Medlar (Tur. muşmula) is a genus of plants comprising about 30 species. However, there are two main cultivated species of medlar: German and Japanese.
German medlar was known to mankind for over 1000 years BC On the territories of Ancient Babylon, Mesopotamia, its freely traded on the vehicles it exported to the West in Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. It was here that the medlar came to European lands. To date, the German medlars growing in the Balkans, in Asia Minor, Crimean mountains, the Caucasus, Armenia, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Greece and in the North of Iran. The tree is quite picky and only grows well in dry full sun and slightly acidic soil.
German medlar has a round shape slightly flattened along the axis from the deployed sepals at the end. The fruit is small in size (2-3 cm in diameter), reddish-brown color. Immature fruit is quite firm and sour. Medlars ripen only after the first autumn frosts or after seasoning in a month. The fruit lose moisture and become wrinkled, but at the same time soft and sweet.
Homeland loquat is a subtropical area of China. This is where the plant came to Japan, and then in the 19th century was brought to Europe. The loquat cultivated in Georgia, India, USA, Ukraine, South-Eastern and southern Asia and in the Himalaya mountains. This species is most similar to the quince, pear and hawthorn. The plant begins to bloom in the fall and fruits ripen in the spring from may to June. They have a pear shape with a diameter of 10 cm, the peel is orange-brown, the flesh is juicy sweet and sour taste. Within each loquat is a large dark brown bone from 1 to 5 pieces.
Keep the loquat should be in a dark, cool place, so that the fruits do not touch each other. Eat medlar mainly in fresh form, but in the regions of growth from it cook jam, jam, marmalade, candy, juices, fruit drinks, and also wine and liquor.
The beneficial properties of medlar
The medlar fruits contain vitamins (C, A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B9), minerals (potassium, iron, magnesium, iodine, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, selenium, zinc and others), sugars (fructose, sucrose) and organic acids (citric, malic). Volatile and tannins give the fruits of astringent properties that positively affect the course of gastrointestinal diseases, normalize bowel function, ease pain when the stone deposits in the kidneys and urinary tract. Unripe medlar stop intestinal bleeding, reduce inflammation.
Useful and healing properties
From the pulp of ripe fruits to prepare alcohol tincture for the treatment of bronchial asthma and other diseases of the respiratory system. To do this, the medlar, together with the bones (5 pieces) triturated, add the honey (2 tbsp) and sake (100 ml). All components are mixed and left to stand for weeks in a tightly closed container. Then tincture filter and take 30 g 3 times a day before meals. This tool relieves cough, binds and removes phlegm from the lungs, improves the General condition of the body.
Unripe medlar should not be used for people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, accompanied by elevated acidity gastric juice, ulcers, inflammatory processes in the pancreas.
Also caution the fruit must enter into the diet of children and people prone to allergic reactions.
Mushmula (tour muşmula) is a whole genus of plants, which includes almost 30 species. However, there are two main species cultivated medlars: Germanic and Japanese.
The German medlar was known to mankind more than 1000 years BC. In the territories of Ancient Babylon, Mesopotamia freely traded it on ships it was taken to the west to Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. It was from here that the medlar hit the European lands. To date, the German medlar grows in the Balkans, in Asia Minor, the Crimean mountains, Transcaucasia, Armenia, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Greece and the north of Iran. The tree is fastidious and grows well only in dry sunny places and on weakly acidic soil.
The German loquat has a round shape slightly flattened along the axis with sepals unfolded at the end. The fruit is small in size (2-3 cm in diameter), red-brown in color. The immature fruit is quite hard and sour. The medlar Matures only after the first autumn frosts or after lying for a month. In this case, the fruits lose moisture, become wrinkled, but at the same time soft and sweet.
The homeland of the Japanese medlar is the subtropical territory of China. It was from here that the plant got to Japan, and then in the 19th century. Was imported to Europe. Cultivate the loquat in Georgia, India, USA, Ukraine, South-East and South Asia and in the Himalayas. This species is closest to quince, pear and hawthorn. The plant begins to bloom in autumn, and the fruit ripens in the spring in the period from May to June. They have a pear-shaped shape up to 10 cm in diameter. The color of The skin is orange-brown, the pulp is juicy-sweet to taste. Inside each Japanese medlar there are large dark brown bones of from 1 to 5 pcs.
Storing and using medlar
Keep the medlar in a dark, cool place, so that the fruits do not touch each other. The loquat is mostly fresh, but jam, jam, marmalade, pastille, juices, compotes, as well as wine and liquor are prepared from the regions where it grows.
Nutrition information in 100 grams:
Proteins, Fats gr, gr Carbohydrates, Zola gr, gr Water gr Calories, kcal
2. 1 0. 8 14 0. 6 80. 5 52. 5
Useful properties of medlar
Composition and availability of nutrients
The fruits of the medlar contain vitamins (C, A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B9), minerals (potassium, iron, magnesium, iodine, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, selenium, zinc and others), sugars (fructose, sucrose) And organic acids (lemon, apple). Phytoncides and tannins give an astringent properties to the fruits, which have a positive effect on the course of gastrointestinal diseases, normalizing the work of the intestines, relieve pain in stone deposits in the kidneys and urinary tract. The middling fruits of the medlar stop intestinal bleeding, relieve inflammation.
Useful and medicinal properties
From the pulp of ripe fruits, alcoholic tinctures are prepared for the treatment of bronchial asthma and other respiratory diseases. To do this, the loquat together with the bones (5 pieces) is carefully triturated, honey (2 tablespoons) and sake (100 ml) are added to them. All components are mixed and leave to be infused for a week in a sealed container. After that, the tincture is filtered and taken for 30 g. 3 times daily before meals. This tool facilitates cough, binds and removes phlegm from the lungs, improves the general condition of the body.
Dangerous properties of medlar
Mediocre fruits should not be used to people with gastrointestinal diseases, accompanied by an increased level of acidity of gastric juice, ulcers, inflammatory processes in the pancreas.
Also fruits should be cautiously introduced into the diet of children and people prone to manifestations of allergic reactions.
