The health benefits of Japanese quince

Japanese quince is a type of dicotyledonous flowering plant whose fruits are used in cooking and medicine. Quince has another name - henomeles. Initially, the habitat of this plant was Japan, but now it can be found in China and in many countries of Europe. Japanese quince gardeners are attracted by their appearance. In the spring, bright scarlet buds bloom on the shrub, replaced by fruits. It is in the fruits that all the benefits of this plant are hidden.

Useful properties of Japanese quince

The fruits of this plant contain a large number of regulatory substances: vitamins and minerals. Quince can be called a record holder among other fruits for the content of such substances necessary for the body as:

1. Ascorbic acid or vitamin C. Participates in the formation of connective tissue, helps maintain the skin and mucous membranes of the body's protective functions, is a powerful antioxidant. With a lack of vitamin C, scurvy develops, pathological bleeding, lipid peroxidation begins.
2. Tocopherol or Vitamin E. It is a powerful membrane stabilizer that protects cells from damage and peroxidation. It is proved that tocopherol prevents the development of malignant neoplasms and atherosclerosis.
3. Retinol or Vitamin A. An important component of the functioning of the visual system. Without it, a person cannot see in the dark. In addition, retinol, like tocopherol, is an antioxidant and stabilizer of cell membranes. A lack of this vitamin leads to night blindness or hemeralopia, as well as various dermatitis.
4. Pyridoxine or Vitamin B6. It is a component of amino acid synthesis and an important participant in protein metabolism. With a lack of this vitamin, anemia develops.
5. Riboflavin or Vitamin B2. Participates in redox reactions of the body, is necessary for the metabolism of many substances, takes part in the synthesis of red blood cells. With a deficiency, anemia, neuralgia, dermatoses, myositis are observed.
6. Thiamine or Vitamin B1. It is a catalyst for important chemical reactions that occur in the body. With its deficiency, toxic keto acids accumulate in the tissues, which leads to such a neurological disease as beriberi.

In addition, quince has a lot of pectins, tannins and binders, anthocyanins, potassium, iron and sodium.

What diseases should i use Japanese quince

The fruit of this plant is a fairly popular alternative medicine. There are a number of diseases in which quince itself or jam from it can be used as an additional remedy. First of all, these are pathological conditions such as:

1. Inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. It can be any inflammation, including stomatitis, glossitis, esophagitis, enterocolitis and other varieties. Quince helps to reduce this pathological process due to its astringent properties and its anthocyanins.
2. Obesity. Quince accelerates metabolism, which contributes to weight loss. In addition, the fruit itself is among the low-calorie. 100 g of quince contains on average about 40 kcal.
3. Colds. A high concentration of vitamins, especially C and E, makes quince an indispensable tool for relieving the symptoms of a cold. In addition, this product can be used for the prevention of acute respiratory infections.
4. The risk of developing atherosclerosis. Vitamin E, which is found in large quantities in quince, protects the vascular endothelium from damage and reduces the concentration of harmful fats in the blood. That is why quince must be eaten by those whose body is prone to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques.
5. Anemia. Quince is useful in both folic acid deficiency and iron deficiency anemia. Its use helps to stimulate erythropoiesis in the red bone marrow.
6. Toxicosis. The fruits of this plant are useful for pregnant women. This is due not only to the prevention of anemia, but also with a pronounced antiemetic effect. Quince is able to cope with toxicosis of pregnant women of mild severity.

In addition, henomeles is used in cosmetology, making various masks, scrubs and balms from it.

Harmful properties of Japanese quince

The use of each plant has both positive and negative sides, and quince is no exception. The most poisonous part of the Japanese genomeles is its bone. Eating it is generally not recommended. The thing is that in the quince bone contains the substance of amygdalin, popularly referred to as bitter almonds.

Amygdalin itself does not have any harmful properties. The problem is that in the human body it turns into hydrocyanic acid. This substance prevents the saturation of tissues with oxygen. With a high concentration of hydrocyanic acid in the blood, a person dies from suffocation, despite the fact that his external respiration function is fully preserved.

For poisoning, you need to eat quite a lot of quince. Only clean bones would need about a glass. However, people who already have problems with oxygen saturation of tissues, it is better to completely abandon quince.

In addition, quince is not recommended for consumption by those who often talk and sing a lot. The fact is that in such people the vocal cords are already changed, and quince has an astringent effect and negatively affects them. Compromised ligaments are more easily deformed, which leads to a change in voice.

How to use Japanese quince

As a food product, you can use not only quince fruits, but also seeds and leaves. Tasty and healthy tea, jam and various sweet dishes are prepared from this plant. Quince is rarely consumed raw. It has a rather tart taste that not everyone will like. How to cook Japanese quince?

Method number 1
The most popular way to consume this fruit is quince jam. After cooking, quince loses its tart taste and looks more like apples. To make jam, you need 1 kg of quince, 1 kg of sugar, half a lemon and a glass of water.

Wash the fruits, peel off the villi, remove the seeds. You can cut quince into pieces of any size. Then the fruit must be filled with sugar, pour half the lemon juice and water. Place the resulting mixture in a pan and cook for at least one hour. You can add the zest of lemon or orange, cinnamon or other spices.

Method number 2

Method number 3
You can cook quince compote. To do this, 2 kg of peeled quince must be poured with cold water and allowed to infuse for half an hour. Then boil 5 liters of water and transfer the fruits from cold water to boiling. You can add sugar or citric acid to your taste. Cook the compote until the fruits are soft.

It can be concluded that Japanese quince is a very useful product that is simply indispensable for the treatment and prevention of many diseases. However, this fruit can be dangerous if you do not know how to use it correctly.Strict adherence to cooking recipes will help to extract the maximum of useful properties from Japanese quince.

Video: Japanese Quince Vitamin Drink