Contents
Description
Cherry plum is a plant that is widespread in the wild and has been used by humans for a long time. It is appreciated for its high taste, unpretentiousness and variety of cultivated varieties, among which everyone can choose the one suitable for growing in their area.
The plant belongs to the species Cherry plum, the genus Plum of the Pink family. Earlier, from a botanical point of view, 5 main groups of cherry plum were distinguished:
- Syrian;
- fergana;
- Iranian;
- Caspian;
- plum spread out.
At the moment, for the convenience of classification, only one group of cherry plums is distinguished separately – Fergana. Some sources attribute the spreading plum to the wild varieties, and the cherry-bearing one to the cultivated one. Where did such difficulties in classification come from? Cherry plum is a plant that can easily and quickly give hybrids, therefore there are a huge variety of varieties and subspecies, both among cultivated and among wild representatives of the genus.
Most often, cherry plum appears in the form of a deciduous shrub or tree. The largest members of the genus can reach a trunk thickness of 0.5 m and boast a height of up to 13 m. However, most popular varieties are much more compact.
The crown of a tree can be narrow pyramidal, round and spreading. The bulk of the branches are thin, often covered with spiny processes. During the flowering period, the tree is covered with a scattering of white or pink flowers, arranged in pairs or singly. The plant is surprising in that the moment of flowering can come before the appearance of the leaves or after. Cherry plum blooms in May and lasts on average from 7 to 10 days.
The fruit has drupe-type fruits of various sizes and colors. Shades range from green to almost black, going through the entire gamut of yellow, red and purple. Depending on the variety, cherry plum is small-fruited with a fruit weight of no more than 15 grams and large-fruited (less common) with fruits up to 80 grams.
Cherry plum is distinguished from its closest relative, the garden plum, by its unpretentiousness, annual fruiting, resistance to severe droughts and a long productive period.
Cherry plum has a vast distribution area. In the North Caucasus, it is called the wild plum, in the countries of Western Europe – mirabelle. The plant has been known to mankind since time immemorial. The seeds of cherry plum were discovered by archaeologists during excavations of the ancient settlements of Chersonesos and Mirmekia.
The composition and calorie content
If we talk about acids, then the palm tree in cherry plum belongs to lemon and apple. In almost all varieties, the pulp has a sourness, expressed to a greater or lesser degree.
The leader among vitamins is vitamin C with an indicator of 16 ml per 100 grams of the product and vitamin A – 2.8 mg. The content of tannins depends on the variety, the stronger the astringency is felt in the taste, the more of them in the composition.
The pectin in the composition endows the fruit with gelling properties, thanks to which cherry plum is actively used in the confectionery industry. The amount of water can be determined by the color of the fruit, the densest varieties are yellow, the large regional varieties contain about 89% water.
Indicators of total and inert sugar in yellow varieties are 5.35 and 1.84%, respectively; in the red – 4.71 and 2.38%. The leader in fiber content is small red fruits (0.58%).
Cherry plum of the North Caucasus contains more acids and less sugar, the fruits of the Transcaucasus are sweeter.
- Calories, kcal: 27
- Proteins, g: 0.2
- Fat, g: 0.0
- Carbohydrates, g: 6.9
Useful properties of cherry plum
For men
Due to the high potassium content, cherry plum is recommended to be included in the diet of people suffering from diseases of the cardiovascular system on an ongoing basis. It strengthens the heart muscle and helps to get rid of arrhythmias.
A person who constantly uses cherry plum will never get night blindness, scurvy and will not suffer from constipation.
For women
A decoction of cherry plum leaves has a calming effect and is indicated for sleep disturbances. The beauty of this tea is that it is not only healthy, but also delicious.
Vitamins A and C are recognized fighters for beauty and youth. They managed to get such an honorary title thanks to their ability to fight free radicals.
The oil, which is obtained from the seeds, is similar in composition to almond oil. This allows it to be effectively used in cosmetology and home hair care.
Interesting fact. The crushed cherry plum shell is included in the activated carbon.
For kids
The first and main thing for which cherry plum is used is to maintain immunity, this is especially important in the autumn-winter period. Cherry plum juice with honey has an expectorant effect much better than a number of medicines, removes toxins and naturally reduces high fever.
Harm and contraindications of cherry plum
Like any cherry plum fruit, it has a number of contraindications and can harm the body. Controlling the amount of fruit consumed is worth those who suffer from diarrhea. Due to its strong laxative effect, the fruit can aggravate the situation.
You will have to completely abandon the fruit in case of gastritis and ulcers. The recommendation is related to the high acid content of the product. Fresh cherry plum is used with special care and strict control for gout and rheumatism.
Healthy cherry plum oil
Cherry plum oil is very similar in composition to almond oil. This makes it effective for all skin types.
Even waterproof makeup can be removed quickly with oil. To do this, moisten a cotton pad with warm water and evenly distribute 3-4 drops of oil. Wipe the skin with light, non-pulling movements.
It is recommended to enrich the daily night face cream with oil. Add 2 drops of oil to a portion of the cream and apply on the face along the massage lines.
