Contents
The cold season is a period when nature does not please with a variety of fresh fruits, therefore, pampering households mainly turns out to be either imported citrus fruits, or familiar apples, or what happened to be prepared during the summer and autumn, that is, jams, jams, compotes and juices. A tasty and easy-to-prepare option will be pear juice, which has a pleasant aroma and a velvety aftertaste. In addition, the delicacy is also used for medicinal purposes, because its benefits for the body are known and undeniable.
Reasons for the popularity of pear juice
In addition to the fact that the drink quenches thirst well, pears contain a whole range of vitamins and minerals. Making a drink from fruits is a great way to preserve their properties and stock up on a delicious medicine for the winter.
The pear contains a large amount of easily digestible sugars, including fructose, which does not require the production of insulin in the blood for processing, so pear juice can be drunk by people with impaired thyroid function. Pectins, glucose, sucrose, tannins, fiber, vitamins P, PP, H, A, E, C and group B, beta-carotene make the product a real vitamin bomb, which is especially appreciated in winter, when the body clearly lacks resources to fight constantly attacking viruses and colds.
In terms of variety and quantity of minerals, pear juice also occupies one of the first places among other fruit preparations: it contains a significant amount of micro and macro elements. The drink does not have as much acidity as, for example, apple juice, so some recipes include the addition of citric acid or lemon juice.
In 100 g of pear drink – 47 kcal, 0 g of protein, 0 g of fat, 47 g of carbohydrates, so it can be consumed by people with overweight problems.
Therapeutic properties of the product
Such a treasure trove of benefits could not go unnoticed by doctors and nutritionists – the product is often prescribed for therapeutic purposes and as the first complementary food for infants.
Pear juice has the properties of removing salts of heavy metals, toxic substances, the results of taking antibiotics, it is prescribed after X-rays to minimize the effects of radiation.
Essential oils in the composition of the drink have a beneficial effect on the immune system, increasing the body’s natural function of fighting viruses and infections. Pear juice helps to suppress inflammation in the body.
Due to the fact that the product is rich in fiber, it improves intestinal motility and normalizes digestion, normalizes stool and helps to remove excess fluid from the body.
To prevent diseases of the circulatory system and kidneys, therapists recommend adding juice to your daily diet. The drink contains malic acid, which helps fight the formation of stones in the urinary system.
Regular consumption of pear juice in a low concentration can reduce pain in gastritis, cholecystitis, and remove the unpleasant sensation of heartburn. For these purposes, a freshly squeezed drink with pulp is suitable.
In case of irritation of the mucous tissues of the oral cavity, diluted juice is used for rinsing – the product relieves inflammation, itching, promotes wound healing.
Cystitis and inflammation of the peripheral nerves are indications for daily use of the product – the antibacterial and analgesic properties of pear juice make it an effective addition to the main drug therapy.
The composition of the drink contains the substance arbutin, so it is recommended as an antipyretic and expectorant.
Sorbitol is useful for those who are struggling with diabetes.
Pectins, contained in abundance in pears and pear juice, are natural blood protectors from bad cholesterol, in addition, they normalize digestion.
People prone to depression, disability, increased fatigue and dizziness will be able to appreciate the positive effect of the product on the body – it is enough to drink a glass of a healthy drink prepared at home once a day. The same portion is enough to normalize high blood pressure.
The constant use of pear drink avoids the appearance of many health problems, such as overweight, dysbacteriosis, inflammation in the stomach, dysfunction of blood vessels, lungs, heart, kidneys and gallbladder, since the juice has a strong preventive effect.
Pear juice from early varieties of pears has a slight laxative property, and a drink made from autumn-winter varieties contains a large amount of tannins and fixatives, so its use helps to cure diarrhea.
As a remedy rich in antioxidants, pear juice helps fight the aging of skin cells, improves its appearance and turgor, and makes the complexion more healthy and uniform.
Representatives of traditional medicine recommend a home-made product, and not packaged store juices, since a natural drink prepared at home does not contain synthetic preservatives, flavors and additives.
In order to get rid of acute bronchitis, it is advised to use a mixture of a glass of pear juice and a tablespoon of rosehip syrup: for this they are mixed and consumed in half a glass of the drink three times a day.
For diabetics, it is useful to drink 50-70 g of juice before meals.
With cystitis and nephritis, the combination of juice with a teaspoon of honey helps – the medicinal mixture should be drunk in half a glass three times a day. They drink such a drink heated to get rid of sore throats, pharyngitis, tonsillitis.
How to choose pears for harvesting
Ripe fruits are not stored for a long time – they quickly lose their elasticity, skin integrity and attractive appearance, therefore they are usually brought to shops and markets unripe. However, these fruits have a curious property: in a dark, cool place, they usually ripen in 3-7 days. The main thing is not to put them in the refrigerator, because at such low temperatures, the fruits, on the contrary, become hard and insipid.
