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It is sad to admit, but now the second month of summer – July – has ended. And although there are only thirty-one days left until autumn, with its troubles, rains and leaf fall, these days give us the opportunity to enjoy such invariable attributes of summer as watermelon, melon or grapes.
Depending on the region of residence and traditions, the third month of summer, the Slavs called differently: serpen, food, stubble, generous, soberikha, dense beetle, flax growth, gustar, fern, prashnik, lenorast, mistress, velikserpen, pickles, zhench, kimovets, kolovots, glow, zornik, zornik, great men. The modern name “August” came to us from Byzantium, where, following the traditions of Ancient Rome, the last month of summer was named after Octavian Augustus.
In August, do not forget about the principles of proper nutrition – variety, balance and moderation. And also, you should follow the principles of “summer” nutrition – low calorie content; more vegetables, herbs and fruits; cleanliness and freshness of products.
It is very important during this period to maintain the water balance of the body, because in the summer heat, a person loses up to 2 liters of fluid per day. And although you really want something cold and fizzy at such moments, it is better to give preference to hot green tea, mineral water at room temperature, mint or ginger tea, homemade rye kvass.
It should be noted that in August comes the time of the third largest and most important strict Orthodox fast – the Dormition (August 14-27), which precedes such great holidays as the Transfiguration of the Lord and the Dormition of the Mother of God. During this period, the Church recommends believers to abstain from food of animal origin, including fish, while vegetable oil can be consumed only on weekends. On the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, you can eat fish, use vegetable oil in cooking and drink wine.
What products will become the most useful for our body in August?
Red cabbage
It differs from the white-headed one (of which it is a variety) in the bluish-purple color of the leaves with a purple tint. This color is given to the vegetable by anthocyanin – a pigment substance of the glycoside group. This cabbage variety belongs to late-ripening varieties and has dense, round, flat-round or oval heads of cabbage, the weight of which can reach more than 3 kg.
Red cabbage contains proteins, fiber, phytoncides, enzymes, iron, sugar, magnesium, potassium, vitamins C, B2, B1, B5, B9, H, B6, PP, carotene and provitamin A, anthocyanin. This variety of cabbage is a low-calorie vegetable – only 26 kcal.
The medicinal properties of red cabbage are used to increase the elasticity and permeability of capillaries, prevent leukemia, protect against radiation, prevent the development of tubercle bacillus, treat acute and chronic bronchitis, heal wounds, neutralize the effects of alcoholic toxins from over-drunk wine, in the treatment of jaundice. And also, this variety of cabbage should be included in the diet of people suffering from hypertension to lower blood pressure.
Red cabbage in cooking is used for salads (including meat), vegetable pies, for pickling, and it can also be boiled or stewed.
Potatoes
Treat perennial tuberous herbaceous plants of the Solanaceae genus of the Solanaceae family. Potato tubers are eaten, since the fruits themselves are poisonous. This type of domesticated domestic plants “came” to us from South America, where today you can find its wild varieties.
Due to the high content of carbohydrates, the calorie content of potatoes is 82 kcal in boiled form, 192 kcal in fried and 298 kcal in dried form.
The uniqueness of potatoes lies in the fact that they contain all amino acids, including essential ones, which are found in plants. In addition, tubers contain a lot of phosphorus, potassium, calcium, iron, vitamins C, B2, B, B6, PP, K, D, E, carotene, folic acid and organic acids (chlorogenic, malic, caffeic, citric, oxalic, etc. .).
In medical nutrition, potatoes are used for exacerbations of ulcers and gastritis, to lower cholesterol in serum and liver, to remove excess water from the body, in the treatment of simple forms of chronic renal failure, gout, arthritis, burns, eczema, trophic and varicose ulcers, boils, fungal infections, hypertension, carbuncles, to restore the body when exiting starvation.
