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"The benefits and harms of dried cranberries, as well as dried berries", "who should eat them and when", "are there those who need to refrain from eating them"? Let's try to answer all these questions. Fresh berries, including cranberries, cannot always be stored for a long time; drying and drying is a great way to prolong their use.
The benefits and harms of dried cranberries
Nutritionists believe that dried cranberries retain all their beneficial properties, provided that the drying process is carried out correctly. At the same time, the loss of water increases the quantitative content of vitamins and minerals: potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium. The vitamin composition of dried cranberries is quite rich in quality. It contains vitamins of group B, ascorbic acid, vitamins K and E, beta-carotene and vitamin A. Their number is not large and covers only a small fraction of the daily requirement of the human body.
But the main value of the berry is not in them. Cranberries contain powerful antioxidants that can fight free radicals that are formed in the body during the oxidation of various substances. They are especially needed by a person during infectious and other diseases. Proanthocyanidins, which are just as abundant in both fresh and dried cranberries, prevent bacteria from concentrating on the walls of the urinary system and on tooth enamel.
The positive effect of this berry on the body can hardly be overestimated:
- oncoprotective effect - by inactivating free radicals, antioxidants prevent the formation of tumors;
- flavonoids help to remove harmful cholesterol from the body, cleansing and strengthening blood vessels;
- dried cranberries help in the treatment of urinary tract inflammation, they are especially effective in cystitis;
- dietary fiber helps to improve the functioning of the digestive tract.Attention! There is evidence that dried cranberries are effective in the treatment of gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer.
- it improves the functioning of joints, serves as the prevention of osteoporosis, strengthens nails and hair;
- an excellent prophylactic agent against caries;
- has antibiotic and antiviral effects, so it is useful for colds and flu;
- saves from varicose veins and prevents blood clots from forming;
- normalizes blood clotting;
- strengthens the nervous system.
Like any other food, dried cranberries should be consumed in moderation. It is absolutely contraindicated only for those who are allergic to this berry. You should not give it to small children, patients in the stage of exacerbation of peptic ulcer disease, with gastritis with high acidity of gastric juice.
In order for the berries, dried or dried, to bring only benefits and not lose their properties, they must be properly prepared.
How to dry cranberries
There are several ways to dry this healing berry:
- in the fresh air;
- in the oven with or without pre-blanching;
- in special dryers;
- in the microwave.
Whichever method is chosen for drying or drying, the berries are pre-sorted, washed and dried on a paper towel.
Let's consider each drying method in more detail.
- Natural drying. She will need a warm, dry and well-ventilated room: an attic or a balcony, subject to good weather.It is enough just to spread the prepared berries on paper in a thin layer and mix them from time to time. The process is quite long, but the benefits of such dried cranberries are maximum.
- In the oven. This method allows you to get dried cranberries faster, but it is more laborious. Berries are laid out on a baking sheet covered with parchment and sent to the oven with a temperature of 45 ° C. As soon as the cranberries dry up, you can increase the temperature to 60-70 ° C, but for the benefit of the product, it is better not to do this.Advice! To make the cranberries wilted faster, the parchment must be replaced with a new one every 2 hours. If you slightly open the oven door, the process will go faster due to air convection.
- Before drying, the berries can be blanched in boiling water for a minute, and then cooled and dried. Berries with cracked skin do not require such a long exposure in the oven, but some of the nutrients will remain in boiling water.Advice! To obtain sweet cranberries, they are soaked in sugar syrup for 4 hours before drying.
- In the dryer. An electric dryer is a great way to get dried cranberries. For this, the device is set to a temperature of 55 ° C.Important! It must be remembered that the lower tier dries faster, so the pallets will have to be swapped several times.
- The fastest way to get dried cranberries is to use the microwave. The prepared berries are laid out on a wire rack, placing a cotton cloth under them. Cranberries are dried in several cycles, including the device for 3 minutes with a minute break, without forgetting to stir. This usually takes 15 to 20 minutes.Important! With any drying method, the finished berry should not stick to your hands.