Very ripe, soft pears are not suitable for making the product, it is better to take hard and juicy fruits that are not yet fully ripe. It is important to pay attention to their appearance and aroma: the skin should be intact, without traces of rot or parasites, without dark spots, and the aroma should be typically pear, pronounced, without impurities.
Summer varieties suitable for harvesting: Clapp’s favorite, Summer Williams, Bere Giffard. Autumn pear, which is suitable for juice: “November”, “Larinskaya”, “red-sided”. The latest varieties, juicy and fragrant: “Severyanka” and “Conference”.
Juicing: popular recipes from housewives
Most often, a juicer or meat grinder is used to prepare a pear drink for the winter. In addition to the classic recipe using only the fruits themselves, there are options for preparations with the addition of apple juice, citric acid or juice, cinnamon, mint or cloves.
To prepare juice with a juicer, take a large number of greenish fruits with a dense skin. The approximate yield of the product from 8 kilograms of fruit is 4 liters. Pears are thoroughly washed and cleaned from the core, cutting them in half. Pieces of fruit are passed through a juicer. Freshly squeezed juice is poured into an enamel pan and brought to a boil over medium heat. After the foam rises, the gas is reduced, and the foam is removed from the surface. It is necessary to prepare sterile jars in advance, into which hot juice must then be poured. The jars are sealed with sterile lids and placed upside down until completely cooled. Next, the juice is stored in a dark cool place.
The temperature is not higher than room temperature.
The following option will allow you to do without boiling:
- fruits are washed, peeled and cut;
- fruits are passed through a juicer;
- the resulting liquid is poured into clean containers and closed with lids;
- jars or bottles of juice are placed in a large container of boiling water, after which they are boiled for 15 minutes.
Another way is to pass the fruit through a meat grinder. Then the ground mass is sent under the press and passed through gauze to remove the cake as much as possible. If the juice is not boiled, it can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than seven days, although after the third day the product begins to lose its beneficial properties.
Apple-pear juice is prepared by those who like to add sourness to the drink. Fruits are well washed, cleaned of cores and cuttings, cut into slices. Then they are sent to a pot of boiling water in a ratio of 1/1. Sugar can be added if desired. When the fruit softens, the mixture is removed from the heat and allowed to cool. After that, the fruit with liquid is passed through a metal sieve. The product is boiled for 20 minutes and hot poured into sterile jars.
Add grapes to the saturation of the taste of the drink. To make pear-grape juice, seedless grape varieties are used. Grapes, together with chopped pears, are passed through a meat grinder or juicer, and then harvested according to the recipes described above.
Pear juice in children’s diet
The product is hypoallergenic, so it is advised to use it for pregnant and lactating mothers. Of course, newborns and children under 3-6 months, except for breast milk or mixtures that replace it, are not recommended to give any other products. The issue of introducing additional complementary foods is best resolved with a pediatrician. For children after 4 months, a product without pulp and sugar is suitable. 3-5 drops of juice are added to milk or mixture. After the child’s body gets used to the product, at 5-6 months you can give juice with pulp, and after a while – juice from pears and carrots.
Possible harm from drinking
Despite the fact that the medicinal and tasty product is recommended even for pregnant women and children, it has a number of contraindications. For people who suffer from gastritis and gastric ulcers in a state of exacerbation, pear juice can worsen the condition. Chronic forms of constipation may be aggravated by drinking juice. In addition, there are rare cases of individual intolerance to the product. In this case, it is better to refuse the drink.
Use of the product in cooking
Pear juice is not only a healing and tasty drink. It is added to confectionery creams, cakes and biscuits are impregnated with it. For some varieties of meat, a marinade is prepared using pear juice in small quantities. The product is used as an ingredient in sauces and salad dressings. It is also popular as an ingredient for non-alcoholic and alcoholic cocktails. For example, it can be successfully combined with mint, whiskey and spicy Liquor 43 – the result is a delicate drink with a pronounced pear aroma. Another version of the cocktail involves a combination with rum, lemon juice and a pinch of salt – this drink has a sharp taste and strength. A non-alcoholic cocktail is made from a mixture of milk, ice cream and pear juice. Such a milk drink is a source of protein and calcium, it can also be consumed by children.
Pear juice wine is an exotic type of fruit wine. It is prepared on the basis of a drink whose shelf life is already close to the end.
Pleasant and slightly tart pear juice has a special taste that cannot be confused with anything else. It is loved by adults and children, it is quite fragrant, and even without added sugar it has great sweetness. One glass of juice will remind you of summer, cheer you up and give you a boost of energy for the whole day. And a few jars hidden for the winter will become an effective prevention of colds and viral diseases, inflammatory processes in various organs, will also help boost immunity, cleanse the body of harmful products and toxins, improve the functioning of the intestines and the cardiovascular system. The preparation process, and, importantly, the availability of fruits make pear juice a popular way to harvest healthy fruits for the winter. Pastries, cocktails, marinades and sauces with the addition of pear juice turn out to be unusually tasty, with a pronounced pear smell.