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Dried barberry is a useful fruit of the Barberry family. Today, there are more than 300 plant varieties that grow in almost any conditions. Dried berries of fruit bushes are popular not only in the preparation of useful infusions, but are also regularly used in cooking.
The burgundy fruits of the shrub have an elongated-oval shape, sweet and sour to taste. Compotes, juices, jellies are cooked from dried barberry, and they are used as a spice for cooking many dishes. The plant has medicinal properties - it helps prevent and cure many diseases.
Drying delicious berries is easy enough. But in order to preserve all the benefits of the fruits, it is necessary to know the correct process technology.
Useful properties of dried barberry
Dried barberry is rich in vitamins and minerals. Shrub fruits are widely used in folk medicine. They are especially effective in the treatment of colds and viral diseases.
The berries contain a valuable and very rare alkaloid berberine, which actively combats pathogenic microflora. To achieve a therapeutic effect and not harm health, it is important to know the correct dosage of berberine. Unripe fruits contain much more of it than fully ripe ones.
If the fruits are supposed to be dried, after complete drying, the concentration of barberine will be much lower. Therefore, unripe fruits can be used for drying, but with caution.
But barberry is rich not only in barberine. Shrub fruits are used to treat many diseases of various organs and systems.
- The gastrointestinal tract. Dried barberry contains pectin, which speeds up metabolism. The use of fruits helps to digest food faster. Dried berry infusions solve the problem of constipation and intestinal disorders.
- Diseases of the liver and gallbladder. Berries have a mild choleretic effect, improve the work of the gallbladder and liver. The systematic use of dried barberry helps to reduce the risk of stones, helps to avoid other liver diseases.
- Cancer prevention. Dried barberry is rich in antioxidants that inhibit the formation of cancer cells.
- They have a rejuvenating effect.
- Helps in the treatment of colds and viral infections. The dried barberry contains not only useful barberine, but also a vitamin-mineral complex, which increases the body's defenses, prevents the development of pathogenic microflora. During the period of colds, dried fruits of barberry eliminate symptoms.
- The fruits of the bush have antipyretic effects, strengthen the cardiovascular system.
- Has a calming effect. Dried barberry has a beneficial effect on the nervous system, improves mood well. Has a tonic effect on the entire body. On the basis of dried barberry, drugs are produced for mental disorders.
- It has a diuretic effect. Regular use helps to remove swelling, remove excess fluid from the body. It is an excellent prophylaxis in the treatment of cystitis, urethritis and other genitourinary diseases.
- Removes toxins from the body.Pectin helps not only to improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, but also to remove toxins and harmful compounds from the body. Scientists noted that dried berries are able to remove heavy metals, salt and other elements harmful to the body.
Dried barberry has quite useful properties that have a beneficial effect on the entire body.
Recently, another effectiveness of dried barberry has been proven - weight loss. Due to the cleansing properties of toxins and toxins, taking berries helps to remove a few extra pounds. But the effectiveness of taking dried barberry will be much higher if you use it in combination with proper nutrition and regular physical activity.
To achieve the desired result in losing weight, you need to take the fruits correctly. If used fresh, they will stimulate the appetite. But if you prepare tea or infusion on the basis of dried barberry, you can significantly reduce the desire for something to eat.
How to dry barberry at home
Properly dried fruits are able to retain the maximum amount of beneficial properties. But before starting the process, you should familiarize yourself with some of the nuances:
- Harvest only ripe fruits. Unripe berries contain a lot of barberine. Before harvesting, the time of full maturation should be determined. This period may differ in each region. Of course, there will be less barberine in dried berries, but it is still better to choose ripe fruits for drying.
- It is important to sort the harvested crop from the bushes, throw away rotten and spoiled berries.
- After careful selection, the fruits are soaked for 2 hours in clean water, washed well.
- The clean berries are laid out on a paper towel, which will absorb the remaining moisture.
After completing all the manipulations, you can start the drying process.
A properly dried barberry should look like the photo.
How to air dry barberry
Air drying of barberry means that the fruit of the bush dries naturally. Several steps are required to complete the process correctly.
- Collect ripe fruits, rinse well.
- Place the berries on a paper towel.
- Arrange the fruits in 1 layer on a clean cloth, cover with gauze.
It is better to dry the berries in the fresh air and make sure that they are not exposed to sunlight. Do not forget to turn it over regularly to ensure even drying.
How to dry barberry in the oven
This process will take much less time to complete. The main thing is to maintain the correct temperature. The process includes several stages.
- Preheat oven to 50 degrees.
- Put a baking sheet with fruits.
- After the juice is released from the fruits, increase the temperature to 60 degrees.
- Stir the berries in the process.
After 2.5 hours, the berries will be completely ready. Sometimes it takes longer to dry. In most cases, the duration of the process depends on the oven.
How to dry barberry in a dryer
This drying method is very similar to the previous one. Before starting the process, it is also important to select good berries, rinse under running water.
At the beginning of drying, the temperature should be set no higher than 50 degrees, after 3 hours the heating can be increased to 60 degrees. The process ends only when the berries have a glossy gloss, when squeezed, the juice will no longer be released.
Where to add dried barberry
Dried barberry is widely used for the preparation of infusions, tea, and is regularly used as a spice in cooking.
One of the most common dishes is Uzbek pilaf.It is thanks to dried barberry that rice turns out to be spicy and tasty, for which it is highly popular not only in Uzbekistan. Many housewives try to cook such pilaf. Delicious compotes are also prepared from dried barberry. Chocolate based on dried barberry and nuts is used as a dessert.
Calorie content of dried barberry berries
Dried barberry is a low-calorie product. In the composition there is no fat, protein, there is a small amount of carbohydrates. There are only 152 kcal per 100 g of dried product.
It should be noted that the berry is very rich in the following components:
- vitamins A, B, C;
- beta carotene;
- magnesium;
- zinc;
- copper;
- calcium;
- potassium;
- iron.
The composition contains fructose, columbamine, pectin, palmitin, jatrorricin, berberine. It is worth noting the content of natural acids: citric, tartaric and malic.
Contraindications
Despite the fact that barberry has enough useful properties, such berries are not useful for everyone. Dried barberry contains many biologically active elements that benefit the body only in the correct dosage.
If a person does not have health problems, the fruits can be consumed. And if there are problems in the body, you need to consult a qualified specialist.
With extreme caution should be eaten by people who suffer from intestinal disorders. As mentioned, dried barberry has a laxative effect, so people with serious liver and gastrointestinal tract diseases should postpone the consumption of berries. With the fruits of dried barberry, you should be careful with pregnant women, nursing mothers and children under 12 years old.
Terms and conditions of storage
Dried fruits can be stored for quite a long time. But only properly dried berries are subject to long-term storage.
Particular attention should be paid to the container in which the fruits will be stored. It must be completely dry. Otherwise, the workpiece may become moldy. Do not forget about the hermetically sealed lid - the preservation of the aroma depends on it.
Conclusion
Dried barberry is an excellent choice for those who wish to improve their health. But before you start using it, you should familiarize yourself with the contraindications. Drying berries at home is very easy. The main rule is to observe the technology of the process. Pay special attention to preparation and collection. Properly cooked fruits will retain all the beneficial properties and wonderful aroma.
