Rosehip jam is still considered a rarity, despite the fact that it grows equally well in both northern and southern regions. The problem lies not in the peculiarities of its geographical location, but in the confusion due to the need to clean the core from the stones. If this is not done, then the mass on the tongue will prick, associating with glass wool that accidentally got into the mouth.
Healthy sweetness
Modern hostesses are not always ready to spend time making pitted jams. To simplify their work, they got the hang of preparing fragrant preservation with seeds, but in such a way that in winter they would not feel treacherous needles.
But, regardless of the chosen recipe, every culinary specialist will be able to count on a healthy dessert for the whole family, which, if prepared correctly, will become a real storehouse of vitamins. In order to preserve the maximum amount of energetically valuable elements, the heat treatment step should be excluded. But if the hostess is going to roll up treats for the winter, then boiling is indispensable.
With such a desire, it is worth using the “Five Minute” scheme, which provides for exposure to temperature for only five minutes. This is enough to safely store the mass throughout the cold season, and the nutritional value of such a short boil will suffer very little.
Rosehip, according to the botanical classification, belongs to the category of pink. In addition to valuable berries, it is famous for the fact that concentrated essential oils are prepared from the petals. They are also added to herbal mixtures that help maintain immunity during outbreaks of seasonal colds.
In total, there are about a hundred species of this plant and almost 50 thousand more varieties that have chosen subtropical and temperate climatic zones. Almost all of them are able to boast approximately one biologically active composition, aimed at helping to resist external negative factors.
To set up the body in a protective way, just a few tablespoons of healing jam per day is enough. The recipe for this is chosen at your own discretion, because in addition to the classic version of berries grated with sugar, you can add other useful things to the mass. It can be honey, walnuts or some almonds for a special flavor.
In addition to the fact that a daily dose of vitamin C, which is useful for immunity, can be extracted from boiled fruits, they also have a beneficial effect on the overall functioning of the cardiovascular system, which is expressed in:
- lowering bad cholesterol;
- strengthening of the vascular walls;
- improvement of blood circulation;
- stabilization of the blood coagulation process.
Thanks for this should be vitamin P, which works as the main building material for strengthening even the smallest capillaries. It is not for nothing that cardiologists insist that patients with anemia and atherosclerosis should not refuse fragrant delicacies if they have no contraindications.
But the benefits of the dish do not end there, because thanks to the ability to safely lower blood pressure, a couple of spoons of food a day will help hypertensive patients. Additionally, it is worth preparing for the fact that in addition to strengthening the gastrointestinal tract, it will demonstrate a diuretic and choleretic effect. In some cases, dessert is offered to people who have stomach ulcers and are on a strict diet.
In ancient times, peeled fruits were used for antihelminthic therapy. Today, scientists recommend spending time making jam for those who want to speed up the absorption of fats in the body. Only for those who wish, it is necessary to recall that instead of sugar, natural honey is put in the mixture in minimal quantities.
Even small children will like unusual jam, who will not only enjoy the taste, but also enlist the support of an appetite enhancer. It will also become the secret weapon of parents whose children need additional iron supplements, but are in no hurry to take vitamins separately.
If you know how to cook a delicacy with minimal loss of nutrition and almost no sweetener, then you can even allow a couple of teaspoons to those who are on a diet. The workpiece will work as a natural brush, which will sweep out accumulated toxins and toxins from the body.
A hundred years ago, when pharmaceuticals were not particularly developed, herbalists recommended rose hips in any form to those who are being treated for tuberculosis. Since the fruits could not be obtained all year round, prudent housewives always made sweet preservation from them.
In addition to the listed positive aspects of the influence, berry jam has a number of other advantages:
- restoration of the activity of the gallbladder;
- removal of grains of sand from the gallbladder;
- general anti-inflammatory action;
- help with hypovitaminosis;
- stimulation of the sex glands.
In addition to ascorbic acid, the composition of the healing plant provides for the presence of calcium, which helps the bone skeleton recover more quickly after fractures.
When good is bad
Despite the fact that the treat was initially positioned as a powerful prophylactic against malaria and many other ailments, later researchers found several flaws in it.
If we put aside the minimal chances of a food allergy, then there are still quite a few risks. Most of them relate to the need to add sweetener according to the recipe.
While this is natural honey in scanty quantities, the dish will not cause any particular harm to the figure. But if sugar is generously poured into the workpiece, then people with diabetes are unlikely to be able to include it in their diet even for festive meals, not to mention daily consumption.
Before you say: “We cook jam!”, Be sure to read the list of possible contraindications. They include the following deviations:
- problems with kidney activity, which will cause serious side effects with an overdose of jam;
- high acidity of the stomach;
- thrombophlebitis or thrombosis.
The last point affects even those who are going to learn how to make sweetness from the petals of a plant, and not the fruits themselves.
Also, those who suffer from gastritis should be careful. Due to the shock dose of ascorbic acid, the inflamed mucosa of a diseased internal organ can rebel up to an acute pain attack.
