Raspberry jam: health benefits and harms

Raspberry jam is a traditional and beloved dessert, prepared annually for the winter. The fact that warm tea with the addition of this product successfully helps to treat a cold throat is known even to children. But in fact, the benefits of raspberry jam are more significant. This berry is a real “treasury” of vitamins and healing substances, in addition, it retains most of its positive properties even after a short boil.

It must be remembered that this sweetness cannot be regaled thoughtlessly, it should be used with caution, not forgetting the sense of proportion. This is especially important when it comes to a pregnant or nursing mother. It must also be borne in mind that allergy sufferers or people with certain chronic health problems, as well as children under 3 years old, should not use this sweetness.

properties of raspberry jam

Raspberry jam is a product made from whole or grated berries, usually boiled with sugar in syrup or in their own juice.

Its composition is rich:

• mono- and disaccharides;
• vitamins (primarily A, C, E);
• various minerals: phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, copper, iron, iodine, chlorine;
• organic acids (salicylic, ellagic, folic);
• vegetable phytoncides;
• pectins;
• fiber.

Useful properties of raspberry jam have long been known to folk medicine. It is used for:

• antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory action;
• strengthen the immune system;
• normalization of metabolic processes;
• blood thinning;
• improve the color and condition of the skin, hair;
• neutralization of carcinogens;
• obtaining the effect of an antidepressant.

The ability of raspberry jam to have a beneficial effect on health, first of all, depends on how long it has been boiled. After a long heat treatment, only beta-carotene, pectin and fiber in a very small amount, as well as some mineral salts and organic acids, remain in the composition of this sweet. Such a jam is more likely to have value simply as a sweet treat, but not as a healing product, a source of vitamins.

What is useful raspberry jam for the body

The benefits of raspberry jam for human health are as follows:

• the systematic use of this delicacy in food helps to improve intestinal motility, the active production of gastric juice;
• due to its ability to thin the blood, it reduces the risk of strokes;
• this jam is a natural antibiotic that actively fights inflammatory processes in the body;
• traditional medicine uses it to fight herpes;
• it helps with inflammation of the joints, is indicated in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis;
• raspberry jam has antipyretic and diaphoretic properties;
• it is believed that it contributes to the active activity of the brain, improves memory;
• a significant amount of iron in its composition affects the increase in hemoglobin levels, is beneficial for anemia and anemia;
• there is a name for raspberry jam “elixir of youth” – the vitamin complex that is part of it strengthens the immune system, maintains vitality, healthy complexion, elasticity and beauty of hair, helps to cope with the negative effects of stress;
• beta-sitosterol, which contains raspberry seeds, is a substance that prevents the accumulation of cholesterol in blood vessels and the formation of blood clots, stimulates metabolism and is used to prevent certain types of cancer (prostate carcinoma, breast cancer).

Briefly about the benefits and dangers of raspberry jam in the video:

Is it possible for a nursing mother to have raspberry jam

To the question whether it is possible to use raspberry jam while breastfeeding, there is no definite answer. Undoubtedly, the vitamins and minerals that this product contains can be very useful for mom and her baby. However, we must not forget that raspberries are an allergen and in this sense can do much harm.

Thus, it is necessary to decide whether it is advisable to introduce raspberry jam with HB into the diet of a nursing mother, based on the following:

• whether a woman is not prone to manifestations of an allergy to raspberries, in particular, to skin rashes;
• whether the child is healthy and whether he is currently at least 4-5 months old;
• It is advisable to consult a pediatrician beforehand.

In the event that you decide to try to introduce raspberry jam, you should give preference to a natural product, prepared on your own, not containing dyes and preservatives. It is best to start with fresh, mashed with sugar, raspberries that have not been heat-treated.

A nursing mother needs to try no more than 1 tsp for the first time. treats, preferably not on an empty stomach and in the morning. After that, you need to observe the reaction of the baby for a couple of days. If an allergy manifests itself (in the form of a cough, rashes or spots on the skin), then the product should be excluded from the mother’s diet. In addition, due to the significant amount of sugar contained in raspberry jam, the baby may experience colic, gas or problems with stools. In this case, this sweetness will not bring benefits, it should be discarded.

