I found my sun for this fall. It is about Cape Gooseberry (Peruvian Physalis), but I prefer to name it Goldenberry. These small fruits bring us so much color, but also many benefits.
Small, round physalis is a treasure trove of several healthy nutrients, minerals and vitamins. That being said, let's take a look inside these fruits! There you will find:
- a large amount of vitamins: A, B, C;
- zinc, iron, calcium, magnesium, essential oils, protein, ascorbic acid dietary fiber, lycopene and pectin, flavonoids, organic acids, phytoncides, carotene.
How do you like it? This is really a treasure, isn't it?
If the headline made you read this article, then you're probably wondering how this fruit can help with diabetes?
Some of the compounds found in the plant can slow down the breakdown and consumption of simple sugars from carbohydrates. This means that blood sugar does not rise and insulin receptors are regulated properly. Sharp fluctuations in blood sugar are the main cause of diabetes and can be very dangerous for people suffering from this condition, which means that the use of cape gooseberry is an effective preventive method for the treatment of diabetes mellitus.
To regulate the balance of glucose in the blood, it is recommended to take an infusion of several dried fruits, brewed with a glass of boiling water. After drinking healing tea in the morning, do not throw away the berries – they can be brewed a second time.
Also, the goldenberries help to improve the functioning of the cardiovascular system in general. In addition to the fact that physalis fruits are rich in potassium and sodium, which favorably affects the composition of the blood and allows the regulation of glucose and insulin levels, under the influence of potassium, blood vessel lumens expand, heart load decreases, and organ supply of oxygen improves.
Due to its high fiber content, the use of physalispromotes the elimination of "bad" cholesterol from the body, which reduces the likelihood of atherosclerosis, stroke and heart attack.
I could go into detail on the many other benefits of these berries, but I decided to surprise you by just briefly listing a few of them:
- strengthen the immune system;
- kill harmful bacteria, protect against cancer and reduce inflammation;
- reduce the risk of joint disease;
- relieve arthritis pain;
- normalize blood pressure;
- good for vision and protect eyes from diseases;
- effective in the treatment of abscesses, cough, fever and sore throat;
- normalize bowel function and improves peristalsis;
- slow down the aging process…
This list could go on, but in this article, I would like to dwell a little on how to add these berries to your diet.
- You can try eating them raw, adding them to fruit salads, smoothies, syrups, or jams.
- The fruit is ideal for appetizers, as well as for making puddings, pies, jellies, ice cream, and glaze for meat and seafood.
- The berries can be stewed with honey and eaten as a dessert, or can be dried as delicious “raisin”.
Recipe with Physalis for the winter.
Ingredients: 2 bay leaves, 3 black peppercorns, 1 clove of garlic, 300 g of physalis berries, water,
Preparation: Put spices on the bottom of a clean half-liter jar. Pour washed physalis fruits in the jar. Pour boiling water into the jar to the top. Pour boiling water from the jar with fruits into a saucepan, add salt and sugar. When the marinade boils, pour physalis again, and immediately roll up the jar. Turn over to cool.
- For treatment, fresh or dry fruits, decoctions and infusions, juices or marinades are used.
To prepare the decoction, you need to take 20 g of dried physalis fruits, pour 0.5 liters of water, cook for 10-15 minutes, and then infuse until it cools down. The broth is used for coughing, as an analgefrasic and hemostatic agent. For inflammatory diseases, gout and articular rheumatism, take 4-5 times a day, ¼ glass.
With diathesis and dermatitis, compresses are applied externally with this broth; hot broth is used as a gargle for toothache.
In inflammatory processes of the skin, the ointment is used: the dried fruits are burned, and their ash is mixed with vegetable oil.
You can prepare the ointment in another way: chop the physalis fruits (10 pcs.). Pour olive oil (40 ml), leave for 20 days and strain. This ointment is used as a wound healing agent, as well as for pains of a different nature such as rheumatic or joint pain etc.
I hope you found something useful for you in this fruit. If not as food, then at least as decoration!
I'm going to try more recipes with these berries.