Potatoes are one of the few vegetables, the variety of dishes from which is simply impressive. We all remember Tosya’s quote from the movie Girls, where she lists potato dishes: fried and boiled potatoes; mashed potatoes; potato pie; French fries; potato pies with mushrooms, meat, cabbage; potato fritters; tomato sauce, mushroom sauce, sour cream sauce; casserole; potato roll; stewed potatoes with prunes; stewed potatoes with pepper and bay leaves; boiled young potatoes with dill; shitters, etc.
Zukkini
This is one of the varieties of squash (it is also called the “European variety”), a bushy variety of common pumpkin without lashes and with oblong green fruits that ripen very quickly.
The calorie content of zucchini is only 16 kcal. The chemical composition of zucchini is close to the composition of zucchini with the only difference that the substances contained in zucchini are absorbed by the body faster and easier. And so, zucchini is “rich” in: potassium, sodium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, carotene, provitamin A, vitamins B, E, PP, C, pectin substances.
Zucchini is added to the diet of convalescents, to the children’s menu, as well as the menu of people who suffer from digestive problems, who want to lose weight. This variety of squash is useful in the treatment of liver diseases, gastrointestinal tract, diabetes, normalizes metabolism, helps to renew blood composition and reduce cholesterol.
Young zucchini have the best taste, they are added to the salad raw, stuffed, fried, stewed, baked, steamed.
Watermelon
August is the time for juicy, ripe and incredibly tasty watermelons. Watermelon is an annual herb of the Pumpkin family.
Watermelons are: oval, spherical or cylindrical (and some gardeners manage to grow even a square watermelon); with white, yellow, green color; spotted, striped, reticulated; with pink, red, raspberry, white and yellow pulp.
Watermelon refers to low-calorie foods as it contains only 25 kcal per 100 g in its raw form. In addition, watermelon pulp contains: pectins, fiber, vitamins B1, C, PP, B2, hemicellulose, provitamin A, folic acid, carotene, nickel, manganese, magnesium, iron, potassium, easily digestible sugar, ascorbic acid, carotene, a little thiamine, riboflavin and nicotinic acid, and other organic acids. Watermelon seeds are also rich in tocopherols, carotenoids, B vitamins (riboflavin, folic acid, thiamine, nicotinic acid), zinc and selenium, polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamin D.
In addition to its high taste, watermelon is useful for: edema caused by cardiovascular diseases and kidney diseases (for example, urolithiasis); with sclerosis, gout, hypertension, arthritis, diabetes. And also has a tonic effect, removes excess cholesterol and toxic substances from the body, stimulates intestinal motility and perfectly quenches thirst.
In addition to fresh consumption, watermelon can be used for making desserts, watermelon honey, fruit ice cream, juice.
Early grapes
Grapes are a sweet berry of the Vinogradov family that ripens on the vine. One of the most ancient cultures known to mankind – some scientists believe that thanks to the cultivation of grapes, people switched to a sedentary lifestyle. By the way, Adam and Eve ate grapes in the Garden of Eden; it is mentioned more often than all other types of plants in the Bible. At the moment, there are more than 8 thousand grape varieties in the world.
Early grape varieties are those varieties that need 115 days from the moment the buds open until the berries fully ripen with the sum of active temperatures of 2400 C.
These summer grape varieties include: Timur, The early elegant, Galahad, White Delight, Richelieu, KarMaKod, Serafimovsky, Platovsky, Harmony, Harold, Super Extra, Brilliant, Libya, Sofia, Victor, Veles, Bazhena, Attika, Ruslan, Thorton, Bullfinch, Anniversary of the Kherson summer resident, Crystal, Sasha, Julian, etc.
Grape berries contain: salts of organic acids (succinic, malic, citric, tartaric, gluconic and oxalic); trace elements and mineral salts (potassium, manganese, magnesium, nickel, aluminum, cobalt, silicon, boron, zinc, chromium); vitamins (Retinol, riboflavin, thiamine, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, folic acid, ascorbic acid, phylloquinone, flavonoids); pectin substances; essential amino acids (histidine, lysine, methionine, arginine, leucine) and nonessential amino acids (glycine, cystine); solid fatty oils (grape oil), tannins (lecithin, vanillin, flobafen).
