Contents
What kind of fruit is medlar?
Murshmula is an exotic fruit tree that produces fruits similar to large apricots or pears. The plant belongs to the Pink family, is a relative of the pear and quince.
The tree reaches a height of 6 to 9 meters. The trunk is covered with gray bark with small thorns. Leaf plates are oval, large – up to 25 cm in length. Flowers with five petals, white or pink color, with a pronounced pleasant aroma. The flowering period corresponds to the calendar autumn. In winter-spring, yellow or orange fruits are formed.
Calories 47 KKal
- Fats:
0,2 g
- Proteins:
0,43 g
- Carbohydrates:
12,14 g
- Water:
86,73 g
- Ash:
0,5 g
The fruits of the medlar are saturated with valuable acids, macro and microelements, vitamins. It has been established that 100 grams of fruit contains:
Vitamins | Quantity | % of RDN |
Beta-carotene | 2,3 mg | 46% |
Vitamin A (retinol) | 76 μg | 8,4% |
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) | 0,1 mg | 7,7% |
Vitamin B9 (folic acid) | 14,0 μg | 3,5% |
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) | 32 μg | 1,8% |
Vitamin B1 (thiamine) | 24 μg | 1,6% |
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) | 1,0 mg | 1,1% |
Minerals | Quantity | % of RDN |
Manganese | 0,1 mg | 6,4% |
potassium | 266,0 mg | 5,7% |
Copper | 0,06 mg | 4,4% |
Phosphorus | 27,0 mg | 3,9% |
Magnesium | 13,0 mg | 3,3% |
Hardware | 0,3 mg | 2,8% |
Calcium | 16,0 mg | 1,6% |
Selenium | 0,6 μg | 1,1% |
The same amount of fruit has 1,7 grams of dietary fiber and 12 grams of carbohydrates. Energy value – 47 kcal.
Orange fruit contains pectin, a fiber that can cleanse the body, as well as antioxidants, active elements that act against free radicals. Due to this, medlar is recommended for the prevention of cancer.
Adherents of Chinese medicine still use all parts of the medlar to prepare medicines that are effective against:
Improving the functioning of the circulatory system.
Kidney disease.
Prevention of cancer of various localization.
Prevention of the development of diabetes.
Hypertension.
Decrease in body weight.
Restoration of respiratory functions;
Reducing cholesterol levels.
Stimulation of the body’s defenses.
Normalization of digestion.
Vision improvements;
Mineralization of the osteoarticular apparatus.
In cosmetology, medlar has become widespread due to its soothing properties. Masks with plant extract eliminate redness, refresh the skin, restore its elasticity. Essential oils are used for cosmetic wraps. The extract from the leaves is used in perfumery. In pharmacology, loquat extract is used for the production of anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antitussive, mucolytic drugs, inhalants for the treatment of chronic diseases of the respiratory system.
With all the benefits of medlar can be harmful. Orange fruit is contraindicated in the last three months of pregnancy. It is not given to young children due to the high risk of allergies. Loquat fruit seeds contain dangerous alkaloids that can cause respiratory failure, nausea and vomiting.
Where does medlar grow?
In the Caucasus, the first mention of medlar dates back to the beginning of the first millennium BC. In Greece, the culture has been grown since the XNUMXth century. A subtropical fruit plant grows in the form of trees or shrubs on the Crimean Peninsula, in South Ossetia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Balkans, in the expanses of Anatolia and Iran. European gardeners liked the German variety of medlar.
The most widespread medlar received in the Middle Ages. Over time, the culture was replaced by other plants that were brought to Europe from all over the world. Modern gardeners grow it extremely rarely.
7 useful properties of medlar
Multiple long-term studies of the qualities of medlar made it possible to prove its benefits for the body.
The fruits of this tree have an amazing effect on health:
1 Saturates with healing substances
Valuable trace elements and vitamins are indispensable for all internal organs. They ensure the health of the immune system, maintain the integrity of cells, stimulate hematopoiesis. Nutrients maintain the integrity of muscle and nerve fibers, bones and joints. The low calorie content of the product, combined with a high energy value, makes it useful in dietary nutrition.
2 Source of Active Plant Compounds
Medlar provides the body with beta-carotene, which has a pronounced antioxidant effect. Orange fruits contain more of it than yellowish ones. Carotenoids prevent the appearance of eye diseases, vascular pathologies. Beta-carotene provides a long life, reduces the likelihood of sudden death. Phenolic compounds keep the internal organs from the effects of negative, carcinogenic factors.
