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Beets have changed little since ancient times, when it began to be used for food. Only in food there was a ground part, roots used healers. Later the sweet root became a vegetable, without which cooking is unthinkable. And beet tops often fill compost piles. However, there are more medicinal and nutritional elements in the tops than in the beetroot head. How to properly prepare for the winter beet tops - will help the advice of experienced chefs.
The use of beet tops
Scientists have determined that beet tops have unique properties. Regular use of this greens will help ease the condition of patients:
- diabetes mellitus;
- diseases associated with a deficiency of hemoglobin in the blood;
- cardiovascular problems;
- problems with metabolism;
- GIT;
- with tumoral formations;
- sclerotic manifestations, attention and memory disorder.
Such a wide range of effects on the body of beet tops is due to its composition. But only a young undamaged leaf blade with a petiolus is used. With aging, the fibers become stiff, and the beneficial substances pass into the root crop. Harvesting beet leaves grown on their beds, for the winter will always help to have a useful product.
Vitamin R and microelements are due to the use of leaves as a preventative against sclerosis. The present iodine and cobalt help to maintain memory and attention even in old age. The elasticity of the walls of the vessels increases, hemorrhages are prevented. Present in the leaves betaine helps dissolve cholesterol plaques on the walls of the vessels. Folic acid improves brain activity, hematopoiesis, metabolism.
Vitamin U slows down the aging process and has a beneficial effect on the digestive system, contributes to the healing of ulcers and gastritis. Broth of fresh and dried leaves, taken regularly on an empty stomach promotes a soft stool. It is established that it is promising to use beet leaves with root vegetables in the fight against cancer.
Useful for eyesight, a doctor of skin diseases, a medicine for headache and a liver keeper consider folk healers to be a beetroot top.
However, one should not use beets for treatment in internal organs, acute inflammatory processes or problems with fluid stool.
How to procure a beet top for winter
For harvesting, only young foliage with petioles is chosen. Save stocks for the winter can be in the form of:
- dry greens;
- souring;
- freezing;
- marinating beet leaves;
- canning.
It is necessary to know that heat treatment reduces the composition of useful substances, partially destroying complex organic compounds. Therefore, for use as a medicine, conservation without heat treatment is better. However, the use of canned billets will systematically fill the lack of necessary elements in winter. Thoughts that the food of ecological products from their garden will bring health, will add strength to the owners during the autumn harvesting.
Dry the leaves and petioles of beet can be after the preliminary shredding in all available ways. As the essential oils in the sheet contain a small amount, drying can be carried out at temperatures up to 60. In the shade, drying cabinets, dehydrators, with intensive ventilation - any methods are good, except drying in the sun. Use dry herbs for therapeutic and culinary purposes.
Prepare beet leaves for the winter as a frozen product even easier. Washed and well-dried sheets with petioles are cut finely and laid out on small disposable portions in polyethylene bags. It is important to store the blanks only in the freezer, at a low temperature. Once unfrozen green tops with new freezing loses its useful properties. The smell of borscht with the scent of fresh frozen greens is sure to attract neighbors.
Preservation "five-minute" will save all vitamins in the green tops. Harvested tops cut with straw and pour cold salted water. After boiling, cooking continues for 5 minutes. The resulting mass is poured into sterilized hot jars, rolled up, turned over and cooled under a blanket for several hours. It is stored in a cold place. Used as an ingredient of first and second dishes.
Quilling of sheets occurs entirely, without the use of vinegar. Under the influence of salt in a warm place for several days, the product is fermented. At the same time, useful substances are stored and multiplied. Used sour beet as an independent dish and as a component of complex salads.
When marinating the beet leaves, the leaves from the petioles are separated. At the same time, a standard marinade is prepared using all common spices, sugar, salt and acetic acid. In the cans, stems are laid separately and the leaves are chopped or folded into the straw. The difference in marinating is that the petioles are twice filled with boiling water for the first time, and the second one is prepared on the basis of the marinade, which was released into the water.
The leaves are brought to a boil, take the drained water, prepare the marinade and fill it with a jar. But the can is sterilized for 15 minutes. After that, add the vinegar and roll up and petioles, and leaves. The petioles are kept under a fur coat, and the leaves cool in the air, turned upside down. You can store these blanks at room temperature.
In addition, the beet tops are stewed and made from it with caviar with the addition of horseradish and garlic as a seasoning. Harvesting is a snack dish. Often mistresses make ready soup dressings, including stewed vegetables and their tops. Such blanks after heat treatment can be stored in room conditions. But the best way is to clean the canned food in a cool, dark place.
To preserve the gifts of the summer and the fruits of one's labor for use in the winter period means to provide the family with healthy food all year round.
