Dried dogwood
If this unique shrub grows in your garden, be sure to try to make yourself vitamin reserves for the winter. Of course, if you wish, you can buy ready-made dried dogwood in the store, but homemade billets are always high-quality, natural and harmless, which cannot be said about purchased products. What are the beneficial properties of dried dogwood, and what are its contraindications - let's talk about it today.
What is the use of dried dogwood?
- strengthen the immune system;
- increase appetite;
- facilitate the course of colds and accelerate recovery;
- remove toxins from poisoning;
- prevent anemia;
- clean up heartburn;
- fill the lack of potassium and other trace elements;
- strengthen blood vessels and normalize blood pressure.
Cornel helps food to be absorbed better and prevents the oxidation of fats derived from other products, thereby regulating fat metabolism and easy weight control.
Dried dogwood for diabetics has invaluable benefits: by serving at the same time as a natural source of glucose, it also helps to lower its blood level. Thus, eating sweet berries, people with this disease can afford to eat a sweet (and without the use of artificial substitutes), and even without negative consequences.
Features caloric content of fresh and dried berries
But diabetics should limit the consumption of dried cornel, despite its benefit, because 100 g of dried berries contain almost 50 g of carbohydrates, while fresh ones have only 10 g. The ratio of proteins does not significantly change: about 5 g versus 1 g.
When should not eat dogwood?
- in the area of the stomach (gastritis, ulcers, increased acidity);
- increased excitability of the nervous system;
- addiction to constipation;
- exacerbation of chronic renal diseases.
In the presence of the above problems, the inclusion in the diet of the cornel will only aggravate their course: for example, vitamin C will adversely affect digestion, and the tonic effect will harm the nervous system and ensure insomnia. Do not forget about individual intolerance - this also happens and instead of the benefits of cornel there will be only harm.
With care it is necessary to give dried dogwood and young children. A couple of berries are enough for one-year-olds, and 200 g are enough for preschool children (in the absence of a negative reaction)
How to prepare dogwood?
Recommendation! The best option for drying the dogwood at home is to use a special dryer, in which housewives usually dry various fruits (in the mode for apples).
The easiest way to wither dogwood - just pour it on a baking sheet in a single layer and leave for two weeks in a room that is well ventilated. Periodically you need to turn the berries. “Dogwood drying” should be stored in fabric or paper bags so that the dogwood “breathes” for not more than three years.
It is necessary to ask the seller "on trial" one berry and break it in half: if inside the bone, you are not deceived and this is real dogwood, but if there are small seeds, it is cherry.
How to use dried dogwood?
Very fragrant is obtained from dried dogwood jelly. For its preparation, the amount of product must be increased three times for the same volume of water. Sugar can not add, jelly, and so will be moderately sweet. Sweet teeth will like more saturated cornel compote from such a quantity of products:
- 500 g dried berries;
- 1.5 liters of water:
- 100 g of sugar.
Dogwood need to be washed, add water, and after boiling - add sugar. After 5 minutes, remove the pan from the stove and let it brew until the compote has cooled.
Dried dogwood, with beneficial properties and contraindications of which we have read, is undoubtedly of great value to the human body. In addition, red dried berries are also very tasty, and even children will like them. Harvest healthy fruits, enjoy their taste and do not get sick!