The ideal companion for meat: quince and its role in maintaining health

Since mid-autumn, quince appears on sale, the beneficial properties of which were known to the ancient Greeks and Romans. Externally, the fruits of this plant resemble large yellow apples or pears. Residents of the Mediterranean considered the fruit a symbol of love and dedicated it to the beautiful goddess Venus. We will tell you what benefits quince can bring to your health and how to use it correctly.

Where does quince grow and what does it look like?

Quince (Cydonia oblonga) is a bush plant of the Rosaceae family. It has been known to mankind for more than 4 thousand years. Most scientists call the Caucasus the birthplace of quince. From there, the bush with bright yellow fruits came to Asia Minor, Ancient Rome and Greece. For a long time, Europeans considered the plant inedible and cultivated it for decorative purposes - to decorate gardens.

Nowadays, common quince is found in almost all regions of the world:

• in the Caucasus, Transcaucasia and Central Asia (often in the wild);
• in Mediterranean countries;
• in central Europe;
• in the USA and South American countries;
• in Australia and Oceania.

Many plant varieties can withstand both severe drought and persistent frost. Therefore, amateur gardeners liked the shrubs.

Quince has a height of 1.5 to 5 meters and large oval leaves. The plant blooms in late spring - early summer. The flowers are white or pale pink, shaped like apple trees. The fruits are bright yellow, sometimes with a reddish bloom, and reach 10–15 cm in diameter. Wild quince fruits are small - up to 3.5 cm in length.

Description of different types of quince

In addition to common quince, you can find fruits collected from plants of the same family on sale. Each botanical species has its own special advantages.

Japonica

The botanical name of the plant is Chaenomeles japonica. Belongs to the genus Chaenomeles. It is also called Far Eastern quince and “northern lemon”.

Japanese Chaenomeles is grown as an ornamental plant because its flowers reach 4 cm in diameter and are a bright orange-red color. Japanese quince fruits are small, very hard, and have many seeds. They are characterized by a high content of fiber and tannins. Often used in medicine to normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and as an astringent.

Chinese quince

The botanical name of the plant is Pseudocydonia sinensis. Belongs to the genus Pseudosidonium. Unlike other types of quince, it is not a shrub, but a tree. Its height reaches 10–18 meters.

The fruits of Chinese quince are very large and oily to the touch. They are distinguished by a high content of vitamin C and essential oils.

Pseudocydonia sinensis has found wide application in medicine. Its fruits have strong antiviral, antibacterial, vascular strengthening and anticancer properties.

Lemon quince

This is one of the best varieties of quince.Mainly cultivated in the central and southern regions of Europe. Has the following advantages:

• sweet pulp with a minimal amount of stony inclusions;
• good gelling properties, which makes the fruit valuable for making jellies, preserves, jams, marmalade;
• long shelf life - can last in the cold from mid-autumn to March.

The fruits are medium in size, have felt-like pubescence, and are shaped more like pears than apples. Average weight – 150–200 g.

Calorie content and chemical composition

Common quince has a low calorie content - 48 kcal per 100 g - and is classified as a dietary product. Provides almost 1/5 of the daily requirement of the human body for dietary fiber. Contains many vitamins, macro- and microelements.

Table 1. Vitamin and mineral composition of common quince fruits

• sugars, most of which are fructose;
• organic acids – malic, tartaric, citric;
• tannins;
• essential oils.

The seeds are rich in mucus and fatty oils, suitable for preparing medicinal decoctions and infusions. However, they cannot be taken in crushed form, because they contain a substance that is toxic to humans - amygdalin glycoside.

Benefits of quince for human health - 11 medicinal properties

Avicenna wrote about the use of quince in medicine. He recommended consuming fruits and seeds for anemia, cough, stomach disorders and swelling. Today, scientists have studied in detail the chemical composition and medicinal properties of the “golden apple”.

