Apple-tree
Apple home( Malus domestica Borkh) is a fruit tree of the Rosaceae family with a spreading crown, ovoid leaves and fragrant white or pink flowers. Fruits are usually round, of different sizes, colors and tastes, depending on the variety.
The apple tree and its fruits have been serving a person since time immemorial, since Eve treated Adam's "apple of temptation" in paradise, and three Greek goddesses - Hera, Athena and Aphrodite - quarreled and the quarrel was the "apple of discord".
The birthplace of a cultivated apple tree is a neighborhood of the Turkish city of Trapezund, and then this tree spread throughout Asia Minor and it happened at least 5 thousand years ago.
Later the apple tree culture came to Egypt, and then to Europe. In Russia, apple trees first appeared in the Kiev principality. Anthony Pechersky as early as 1051 laid the apple orchard in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. In the XII century, Prince Yuri Dolgoruky ordered the laying of apple orchards near Moscow, since then the apple tree has become widespread in the gardens and other areas. Peter I during his reign laid in St. Petersburg the famous Aptekarsky garden, where the apple tree dominated. At present, there are about 10 thousand varieties, winter-resistant varieties were hatched, which made it possible to move the apple tree far to the north.
Apple is very valuable not only food, but also curative product. It found a large number of vitamins, but only four are contained in significant amounts: vitamin C, P, carotene( provitamin A), B( folic acid).The daily requirement for these vitamins can be met by eating 3-4 apples. In apples, a lot of fiber, pectin, and also contains a large number of sugars( glucose, fructose, sucrose), malic and citric acid( up to 1.5%), tannins and minerals( potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, sulfur,iron, manganese, etc.).
Apples are a valuable source of pectin and cellulose, supporting a good appetite. The available enzymes accelerate digestion. Vitamins are contained in a smaller amount - vitamin C - from 1.5 to 50 mg%, depending on the variety, degree of maturity, storage method. There are carotene, vitamin B vitamins. Although there are relatively few vitamins in our main fruit, apples are of great therapeutic importance. They are consumed more in raw form.
There are a thousand cultivars of apple trees. Each variety is good in its own way. Every year a person should consume 35 kg of apples, and if possible even more. Apples, depending on the variety, have a different chemical composition.
Currently, the apple tree is cultivated in almost all countries of the world, ranking first among all the fruit crops. It is bred mainly in countries with a temperate and subtropical climate.
The assortment of our regional varieties is quite rich, which allows us to continuously provide the population with this fruit almost all the year, beginning with the use of the earliest varieties Stark Erlist, James Grnp, Rozhdestvensky, Machino, Champioi, Spartan, "Golden delishes" until the appearance of the fruit "Aidared", able to remain in a good cellar until new harvests.
Useful properties of
In eastern medicine, apples are considered one of the most valuable fruits.
Apples are used in unloading diets, when during the day every two hours one should eat one big apple( this is good for diuretic effect, as well as for circulatory disorders).Medicinal tea is prepared from apple peelings. It calms the nerves that support the action in the treatment of rheumatism, liver and kidney diseases. Apple fruit drink, drunk on an empty stomach, helps with constipation. Apples can be consumed from July until the end of May and later.
Scientific studies have shown that apples reduce cholesterol in the blood and contribute to the prevention of atherosclerosis. This is explained by the effect of pectic substances on bile acids in the intestines, which bind and increase their release from the body, preventing them from returning to the liver.
The liver is forced to produce cholesterol in addition, either extracting it from the liver cells or synthesizing it. Thus, pectic substances like a pump pump out excess cholesterol. But this is not all - pectin substances improve the ratio of fatty acids that circulate in the body, which is important for the prevention and treatment of obesity.
Apples, thanks to potassium salts, help to remove excess fluid from the body. They are low-calorie, they are included in fasting days( up to 2 kg) for the treatment of obesity. At least 2-3 apples a day should be eaten by people of mental work, leading a sedentary lifestyle in order to prevent premature atherosclerosis. Apples are rich in iron and copper salts and they are recommended for sick anemia( acid varieties of apples and juice from them).
Sweet varieties of apples are useful in the treatment of colitis, as they contain pectins and antimicrobial substances. Scientific studies have shown that potassium salts in combination with tannin apples can delay the formation of uric acid in the body.
Boiled apples and apple broths are recommended for patients with urolithiasis, gout. Hot apple compote eliminates hoarseness with colds. Freshly sour apples are applied to burns, long-lasting non-healing skin ulcers, which contributes to their healing.
Apples are the source of the youth of the human body, those who regularly include apples in their diet, react quietly to minor problems and feel better.
For nipple cracking in nursing mothers, as well as for any cracks in the skin, scratches apply fruit gruel as a wound-healing remedy. To do this, prepare an ointment from the gruel of sour apples and fresh butter.
As an agent that normalizes the metabolism, apples are used for hypovitaminosis and inflammatory diseases of the stomach and intestines.
With urolithiasis, tea is drunk from dried apples. This same tea helps with gout, rheumatism, stomach and bowel diseases.
Apple blossom tea helps with colds.
Apple vinegar
For its preparation, take good, not wormy apples and rub them together with the peel on a large grater, using the middle. The resulting pulp is collected in a vessel and water is added. The ratio of water and apples should be as follows: 400 g of apples - 500 ml of water. For each liter of water add 100 g of honey or sugar and 10 g of baker's yeast and 20 g of black bread. The vessel with this mixture is stored in an open form at a temperature of 25-30 ° C.It is better to store the vessel in the dark, since the sun's rays prevent fermentation.
