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Turn is a wild shrub that many gardeners use as a hedge. But few people know that its berries contain many useful components for human health. The drupes of this plant have a tart, sour taste, so they are not suitable for everyone for fresh consumption. But if you wish, you can prepare a healthy juice from the turn, which in winter can make up for the lack of vitamins in the body.
The benefits and harms of blackthorn juice
A drink based on shrub berries has a rich chemical composition. It contains organic and fatty acids, a complex of vitamins and minerals, tannins, coumarins, flavonoids, pectin, essential oils and sugars.
Due to the high content of important components, blackthorn juice is useful in the following cases:
- improves the functioning of the digestive organs;
- normalizes sleep;
- increases the elasticity of blood vessels;
- reduces pain during menstruation;
- promotes rapid recovery after an illness;
- increases immunity;
- has a mild diuretic effect, removes sand from the kidneys;
- reduces nausea, promotes the elimination of toxins in case of poisoning;
- favorably affects the nervous system;
- improves visual acuity, prevents the development of glaucoma;
- improves metabolic processes in the body;
- promotes the flow of bile.
Blackthorn juice in some cases can be harmful to health. The preparation should not be used by people with a predisposition to allergies. When characteristic signs appear, the use of the drink should be discarded.
Other contraindications:
- increased acidity of the stomach;
- gastritis;
- ulcer;
- pregnancy;
- hypotension;
- dehydration;
- lactation.
Selection and preparation of ingredients
The fruits of this shrub are similar in appearance to plums, but small in size. Blackthorn berries ripen in late July – mid-August and acquire a dark purple color with a bluish bloom on the surface. But for juice, the fruits must be harvested after the first frost, since at low temperatures their taste improves.
Natural raw materials must first be sorted out and removed all specimens with signs of damage and rot. Then the berries must be washed and left in a colander to drain the water. After that, the seeds should be removed from the fruit. Therefore, it is important to remove the berries from the branches only after the first frost, when they soften slightly, which greatly simplifies this procedure.
You should also prepare jars for storing blackthorn juice in winter. They must be thoroughly washed and sterilized for 10 minutes, which will prevent premature spoilage of the drink during storage.
How to make sloe juice
There are two ways to make a healthy drink from shrub berries. Each of them has certain cooking features that need to be considered. Only if all stages of the technological process are observed, the drink retains most of the useful components of natural berries.
Juice from turnips in a juicer for the winter
Using a juicer can greatly simplify the cooking process. The drink is obtained by evaporating natural raw materials. This process is simple, but it must be constantly monitored.
You will need:
- blackthorn berries – 2,5 kg;
- water – 2,5 l;
- sugar – 0,5 kg.
Cooking process:
- Pour water into the bottom of the juicer.
- Separately, put the berries in a container, add sugar, mix.
- Place the juice collector in the juicer.
- Put prepared berries with sugar in the upper part of the device with holes.
- Close the lid, put on fire.
- Boil for 30-40 minutes, during this time keep the drain hose closed.
- After that, drain the drink and send it back to the upper bowl of the juicer to boil again.
- When the juice begins to accumulate again, substitute a sterilized jar.
- After filling it, roll up the lid.
Blackthorn juice through a juicer for the winter
Using this recipe, you can prepare healthy juice for the winter in 1 hour. Therefore, most hostesses prefer it to him.
You will need:
- berries – 2,5 kg;
- sugar – 0,5 kg.
Algorithm of actions:
- Pour the pitted fruits with boiling water for 3 minutes.
- Drain the water and run the softened pulp through an electric juicer.
- Pour the liquid into an enamel pan.
- Pour in sugar, mix.
- Boil.
- Pour into banks.
- Separately, collect water in a wide saucepan.
- Cover its bottom with cotton cloth in two or three layers.
- Put jars of juice in a saucepan, cover them with lids.
- Sterilize 25 minutes.
- Roll up covers.
How to store blackthorn juice
You can store the workpiece in winter at a temperature of + 2-15 degrees and a humidity of about 70-75%. Therefore, it is recommended to keep cans with a drink in the basement, on the balcony or terrace. At the same time, it is important that direct sunlight does not fall on the juice, as this leads to a loss of useful properties and premature deterioration of the product. The shelf life of the drink is 12 months.
Conclusion
Blackthorn juice is a useful preparation that will become a real find in winter, when there is snow outside the window. After all, this drink is able to maintain immunity at a high level and reduces the body’s susceptibility to pathogens. However, in order not to inadvertently harm health, it must be consumed in a dosed manner, taking into account existing contraindications.