Useful properties and contraindications of quince
What is Quince? This is a significant fruit crop for humans. Fragrant fruits are used for culinary preparations, carved products are made from wood, and in fruit growing the plant is used as a rootstock for many crops... However, few people know about the medicinal and beneficial properties of quince, which are possessed by almost all parts of the plant. Let's talk in more detail about the benefits that the fruits of this plant bring to the human body.
General characteristics of the Quince culture
Common quince is a deciduous tree or shrub, the only representative of its kind. It is one of the oldest cultivated crops with a history dating back 4,000 years. The countries of Transcaucasia and Central Asia are considered the homeland of the plant., here it is found in the wild and now. But the culture received its first glory in ancient Greece. Here she was given the name, which is used in biology and now - "Cydonia".
The books of Pliny (77 AD) "Natural History" and the Armenian scientist Amirdovlat Amasiatsi (15th century) "Unnecessary for the ignorant" helped to restore the history of culture and its use by different peoples. They describe in detail the healing, strengthening and restorative properties of quince fruits. Today, these data are confirmed by biochemical studies.
More than 400 varieties of quince are known today.... They differ only in the insignificant structure of flowers and the shape of the fruit, which looks like a pear. Fruits of the culture are yellow, in some cases with a one-sided red tint, firm, hard and crunchy with slight pubescence. Depending on the variety, they can be round or pear-shaped, reach up to 2 kg of weight... The fruits ripen in September-October.
The pulp of the fruit is viscous and tart. The aroma resembles an apple with a subtle coniferous tinge. Quince fruits contain from 50 to 70 brown seedswhich have valuable medicinal properties.
The fruits of the culture are rarely eaten fresh. They are valuable as raw materials for the canning industry and home cooking. Thanks to their persistent aroma and extraordinary taste, they make good jams, jams, jellies, candied fruits and marmalade.... In winemaking, the fruits are used to make a special brand of wine, and in medicine for the aromatization of premises (aromatherapy). Quince has become firmly established in the culinary arts of the Central Asian republics, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Useful properties and composition of quince fruits
With the advent of other crops that have a more attractive taste, the use of quince has been undeservedly pushed aside. but quince fruits can be called a real natural pharmacy, medicinal and useful properties, which are confirmed by biochemical analysis.
100 g of product contains:
- carbohydrates 9.6 g;
- dietary fiber 3.6 g;
- proteins 0.6 g;
- fats 0.5 g;
- organic acids 0.9 g;
- water 84 g;
- ash 0.8 g
Energy value 48 kcal.
The absence of cholesterol, low fat content and a significant amount of dietary fiber make quince fruits a dietary product. Therefore, they will be useful for obesity or low-calorie diets. Regular use of the product normalizes the intestinal flora, promotes the elimination of toxins in a natural way.
Pectins (3%) of fruits, getting into the stomach, form a gel-like substance, enveloping the intestinal mucosa. This becomes a reliable protection against irritation.
Quince fruits contain organic acids and tannins. Essential oils are concentrated in the peel.
Macronutrients (100g):
- potassium 144 mg;
- phosphorus 24 mg;
- calcium 23 mg;
- magnesium 14 mg;
- sodium 14 mg.
Also, the fruits contain iron 3 mg.
Potassium predominates in the mineral composition of the fruit. It is the main regulator of the acid-base balance of the blood, the level of intercellular and cellular fluid, and osmotic pressure. These properties of the mineral are valuable in pathologies accompanied by an increase in the level of fluid in the body.
Phosphorus and calcium, essential components of bone structure, are important for strengthening the skeleton and teeth... Phosphorus is the carrier of converted energy to all cells of the body, which provide muscle contraction and brain activity. Magnesium suppresses nervous excitability and regulates the functions of the respiratory center.
Quince is a good source of iron... It is the main component of hemoglobin and myoglobin, oxygen carriers for all cells of the body. When their synthesis is disrupted, anemia develops in the body, which gradually leads to hypoxia (oxygen starvation). Children, pregnant women and elderly people are especially susceptible to iron deficiency anemia. Iron is an essential element for the functioning of the thyroid gland.
Vitamins (100 g):
- ascorbic acid (C) 23 mg;
- tocopherol (E) 0.4 mg;
- nicotinic acid (PP) 0.3 mg;
- riboflavin (B2) 0.04 mg;
- thiamine (B1) 0.02 mg.
The color of the fruit is betrayed by beta-carotene (0.4 mg), which is converted in the body into vitamin A (167 μg). A significant amount of vitamin C in fruits helps fight colds, increases the protective functions of the body. Beta-carotene is a powerful antioxidant that helps to remove toxins from the body.
Possible harm and contraindications to the use of fruit
With all the positive qualities of this fruit, there are also contraindications. Quince fruit pulp has an astringent and fixing effect. Therefore they contraindicated for constipation and intestinal obstruction... Organic acids of fruits can complicate the course of acute gastritis and gastrointestinal ulcers. Acids are also harmful to tooth enamel, so it is recommended to rinse your mouth after each fruit consumption.
The felt covering the quince fruit can harm the vocal cords or irritate the upper respiratory tract.... This must be taken into account by people whose professions are associated with public speaking (singers, lecturers). They are recommended to use the fruit in a peeled form.
