Raspberry jam: useful properties and contraindications

Jams, mousses, confitures and jams - all these are popular desserts that caring housewives prepare annually in their kitchens to treat their loved ones with a scoop of sweet delicacy in winter (and not only). But most people do not even realize that many types of jam are not only tasty, but also very healthy for human health. A couple of spoonfuls a day of such goodies can protect against many diseases. One such dessert is cranberry jam.

The benefits of the fruit of cranberry have been known since ancient times, so the berries were used to make various infusions, decoctions, drinks and, of course, jam. Its benefits are really multifaceted, as the berry has a mass of useful properties.

Cranberry tree itself belongs to the arboreal genus of the Adox family. This plant grows mainly in the northern regions. It is a small tree or shrub with red or black berries. Sometimes you can also see yellow fruits. There are now known 166 species of this miracle plant, the benefits of which are hidden in the composition, which includes:

• organic acids;
• pectins;
• sodium;
• calcium;
• potassium;
• magnesium;
• iron;
• carotene;
• vitamin C;
• vitamin E;
• tannins;
• phytoncides.

Raspberry is very popular in folk medicine. It is believed that it can cure almost any disease. The leaves, bark, seeds and fruits of the plant all have their own medicinal effect. It is for these reasons, the fruit of the guelder rose is used to prepare magical syrups, marmalades and jams that can improve human health.

Composition and calories

Unique cranberry jam is brewed mainly in the fall, as the berries ripen at this time. Bright red bunches, from which it is prepared, endow the product with the following useful nutrients:

1. Vitamin A, which can renew body tissues as well as maintain the beauty of hair, skin, nails, improve eyesight and promote immunity.
2. Vitamin C. The amount of this vitamin in cranberry berries exceeds its quantity in citrus fruits by twice.
3. Vitamin E - tocopherol, which is able to preserve youthfulness, remove toxins and carcinogens from human body, saturate it with oxygen, control reproductive activity, lower the pressure and improve efficiency.
4. Vitamin K, an essential component for improving blood clotting and preventing bleeding.
5. Vitamin P, which helps the body better absorb ascorbic acid and keeps capillary vessels healthy and elastic.
6. Acetic acid, which lowers blood pressure, helps lower blood sugar levels, sheds excess weight, and is an antibacterial substance.
7. formic acid, which eliminates inflammation and acne on the skin and has a diuretic effect.
8. Caffeic acid is an antioxidant that reduces inflammation.
9. Butyric acid is a prophylactic agent against cancer, which controls the healthy microflora of the intestines and protects cells from various damages.
10. Palmitic acid is the main source of energy.
11. Pectin - an essential element for the purification of the intestine, which cleanses the organ from sluggishness.
12. Citric acid, which cleanses the intestinal tract, the liver, and regulates the digestive process.
13. Essential oils, which can provide tremendous benefits to the human body as a whole.
14. Calcium - the basis of body tissues, the main component for strengthening the bone skeleton, teeth, nails and hair.
15. Magnesium, which participates in metabolic metabolism and regulates the heart muscle and nervous system.
16. Phosphorus, which participates in all biochemical reactions in the body and supports normal bone and teeth development.
17. Boron, which participates in energy and mineral metabolic processes, assists in the absorption of magnesium, in wound healing, and supports hormonal levels.
18. Iodine, which controls the level of glucose, breaks down fats, and normalizes blood pressure.
19. Zinc - improving skin, nails, hair, controlling the functioning of cells at all levels, normalizing the CNS and responsible for the work of the reproductive system.
20. Phytoncides - substances that can fight against harmful bacteria that endanger the human body.
21. Tannins - substances that can strengthen blood vessels and are antioxidants that can cleanse the body.

The nutritional value of the dessert is 368 kcal per 100 g of dessert, 98.4 g of carbohydrates, but no protein or fats.

A fairly extensive list of nutrients and brought cranberry jam in the leaders of useful desserts, affecting all the functions of vital activity of the human body.

What is the usefulness of cranberry jam

General benefits

Cranberry jam has quite a specific taste and smell, so some people do not really like to eat them, but in vain! It retains most of the vitamins and minerals of the fresh berry. The dessert is able to provide tremendous health benefits and has the following list of beneficial properties:

1. Activation of the human immune system.
2. Relieving and treating the symptoms of colds.
3. Prevention and protection from liver diseases and maintaining the health of this organ.
4. Biliary action.
5. Hepatoprotector function.
6. Normalization of the work of the gastrointestinal tract.
7. Withdrawal of symptoms and an overall improvement in the period of exacerbation of peptic ulcer disease.
8. Improvement of the appearance of the epidermis.
9. Elimination of skin problems in the form of acne and skin inflammation.
10. Prevention and prevention of the formation of kidney stones.
11. Normalization and regulation of the nervous system.
12. Prevention of anemia.
13. Treatment of hepatitis.
14. Analgesic effect.
15. Elimination of heartburn symptoms.
16. Normalize the work of the intestines.
17. Increase blood clotting.
18. Reducing bleeding.

