Cranberry

Surprisingly, a few centuries ago, cranberries were a national tradable commodity. It was successfully exported to Europe. Not a single fair could do without stalls with these berries. Do not think that cranberries have become less popular in our time. It continues to be used in baking, and even some diseases are treated with fruit and juice from this berry. The popularity of cranberries is understandable: the berries have a pleasant taste and healthy composition.

Cranberry: Useful Properties

Useful properties of cranberries are determined by its composition. The berry contains vitamins of various groups, tannins, acids. Tannin, which is part of cranberries, helps to enhance the effect of some drugs. therefore with some types of treatment it should be used with caution.

• The most well-known properties of berries - diuretic and antipyretic. It is great to help with colds. A high content of ascorbic acid will reduce the temperature and ease the characteristic symptoms: runny nose, cough. In case of urological problems, it is recommended to drink cranberry juice with prescribed medications. It has a beneficial effect on the urogenital system. By the way, cranberry juice is recommended to use pregnant with colds. It will help to cope with the disease without the use of therapeutic drugs.
• Useful cranberry for the prevention of atherosclerosis. To normalize the level of cholesterol in the blood, you can drink the juice from these berries 2-3 times a week. However, they should not be abused. Too frequent use can lead to an increase in the acidity of the stomach, provoke gastritis.
• Cranberries can be used as an excellent multivitamin remedy. Its composition is balanced, and nutrients are easily absorbed by the body.
• In folk medicine, berry is used to treat skin problems, as well as an antidote for poisoning with poisonous plants.

Cranberry: contraindications

Even such a useful berry as cranberry has contraindications for use. It increases the acidity and secretion of gastric juice. That is why it is not recommended for people suffering from acute gastritis or ulcers. This berry affects the enamel of the teeth. If you have it sensitive, there are a lot of cranberries should not be. All these contraindications relate to fresh berries, liqueurs, juices and fruit drinks. Cranberries in baking does not have any special contraindications. With caution should eat berries with liver disease.

What can be cooked from cranberries?

Before you cook something from cranberries, it must be properly prepared for storage. Usually in food and drink using frozen or fresh berry. New crop start selling in the fall. It is at this time that the cranberry can be frozen for future use. For this berries need to sort, remove damaged and dented. The remaining must be washed and dried. Next, the cranberry is better to pour into a container with small sides. So the berries do not smarzatsya lumps. The frozen mass is poured into bags or other containers and stored in the freezer. What to cook cranberries? There are many options: pies, buns, juices, liqueurs, fruit drinks. Cranberries are even added to salads. Classic culinary art - cranberry sauces for meat and fish.

For use in baking the berry can be withered. Usually in this form it is added to buns and shortbread.

Dried cranberries: a recipe

Composition:

1. Cranberries - 1 kg.
2. Sugar - 900 gr.
3. Water - 350 grams.

Cooking:

• For withering, you need to take slightly unripened or frozen frosting. To start it sorted, sorted, removing damaged berries. The remaining is washed and dried. Pure water is poured into a saucepan and brought to a boil.
• Berries are immersed in water for 2 minutes. Then poured, dried and covered with sugar. Cranberries are left at a temperature of 18-20 degrees for 19 hours.
• After this time, the juice is drained and add another 250 grams. sugar to berries, cranberries are left in this form for another 19 hours. Juice is drained. And mixed with the first. It can be mothballed.
• In a saucepan poured 350 gr. water and pour 400 grams. Sahara. Heat to dissolve. Immersed in it for 5 minutes. cranberries. Berries vyalyat: pour on a baking sheet, covered with baking paper. They are sent to an oven heated to 80 degrees for 15 minutes.
• Next, the oven temperature is reduced to 65 degrees and continue heat treatment for 20 minutes. At the last stage, the temperature is reduced to 30 degrees and the berries are dried for 3 hours. Cranberries are poured onto paper and allowed to dry.
• Berries can be lightly sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Cranberry Meat Sauce

Composition:

1. Cranberries - 340 gr.
2. Sugar - 1 tbsp.
3. Water - 1 tbsp.

Cooking:

• Water is poured into the pot and brought to a boil. Add sugar and cranberries to it, reduce the heat.
• The mixture is boiled until the berries start to burst.

If you are faced with a choice of which berry to choose, feel free to stop at the cranberries. It has a wide range of useful properties. Cranberries are used to prepare various dishes, used as a folk remedy for various health problems. The use of berries is convenient in that it is stored for a long time in various forms - frozen, dried, candied. Remember that cranberries should not be consumed fresh in gastritis, ulcers and liver diseases.