Irga: health benefits and harms

Contents

The history of the appearance of irgi in nutrition
The composition and calorie content of irgi
Benefits of Irgi
Harm irgi
Application in medicine
Application in cooking
- Winter marshmallow from shadberry
- Cottage cheese biscuit with berry berries
How to choose and store irgu
Popular questions and answers

Today, not many people have tried the sweet berries of irgi, but a few centuries ago, healers actively used it to prepare medicinal potions. What is the value of honey berries? And why do so few people know about it?

In mid-July, on the streets of the city and in the gardens, you can find small trees strewn from top to bottom with purple and dark red berries. Irgi fruits have a sugary, delicate taste with a pleasant aftertaste. Outwardly, the berries can be confused with currants, and they can taste like raisins. Irga is valued not only for its sweetish taste, but also for its healing properties. Moreover, the bark and leaves of the tree are also used in medicine. Irgi berries perfectly satisfy hunger and strengthen the immune system. Today, berries are actively used by traditional healers, as well as confectioners in the preparation of desserts. Together with a gastroenterologist-hepatologist, we understand what the benefits of honey berries are.

The history of the appearance of irgi in nutrition

Amelanchier – this is the name of the irgi in botany. It is derived from the Provencal word amelanche, meaning “honey taste” of berries. The name of the irgi varies among different peoples. In Our Country, you can most often hear the names “sea buckthorn”, “wine berry”, “cinnamon” and “pyrus”, in Italy it is customary to call it “willow delicacy”, in Germany – “rock pear”, and the Canadians called the plant “Canadian loquat” .

Canada is considered to be the birthplace of the irgi. In the XNUMXth century, the plant was distributed in Europe, where they began to actively prepare sweet wine from berries. In Our Country, irgu began to be distributed in the XNUMXth century by the famous botanist Ivan Vladimirovich Michurin.

Due to its unpretentiousness and frost resistance, the scale of distribution of the shadberry has expanded to a large number of regions, including Africa, the USA, the Crimea, the Caucasus and the Far East. In the wild, irga is usually found in forests, bushes and mountains. It is generally accepted that the irga received such a wide distribution range thanks to migratory birds that carried seeds. Today, scientists know about twenty-five species of shadberry. Despite the unpretentiousness of this plant, larger and more useful shadberry berries can be found on trees that receive a lot of sunlight (1).

The composition and calorie content of irgi

The healing properties of irgi are determined by the chemical composition of berries, leaves and bark. Irgi fruits contain vitamins and useful elements that are necessary for the body to work (2).

Irgi berries contain ascorbic acid, sugars, flavonoids, pectins, organic acids, carotene, coloring components and fiber. The leaves and bark of the plant contain tannins, while the seeds contain fatty oil. Irga is also a source of phenolic compounds such as leucoanthocyanins and anthocyanins, catechins, flavonols and chlorogenic acids. Among the macro- and microelements, manganese, iodine, copper, lead and cobalt stand out.

Caloric value on 100 g	45 kcal
Proteins	0 g
Fats	0 g
Carbohydrates	11,4 g

Benefits of Irgi

About the beneficial properties of irgi for human health tells Olga Arisheva, PhD, gastroenterologist-hepatologist:

– Irgi berries are a natural multivitamin remedy that has a positive effect on the body as a whole. The fruits of the medicinal plant exhibit immunostimulating, tonic, soothing, antitumor, tonic, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. Irgi berries are often used in diets and clinical nutrition.

Irga is actively used in therapeutic and preventive programs. Phytosterols exhibit an anti-sclerotic effect, strengthen blood vessels, increase the elasticity of capillaries and prevent the formation of atherosclerotic plaques.

Pectins help to restore the work of the gastrointestinal tract, increase appetite, remove toxins and carcinogens from the body. Also, a decoction based on irgi berries helps to eliminate stress and fatigue, stabilizes the nervous system.

Assimilation of vitamin C makes it easier for the body to fight infections. Vitamin C is responsible for the normalization of metabolism and lowering cholesterol levels in the blood.

Bioflavonoids or P vitamins help stabilize blood sugar, prevent blood clots, and have a positive effect on heart function.

In sufficient quantities, irga contains vitamin P, which is most rarely found in products. The positive effect of the plant on the human body is associated with the presence of this particular element.

Riboflavin, or vitamin B2, is widely used in metabolic processes, stabilizes the activity of the sebaceous glands and helps maintain good vision.

Decoctions from the bark and leaves of shadberry have a wound-healing, anti-inflammatory and bactericidal effect.

The benefits of irgi for women

Ripe and sweet fruits of irgi will help to cope with women’s problems. Irgi berries reduce pain during the menstrual cycle, and also have a restorative effect on a woman’s body after bleeding during menopause. The delicacy helps to cope with postpartum depression and strengthen the health and immunity of a woman, even after a long and difficult birth.

Particularly relevant is the dietary function of honey berries. Due to its low calorie content and high palatability, this useful plant is widely used in weight loss and weight correction programs.

The benefits of irgi for men

According to nutritionists, irgi berries are recommended to be included in the diet of men over the age of fifty. In old age, most men develop a number of diseases of the urinary and reproductive systems, which are associated with a decrease in the elasticity of blood vessels. The use of irgi allows not only to improve male libido and sexual activity, but also to have a general strengthening effect on blood vessels, thereby preventing the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases. The healing properties of irgi are also manifested when men consume berries at a young age. The male body is often prone to stressful conditions, healthy honey berries will help to safely get out of which (3).