The list of useful qualities of cranberry jam is amazing. His abilities can affect all systems of the body, improving health and strengthening health in general. In addition, the delicacy has its own secrets, which are aimed at eliminating individual problems of the female body, male and child. All of these cases require special clarification.

For women

Raspberry has long been considered a tree that gives exceptional positive effects to women. It is the health of the fair sex that this plant is able to bring the greatest benefit. This is primarily due to the compounds present in the fruit and, naturally, in the jam, the action of which is similar to that of female hormones. Thus, jam brewed from the fruit of the shrub can bring such benefits to the weaker sex:

• improving the appearance of the skin;
• Reducing inflammation and redness of the skin;
• Improve the general condition at menopause;
• Elimination of unpleasant symptoms of menopause and critical days, as well as depressive states;
• Normalization of sleep and nervous system functions;
• increase hemoglobin;
• Reducing heavy discharge during menstruation;
• prevention of cystitis.

In addition, raspberries contribute to raising the overall tone of the female body. Therefore, jam should necessarily be in the arsenal of healing preparations of every woman to maintain health and beauty.

For men

Folk healers used raspberry jam and berries not only to solve women's problems. For men, jam is also useful. Its magical properties for the stronger sex lie in the following:

• protection of the body from cold infections;
• Normalization of the functioning of the genitourinary system;
• Improve the blood supply to the pelvic organs;
• prevention of prostatitis;
• Increase sexual activity;
• recovery from excessive physical activity.

Thus, and men can and should consume a miraculous delicacy, able to eliminate many diseases with a male "character" and take care of health in general.

When pregnant

In the state of pregnancy, the female body is more exposed to attacks of harmful pathogenic bacteria. Kalinas jam can increase the body's resistance to seasonal infections, as well as activate the immune system. In addition, the minerals in the jam stabilize the nervous system, eliminate sleep problems, and support the condition of the skin.

But at the endless pluses of the dessert, there is a huge disadvantage, due to which the use of cranberry jam in the period of waiting for the baby is practically reduced to zero - the delicacy, like the berries themselves, can increase the uterine tone, and for a pregnant woman it is extremely dangerous. Therefore, the use of the useful product is possible only in the absence of complications during pregnancy, as well as only after mandatory consultation with the attending physician, who can determine the patient's condition and the possible dosage of the dessert.

When breastfeeding

Mothers who breastfeed their babies must monitor both their health and the health of the baby, so special attention is paid to the menu during this period. Products and dishes should not harm the baby. Unfortunately, healthy raspberries can provoke a severe allergy in the child. For this reason, it is better to refrain from consuming jam until the baby reaches 3 months of age.

For children

For babies, cranberry jam will provide an invaluable service in the period of colds, as the dessert, or rather the berry itself, is a natural immunostimulant. In addition, the jam is able to lower the fever of the body without having a devastating effect on the child's body, like aspirin or other synthetic drugs. Also, jam can be useful for children with hyperexcitability. The fact is that the magnesium contained in berries and the finished product has a calming effect and normalizes sleep.

It should be remembered that it is better to give the jam when the baby is two years old, and do it gradually, starting with half a teaspoon a day. Then the dose can be increased to a spoon a day. In older age and in the absence of health problems in which products from the red berries of the plant are contraindicated, you can use up to 2-3 teaspoons a day. It should be remembered that cranberry jam is not a delicacy that should be part of the daily diet. It is better to do it two or three times a week, but not more often.

When losing weight.

Cranberry berries are quite low-calorie, but the jam cannot boast of this quality, because sugar or honey is added to it. At the same time, it is rich in minerals, helping to make up for the lack of useful substances in the body in the process of losing weight. In addition, the treat removes toxins and has a diuretic effect, but the presence of a large amount of sugar makes it questionable to use the dessert during a diet.

It is worth mentioning that the product contains 80% of carbohydrate chains, which lead to the formation of glycogen, which is the source of extra pounds. So greatly abuse jam still should not be, but if once a week to eat 2 tablespoons of dessert, there will be no harm, and health benefits - great.