At all times, doctors have recommended grapes, juice from it, grape leaves, raisins, red and white grape wine for the treatment and prevention of: rickets, anemia, pulmonary tuberculosis, gastrointestinal diseases, scurvy, heart disease, exhaustion of the body, chronic bronchitis, hemorrhoids , gastrointestinal diseases, kidney and liver diseases, gout, uterine bleeding, asthenic conditions, loss of strength, insomnia, bronchial asthma and pleurisy, disorders of mineral and fat metabolism, uric acid diathesis, poisoning with cocaine, morphine, strychnine, arsenic, sodium nitrate, diseases of the bladder, growth of putrid intestinal flora, purulent ulcers and wounds, herpes simplex virus, poliovirus, reovirus.
Grapes are consumed raw, dried (raisins), used for making wine, compotes, mousses, juices, and preserves.
Raspberry
Deciduous shrub with two-year aerial stems and perennial rhizome. Raspberry fruits are hairy drupes of red, yellow or black color that have grown together into a complex fruit on a receptacle.
Raspberries began their journey around the world from the territory of Central Europe, mainly growing among shrubs, in shady forests, along river banks, clearings, on forest edges, in ravines and gardens.
Raspberry fruits contain: malic, tartaric, nylon, salicylic and formic acid, glucose, fructose, sucrose, tannins, nitrogenous, coloring and pectin substances, potassium salt, copper, acetoin, cyanine chloride, vitamin C, benzaldehyde, carotene, essential oil and vitamins of group B. And in the seeds – phytosterol and fatty oil.
Raspberry quenches thirst well, improves digestion, promotes the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, “sober up” when drunk, lowers fever, improves appetite, has an antitoxic effect. Raspberries are beneficial for nervous tension and for good skin color.
Raspberries are consumed fresh, jam, jams are made from its berries, jelly, compotes, mousses, smoothies are made. They are also dried, frozen, used in baking, for decorating cakes and ice cream. Leaves and twigs are added to herbal teas.
Apples white filling
Apples are the fruits of the Rosaceae family that grow both on trees and shrubs and are the most common fruit crop in the middle lane. According to some scientists, the apple began its “victorious path” around the world from the territory of modern Kazakhstan.
Apple variety “White filling” (Papirovka) is one of the most common early apple varieties for home breeding in most regions of Russia and the CIS. Differs in white fruit and pulp, sweet and sour taste and amazing aroma.
An apple contains only 47 kcal per hundred grams and consists of 20% of a “cocktail” of useful substances (fiber, organic acids, potassium, sodium, calcium, vitamins A, PP, B1, C, B3, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, iodine) and 80% water.
The beneficial properties of apples are as follows: they help to normalize digestion and lower blood cholesterol levels; prevent the development of atherosclerosis; have a tonic, supporting the immune system effect; produce a disinfecting and cleansing effect on the human body; strengthen the nervous system and stimulate brain activity. And also, apples are useful in the treatment of hypovitaminosis (lack of vitamins), diabetes mellitus and the prevention of the development of cancer cells.
Since apples can be stored for a long time, they are great for eating them raw almost all year round. In addition, apples can be baked, pickled, salted, dried, used in salads, desserts, sauces, main courses, drinks and other culinary masterpieces.
Blackberry
Belongs to perennial shrubs of the genus Rubus of the Rosaceae family. This plant, the shoots and stems of which are dotted with thorns, has large, fruits similar to black “raspberries” with a bluish bloom. It grows on river banks, in bushes, in flooded meadows and fields, in ravines with moist soil, in mixed and coniferous forests.
Blackberries are distinguished by a “rich” complex of medicinal and nutrient substances, such as: sucrose, fructose, glucose, citric, malic, tartaric and salicylic acid, provitamin A, vitamins B, E, C, K, PP, P, aromatic compounds and tannins , fiber, pectin, minerals (sodium, calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, copper, phosphorus, nickel, molybdenum, manganese, chromium, strontium, vanadium, barium, cobalt, titanium). In addition to fruits, blackberry leaves also have useful properties – they contain flavonols and leukoanthocyanides, vitamin C, amino acids and minerals.
