Dried kumquat

Everyone knows about the benefits and taste of many exotic fruits, but such an interesting fruit as kumquat, including dried, is not widely known. This fruit has many names: Japanese orange, food of the sages, and many others. In dried form, kumquat does not exceed the size of a walnut, but it has a huge number of useful properties, an unusual taste and aroma. One of its features is that the dried fruit is consumed whole, including with the peel, as it also contains many useful substances.

The homeland of the kumquat is China, but due to its taste and many useful properties, it very quickly gained popularity, first in Asia, and now it is widely distributed in America and Russia. The fresh kumquat is oblong in shape and has an orange rind that fades as it dries. In China, it has been used for many centuries not only as a delicious dessert, but also as a useful plant that helps fight many diseases.

How to choose

If you’re trying to choose your own dried kumquat, it’s important to pay attention to its color. If this color is very bright, bright red, most likely the dried product has been dyed. The fact is that if drying occurs in natural conditions, the color of the product will be dark, inconspicuous. In contrast to the taste, the appearance of a dried kumquat is not very presentable, such fruits are dark and wrinkled, but, nevertheless, very useful. This is the case when you can not judge a fruit by its appearance.

In addition, it is very important that there are no white stains or dots on it, which indicate that the fruit was treated with chemicals in order to get rid of mold. Proper dried kumquat smells like citrus, without side notes, the aroma is similar to the smell of oranges or tangerines, sometimes it gives a little mint. Be sure to pay attention to the smell, as this is one of the most important indicators of how the fruit was dried. If you notice a distinct chemical smell, then chemicals were used to dry the fruit and it is best not to eat it.

Dried fruit contains a large amount of useful substances, and you need to remember this when you choose a kumquat for yourself. The fact is that they often sell not just dried citrus, but pre-boiled in sugar syrup, and only then dried. Such a product has a much sweeter taste, and it is generally not bad, but it is more suitable as a dessert than as a good vitamin supplement. So, still give preference to the dried type, since it is he who has the original taste and is able to saturate your body with useful substances.

Useful Properties

Few people know the real benefits of kumquat. In Asia, it is called the Japanese orange, awarded with such epithets as “fabulous” and highly valued. The kumquat is small in size, about the size of a walnut, but it has an amazing taste and aroma, as well as many useful properties.

In our country, this citrus fruit is little known, and in vain, because the wide range of vitamins and minerals contained in it is extremely useful. In particular, with regular use, it improves immunity, helps the body fight diseases. In addition, both fresh and dried citrus fruits inhibit the action of fungi and destroy pathogenic bacteria. That is why it is actively used to treat inflammation as an adjuvant. Dried kumquat is very useful during coughs, helps fight infections, in particular, the substances contained in the peel.

This citrus fruit is well suited to normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, improve metabolism and increase the production of gastric juice. In addition, even when dried, the kumquat is low in calories so that it can be used as part of various diets. And in dried form, this fruit does not lose its many beneficial properties, moreover, it is in dried form that it significantly reduces the risk of developing bowel cancer.

Dried, among other things, kumquat is still able to help people who suffer from vision problems, such as myopia or diseases that appear with age. With regular but moderate use, dried kumquat can also reduce the risk of skin rashes, and the substances it contains protect the skin from the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation.

It is considered an excellent way to fight viruses and harmful bacteria, including due to its richness in vitamins. In addition, the copper and phosphorus contained in it help the normal functioning of the immune system, and also support the nervous system and intellectual activity.

Cooking application

This citrus fruit is widely used in cooking and, in particular, chefs willingly add it to salads and sauces, use it as an ingredient to create original snacks. Kumquats are even baked whole with meat or poultry to give them a sweet taste: in this regard, it is an excellent substitute for oranges.

If you grind a few fruits of dried kumquat, add sugar, ginger and white rum there, you get a surprisingly tasty and at the same time quite healthy cocktail with an exotic taste. If you want to cook it, for 100 grams of rum you need 7 kumquats, sugar and ginger to taste. The main thing is to strain the drink well before serving so that the crushed kumquat does not get into it and spoil all the sensations.

Dried kumquat is often used in cooking and at home: you can make kumquat compote, jam or candied fruit, and in its pure form it is used as a snack. This citrus fruit is even added to meat dishes, used as an additive to a side dish, but the taste of such dishes is quite original, so experiments should be done carefully.

Medicinal properties

Dried kumquat can replace many of the vitamin and mineral complexes that we buy at the pharmacy. By itself, it is able to make up for the deficiency of some useful substances and, according to the Chinese, it even helps with a hangover.

With the help of the dried peel of this plant in Asia, a runny nose is treated, thanks to the essential oil contained in it. In addition, dried kumquat is even able to fight parasites thanks to the furakumarin contained in it. In addition, it removes bad cholesterol from the body, helps to get rid of toxins and harmful salts. This means that it is great for cleansing the stomach and blood vessels when eaten regularly. In addition, by itself, it does not accumulate nitrates, and therefore does not pose a threat to health. Its beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system acts as a good prevention of strokes. Like any other citrus fruits, kumquat is very good at helping with diseases of the nervous system, including fatigue and nervous tension.

To get a pronounced therapeutic effect, about 7 fruits a day for two weeks are enough, this will help to saturate the body with vitamins, remove harmful substances from the body and generally improve the condition. However, they should not be abused, remember that any, even the most useful plant is useful only in moderation.

Kumquat tincture

To prepare a healing tincture from this citrus fruit, you will need:

• 10 dried fruits;
• honey to taste (about 500 ml);
• 500 ml of vodka or diluted alcohol;
• about 50 grams of ginger (can be less if you do not like it).

Rinse citrus fruits well, make several cuts on each of them so that the kumquat gives the maximum amount of its beneficial properties. Gently put the fruits in a jar, crushing them a little, add honey, ginger and pour vodka into it.

Until ready, this infusion should be stored in the refrigerator for 3 months, after which it can be consumed in a tablespoon 3 times a day before meals.

This will help saturate the body with the necessary vitamins, strengthen the immune system and improve the condition of the gastrointestinal tract, of course, if you have no contraindications to drinking alcohol.

With the help of the same tincture, you can cure a cough: take 100 g of tincture, warm it up well and drink it in small sips, preferably before going to bed. This will warm the throat or may help the body fight infection.

Противопоказания

Although often added to many diets, it is actually high in carbs and quite high in calories. That is why people who are prone to being overweight need to be careful about kumquat. It should also be used carefully by those people who have kidney disease, as the kumquat begins to remove toxins and poisons from the body, and the main burden in this falls on the kidneys. In addition, it, like any other citrus fruits, is not recommended for pregnant and lactating women, as it can provoke the development of an allergic reaction in an unborn child.

Dried kumquat is harmful for those who have an individual intolerance to citrus fruits or this particular product. If you do not have a tendency to allergies, in any case, it should be included in the diet little by little, starting with small portions, so as not to cause health problems.