The damage and contraindications

Unfortunately, each, even the most useful product has its own contraindications to use. And raspberries are no exception. Jam from her fruit is very useful, but not for everyone. You should not use the dessert for people suffering from the following diseases and body dysfunctions:

• Individual intolerance;
• kidney disease;
• Increased blood clotting;
• low blood pressure;
• pregnancy and lactation;
• tendency to obesity;
• diabetes mellitus;
• predisposition to blood clots.

But it should be noted that not everything is so categorical! In some cases, physicians allow the use of a useful dessert. At the same time it is necessary to consult with your doctor and establish the possible risks and benefits of consuming the product.

How to pick cranberries for jam

Jam from cranberry is a miraculous product that improves human health and cures from many diseases. But in order for its benefits to be really real, and the effect is maximum, it is important not only to prepare it correctly, but also to collect the berries of the plant. The rules of gathering are quite simple and everyone can remember them if necessary:

1. To begin with, you need to remember the time of flowering of the plant - it is May and June. The fruits will appear in July, but they will gain strength only by the end of summer, i.e. in August. This is when they will be harvested in the southern regions. In the more northern regions you need to wait for the first frosts and pick berries after them, because then they will lose their bitterness and become pleasant to taste. This time is approximately October.
2. Cranberry trees should be selected away from the roadway, so that the harmful atmospheric emissions do not harm health, and bring only benefit.
3. The tree itself should have no traces of any disease or damage.
4. The red berries should also be even and without any extraneous inclusions - it indicates that the fruit is healthy and fit to eat.
5. It's best to start picking cranberries in dry weather and use scissors to cut off the brush of berries.
6. At home, the berries should be washed and dried.

Observing such uncomplicated "laws" of collecting raw materials, any product made from cranberry will be beneficial and will help to get rid of health problems.

How to make jam from cranberry: recipes

Nowadays, there are a lot of recipes, how to cook jam from cranberry, what is better to add there to improve the taste qualities. Every housewife and family has its own favorite recipe, proven over the years. Here are just a few of them:

Classic

Ingredients:

• Raspberries (fruit) - 970 g;
• granulated sugar - 790 gr;
• water - 185 ml.

Method of preparation:

1. Wash and pepper the berries, removing damaged fruits, excessive twigs and stalks. Then place the raw material in a bowl and blanch it with a little water. You can refuse the blanching process and just bake the fruits in the oven until they become soft.
2. At the same time, combine the water with granulated sugar and boil the syrup, which is boiled until it becomes transparent.
3. Next, put the berries in the syrup and continue the cooking process for 30 minutes. After this, the jam should "rest" for 6 hours.
4. After this time, start the boiling process again until the product has boiled down to the desired consistency.
5. When the dessert is ready, spread the jam into clean jars, sterilize them beforehand, seal with lids and place them to cool, wrapped in a blanket or a warm towel.

Vanilla five-minute jam

Ingredients:

• Raspberries - 1.6 kg;
• granulated sugar - 1,6 kg;
• water - 0.53 liters;
• vanilla sugar - 16 g.

Method of preparation:

1. Rinse the fruits of cranberries carefully, getting rid of excess raw material, and rinse under running water. Next, dry the berries. To do this, scatter them on a previously prepared cloth or napkin.
2. At this time, put water on the fire, heat it up and add all kinds of sugar. Cook until the sugar has completely dissolved, and then add the berries. The cooking process takes 5 minutes.
3. After this, leave the jam to cool for 5 hours.
4. Then put the jam back on the fire and bring it to a boil. Boil it for 5 minutes. During the process, the product should be stirred and remove the foam that forms.
5. Next, prepare the jars by washing and sterilizing them, and spread the cranberry jam.

Seedless

Ingredients:

• raspberries - 1.22 kg;
• granulated sugar - 220g.

Preparation:

1. Rinse the berries of cranberries and remove the twigs. Then let the fruit to dry out and put them in plastic bags, which should be placed in the freezer for 2 hours.
2. Then take out the berries, put them in a container with a thick bottom and cover. The fruit should warm for 20 minutes and make the juice.
3. At the next stage to transfer the raw material in a colander and mash berries with a fork or a special "crusher". In the resulting mashed mass add granulated sugar and boil for 5-6 minutes.
4. At the end, prepare sterilized dishes and spread the product, corking it. Jars should cool in the heat, you can wrap them with a blanket. Such a useful treat is stored at a temperature of 5 to 25°C.

Apple and raspberry jam

Ingredients:

• raspberries - 1.5 kg;
• apples - 5kg;
• sugar - 5kg;
• water - 0.5 l.

