In autumn, as of November a small green fruit that does not seem a great thing can be found on the shelves. It’s about Feijoa. What kind of “fruit” is and why is it so good? Let us know it and learn to choose it correctly, to eat it, its useful properties, the best recipes, etc.
Fruit description
The Feijoa is a fragrant berry, green, very juicy inside. Its shape is elongated or rounded oval. Its flavor is similar to that of pineapple, kiwi or strawberry. Its size is quite small, between 2-6 cm, with a weight of up to 60 g.
The mature pulp is translucent and cream. Inside are the seeds, surrounded by a white pulp. The fruit has a knuckle bark abroad, with a peduncle. The skin is dense, mate and acid.
Chemical composition and calories
The chemical composition is fabulously rich and varied, the pulp contains
- iodine (water soluble);
- sucrose, glucose, fructose;
- Vitamins B1, B2, B5, B6, B9;
- five essential amino acids;
- potassium, iron, magnesium, calcium;
- pectinas, essential oils;
- vitamins C, pp;
- micro and macronutrients, etc.
Feijoa shell is astringent for the language, due to its content
- phenolic compounds of aromatic nature
- antioxidants;
- catechins (polyphenolic compounds);
- high concentration biologically active substances.
WARNINGS. Feijoa – lo w-calorie product, 100 gr. It contains only 48 kcal.
Feijoa Properties
It is rightly said that Feijoa is a panacea for many ills. Europeans have begun to use this berry relatively recently. In addition to the high iodine concentration, the berry has the following unique properties:
- Improve the nervous system
- reinforces the immune system
- fights anemia
- reduces blood cholesterol;
- Improves the operation of the digestive system;
- Natural antiseptic, has antiseptic properties: cortex, leaves, fruits peel;
- Indispensable for low acidity of the stomach;
- It replaces pharmacy multivitamins, that is, a large number of natural minerals and oligoelements;
- Natural remedy against hypertension;
- Relieves articular pains;
- Good antiseptic for throat
- disinfects the digestive tract;
- Help in case of dissbacteriosis.
IMPORTANT: It is used for the prevention of many types of cancer.
Benefits
What is utility does Feijoa have for our body? It contains a huge amount of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Vitamins:
- C – It helps cure colds;
- A – Improves skin, hair and nails;
- B1 – Improves metabolism;
- B3 – normalizes all the functions of the digestive system;
- B6 – Help the nervous system.
Feijoa has unique immunomodulatory properties. It must be consumed during epidemics, after a serious and prolonged disease, in a difficult postoperative period. Folic acid intervenes in the formation of the neural tube of the fetus and the hematopoietic system.
Folic acid contributes to a better absorption of iron. The regular and reasonable use of the berry is the key to a healthy pregnant woman. Effective, in the treatment of various cardiovascular diseases. Normalizes digestion, improves peristaltism and increases the secretion of gastric juice.
Prevents the development of colorectal cancer. Regulates blood glucose in diabetics. Because it has a low glycemic index. It helps reduce insane cravings of sweets, which is especially useful for diabetes. Improves attention and memory.
It helps improve the child’s cognitive functions. Activate adult brain activity. Scientists have discovered that eating Feijoa helps prevent Alzheimer’s disease. It helps in the disorders of the reproductive and urogenital system, and in prostatitis.
It is widely used in cosmetology. Because the ointments and creams based on Feijoa considerably delay aging, they smoothed for wrinkles for a long time. Women often use the berry pulp as an exfoliant or mask. The Feijoa is the richest source of iodine.
Not surprisingly doctors advise their patients with a lack of iodine to consume this berry. As prophylaxis of the lack of iodine, it is also important to consume this berry at least periodically. Pulp only contains easy digestion proteins and fats. That is why it belongs to the Dietary Food Group.
You can eat Feijoa or a dish made with it instead of dinner. This will replace the body with vitamins, and help reduce the weight if necessary. The biologically active substances of the berry favor rapid metabolism.
How does it affect blood pressure?
Feijoa berry can only be used as prophylactic help, in case of arterial hypertension. It is not suitable for therapeutic purposes. Doctors recommend their patients who eat Feijoa, because it contains a lot of potassium and sodium. As we know, these trace elements help normalize blood pressure.
During the season it is advisable to eat pure and regularly fruit. Do not forget to make preparations. Crush the fruit in a meat or botela chopper in the blender. Mix it with 2: 1 sugar. Consume 1 tablespoon 2-3 times a day, one hour before meals. Feijoa, of course, is not a panacea for high A D, but will help achieve lasting remission and improve the body as a whole.
Possible damage and contraindications
Feijoa mature cannot cause any damage to human health if consumed correctly. This in the event that the person is healthy and there is no individual intolerance to the berry. If you have never tried the fruit before, it is worth checking your body tolerance first.
Eat half of the berry and, if you notice any undesirable side effect, do not comma. Immature or sparkling fruit can cause poisoning. Or it can have a negative effect throughout the digestive system.
The combination of milk and berries should be avoided to avoid stomach discomfort. Doctors do not recommend their consumption in case of hyperthyroidism. The berry contains sugar, so diabetics should consult the doctor about the convenience and dose of use of feijoa.
In case of prolonged and thoughtless consumption, an iodine overdose is possible. This can cause fever, pulse, restlessness and metallic taste in the mouth. Diarrhea or worsening of gastritis may appear. To appreciate the berry, it must be consumed regularly, up to 5 pieces a day.