1. Strengthening the immune system. The high content of vitamin C and microelements gives quince general strengthening properties. To increase immunity, it is advisable to eat fresh fruits of sweet varieties (for example, lemon). The sour and astringent fruit can be grated and mixed with honey to improve the taste.
2. Preservation of beauty and youth. Quince is a very valuable plant for women. Fruits protect body cells from destruction, maintain optimal moisture balance, and improve blood circulation in the upper layers of the skin. As a result, the appearance of new wrinkles slows down.
3. Cleansing the body. Due to the high content of dietary fiber, quince removes toxins, radionuclides, and heavy metal compounds from the body. It heals the walls of the stomach and intestines. In addition, the fruit has a strong diuretic effect.
4. Increasing the strength of blood vessels. Quince contains two substances that strengthen blood vessels: vitamin C and the flavonoid rutin. The fruit is useful to eat when you have high cholesterol, to prevent atherosclerosis and hypertension.In men, quince improves sexual function by normalizing blood circulation in the pelvic organs.
5. Prevention of anemia (anemia). With a lack of iron and some B vitamins (in particular B2 and B9), a person may experience anemia. The risk increases in women during pregnancy. Typical symptoms of anemia are increased fatigue, bad mood, and headaches. Quince contains enough nutrients to prevent this disease.
6. Reducing inflammatory processes. Quince contains polyphenols - chemical compounds that have pronounced anti-inflammatory properties. They are especially abundant in Chaenomeles japonica. For medicinal purposes, fresh and dried fruits, water infusions from leaves and flowers are used. Quince alleviates a person’s condition with diseases of the upper respiratory tract, mouth and gums, and helps eliminate dry cough.
7. Acceleration of healing of external damage. Mucous decoctions of quince seeds have a mild enveloping effect and promote tissue regeneration. Used externally for wounds, cracks, burns and bedsores.
8. Improving the functioning of the liver and gall bladder. The fruit has a choleretic effect. Decoctions of fruits and leaves are used in folk medicine to treat diseases of the liver and gall bladder, in particular cholecystitis and biliary dyskinesia.



9. Normalization of blood sugar levels. Chromium from quince is well absorbed by the body. This substance regulates the secretion of the hormone insulin and thereby maintains optimal blood sugar levels. As a result, the risk of metabolic diseases: metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and obesity is reduced.
10. Uplifting mood. Quince pulp contains a lot of sugars, so when eating the fruit a person feels a surge of energy. And B vitamins help strengthen the psyche, improve thinking abilities, prevent depression and chronic fatigue. Japanese quince leaves have calming properties, which has been proven in scientific research.
11. Favorable pregnancy. Fresh and dried quince fruits help cope with toxicosis in early pregnancy. And thanks to the high content of tannins, fruits reduce the risk of uterine bleeding and miscarriage.

Harm and contraindications

Any product, if used incorrectly or if restrictions are ignored, can cause harm to human health. Quince is no exception.

The fruit has the following contraindications:

• tendency to constipation;
• pleurisy;
• enterocolitis;
• thrombophlebitis;
• allergies, food intolerance.

Doctors also recommend limiting the use of the product to people with gastritis, stomach ulcers, increased blood clotting, women during lactation and young children. For type 2 diabetes, it is recommended to consult a specialist.

You should not eat raw quince in large quantities. This can lead to bloating, nausea, and constipation. There is fluff on the surface of the skin, which irritates the larynx and upper respiratory tract, causing pain and coughing.

What to cook from quince?

If raw quince seems tough and tasteless to you, try making drinks and dishes from it. We offer you three simple recipes.

Baked quince

Take 4 fruits, wash, cut in half, remove the cores and seeds. Grease a baking sheet with butter. Place fruit halves.Sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon of sugar or pour 0.5 teaspoon of honey, sprinkle with lemon juice. Cover with foil.

Place the fruits in the oven preheated to 180 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and keep the fruit in the heat for another 15-20 minutes, until they are covered with a caramel crust.

Quince compote

To prepare compote you will need 1 kg of fruit and 300 g of sugar. Wash the fruits, remove fluff, remove cores, and cut into slices. Place in a saucepan with water. Add lemon juice to prevent the flesh from darkening.

Mix 2.3 liters of water with sugar. Boil the syrup. Place the fruit slices into it and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Roll the compote into sterilized jars.

Quince jam

Wash 1 kg of fruits, remove peels, cores and seeds. Cut into slices. Mix a glass of water with 800 g of sugar. Boil the syrup. Pour quince slices into it. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Remove the mixture from the stove and leave to steep for 8 hours.

Add 100 g of crushed walnuts and the juice of one lemon to the fruit pieces. Place the mixture on the fire and bring to a boil. Pour quince jam into sterilized jars.

So, quince is a fruit with a rich chemical composition. It is especially useful for the circulatory system, gastrointestinal tract, and immunity. Raw fruits are rarely consumed due to their tart taste and tough pulp. However, quince becomes edible in grated form in combination with honey, as part of drinks, desserts, and other dishes. Don't give up on this natural remedy.