Process:

1. Wash and prepare the berries of cranberries.
2. Separate the juice of cranberries with a juicer.
3. Apples are washed, peel the skin and cut into thin slices.
4. Combine the apples in an enamel bowl, sugar and water, put on a fire and cook after boiling until the sugar has dissolved.
5. The jam cools slightly and add the juice of cranberry fruit.
6. Once again put on the fire and bring to a boil, then make a low heat and cook until the apples are soft.
7. Spread the product in prepared jars, which have been sterilized, and seal with lids.
8. Cool and put in a cool place.

Orange and cranberry.

Ingredients:

• orange - 4 pcs;
• cranberries - 1,5 kg;
• granulated sugar - 9 cups.

Preparation:

1. Wash the oranges thoroughly, cut into slices and twist them with a meat grinder. Pick and rinse cranberries under running water.
2. Next, dry the berries, and then grind them to a homogeneous mass with a blender.
3. After that, combine the berry mass with granulated sugar and leave it for 3 hours.
4. After the specified time, mix the berry and citrus mixture and put it in prepared sterilized containers, which should be sealed with lids. Store in the refrigerator.

Lemon and raspberry

Ingredients:

• Raspberries - 1 kg;
• lemon - 1 pc;
• water - 2 tbsp;
• granulated sugar - 6 cups;
• vanilla - 1 bag.

Process:

1. Prepare a hot salt solution in the proportion 1:1 (a spoonful of salt per liter of water). In this solution, put the picked cranberries for 2 minutes.
2. Take out the berries and dry while boiling sugar syrup. For its preparation combine water, granulated sugar and boil it a little.
3. Then pour the syrup over the cranberries for 6 hours, then add the juice of a lemon and mix everything.
4. Take a skimmer and take out the berries. Meanwhile, take the lemon zest and grate it on a grater.
5. Then add the zest and vanillin to the almost ready jam, stir it and put on the stove, where to boil the product for 5 minutes from the boiling point.
6. The resulting syrup to cool and filter, and then pour it over the berries of cranberries.
7. Then put everything on the stove again and boil for 8 minutes after boiling.
8. Leave the hot mass for 4 hours, boil again until the jam thickens, and then distribute it in prepared containers and put in a cool place.

Kalinovy-yarberries

Ingredients:

• Raspberries - 1,5 kg;
• water - 1 cup;
• granulated sugar - 10 cups.

Method of preparation:

1. Pick the rowanberries and cranberries, rinse, discuss and pour water separately.
2. Insist the berries for one day.
3. After a day to combine the berries with sugar in a bowl and put to boil on low heat for 7 minutes after boiling.
4. Take the mass off the stove and let it infuse for 7 hours.
5. Repeat the process three times.
6. Place the jam in jars and put in a cool place.

Jam in the multicooker

Ingredients:

• Raspberries - 1 kg;
• granulated sugar - 1 kg.

Method of preparation:

1. Pick and thoroughly rinse the berries of cranberries, and then dry and grind them to a homogeneous mass with a blender or meat grinder.
2. Then send the berry substance into the bowl of the multicooker, where combine it with sugar and stir vigorously. Then put the machine in "Stew" mode and wait for the mass to boil. From this moment, stew the product for 6 or 7 minutes.
3. Place the hot jam in previously sterilized jars and seal them with lids (sterilized).

These simple recipes will help to prepare not only tasty, but also useful treat that can protect the health of the whole family and saturate the body with useful microelements.

Interesting facts about cranberry

1. The pips of the cranberry fruit have the shape of a heart and by that differ from all other pips.
2. On the territory of ancient Russia cranberry trees were participants of weddings, because they were considered to be wedding trees.
3. The plant grows not only in northern latitudes, but also on the island of Madagascar and in the Andes.
4. On the territory of Ukraine, the guelder rose personifies the Fatherland and is its symbol. A bunch of guelder-roses is a plaque on the sleeve chevron of the Ukrainian soldiers.
5. In ancient times, the guelder rose was considered a real shrub for women, who came to it in search of advice and to pour out their souls.

This is how it appeared to modern man, who sometimes forgets the dictates and wisdom of his ancestors. But it was they who discovered the magical effect of this amazing plant. All the benefits of berries are preserved in a wonderful dessert, which is worth a try. After all, it is not only the sweet, with hints of bitterness taste and bright red color that attract in this jam. Its amazing benefits and the mighty power of nature have come together to help people overcome disease and strengthen the immune system. So, going to your homestead or the woods in October, be sure to gather a basket of magical fruits to cook a jar of jam, able to heal the body and give health!