Blackberries help to improve metabolism, strengthen immunity, normalize body functions, and have antipyretic properties. Due to these properties, blackberries are used in the treatment of diseases of the bladder, kidney diseases, intestinal and gastric diseases, diabetes mellitus and joint diseases. And also, blackberries improve the functioning of the nervous system and the brain.
Blackberries can be eaten fresh, used to decorate cakes and ice cream, for filling pies, in the manufacture of marmalade, juice, liqueur and wine.
Melon
False berry of gourd culture of the Pumpkin family, genus Cucumber. Melon fruits are spherical or cylindrical in yellow, green, white or brown color with an amazing aroma and sugary sweet taste. Melon has two homelands – East Indies and Africa.
Melon in its raw form is low in calories – only 35 kcal, but in dried form – 341 kcal, so it should be used with caution by people who monitor their weight.
Melon pulp contains up to 20% sugar, vitamins C, B9 and P, carotene, provitamin A, folic acid, fats, iron, mineral salts, pectin, fatty oils.
The inclusion of melon in the diet promotes the process of digestion and hematopoiesis, the treatment of atherosclerosis, cardiovascular diseases, anemia, stomach diseases, mental disorders, tuberculosis, rheumatism, scurvy, gout. Melon is a good antitussive, anthelmintic and anti-inflammatory agent.
It is consumed raw, used to make juice, melon honey and fruit ice cream.
rice groats
For the manufacture of rice cereals, rice is used. Rice is a cereal crop, an annual / perennial herb of the Cereals family. In the territory of modern Thailand and Vietnam, rice began to be cultivated more than 4000 years ago. Over the entire period of the use of rice by mankind, it has spread throughout the world and has become part of the culture of the peoples of Japan, China, India and Indonesia, it is consumed by more than 2/3 of the world’s population. In Asia, there are about 150 kg of rice per person per year. Now in the world there are more than a thousand varieties of rice.
Rice porridge contains up to 75% starch, and practically does not contain fiber. It also contains proteins, amino acids, B vitamins (riboflavin B2, thiamin B1, niacin B3), vitamin E, potassium, phosphorus, iron, iodine, selenium, calcium. A feature of rice cereals is that it does not contain the vegetable protein gluten, which is contraindicated in cases of gluten intolerance.
Rice porridge promotes the synthesis of tissue proteins, which are necessary for the brain and metabolism, normalizes the activity of the hematopoietic organs and the nervous system, improves cell nutrition, prevents blood clots and strengthens the walls of blood vessels, has antioxidant properties, and neutralizes the effect of salt in the body.
Basically, rice grits are used to make rice porridge. The most useful porridge is obtained from brown rice, which retains all the valuable substances, unlike parboiled rice – only 80% of the nutrients remain in it.
You can cook rice porridge with milk, pumpkin, strawberries, dried fruits, honey, condensed milk. Also, rice grits are used as a side dish, filling for pies and pies.
Soy
This is one of the most ancient plants cultivated by man, which belongs to the annual herbaceous plants of the genus Soy, the legume family. She began her victorious march around the world from the territory of Southeast Asia and now grows on the five continents of the Earth. Soybeans, depending on the variety, are distinguished by thick, pubescent or bare stems, with complex leaves (3, 5, 7 and 9-compound), purple or white flowers. Soybean fruit is a bean with 2-3 seeds.
Soy contains such useful substances as: vitamins B1, PP, B2, B4, B6, B5, B9, C, H, E, beta-carotene, sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, phosphorus, boron, iodine , zinc, raffinose, stachyose, isoflavones, lecithin.
Soy is recommended for treating ulcers, gastritis, heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and dysbiosis. And also to stimulate the growth of bifidobacteria, regulate weight, reduce cholesterol and optimize fat metabolism.
The calorie content of soy is 380 kcal.
Soy, due to its high protein content, is an excellent substitute for many animal products (for example, soy replaces meat, butter, milk). It is used for making sweets, sauces, drinks, tofu cheese, pâté, sausages, yoghurt, ice cream, and chocolate.
