Agar-agar - "female" medicine
Agar-agar is a product obtained from the plant mucus of red and brown algae growing in the Pacific Ocean at a depth of 80 m. The delicate openwork sea grass is a colorful feather, reminiscent of a fern or fluffy whisk. The Chinese and Japanese knew about the healing properties of agar-agar several thousand years ago.
The main centers of production and sales of agar-agar are China, Japan and the USA.It is also produced in other countries - Korea, Morocco, Spain and Portugal. Algae is first caught from the sea, then boiled, dried and dehydrated by freezing. As a result, a leathery substance appears, which is again subjected to drying. This is agar-agar( in our country it is called agar).Chemical composition of .
Plants that give medicinal jelly are extraordinarily rich in iodine, iron, calcium, macro- and microelements, other biologically active substances.
Therapeutic effect.
Agar-agar has found wide application in medicine in many countries. Regular use of algae gives a good effect as a soft strengthening therapy. Agar-agar is used as an anti-inflammatory agent that neutralizes toxins contained in the intestinal mass of the intestine, it strengthens the liver and lungs, helps with hemorrhoids.
As the researchers established, agar-agar has another very important property for women's health. Algae are rich in fucoidan, which softens the course of the disease of breast cancer. According to statistics, Japanese women, whose diet contains agar-agar products, suffer from breast cancer many times less often than European women. According to the latest data, algae not only slow down, but also stop the development of cancer cells.
In our pharmacies, you can buy drugs in the form of dragees and emulsions, including agar-agar. Healing substance has a mild laxative property. Its effect on constipation is based on the fact that, swelling, agar-agar significantly increases in volume, fills a large space of the intestine and thereby stimulates its peristalsis.
Not being a source( calories, agar-agar preparations help to lose weight because they are not absorbed by the body. In the intestine the swelling substance of of agar does not decompose, but very quickly is removed from it
Nutritional properties of .
Agar agar is sometimes called"Vegetative gelatin", "ceylontang", "Japanese( Chinese) gelatin" and even "Bengal fisheye glue." The processed algae are sold in the form of powder and granules, which when mixed with water give a gentle and persistent jelly, not dissolving,e.g. from animal gelatine, even when heated, agar is transparent, odorless, tasteless, and colorless due to its high content of coarse fiber. When swelling in cold water, it becomes a valuable gel-forming component in the preparation of jellied dishes, fruit and vegetable jellies,jellies, marmalades, and also serves to decorate sweet dishes - cakes, mousses, blancmange and puddings. The agar-agar far exceeds the traditional gelatin extracted from the skin and bones of animals, because it has a stronger structure: 1%Op forms dense jellylike mass, which melts at higher temperatures.
Nowadays, Japanese cuisine lovers can not do without algae as an easy vegetable supplement or a supplement to traditional sushi.
Agar-agar powder is dissolved in a liquid, for example in water, broth or fruit juice. Then bring the powder to complete dissolution and boil for a while, stirring constantly. In a dish put necessary additives then it is cooled in a refrigerator or at a room temperature.
Contraindications .
Drugs containing agar should be taken only after consultation with the doctor, since drugs sold in pharmacies in combination with irritating substances can lead to irritation and redness of the skin, allergies, impaired liver function, significant problems with stool( severe diarrhea).
In addition to seaweed, the medicinal properties are also possessed by the lowest aquatic plants that live in lakes, spirulina primarily refers to them. In regions remote from the sea, there is an interest in freshwater plants - duckweed, Chlorella, etc.
Agar agar is not compatible with products containing wine or fruity vinegar or a lot of oxalic acid( such as rhubarb, sorrel, chard, spinach).It is not recommended to combine it with chocolate and black tea. Very carefully, you should eat foods with agar-agar to those who suffer from chronic diarrhea.