - they become soft and black. That is why it is hardly possible to find such an exotic fruit on the market, it is only available for ordering in online stores.
Watch a video about the medlar fruit:
This exotic fruit is definitely worthy of attention in cooking, because it is extremely useful, stands out for its excellent taste and is easy to prepare. The main thing is not to forget about the existing contraindications to the use of medlar, and then it will definitely become a welcome "guest" on the table!