Tench
It is a freshwater fish of the Carp family and the only member of the Tinca genus. It differs in that the color (from dark brown with a bronze tint to greenish-silver) depends on the characteristics of the bottom of the reservoir of its habitat. The body of the tench is covered with a thick layer of mucus, which begins to change color (darken) and become stained when exposed to air. This type of freshwater fish is also used to decorate artificial reservoirs, namely in decorative ponds, fountains and lakes, the golden tench is bred. Another surprising feature of tench is that it survives in conditions that are not suitable for other fish (for example, with low oxygen levels in the water).
Tench is a long-liver among fish – it can live up to 18 years, while reaching 50 cm in length and 2-3 kg in weight.
Tench meat is distinguished by the presence of high-quality protein, iodine, vitamins B, E, A, PP and C, zinc, copper, sodium, chromium, polyunsaturated fatty acids, phosphorus, fluorine, manganese and potassium.
Systematically using baked tench can significantly improve the functioning of the whole body as a whole, and the heart, stomach and thyroid gland in particular.
In cooking, tench is prepared in different ways – baked, stewed, pickled, boiled, stuffed, fried.
Mullet
This is a fish from the order of mullet, the genus Sea fish. Mullet belongs to a small-sized commercial rabbi that lives in warm and tropical seas. There are 17 species of mullet, some of which live in the fresh waters of Madagascar, tropical America, Australia, Southeast Asia and New Zealand. The mullet is distinguished by its silvery color, it swims very mobile and in flocks, knows how to “jump” when frightened.
The calorie content of mullet is 124 kcal. It contains such useful substances as: protein, fats, phosphorus, chlorine, calcium, zinc, chromium, molybdenum, fluorine, nickel, provitamin A, vitamin PP and B1, omega-3.
Mullet is useful in food for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases (for example, stroke) and atherosclerosis, in the treatment of chronic and acute intestinal diseases.
Mullet, with its tender, tasty and valuable meat, has deservedly occupied a significant place in various national cuisines. It is baked with porcini mushroom, stewed in fish broth, champagne or white wine, fried in breadcrumbs, and steamed fish sausages. And also, mullet is salted, smoked, dried and used for canned food.
Pike
It belongs to the genus Freshwater fish, it is the only representative of the Shchukov family and belongs to predators. It has a torpedo-like body with a wide mouth and a large head, it can reach 1,5 meters in length, and in weight – 35 kg. The color depends on the habitat and ranges from light greenish to gray-brown with olive or brown spots. Some of its species can live up to 30 years. The habitat of pike is freshwater rivers, lakes, ponds of North America and Eurasia, desalinated parts of the Baltic and Azov seas.
The calorie content of fresh pike meat is 82 kcal. Pike contains a lot of potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, sodium, sulfur, iron, zinc, iodine, copper, manganese, chromium, fluorine, cobalt, nickel, molybdenum, vitamins B1, B6, B2, B9, E, C, PP, AND.
Pike meat is recommended for combating bacterial infections, reducing the risk of arrhythmias, strengthening the immune system, with dietary nutrition and the treatment of gastric diseases.
In cooking, pike is fried, boiled, baked or stuffed, and is also used to make cutlets, veal, dumplings and rolls.
Chanterelles
Bright red forest mushrooms, with an inverted “umbrella” cap that has grown together with the stem of the mushroom. The peculiarity of chanterelles is that they are rarely wormy, do not crumple, do not crumble and do not accumulate radioactive substances. In coniferous, birch and spruce-birch forests, chanterelles grow in families from early summer to late autumn.
Chanterelles contain vitamin A, PP, B, amino acids and trace elements (copper, zinc), chitinmannose, ergosterol, trametonolinic acid.
This type of mushroom is recommended for the prevention of eye diseases (especially “night blindness”), the treatment of liver disease, hepatitis, tubercolosis, boils, abscesses, tonsillitis, parasitic infection of the body, to cleanse the liver.
The most delicious fried chanterelles with eggs, potatoes, spaghetti, chicken. They can be added to pie or pizza.
