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Dried kumquat is an exotic dried fruit, the properties of which are known to few. Meanwhile, it is interesting to understand what benefits the product brings to health, and how to use it correctly.
What is dried kumquat fruit
An unusual fruit called kumquat grows mainly in China, Japan, the Middle East and South America. The plant belongs to citrus fruits, outwardly it is an evergreen tree with a rounded crown. Kumquat blooms with beautiful white flowers and produces orange fruits of small size – only about 3 cm in diameter.
Kumquats are a bit like oranges, although they are much smaller and have an elongated shape. The taste of kumquat resembles a sour tangerine, and you can eat not only the pulp of the fruit, but also their peel – sweetish with a slight bitterness.
Kumquat is found in stores not only fresh, but also dried. Dried kumquat is a common fruit that has been dried almost to the point of evaporating moisture, but has significant health benefits.
Types of dried kumquat
Dried kumquat in stores is found in several forms. First of all, the product is different in color. There are the following variations:
- yellow – this color can be found most often, it is the most natural for naturally dried kumquat;
- Orange, this variety is also common, dried fruits retain their natural color;
- red – a real red dried kumquat may have a pale tint, but a rich bright color may indicate the presence of dyes;
- green – most often the shade indicates tinting, however, the green dried kumquat can also be a hybrid of kumquat and lime, which really has a grassy color.
In addition to the usual dried kumquat, there are also dried fruits – fruits dried together with the peel as a whole. You can also find candied fruits in stores – they differ from dried kumquats and dried fruits in that they are first boiled in sugar syrup before drying. The benefit of the product remains quite high.
Why are dried kumquats different colors?
Dried fruit slices are found mainly in 4 shades – yellow, red, green and orange.
Yellow and orange colors are completely natural for the product, but red and green shades most often indicate the use of food coloring. Sometimes the green or red color is explained by the fact that the manufacturer does not offer a “pure” kumquat, but one of the many hybrid varieties.
Composition and nutritional value of dried kumquat
Dried yellow kumquat is as healthy as fresh citrus fruit, if not a little more. The fact is that during drying, almost all useful substances are preserved in the slices, and the concentration of some of them even increases. The composition of the product includes:
- vitamins C, E and B;
- manganese, zinc, copper and selenium;
- iron and calcium;
- pectins and fiber;
- essential oils – limonene, pinene, caryophyllene and many others;
- tannins;
- antioxidants;
- beta carotene.
From the point of view of nutritional value, the product consists mainly of carbohydrates, they contain about 80 g in dried slices. Proteins occupy about 3,8 g in total, and fats are completely absent.
dried kumquat calories
The calorie content of dried kumquat per 100 g is about 283 kcal. Thus, dried slices are much more nutritious than fresh ones.
Calorie content of candied kumquat
Candied fruits have an even higher nutritional value. 100 g of sweet treat contains about 300 kcal.
Benefits of dried kumquat
If we consider the composition of the product, it becomes clear that the beneficial properties and contraindications of dried kumquat are very diverse. The product is valued not only for taste – with regular use, it can bring the following benefits:
- normalize digestive processes due to the high fiber content;
- help with spasms and increased gas formation;
- cleanse the intestines, kumquat removes accumulated toxins and toxic substances from the body;
- improve blood composition and liver health;
- increase the body’s immune resistance and strengthen the vascular walls;
- have a beneficial effect on cardiac activity, dried fruit protects against strokes and heart attacks;
- lower cholesterol and prevent the development of cancerous tumors;
- eliminate the symptoms of anemia and beriberi.
The benefit of kumquat lies in its beneficial effect on bone tissue and the nervous system. The product improves brain activity and helps to strengthen memory, the beneficial properties of yellow dried kumquat have a rejuvenating effect on the body.
How to dry kumquat at home
It is easiest to get natural small lemons, dried kumquat fruits, if you dry the slices of citrus fruits yourself. This will preserve their useful composition and avoid the use of artificially colored fruits.
At home, 3 methods of drying the product are used.