If there is no negative reaction, then the mother can continue to gradually eat raspberry jam, gradually increasing its amount, but not more than up to 5 tsp. per day. You can also include it in various desserts: pudding, milk jelly or cottage cheese casserole. This will help the nursing mother diversify the menu and feel the benefits of the substances that make up the product.

Is it possible for pregnant women to have raspberry jam

Raspberry jam in small quantities is quite acceptable for women to eat during pregnancy, if there are no general contraindications and an allergic reaction.

Properties of raspberry jam, useful for pregnant women:

• it contains a large amount of folic acid, which is necessary for expectant mothers for the normal development of the fetal nervous system;
• the vitamin complex, which is rich in raspberry jam, increases the mother’s immunity during the period of bearing a baby.
• fiber, which is part of it, prevents constipation;
• this jam relieves swelling, intoxication of the body and can dull nausea;
• it improves the functioning of the circulatory system and increases the level of hemoglobin, which is very important for pregnant women, since during this period the volume of blood circulating in their body increases.

The recommended amount of raspberry jam during pregnancy is no more than 1-2 tbsp. l. per day with warm tea or as an addition to porridge or cottage cheese.

In any case, it is advisable to coordinate the use of this product during pregnancy with your doctor.

Raspberry jam raises or lowers blood pressure

Among the useful properties of raspberry jam is the ability to gently lower blood pressure. It does not relieve the symptoms of hypertension, but fights its causes. Raspberry jam helps to remove excess fluid from the body, strengthens the walls of blood vessels, prevents the development of arrhythmia, reduces the load on the heart muscle, and has a diaphoretic effect. Therefore, hypertensive patients are advised to regularly drink tea along with a few tablespoons of this delicacy. At the same time, it must be remembered that raspberry jam can only be an auxiliary method of treatment, but it will not replace the main medicine in any way.

Vitamins and trace elements contained in it help to establish metabolic processes and contribute to the overall strengthening of the body. However, it should be used with extreme caution in order to avoid an even greater decrease in pressure.

Application of raspberry jam

It is recommended to use raspberry jam for therapeutic or prophylactic purposes in a “pure” form or for making healthy tea.

The largest amount of active ingredients remains in the berry, grated or frozen with sugar. “Jam without cooking” will bring the most benefit to the body, but it is stored for no more than six months and only in the cellar or in the refrigerator. An alternative to it is the so-called “five-minute”. This jam also retains many of the nutrients found in fresh raspberries, but it can be stored for a year on a pantry shelf in sterilized glass jars with hermetically sealed lids.

To prepare medicinal tea, take 1 tbsp. l. raspberry jam, put in a large mug (300-350 ml), pour warm boiled, but not boiling, water and stir well. You can also add a slice of lemon to the cup. Drinking such a drink is advised until it has cooled down.

How much raspberry jam can you eat

In order for the benefits of raspberry jam for the human body to fully manifest itself, you need to feast on this sweetness in moderation.

A reasonable rate of product consumption is 2-3 tbsp. l. in a day. Nutritionists recommend taking it with tea in the morning, preferably without bread.

Harm of raspberry jam

It is important to know that raspberry jam is not only beneficial, but also harmful – in case of certain health problems.

This product must not be used:

• people who have an allergic reaction to raspberries or who have asthma;
• suffering from high acidity of gastric juice or gastritis, since the composition of this product is rich in acids;
• those who suffer from gout or are prone to the formation of kidney stones, purines, which are part of raspberry jam, can cause an exacerbation of the disease;
• people diagnosed with hemophilia, as raspberry jam thins the blood;
• children under 3 years old – due to excessive sweetness, it can contribute to the destruction of weak enamel of milk teeth.

People who suffer from diabetes can eat raspberry jam prepared not with sugar, but with fructose.

In addition, this product is very high in calories (273 kcal per 100 g). Therefore, despite the benefits that it can bring, it is necessary to use it with caution for those who are prone to fullness or are overweight.

Conclusion

The benefits of raspberry jam are well known and have long been applicable in folk medicine. The vitamins, minerals and amino acids that this dessert contains make it a real cure for many ailments, especially if it was not boiled for too long during the cooking process. Due to the fact that raspberry jam is natural, its rich composition can benefit pregnant women and nursing mothers, if consumed in moderation, after obtaining the permission of a doctor. However, there are contraindications to this sweetness, including a tendency to allergies, a number of diseases and children under 3 years of age.