Serum
A by-product that is obtained during the preparation of cheese, casein or cottage cheese, by rolling heated sour milk and straining it. Serum belongs to healthy and nutritious drinks, which was even recommended by the forefather of medicine Hippocrates himself for the treatment of diseases of the lungs, liver and psoriasis.
In its composition, whey contains vitamins B, E, C, H, A, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, lactic acid bacteria and milk sugar.
Due to the low-molecular structure of the protein, whey is perfectly absorbed and actively participates in the processes of cell renewal. In addition, it has a general strengthening effect on the body, normalizes the secretory function of the stomach, enhances metabolic processes, removes toxins and toxins, and stimulates intestinal activity. It also helps with reduced immunity, diseases of the cardiovascular system, hormonal disorders, gastrointestinal diseases (gastritis, colitis, ulcers), with internal inflammation, to prevent the development of putrefactive processes. Serum is useful for pregnant women with edema and for the normalization of kidney function.
In cooking, whey is included in the products of children’s dairy cuisine, used as a component of baking dough, pancakes, pancakes, and for cold soups. Meat and fish are marinated in whey.
Turkey
This is the second largest (after the ostrich) poultry from the order Chicken-like. The outdated name for turkey is Indian chicken, so it was called because this bird comes from America.
The live weight of male turkeys (turkeys) ranges from 9 to 35 kg, and of turkeys, respectively, from 4,5 to 11 kg. The turkey differs in that it has a wide tail and long strong legs, its head and neck are decorated with skin formations, in males a fleshy long appendage hangs from the top of the beak. The plumage of a turkey is different: white, bronze, black.
Boiled low-fat turkey meat with a high protein content has a calorie content of 195 kcal and contains such useful substances: vitamin E, A, B6, PP, B2, B12, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, sulfur, iron, magnesium, sodium, manganese , iodine.
Turkey meat contributes to the replenishment of the plasma volume in the blood, the metabolic processes of the whole organism, and increases the level of vital energy. It is used to prevent the onset and development of vitamin deficiency, cellulite, brain disorders and cancer.
Sausage, sausages, dumplings, cutlets are prepared from turkey meat, it can also be stuffed, baked in the oven, stewed, steamed.
Jasmin
This is an evergreen climbing or upright shrub from the Olive family. Differs in trifoliate, pinnate or simple leaves with regular large yellow, reddish or white flowers.
The useful substances of jasmine include: biologically active compounds (phenols, sesquiterpenes, lactones, triterpenes), essential oils, salicylic, benzoic and formic acids, benzyl acetate, benzyl alcohol, jasmon linalool, indole.
Jasmine flowers help to improve digestion, stimulate weight loss, blood circulation, speed up metabolism and remove toxins. In medicine, jasmine is used in the treatment of liver cirrhosis, hepatitis, apathy, to strengthen the nervous system.
Jasmine flowers in cooking are added as an aromatic additive to green tea.
Almonds
It is a small tree or shrub with stone fruit of the subgenus Almond of the genus Plum, falsely referring to nuts. The almond fruit looks like an apricot pit. Usually, almonds grow at an altitude of 800-1600 m above sea level on gravelly and rocky slopes, they love the sun and tolerate drought well. There are three main varieties of almonds: bitter, sweet and brittle almonds.
Among the nutrients of almonds, the following should be noted: 35-67% non-drying fatty oil, absorbable high-quality protein, calcium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, enzymes, vitamin E, B, amygdalin.
Almonds have a beneficial effect on the formation of blood lipids, and are used for impaired renal function and digestive disorders. Sweet almonds strengthens the brain, cleanses internal organs, softens the body, strengthens eyesight and throat, is useful for pleurisy and asthma, hemoptysis, abrasions, ulcers in the bladder and intestines.
Children should be excluded altogether, and adults should limit the amount of untreated bitter almonds consumed – due to the high concentration of glycoside, which breaks down in the body into sugar and poisonous hydrogen cyanide.
Usually, almonds are eaten fried or raw, used as an additive in confectionery and liqueurs.