- In an electric dryer. Fresh fruits must be washed properly, then cut in half, and then cut into thin slices of each of the halves. The peel from the kumquat does not need to be removed. Sliced u135bu6bsections are laid out at small intervals on the appliance grate, the temperature is set to XNUMX ° C and the dryer is turned on for XNUMX hours.
- In the oven. In the absence of a special device, you can dry the slices in a conventional oven. It is heated to 100-120 ° C, and the chopped kumquat is laid out on a wire rack covered with parchment paper. Keep the blanks in the oven for about 5-8 hours, periodically checking readiness. If possible, the oven door can be left ajar for better air circulation so that the slices do not become too brittle. It is not recommended to spread the kumquat on a regular baking sheet, in this case the drying process will be uneven for different sides.
- The natural way. Preparing a delicacy by natural air drying is the most difficult thing, the problem is that in conditions of high humidity, kumquat rots more often than it dries out. Basically, fans of “air” drying use 2 methods – thin slices of fruit are either hung on a thread in the kitchen, or laid out on a thin pallet on a central heating battery.
How to make candied kumquat at home
Useful properties of yellow dried kumquat are preserved in candied fruits. A sweet product can also be prepared in your own kitchen on your own, it will take a lot of time, but the result will be very tasty.
Candied fruits are prepared as follows:
- a small amount of kumquat fruits are washed properly, cut into slices and seeds are removed;
- 500 g of granulated sugar is poured into 250 ml of water and boiled for several minutes until a thick syrup is obtained;
- prepared fruit slices are poured into the boiling mixture, reduce the heat to medium and cook for another 10 minutes;
- remove from the stove and allow the candied fruits to cool completely naturally.
The main nuance of preparation is that the next day the procedure will need to be repeated and boiled candied fruit in syrup again for 10 minutes. The same must be done within the next 2 days.
After that, the almost finished delicacy is laid out on a baking sheet covered with parchment, and left for a day in a well-ventilated place. When the candied fruits dry up, they will need to be put in the oven for 5-6 hours, heated to a low temperature – no more than 50 ° C. At the last stage of preparation, sweet slices are sprinkled with powdered sugar and consumed with taste and benefit.
How to eat dried kumquat
The benefits and harms of dried kumquat fruits depend on the literacy of their use. First of all, you need to remember about the increased calorie content of dried kumquat fruits and do not exceed the recommended daily dosages. It will be enough to eat only 6-8 fruits per day, if this norm is exceeded, the nutritional properties of the product can negatively affect digestion and the figure.
You can eat dried kumquat as a separate delicacy, but it is often combined with other foods and drinks – the benefits of this do not decrease. For example, you can add dried slices to alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails to give an exotic aroma and taste.
Dried slices can be put into tea or crushed to a powder state and mixed with tea leaves. Benefits and pleases with the pleasant taste of kumquat when combined with honey – the product can be dipped in honey or molasses and consumed with tea or coffee.
How to store dried kumquat
The benefits and harms of dried kumquat are largely determined by its freshness – it is not recommended to eat an expired or spoiled delicacy.
- It is necessary to store dried slices in a clean and dry container, away from sunlight and at low temperatures.
- It is best to put the product in a glass jar or plastic container and put it in the refrigerator – on the vegetable shelf.
- It is important to ensure that the humidity in the storage place is as low as possible, dried slices lose their benefit from contact with moisture and deteriorate faster.
Subject to all conditions, a delicacy can retain valuable properties and benefits up to a year.
As for candied fruits, the best place to store them would be a jar of sweet syrup, under such conditions they can keep their benefits up to 3 years. But in this case, candied fruits will need to be constantly dried before use, which is not always convenient. Therefore, they are much more often stored in a dry container in a refrigerator at a temperature not exceeding 15 ° C. When storing candied fruits, it is also important to ensure that the air humidity does not exceed 60%, and direct sunlight does not fall on the container with the product.
In a refrigerator, candied fruits can remain fresh and benefit up to six months.
Conclusion
Dried kumquat is not only tasty, but also a very healthy exotic delicacy that you can cook at home. With reasonable dosages, dried fruit can have a beneficial effect on the body and benefit health, the main thing is not to exceed the daily intake and give preference only to a natural product.