How to choose
Layouts and grocery stores distribute this fruit in autumn and early winter. These simple tips will help you choose correctly:
- If you buy immature fruit, do not hurry to eat it, let it ripen.
- Choose the largest fruit, which has more nutrients and vitamins.
- Good fruits have a uniform green color, without abolish or dark spots. Ask the seller to make an incision in the berry. If the pulp is clear, take it without thinking. But if it is white and the fruit is immature, not to buy without thinking. Buy only quality feijoa.
- If the stems are light green and fresh, the fruit is not ripe.
- Mature specimens have slightly wrinkled skin.
- If you can feel the soft “filling” and the skin is not smooth and bright, buy the fruit.
- Do not save ripe fruits for a long time, they spoil quickly. That is why it is not convenient to buy many berries at once.
The correct way to peel and eat berries
Is it necessary to peel a berry before eating it? This question raises a certain debate. It is above all a personal choice of each person. Some like the acid and peculiar taste of the peel, others not so much.
That is why many prefer to cut it, dry the bark and add it to their infusions. You don’t have to torture yourself if you don’t like the entire fruit. Remove the skin with a knife, careful not to touch the pulp. But the most convenient is to do the following:
- Wash the feijoa, cut it in half.
- With a teaspoon, eat the center.
How to eat feijoa correctly:
- Come fresh, make snacks, juices and smoothies.
- Prepare good salads, sauces, drinks, desserts and jams.
- Add to masses, Budines, ice cream.
- Grate with sugar or honey, keep in the refrigerator.
- Make compotes, jams and jams.
When peeling, the following must be taken into account
- Do not peel for salads;
- To make a juice or drink, not peel the berry;
- For the jam, you have to twist the whole berry;
- For desserts and pods, remove the skin.
Useful cooking recipes
Feijoa combines excellently with other products. For example, you can add oleaginous fruits to the salad such as avocado or citrus, roasted beets, nuts, honey, apples, etc. Beat the salad with natural yogurt or sour cream.
Foods with Feijoa are a bit unusual but tasty and very healthy. You can prepare a great baked chicken filling it with feijoa. Or my favorite salad with beets and nuts. Let’s go directly to recipes. Let’s describe the most popular and favorite.
Tea drink
The tea drink perfectly tones the body, fills it with energy and health. Ingredients needed:
- Green tea – to taste;
- Feijoa – 1 piece.
- water – cup;
- Sugar, honey – to taste.
Put chopped feijoa in a kettle, pour the infusion into the teapot, pour boiling water on top. When infusing add sugar or honey.
Nalewka
An unusual Nalewka can be easily prepared at home. The necessary ingredients
- Vodka (good illegal alcohol) – 0. 5 liters;
- Feijoa – 300 gr;
- Sugar – 150-200 gr;
- 100 ml of water.
- Wash the berries, cut them into daditos and put them in a bowl. It is better to use glass.
- Pour water into a saucepan, add sugar and boil for 5 minutes, constantly removing the foam.
- Pour the syrup into the berries and cover well.
- Leave it in infusion for fifteen days in a dark place, stirring the container from time to time.
- Tell it by the method you prefer.
- Try it, add sugar or vodka to give more strength. The Nalewka will have an amber color and a wonderful fragrance.
- Cover it and refrigerate it to stabilize its flavor (7-10 days).
You can use honey instead of sugar:
- Feijoa – 300 gr;
- sugar (honey) – 100 ml;
- Vodka – 0. 5 l.
It becomes even easier, adding honey to the chopped berry, crushing a bit. Watch it with vodka and remove. Infuse as in the first recipe. The more endurance, the more concentrated the flavor will be.
Feijoa with beet (salad).
For the recipe we will need
- 2 beets (roasted or boiled);
- Feijoa – 150 gr;
- Nuts (optional);
- Sunflower or olive oil – to taste.
- salt.
Grate the beet and chop the feijoa. Combine vegetables and mix well. Serve right away, you don’t have to have such a salad in the fridge.
Salsa with Feijoa
A wonderful sauce made with simple ingredients. Next, some variations in the sauce. For 1 recipe prepare
- Feijoa – 3-5 UDS;
- Onion – 1 units;
- Sugar (preferably brown) – 1 tablespoon.
Peel the onion, wash the berries and put it all finely. Mix everything in a processor until a puree. This sauce can be served with tortillas or used as sauce.
For recipe 2 prepare
- Feijoa – 300 gr;
- Sweet onion – 1 piece;
- bunch of green leaves;
- Sugar – 1 cdta;
- Chile sauce – 2 teaspoons;
- salt, black pepper – to taste.
Finely chop herbs, onions and feijoa. Very tasty with toasted bread, or serve with meat.
Conservation
Feijoa can keep little time. It is better preserved in the refrigerator. Set it in a bag and put it in the vegetable compartment. A mature berry will not last more than 5-6 days and will spoil very quickly. It is best to buy a little in season and eat them fresh.
When the berries are immature, hard, place them in a single layer in any container for 2-3 days, until they mature. The fruit will quickly mature naturally. If you need to keep the berries for a longer time, prepare a jam: Wash the feijoa, make it puré and mix it with sugar 1: 1.
Now everyone will know how many nutrients the feijoa has. And even if at first he does not like Feijoa, don’t worry, experience! Only when you try the real berry, you will realize that it is now a vitamin treasure. I hope this article is not only interesting, but also useful. Stay attentive to our next articles on the blog!