Because of the same acid, it is wise to eat treats for people with bad tooth enamel. The thinning of the outer part of the tooth after eating the jam can be prevented by rinsing the mouth with water immediately after the meal, and then brushing the teeth.
Also included in the list of possible contraindications:
- endocarditis;
- problems with the secretion of bile;
- constipation;
- some dermatological problems.
If you lean heavily on the fragrant contents of the jar, then you can quickly earn non-infectious jaundice. In general, it is the excess of the maximum permissible dosage of the finished product that is the most common cause that is harmful to the body. Doctors remind that the daily limit of vitamin C intake is 10 whole berries. This means that a sweet sunset should be eaten in just a couple of spoons per day.
Collection rules
In supermarkets, they usually do not sell rose hips for seaming separately. Instead, you have to either grow it yourself or pick bushes in a wooded area, or take it from the hands of the inhabitants of the countryside. There is another option to look in a pharmacy, but there they usually sell berries already as part of ready-made herbal preparations.
To make delicious jam, the fruits should be harvested only after full ripening. Tearing them before the end of this period, and then spreading them on the windowsill for ripening is a bad idea. Only completely ready-to-eat berries are able to please with a full range of healing substances.
Separately, it must be borne in mind that plant varieties bloom and bear fruit at different times. This is especially true of the difference between garden specimens and wild bushes. But the average picking time usually varies from late summer to October.
We must not lose sight of the fact that when harvesting in the wild, preference should be given only to ecologically clean territories. Shrubs near the road, albeit completely dotted with red fruits, should not be touched.
It is necessary to tear off the workpiece along with the cups and stalks. And already at home, before direct cooking, at the stage of preparation and washing, excess parts are removed.
The easiest recipe
Beginning cooks almost always start with this simple guide.
It has only two ingredients:
- sugar;
- rose hips.
A clear dosage is not provided, since it is recommended to adhere to the optimal ratio: 2 to 1, where most of it falls on berries.
Cooking isn’t too hard either. First, the crop is washed under running water, and then poured over with boiling water, sending it to a slow fire. There the mass should remain for about five minutes. No more, otherwise all the benefits will evaporate.
The resulting semi-finished product is collected with a colander or slotted spoon to rinse under running water. This is necessary in order to soften the hard skin, which, after exposure to boiling water, will cease to be bitter.
If you ignore the intermediate stage, then the shell will stiffen and grind it will become problematic if you want to get a homogeneous jam.
After the preparatory phase, the mass is covered with sugar and water is added, based on the proportion: 1/10 of the number of fruits taken. The resulting mixture is again sent to the stove and wait until it boils completely. At the same time, it is imperative to stir the future jam. The foam is removed with a slotted spoon as it forms. After boiling, boil for about five more minutes.
At the end of the procedure, the pan is removed from the heat and wait for about nine hours, after which you need to repeat the cooking. It will be necessary to do this again after an identical period of time, not forgetting to remove the growing foam. As soon as the third approach is over, the hot mixture is poured into pre-sterilized jars and twisted with lids. Store the addition to the daily table in the refrigerator or in a well-ventilated cellar.
Recipe with petals
If you don’t want to mess with the fruits, you can go roundabout ways and use the petals of a thorny shrub. Only for the fragrant composition will have to find terry varieties.
It is better to collect them yourself, since early morning is considered the best time for searching. This warning is explained by the fact that at high humidity that prevails at dawn, the petals are well saturated with moisture from the environment. This guarantees a juicier result.
From the harvest collected in the basket, you need to select only bright petals, but it is better to use slightly withered specimens for compote with dried fruits. For a small jar, all you need is:
- 200 g of petals;
- 500 grams of sugar;
- 250 g of water;
- lemon juice from half a citrus.
First, all the collected “treasures” are washed through a colander, and then placed in layers in a saucepan. And to achieve the best result, you will have to follow the established scheme.
Half of the petals fit at the bottom. Pour 75 grams of sugar on top, and then press on the stack. Half of the prepared juice is poured there. The remaining petals are laid out on top, and then the second paragraph of the plan is repeated in the same sequence.
Then it remains only to cover the container with a lid and take it to a cool place. While the workpiece is saturated with essential oils, you need to have time to make syrup. It will require all the water and the remaining sugar. They are mixed, and then boiled over medium heat, stirring constantly. There is no exact time for this, because you still have to wait for the sugar to completely dissolve.
The infused petals are poured with syrup, and then the container with the semi-finished product is sent to the fire. It should cook for about five minutes. After the specified time, the pot with the contents is left alone for the night, and in the morning it is boiled again for five minutes.
The third time after a ten-hour break, boil the mixture for about 15 minutes, reaching the optimum consistency, after which it can be consumed immediately.
Since the yield of the product is small, they prefer to use it only as a help for sore throats or colds. But this does not mean that you should deny yourself the pleasure of eating a couple of spoons for mood. There is always time to roll a new batch.