To prepare a mask for oily skin combine in a glass bowl “mashed potatoes” cooked in a uniform, 1 tsp. oils and the same amount of lemon juice. Mix everything thoroughly and apply to cleansed skin, leave for a quarter of an hour. Remove the mask with warm water.
How to choose
When choosing a fruit, determine in advance the purpose of the purchase, whether it will be pickled cherry plum, candied fruit or jam.
- Ripe fruit has a pleasant aroma, does not have rough dents and spots.
- If you plan on making marshmallows or making a homogeneous jam, you can choose the most ripe fruit. For freezing whole or in pieces, it is better to take mid-season fruits.
- The presence of white bloom for cherry plum is the norm. It comes off perfectly even with light washing with water.
- In yellow cherry plum, there is practically no astringency, it has a rich sweet and sour taste. Such a product is suitable for making desserts, but for sauces it is better to look for other options.
How to store cherry plum
Cherry plum for the winter is stocked in several ways, it can be: canned, frozen and dried / dried.
Dried cherry plum: recipes
Option 1
Before drying, rinse the fruits in cold water and arrange according to size. If the bone inside does not come off the pulp well, it is recommended to dry the whole product. In no case should you cut cherry plum, the product in this case will lose a colossal amount of its mass.
If the fruit isn’t sweet enough, place it in a boiling syrup made with 1 liter of water and 6 tablespoons for 2-4 minutes. Sahara. Boil a little and lay out to drain.
Transfer the cherry plum to the grid of an electric dryer, set the temperature to around 35-40 ° C and leave for 3-4 hours, turn it off, let it cool and repeat the procedure, raising the temperature to 55-60 ° C. The resulting product should be viscous on the inside, but not sticky.
Option 2
To prepare the marshmallow, rinse the fruit and put it in boiling water. Wait until the skin begins to crack. Peel, remove the seeds and purée the pulp with a hand blender until smooth. If desired, honey can be added to the fruit puree.
Cover the baking sheet with baking paper and pour the puree, spread evenly with a silicone spatula or spoon. Place the baking sheet in the oven at 40 ° C for 5 hours, turn it off and let cool. Raise the temperature to 60 ° C and dry for another 3 hours, let the pastille cool down and at the last stage place the baking sheet in the oven preheated to 80 ° C for 7 hours. Throughout the preparation of the marshmallow, keep the oven door open, for the electric stove the gap width is 5-6 cm, for gas stoves – 15-18 cm.
It is better to store dried cherry plum and marshmallow in the refrigerator on the middle shelf. When you are confident that the product is dry, place it in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid.
Cherry plum for medical purposes
Traditional medicine offers many different recipes based on cherry plum, which will help improve health and prevent disease.
For constipation
Pour 30 g of dried cherry plum fruits with a glass of boiling water, bring to a boil and leave under a tight-fitting lid for 5 hours.
Before use, strain the broth through a sieve, take 80-90 ml three times a day before meals.
With kidney disease
Not only cherry plum fruits are useful, but also its flowers. Pour a glass of color with a liter of boiling water and leave to infuse until it cools completely. Consume 200 ml per day instead of water or tea.
With a reduced erection
Pour 100 grams of flowers with 300 ml of boiling water, cover and leave for 24 hours. Strain the infusion and drink in two doses. This concentrated tea relieves prostate problems and restores erection.
When tired
An invigorating tea that relieves fatigue can be made from tree twigs. 2-3 tbsp Pour a liter of boiling water over finely chopped twigs and leave in a dark place for 48 hours. Strain before drinking, add lemon juice and honey if desired.
With varicose veins
Pour a tablespoon of cherry plum leaves with a glass of boiling water, put in a water bath, bring to a boil and leave for a quarter of an hour. Take the filtered cooled broth before meals three times a day, ½ cup.
Cooking use
Cherry plum is used to prepare desserts, sauces, compotes, preserves, jellies, bake a pie, prepare salads and add to meat dishes. As you understood from the description, cherry plum is a universal product.
Cherry plum and zucchini jam
Ingredients:
- cherry plum (yellow variety) – 0.5 kg;
- zucchini – 0.5 kg;
- sugar – 1.3 kg;
- pineapple juice – 0.5 l
- Preparation:
Rinse the zucchini, peel off the skin with a peeler, remove the seeds and cut into medium-sized cubes. Rinse the cherry plum, let it drain and, along with the zucchini, put it in a saucepan for making jam.
Combine pineapple juice with sugar, bring to a boil and cook for 3-4 minutes. Remember to stir constantly to dissolve the sugar crystals. Strain the syrup through 2 layers of flannel and pour over the cooked cherry plum and zucchini. Leave it on for 5 hours.
Bring the mass to a boil over low heat and boil for 8 minutes, let cool for 4 hours. Repeat the procedure 2 more times.
Pour cherry plum jam into sterilized jars, close with lids, turn over and warm for a day. This method of preservation is more effective than cherry plum compote, which takes up a lot of container and space.