The benefits of irgi for children

Many experts identify a special composition of berries, which includes more than fifty vitamins, micro and macro elements and substances that can improve the activity of the whole organism. This is especially important for the growing body of the child, which needs a lot of nutrients. Ursolic acid resists the formation of muscle atrophy. A large number of antioxidant compounds support the protective properties of the body and strengthens the immune system in the fight against bacterial and viral infections. A decoction of medicinal berries promotes wound healing and is often used in the treatment of colds and flu (4).

Irgi berries are recommended for children from the age of four. The use of fruits at an early age can lead to the manifestation of irritation, rash and other signs of allergic reactions.

Harm irgi

Despite the huge number of positive properties of the healing berry, in certain situations, the use of irgi can harm the body. There are a number of specific contraindications, in which you should completely limit the use of sweet berries.

Diabetes. Eating a carbohydrate-rich berry can lead to a sharp jump in blood glucose levels.
Obesity. Increasing consumption of sweet berries can lead to an increase in overall body weight.
Reduced blood pressure. Substances in the composition of irgi berries help lower blood pressure.
Tendency to skin eruptions. Irgi berries are a strong allergen.
Low blood clotting. Substances found in the berries contribute to blood thinning.

According to Olga Arisheva, an adult is recommended to consume no more than one hundred and fifty grams of fresh berries per day. In early childhood, the consumption of irgi berries should be reduced to fifty grams per day to reduce the risk of allergic reactions.

Application in medicine

You can often trace the mention of berries, leaves and roots of irgi in folk recipes. Decoctions and infusions are boiled from a medicinal plant, which help to restore the body with a large number of diseases. It is also important that irgi berries not only alleviate painful conditions, but also stimulate the accelerated recovery of a weakened body due to its nourishment with useful substances. In addition, irgi berries are a good natural remedy for preventing diseases and maintaining health and youth.

Olga Arisheva recommends taking berries inside fresh or processed, for example, in the form of jams, infusions and syrups. In addition, freshly squeezed irgi juice is used for lotions, providing a bactericidal and anti-inflammatory effect. A bandage soaked in irgi juice is applied to the damaged area of the body and left for some time to speed up the healing process. Freshly picked shadberry leaves are applied to wounds and burns to reduce inflammation.

In folk medicine, freshly squeezed juice from shadberry berries is used to gargle with sore throats and inflammation of the oral cavity. Decoctions from the bark and leaves of shadberry are used as an astringent and enveloping agent. And the astringent properties of the juice of freshly picked berries have a calming effect on intestinal disorders.

Application in cooking

Of course, most often shadberry berries are used to treat and restore the body, however, jams, liqueurs, wines, compotes from freshly picked sweet berries turn out to be exceptionally tasty and original. This is especially true for the preparation of sweets and desserts. Baking with shadberry is a unique delicacy, its fruits harmonize very subtly with cottage cheese and shortcrust pastry.

Winter marshmallow from shadberry

In many families, the tradition of home-made berry marshmallows has been preserved. This primordially delicacy will retain the beneficial properties of irgi until the onset of cold weather. A useful replacement for dessert will not only strengthen the immune system, but also keep the figure

Irgi berries	2,5 kg
Sugar	800 g

Put the washed berries in a prepared container and grind with an immersion blender until pureed. Then add sugar and leave for a couple of hours to infuse. After that, wipe the resulting mass through a sieve to remove excess bones and rubbish. Put the resulting mixture on greased parchment and dry in the oven at a temperature of 120 degrees until the marshmallow sticks. Roll the finished marshmallow into a roll and cut into portions. Store marshmallow from berry berries in the refrigerator or freezer.

Cottage cheese biscuit with berry berries

On the territory of Italy, France and Our Country, the description of the biscuit varies from cookies to flat cakes and bread. In his cookbook, Alexandre Dumas described it as a flat, round cake that is cooked in the oven. Whatever definition you choose, sweet shadberry berries will be a nice addition and savory decoration to an old dish.

Flour	1 Art. a spoon
Curd	200 g
Egg	2 piece.
Baking powder	1 hours. Spoon
Vanilla	1 hours. Spoon
Sugar	5 Art. spoons
Irgi berries	150 g

In a saucepan, mix 3 tablespoons of sugar, 1 egg, 100 grams of cottage cheese, flour, vanilla and baking powder. Then knead the dough and put it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. In a separate container, prepare the filling for the biscuit. To do this, thoroughly beat the remaining cottage cheese, 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1 egg white.

Prepare cream. Mix eggs, cream cheese and sugar well. Roll out the risen dough and place the filling on top. Spread blueberries over it. Roll the dough into a roll and cut into 12 equal buns.

Transfer the buns to a baking sheet and let them rest for 30 minutes. Put them to bake in an oven preheated to 180 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

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How to choose and store irgu

A feature of the irgi is the ability to actively absorb toxins and heavy metals, so you need to collect healing berries away from highways and industrial complexes. It is best to plant a plant in your garden or in your backyard.

Today, berry berries are quite rare on store shelves. Although sometimes on the shelves of supermarkets you can find wine from shadberry, jams and jams. When choosing berries in the store, you need to pay attention to the integrity of the packaging and expiration dates.

A ripe berry is stored at room temperature for no more than three days, therefore, to increase the shelf life of the irgu, it is necessary to put it in the refrigerator. Also, in order to preserve the beneficial properties of berries for longer, the irgu can be dried in a well-ventilated warm room, spread out on a grid. Another way is to dry the berries in the oven for 8 hours, but in this case the temperature should not exceed 60 degrees. Also, the valuable composition of the shadberry can be preserved by freezing the berries on a pallet or baking sheet. For easy storage, frozen berries can be poured into small bags.