Quince fruits are potential allergens, so they should not be consumed in case of hypersensitivity of the body. The product can be introduced into baby food only at the age of one in a purified form..
The use of leaves, seeds and pulp of quince in folk medicine
In folk medicine, different parts of the plant are used to treat and prevent many pathologies.
Special attention in folk medicine is paid to quince seeds. Their shells are composed of water-soluble mucus (22%), tannins and minerals... After infusion of seeds in water, a gel-like mass is formed, which has an enveloping, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, emollient and hemostatic effect.
These properties of seeds are used to treat:
- dysentery;
- bronchopulmonary diseases;
- internal bleeding;
- pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract;
- viral and bacterial infections
- hemorrhoids;
- blepharitis;
- dermatitis, skin irritation, burns;
- inflammatory processes of the oral cavity.
Quince fruits have cardioprotective, antiemetic, astringent, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and diuretic properties. Therefore, they are used to treat:
- hypertension, atherosclerosis, cardiac pathologies;
- diseases of the urinary system;
- colds;
- poisoning with toxins;
- anemia.
Quince leaves and flowers are used to treat diabetes mellitus, hypertension and hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating). They are used as a diuretic for cardiac and pulmonary edema.
The best folk recipes
Despite the relative safety of folk remedies from quince, they can harm people with chronic or acute pathologies. Therefore, it is important to consult a doctor before use.
Prescriptions and Treatment:
- Angina, cough. The medium fruit of the quince is cut into pieces and poured with boiling water (250 ml), insisted for 30 minutes. Take 1 tbsp. l. 4 times a day.
- Hypertension, edema. Chopped quince fruits (2 pcs.) Are poured with water (0.5 l), simmered for 10 minutes and infused for 1 hour. Take 100 ml 3 times a day separately from meals.
- Asthma. Crushed dry leaves (1 tsp) are poured with boiling water (250 ml) and steamed in a water bath for 15 minutes. The broth is cooled, filtered and brought to a volume of 250 ml with boiled water. Take 50 ml 3 times a day 30 minutes before meals.
- Hyperhidrosis. Chopped leaves (1 tbsp. L.) Are poured with boiling water (250 ml), boiled for 10 minutes and infused for 1 hour. Used to wipe the skin.
- Colitis, gastroenteritis. Quince seeds (10 g) are poured with cold water (1 l), infused for 1 hour. The filtered infusion is taken in 100 ml 4 times a day. It is also used to treat gum disease. To do this, caress the oral cavity with infusion 4 times a day.
- Burns, dermatitis. In these cases, an infusion of seeds is used. To do this, a gauze cloth soaked in the product is applied to the problem areas for 30 minutes. Infusion is also rubbed with blepharitis inflamed eyes.
- Dysbacteriosis (diarrhea). Dried fruit partitions (1 tbsp. L.) Are brewed in boiling water (250 ml), insisted in a thermos for 3 hours. Take 2 tbsp. l. 4 times a day.
- Anemia. Sliced quince fruits are poured with water until the surface is completely covered and boiled until softened. After that, squeeze the juice and boil it over low heat until it acquires a thick consistency. Take 1 tbsp. l. 3-5 times a day.
- Uterine bleeding. Seeds (10 pcs.) Are poured with boiling water (200 ml), brought to a boil and kept for 3 minutes. The filtered agent is taken in 100 ml 3 times a day.
- Diabetes. Chopped leaves (2 tablespoons) are poured with water (250 ml) and boiled for 15 minutes over low heat. Chilled and strained broth take 1 tbsp. l. 3 times a day.
If you add potato starch to the quince mucus, thereby increasing the density, you get an excellent remedy for various cracks in the skin. It is used to lubricate the nipples during lactation and to quickly heal bleeding cracks in hemorrhoids.
The benefits of quince during pregnancy
During pregnancy, a woman's body undergoes various functional changes that change the need for nutrients from food.
During this period, for the nutrition of the uterus and the fetus, the volume of circulating blood in the body increases, and the need for iron increases accordingly. The lack of a stable intake of a substance with food leads to the development of iron deficiency anemia.... Regular consumption of quince fruits will help prevent this phenomenon.
Literally from the very first days after conception, organs and systems begin to form in the fetus, and this happens in the process of mitosis (growth, division) of cells. For the mitotic activity of cells, a stable supply of phosphorus, magnesium, potassium and calcium is important.
Minerals are also necessary to strengthen the mother's blood vessels, the failure of which leads to the appearance of complications - hemorrhoids, preeclampsia, varicose veins. The attractiveness of quince as a source of nutrients is distinguished by its dietary properties.... Being overweight during pregnancy is also a cause of complications.
The antiemetic properties of quince help to cope with the unpleasant manifestations of toxicosis. During pregnancy, various dysfunctions from the gastrointestinal tract, accompanied by flatulence, are often noted.... In this case, mashed potatoes from boiled fruits will help, which must be consumed 3 times a day for 3-4 tbsp. l.
Quince is also useful for preventing edema. Means according to folk recipes can be used to treat colds., because many drugs are contraindicated during this period.
Every year, the effectiveness of traditional methods of treatment is confirmed by scientific research. Partial replacement of chemicals with herbal remedies is attractive and relevant. When used correctly, quince can be a good addition to the traditional treatment regimen., which makes it possible to reduce the aggressive effects of pharmacological preparations.