In the first stage of fermentation the vessel is stored under these conditions for 10 days, periodically stirring 2-3 times a day with a wooden spatula. After 10 days, the mixture is squeezed through gauze and poured into a vessel with a wide neck. To each liter of the resulting juice add 100 grams of honey or sugar. The jar in which the mixture is stored is closed loosely( gauze or rag) and kept warm until the liquid stops fermenting and clears up.
After the fermentation has ended, the liquid, pre-filtered, is poured into a bottle by a hose. The bottles are tightly closed with stoppers, poured with wax and put in a dark cool place. The whole process of obtaining vinegar takes 40-50 days.
With arthritis of various origins, apple vinegar is drunk 5-10 tsp.with meals three times a day.
When osteochondrosis, especially the cervix, vinegar is taken in the same dosage.
For hypertension, apple cider vinegar is poured for 2 tsp.on a glass of water 2-3 times a day for 2-3 months.
In angina and chronic tonsillitis, one of the best means is rinsing the throat with a solution of apple cider vinegar - 1 tsp.to a glass of water. The procedures should be carried out until recovery. In acute angina, rinse the throat every hour.
For night sweats, wipe the body skin with a solution of apple cider vinegar in water before going to bed.
With varicose veins, clean apple cider vinegar wipe the affected areas in the morning and evening. At the same time, you need to drink a solution of vinegar in water( 2 tsp per glass) 2-3 times a day. A good effect is usually achieved one month after the start of treatment.
In acute radiculitis pain, with lumbago of pure vinegar, wipe the loin area 3-4 times a day.
With fungal skin lesions( impetigo, trichophytosis), pure apple cider vinegar rubs the affected skin 6 times a day at regular intervals.
If a woman wants to give birth easily and quickly and do not have postpartum complications, folk medicine recommends the last three months before the delivery take three times a day during meals 1 tsp.apple cider vinegar in a glass of well or spring water.
With "double chin" it is recommended to drink 2 tsp.vinegar in a glass of water three times a day with meals.
A cup of honey with 2 tsp.apple cider vinegar is an excellent remedy for chronic fatigue. Drink for 2 tsp.mixture at night before bedtime.
Recipes of
Apples brewed in milk act as a mild laxative, especially for the elderly.
When liver diseases need to constantly drink apple juice, eat boiled fresh apples.
Apple broth: 3 uncooked apples boil in 1 liter of water for 15 minutes, add a lemon slice. It is very useful for removing radionuclides and heavy metal salts from the body. Take it 200 ml three times a day.
With anemia and atherosclerosis, you need to eat as many apples as possible.
To reduce blood cholesterol take apples in any form or drink apple broth.
If you need to follow a diet, you need to remember that sweet varieties are more suitable for people with liver disease, acidic - for people with diabetes and obesity.
In cases of gastrointestinal disorders, apples are very useful. Tannins contained in apples, bind and remove from the body various poisonous compounds( especially useful are mature and baked apples).
Unloading apple days( twice a week) - an excellent tool in the fight against obesity. Apple days are also remarkable by the fact that the organism is cleansed and a large amount of waste is removed from it.
Apples excrete oxalates from the body. The English say: "An apple a day - and the doctor is not needed."
Application in cooking
With apples you can cook a lot of flour products, garnishes. Puree from baked apples is an integral part of meat dishes. To children, apples are beaten with a mixer or a tinder with carrots, lemon juice and honey.
Crispy apple fruits are delicious fresh, in sweet and spicy dishes, they can be stewed, oven, dried, dried, canned, marinated, moistened, fried. They cook jam, marmalade, jam, pastille, and also prepare juice, kvass, cider, wine and apple cider vinegar.
Apple wine
Apples are an important part of the culinary recipes of many countries of the world. They are part of salads, second courses, desserts. For example - stuffed apples: 4 servings you need 4 apples, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 70 g minced meat, 76 grams of liver( sliced), 0.5 teaspoon of sage, salt, pepper, sugar, 125 g of white wine. Wash the apples, cut off the tops, remove the core and pulp, leaving the walls about 0.5 cm thick. Pulp cut into small pieces, pour lemon juice. Stir the sliced apples, minced meat, liver and chopped sage, add salt, sugar, pepper to taste. Preheat the oven to 200 ° C.Lubricate the baking dish. Fill apples with apple-meat mixture, place in a mold. Cold butter grate, spread the butter flakes on the surface of apples, and pour on the white wine. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes. Serve with white bread and lettuce leaves.
And apple marshmallow for dessert according to the recipe of our great-grandmothers. Bake 5-6 Antonov apples, wipe through a sieve, add a glass of sugar, mix and cook over low heat until thick. Cool, put 1-2 squirrels, squeeze the juice out of half a lemon and rub it in one direction until a thick white foam forms. Put the slides on the dish, around the marshmallow biscuit spread and serve on the table.
Apple salad with rum
Apple paradise jam
Apple-coconut cake
datesMelt butter( margarine) in a saucepan, add apples, spices and half of sugar. Fry gently under the lid for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add dates and place on a greased cake dish. Whisk the protein until thick, add sugar and coconut. Continue to beat until a second thickening. Spread the mixture over the fruit with a fork. Bake for 20 minutes in a preheated oven at 180 ° C.Serve with fresh cream.