3 Promotes Cardiovascular Health
The unique combination of vitamins, antioxidants, potassium and magnesium in the medlar pulp strengthens the vascular wall and normalizes blood pressure. Phenols and carotenoids eliminate the symptoms of inflammation, protect heart cells from damage. The antioxidant effect of medlar prevents the formation of cholesterol plaques, which are the root cause of a number of cardiovascular pathologies and death of cardiac patients.
4 Has antitumor properties
The anticarcinogenic qualities of the skin and pulp of the fruits, leaves and seeds of the loquat have been established by medical experiments. Under laboratory conditions, it was possible to prove that phenolic and carotenoid compounds inhibit the growth of tumor cells. An additional study of the anti-cancer properties of the culture is currently underway. [1]
5 Stimulates metabolism
Normal metabolism is the result of a decrease in triglycerides, glucose, and the restoration of the physiological level of insulin. All these mechanisms occur at the cellular level, which provides the body with the necessary energy. The effect of medlar seeds and leaves on metabolic processes is used by traditional Chinese medicine. Additional studies are currently being conducted with the participation of people. With their help, the positive effect of medlar on the metabolism of sugar, fats, triglycerides will be proven. [2]
6 Anti-inflammatory qualities
Symptoms of chronic inflammation are characteristic of diabetes, a number of diseases of the heart and brain. Laboratory observations have established that medlar juice promotes the synthesis of anti-inflammatory proteins. Relief of inflammatory signs, excretion of endotoxins is provided by a high concentration of antioxidants, vitamin-mineral complexes contained in the pulp of medlar fruits. [3], [4]
7 Possibility of universal reception
In the natural regions of medlar growth, fruits can be purchased directly from gardeners. In colder areas, it may be available in supermarkets.
Ripe fruits can be consumed in many ways:
in salads;
together with nuts, cheese;
in stews of vegetables, meat, poultry;
in jam, jelly;
as an ingredient in multi-component juices, cocktails;
as a filling of pies, cakes.
It is permissible to freeze, preserve, dry fruits in order to increase their shelf life.
[Video] The benefits of medlar:
What does it taste like?
Each of the varieties of medlar has its own taste.
The Japanese variety has a sweet taste with a slight sourness. The taste of fruits resembles quince, pear or strawberries. Some people catch notes of cherry, apricot, passion fruit.
German medlar is characterized by a sour taste with a hint of astringent, astringent aftertaste. Gardeners say that this variety is similar to an apple. Fresh fruits are practically not eaten, they are used after processing.
How to choose the right one?
After harvesting, the fruits are transferred to a dark, cool place. This is done to make the fruit softer. During this time, they change color to brown. Eatenable berries do not look attractive. People perceive them as rotten, spoiled.
In the store, you should choose a medlar according to the following parameters:
The fruits should be large, small fruits are not juicy, have a sour taste.
The color of the fruit is uniform, dark spots.
Skin – wrinkled, without damage.
Before use, the skin is removed from the medlar berries, all the bones are removed.
For better preservation, each medlar fruit is dipped in saline, then dried on paper. Berries are stored in the refrigerator at a temperature of 2-10ºС, but not more than 2 days. It is important to remember that in this case, contact of the fruits with each other should be avoided.
Cultivation of a medlar
The crop is grown in hot, dry regions. Given these requirements, medlar is grown in greenhouses and even at home.
How to grow a medlar from a bone at home?
A plant can be obtained from a seed, but it will not bear fruit soon. For germination, you can take the bones extracted from the fetus no more than three days ago. To get the result, you must perform certain manipulations:
Prepare a soil mixture from equal parts of peat, sand, leaf soil, humus.
Lay a layer of expanded clay in a drained pot.
Fill the container with the prepared soil mixture.
Deepen the bone up to 2 cm. Up to 6 seeds can be germinated in one pot.
From above, the container is covered with a film or glass.
The pot is placed on a well-lit windowsill.
The first sprouts appear after 6-8 weeks, after which the pot is shaded from direct sunlight. The film is lifted daily to ventilate the sprouts and remove condensation, which can cause the development of fungi.
The film is completely removed when the sprouts reach about 2 cm in height.
At a temperature of + 18 ° C, it is allowed to take the pot out into the open air, provided that it is protected from the active sun and drafts.
Watering the sprout is carried out every 2-3 days.
After about a month, the sprouts reach up to 15 cm in height. At this time, they can be seated in separate containers. For planting use the same recipe for preparing the soil mixture.
The first flowering of seedlings is observed after about three years at the end of autumn. The fruits will be formed by the New Year holidays. The crown is formed after the flowers fall, but this is not necessary. The tree can grow naturally, it is only necessary to remove dry, damaged or diseased branches in a timely manner.
[Video] How I planted 500 loquat seeds: