Mandarin - the benefits and harms to human health

The favorite citrus of adults and children - mandarin - comes from China. Later it came to Japan and spread throughout the European part of the Eurasian continent. In Europe, it is grown relatively recently - only from the 19th century. Despite this, the harm and benefits of mandarin are well known to people around the world.

Varieties growing in different regions differ in appearance, size of the fruit, skin color, taste characteristics. Mandarin does not lose leadership among all other citrus fruits: lemons are sour, grapefruits are bitter, and only mandarin is always sweet and fragrant.

Some thirty years ago, it was possible to enjoy juicy, fragrant fruits only during the New Year holidays. Today, due to the wide geography of cultivation, tangerines are available at any time of the year.

Mandarin properties and chemical composition

The fruit of the evergreen rude tree has a small size, on average 5-6 cm in diameter, and the shape of a ball flattened on both sides. Depending on the variety, the size can vary, as well as the appearance of the peel - from glossy bright orange to bumpy orange-yellow.

Species diversity also implies a difference in taste. Tangerines native to Abkhazia are famous for their light orange peel and sour-sweet taste. Turkish fruits have a yellow skin and sour taste, but they have almost no seeds. "Spaniards" have a skin with large pores and often differ in the presence of a green twig, sweetness and plenty of seeds inside.

The fruit consists of slices, usually there are around 10. In some varieties, the skin is easy to peel, others require more painstaking work. However, in all cases, the purification of tangerines is accompanied by the presence of an incomparable aroma in the air. The smell of the peel is due to its composition, which is rich in essential oils, sugars, vitamins and organic acids.

The fruit itself is valuable not only in taste and smell. Its undoubted advantage is the invaluable chemical composition rich in vitamins, dietary fiber, organic acids, saccharides, pectins, volatile and flavonoids.

The fruit contains vitamins PP, A, E, group B, and the leading position, like all citrus fruits, is occupied by vitamin C. The color of the fruit is due to the presence of a large amount of beta-carotene, and the brighter the peel, the more vitamin.

An important element in the composition of the fruit are carotenoids - lutein and zeaxanthin. These substances are necessary to maintain eye function and visual acuity.

The micronutrient reserves in the southern fruit are very generous: it contains an abundance of calcium, phosphorus, iron, potassium and sodium.

Health Benefits of Mandarin

Citrus fruits, including tangerines, are a real treasury. Their health benefits become especially obvious in the autumn-winter period, when colds and viral infections are activated. But the rest of the time the importance of their use is difficult to underestimate.

General useful properties

A small juicy fruit is useful in many diseases and disorders. The fetus or its peel is indicated as a therapeutic and prophylactic agent with antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, restorative and tonic, antispasmodic, antitumor, cleansing and regenerating effects:

1. Reduces pain and cramping thanks to essential oil.It is used in the production of analgesics that can effectively combat pain.
2. Serves as an antioxidant, blocks inflammatory processes and removes free radicals due to the presence of a large amount of vitamin C.

   

3. It has a complex effect on the gastrointestinal tract. Mandarin is used to treat gastritis and diarrhea, flatulence and appetite disorders. The dietary fibers that make up its composition have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the intestine, restore its microflora and normalize stool.
4. Fights cancer. In alternative medicine, mandarin essential oil and the fruit itself activate anticancer agents and block the growth of malignant cells.
5. Serves as an antiseptic and antibacterial agent. Tangerines contribute to the fight against sepsis and block the development of microbes in food.
6. Relieves nervous tension. Citrus essential oil reduces anxiety, fights depression, normalizes sleep and increases stress resistance.

   

7. It removes toxins, uric acid and salts, lowers cholesterol due to pectins and hemicellulose.
8. It serves as an excellent diuretic, relieves inflammation of the genitourinary system and removes salts and stones from the kidneys and bladder.
9. It allows not only to cure respiratory diseases, but also to act as a prophylaxis of their occurrence, as well as accelerate rehabilitation after recovery.
10. When applied topically, it fights fungal infections.
11. Increases the tone of the body and has a beneficial effect on the regeneration of cells and tissues.

For the body of a man

In addition to the general positive effect on the body, mandarin is a very useful product for the stronger sex. The substances included in it have a beneficial effect on sperm activity, increase potency and libido. In addition, the fetus enhances the stamina of men, stabilizes the nervous system and physical strength.

For women

Especially beneficial use of mandarin affects the female body. Regular use in the diet of fruits can normalize the menstrual cycle and facilitate its course.

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The use of citrus during pregnancy is not prohibited unless there are direct medical contraindications. A few fruits a day will help saturate the body with ascorbic acid and useful trace elements, relieve swelling. The beneficial effect of the fruit on the skin will reduce the risk of stretch marks. Excessive use of the product during the period of bearing the child and after childbirth can provoke allergic reactions in the baby, so the main condition is moderation.

A particularly valuable property for women is the ability of mandarin to fight the signs of aging and moisturize the skin. This is possible due to the high concentration of vitamins A and C. Frequent use of fruits makes the skin smooth, eliminates acne, other skin rashes, small wrinkles and protects from negative environmental factors.

Such an unpleasant phenomenon as thrush, familiar to many, can be treated if you use externally freshly squeezed juice from mandarin.

Fruit is also useful as an element of dietary nutrition. With it, you can get rid of excess weight, but only subject to physical activity and the presence of protein foods in the diet.

Harm and contraindications to the use of mandarin

The external safety of tangerines can be deceiving. Their use is contraindicated in certain diseases, and use is allowed only after consultation with a doctor. Such diseases include:

• an ulcer of the stomach and duodenum in the acute stage. Since tangerines increase acidity, they can serve as an additional irritant to inflamed mucous membranes;
• nephritis;
• hepatitis;
• cholecystitis.

Excessive inclusion in the diet can provoke the emergence of persistent allergic reactions, accompanied by a rash, itching and fever. This condition is difficult to treat and makes it impossible to further use any citrus.

Hypervitaminosis is another possible consequence of abuse. The desire to get a supply of vitamins “for future use” can negatively affect the work of the digestive tract, provoke diarrhea and a decrease in hemoglobin.

Food use

Whatever useful properties the extracts of the fetus, its peel and oil possess, first of all, people appreciate it for its incomparable taste.

Calorie Mandarin

Mandarin is a dietary product. The average calorie content per hundred grams of pulp is approximately 45. Of course, depending on the variety, this indicator can vary, but it rarely drops below 38 kcal, and does not rise above 52 kcal.

The sweet taste of the fruit does not contrast its slim figure. Thanks to fiber, dietary fiber and pectin, it allows you to effectively deal with excess weight. Flavonols also contribute to this - substances are an effective weapon against obesity.

The effectiveness of the product is due to its neutrality, since citric acid does not allow harmful components to penetrate the structure of the fetus.

The most useful recipes

Juicy citrus fruits are good in fresh form, and as a component of dishes, and as a sauce, and in the form of preservation. The following recipes are especially useful:

1. Adults will appreciate tangerine tincture on vodka. This easy-to-prepare drink has not only a heating effect, but also a bright, pleasant aroma. For preparation, previously washed and dried fruit peel and high-quality vodka are needed. The skins are poured with alcohol and insisted in a dark place for up to two weeks.

   

   

   This is not only pleasant alcohol, it is also a remedy for some diseases: if you dilute 25 drops of tincture with water and take it three times a day, you can get rid of pneumonia or bronchitis, as well as digestive and appetite problems.

2. Tangerine jam in the peel looks very unusual and impresses with its taste. Whole tangerines must be thoroughly washed and immersed in cold water overnight to eliminate the bitterness of the skins. Soaked fruits must be pierced in several places with a sharp object (a toothpick, a fork), and if you wish, put cloves in the punctures.

   

   

   Prepared from water and sugar syrup pour tangerines at night and let them brew. In the morning, the fruits, along with the syrup, are boiled for 20 minutes on fire, and left to cool. The cooking procedure is repeated 4 consecutive days, during which time the syrup becomes thicker, and the fruit darkens. From this moment, jam is considered ready to eat.

3. Candied tangerine peels are a delicious treat for adults and children. It must be soaked in water for three days, changing the fluid. Then cut the zest and boil for about 10 minutes.Sugar syrup is prepared from 400 ml of water and one and a half to two kilograms of sugar, and pour crusts over them for a day. After syrup is drained, boiled again and repeat the procedure 3-4 times. Ready sweets must be dried, and can be consumed as a sweet treat.

   

   

Common Growing Questions

Small, bright and juicy mandarin has long ceased to be a deficit. At the same time, its presence on the shelves remains the most important sign of the upcoming winter holidays. Delicious taste, pleasant aroma, mass of useful properties are the main qualities of the most beloved citrus of children and adults.