Description of the exquisite product. What are the benefits of orange flowers, who cannot enjoy their taste? Flower recipes and drinks. Interesting facts about the plant. The orange blossom contains other substances, but their content is so low that scientists exclude them from the characteristics of this product.
Useful properties of orange flowers
Of course, to talk about the significant benefits of orange blossom for the human body, you need to eat this product regularly. However, even a single use will have a positive effect on your health.
Flowers have the following effects:
- Helps the digestive system … The tannins contained in the flowers remove waste products of pathogens that accumulate in the intestines. However, they do not cause diarrhea, but, on the contrary, have a fixing effect. Thus, dysbiosis does not occur, and all harmful components leave the body with a healthy bowel movement.
- Cleanse the body … Here we are talking about a more global cleaning of systems and organs. In particular, from toxins and toxins. It turns out to be extremely fruitful even with radiation exposure as an adjunct therapy for the treatment of cancer.
- Improves blood formula … Hemostatic properties consist in changing the blood formula due to increased absorption of iron. This affects the coagulation processes. Reduced blood loss with heavy menstruation, manifestations of hemorrhoids, gum disease, any damage to the skin - a cut or wound.
- Have anti-inflammatory effects … It protects tissues from infections, destroys pathogens, activates the body's protective actions, tuned to suppress inflammatory processes. This action is most pronounced in inflammation of the oral cavity and throat diseases.
- Strengthens the immune system … It is believed that there are almost as many phytoncides in orange flowers as in onions or garlic. And if you take into account that it also contains vitamin C, then this product is an excellent tool for raising immunity. Flowers are useful both as a remedy and a preventive measure. Especially valuable in the off-season, when the body's defenses are reduced.
- Coordinate the work of the heart … The product owes this property to the content of vitamin R. It helps to normalize the condition of the capillaries by increasing their strength and elasticity. Helps lower blood pressure, fights tachycardia. Another excellent property is to reduce intraocular pressure.
- Calms the nervous system … The essential oils contained in citrus flowers are an excellent remedy for the normalization of the nervous system. They help relieve stress, remove nervous tension, neutralize depression, reduce psycho-emotional arousal, help cope with insomnia and migraines.
Contraindications and harm of orange flowers
Unfortunately, along with the beneficial properties, citrus and orange blossom have been imparted.
As you know, oranges are one of the strongest allergens. Unfortunately, this also applies to their flowers. Consider the groups of people who would be better off refraining from eating flowers, in the form of a table:
| Category | Reaction |
| Allergy sufferers | Development of allergic reactions |
| Pregnant and lactating | The likelihood of negative reactions in a child |
| Children | Complications in the digestive tract |
But even if you do not belong to any of these categories, you need to start using the product with caution. If, after eating flowers, you feel a rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, sore throat, dark eyes, profuse salivation, you need to drink an antiallergic agent as soon as possible and consult a doctor.
This product has no specific contraindications related to specific diseases.
How are orange flowers eaten?
They are quite rare in our country. This is due to the fact that the transportation of freshly cut flowers is an extremely problematic event. Therefore, only those shoots that are grown in our area are used for food. Plants can only be reproduced in greenhouses. And since it is quite difficult to do this, the cost of such a product is also high.
Since orange flowers are eaten mostly fresh, they should be eaten within 24 hours after cutting. In most cases, they play the role of decorating dishes, but at the same time they do not need to be removed from the serving, but you can eat the dishes along with the decoration. However, there are recipes in which flowers are a full-fledged ingredient.
Most often they can be found in desserts. Like violets, nasturtiums, roses, carnations and other edible flowers, they are coated with sugar glaze, after which they are used as an independent dish. Syrups and orange flower preserves are considered very tasty. A special place is given to drinks with orange flowers.
Orange Blossom Food and Drink Recipes
We bring to your attention the most popular recipes with orange flowers, we assure you that these delicacies will not leave you indifferent:
- Candied flowers … Separate the egg white from the yolk. Beat the protein until firm. Apply it with a soft brush to the flowers. Gently pick up each flower with tweezers, as they are very fragile, and lower it from several sides into fine-crystalline powdered sugar. Take a baking sheet, line it with parchment and arrange the flowers so that they do not touch each other. Preheat the oven to 70 ° C, send flowers there for drying. Their shelf life is no more than 1 month in a sealed jar in a dry place.
- Salad … For this gourmet snack, take 15-20 orange blossoms, cut a couple of rose petals into shavings and mix with 100 g of finely torn romaine lettuce leaves. Add sliced blue figs and 50g diced Roquefort cheese. To make the sauce, grind 100 g of fresh raspberries, 1 tablespoon of homemade mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard in a blender. Pour the sauce over the salad and serve immediately.
- Flower syrup … Rinse one glass of orange flower petals under running water, let them drain. Bring 300 ml of water to a boil and pour over the petals. Let cool and refrigerate for 4-5 days. Strain, cover with 1 cup of sugar and simmer the syrup over low heat until thickened. Cool and enjoy the taste. Store in a refrigerator in an airtight jar, no longer than a month.
Drinks with orange flowers are especially sophisticated:
- Aromatic tea … For its preparation, you can use both fresh and dried citrus flowers. Of course, the first option will make the taste of the tea richer and more aromatic. In China, where the orange itself comes from, it is customary to brew tea with its buds green. It is believed that in this way the aromas do not clog, but complement each other. Take a teaspoon of green large leaf tea and a tablespoon of orange blossom petals, pour hot water that has not been brought to a boil, and cover, letting it brew for 5-7 minutes. It is better to drink this drink without sugar or with flower honey. Honey is not dissolved in tea, but eaten on its own, and tea is washed down with sweetness.
- Tincture on flowers … Take 500 g of orange flowers, rinse them thoroughly under running water, dry. Take a tablespoon of sugar, pour it over the flowers and remember them with your hands. Pour 0.5 liters of vodka, pour into a hermetically sealed glass container and put in a dark, not cold place for a month. Shake the contents of the bottle every 2-3 days. Take out the tincture, strain, drink it neat, over ice, or add to cocktails.
Interesting facts about orange flowers
Much more often than in cooking, they are used in cosmetology and perfumery. Essential oil is extracted from them, which is then used in face creams, body and hair care products, perfumes.
This beautiful flower can be grown at home by yourself. Most indoor plant lovers look forward to their citrus blooms to enjoy their own orange. However, true connoisseurs grow orange trees at home precisely for the sake of flowers.
It is worth noting that the grafted tree will bloom for 2-3 years, and the plant that you have grown from the seed only for the tenth. In addition, for flowering, it needs special conditions: ambient temperature - 16-18 ° C, air humidity - at least 70%. Even so, the flower will be fresh and edible only 2-3 days after the start of flowering.
But difficult doesn't mean impossible. Therefore, if in the near future you are not going to travel to countries where there are many orange trees, but you want to taste their flowers, please be patient and grow them at home.