Calorie content of dried cranberries
If dried cranberries were cooked without added sugar, their calorie content is low - only 28 kcal / 100 g of product. It is perfect for those who are on a diet to lose weight.
Cooking use
The peculiar sour taste of the berries dictates how they are used for cooking. First of all, these are drinks: fruit drinks, teas, jelly, compotes, kvass. It is very appropriate in confectionery, especially in baked goods. This sour berry is also good for meat in the form of a sauce or additive when stewing. It will make the original taste of vegetable or fruit salad, porridge or muesli.
One of the recipes for using dried cranberries is presented in the video:
The benefits of dried cranberries
Cranberries can be dried as well as dried. The benefits of dried berries are the same as those of dried ones, but there is much more sugar in it. Therefore, patients with diabetes need to use dried cranberries with caution.
How to wilted cranberries
Cooking dried cranberries requires special preparation. To do this, choose dense fleshy berries.
- Sugar syrup is prepared from equal amounts of sugar and water.
- After boiling, it is boiled for 2-3 minutes and sorted and washed cranberries are added. Its ratio with sugar syrup is 1: 1.
- You can cook the berries in it until they burst. But when cooked "with a hold" they are soaked in sugar much better. To do this, the berries are boiled over low heat for only 2 minutes. Allow to cool for 3 hours. Cooking-cooling cycles should be 3.
- The strained berries (do not pour out the syrup!) Are placed on a baking sheet with baking paper. Next, dried cranberries are prepared in the same way as dried cranberries. The oven temperature should be around 60 ° C. The process of preparing dried cranberries takes from 8 to 10 hours.
Calorie content of dried cranberries
This dried berry has a considerable calorie content - 308 kcal / 100 g. But this product is not consumed a lot, so dried cranberries are quite suitable for those on a diet, it will help diversify the taste of products.
Cooking applications
Dried cranberries are a delicious dessert in and of themselves.On its basis, you can prepare a variety of drinks, add it to baked goods, decorate any sweet dish. Dried cranberries with porridge or cottage cheese casserole are good, suitable as a filling for pies in combination with apples or other fruits. You can add dried cranberries to the baked pumpkin, it will add a "zest" to exquisite salads.
Storage
Dried cranberries store well in paper bags, canvas bags, or glass jars with plastic lids. The main thing is that the storage room is not damp, then the product is guaranteed not to deteriorate within a year, and usually longer. Dried cranberries are less persistent. But when stored in the dark and at a temperature not exceeding 25 ° C, it remains suitable for a year. And if you put a container with sun-dried berries at the bottom of the refrigerator, this period increases to 2 years.
Candied cranberries
Dry jam or candied fruit can be made from any berries and fruits, cranberries are no exception. Cooking them resembles the preparation of sun-dried berries, but with its own nuances.
You will need:
- 2 kg of berries with dense pulp;
- 1400 g sugar;
- 400 ml of water;
- 1 lemon.
Preparation:
- Mix sugar with water and bring the syrup to a boil.Attention! It must be constantly stirred so that it does not burn.
- After a couple of minutes, the berries are immersed in it and, having reduced the heat, cook for about 15 minutes.Important! Time is counted from the moment of boiling.
- Allow to cool completely and repeat the cooking process, but this time they boil for only 10 minutes.
- Squeeze lemon juice and add at the end of cooking.
- Transfer to a sieve and allow the liquid to drain completely. It can be used as an impregnation for cakes, diluted with cognac or liqueur.
- Dry the berries by placing them in one layer on a baking sheet. The temperature in the oven is 40 ° C. Drying time approx. 3 hours.
Store in a glass container, sprinkled with powdered sugar.
Contraindications and harm
This product contains a lot of sugar, so it is better for diabetic patients to refrain from it. It is not worth using it for overweight people - the calorie content of candied fruits is high. If the acidity of the gastric juice is increased, they can be harmful, only exacerbating the situation. It is necessary to use this delicacy with caution for people with a diseased liver, with problems with the gallbladder.
Conclusion
The benefits and harms of dried cranberries and dried berries are a topic that worries many housewives. There are very few contraindications to the use of this dried or cured product, for the rest it will bring great health benefits if consumed in moderation.
