Vegetable juices, due to the abundance of vitamins, deservedly occupy a place of honor on the Russian table. No worse than vegetables, they can enrich the diet with microelements and protect against a number of diseases, especially in the winter-spring period, when our immunity needs additional support. A huge amount of mineral and vitamin substances found in pumpkin juice. Three hundred grams of freshly squeezed product satisfies the body's daily need for magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, vitamins A, B, E, C.
Pumpkin juice - general principles and methods of preparation
Few people know that the homeland of the pumpkin is distant Mexico, from where it came to North America, and then spread to the countries of Eurasia. The local Aborigines gladly consumed the nourishing pulp in food, and the seeds and juice used for medicinal purposes. They knew perfectly well what kind of healing power these pumpkin components contain. To this day, the “orange giant” rightfully bears the title of the best home healer.
Pumpkin juice is a drink for immunity. It concentrates many beneficial substances that play a crucial role in maintaining the body's defenses. In addition, pumpkin juice is rich in the rarest vitamin K, which is responsible for blood clotting. However, the most important benefit of the healing drink is the effect on the gastrointestinal tract, thanks to fiber and pectin. As it is known, dietary fibers in the intestine are not absorbed and are excreted unchanged, cleansing the intestinal walls from decomposition products and accumulated slags.
The principle of making fresh pumpkin juice is quite simple. In order to get a useful product at home, you need to get a juicer - a simple device will allow you to separate the juice from the pulp in a matter of minutes. Squeeze the juice should be at maximum speed. There is another option for making pumpkin juice, but more troublesome: the pulp is grated and squeezed using clean gauze, rolled up in several layers. Freshly squeezed pumpkin juice has a pleasant sweetish taste, but due to specific shades, unfortunately, not everyone likes it. In this case, it is recommended to mix it with other types of juice - vegetable, fruit or berry. For example, you can add carrot or a few drops of lemon juice, sugar. As a result, the taste is softer and richer. Pumpkin juice can also be stored for future use, for the winter if it is not possible to store a fresh vegetable at home.
Pumpkin Juice - Food Preparation
To make the juice bright, more saturated and sweet, you should select young fruits weighing up to 5-7 kg with bright orange flesh. In this pumpkin more carotene and natural fructose. We clean the vegetable from the skin, seeds, cut into pieces and squeeze the juice using a juicer. If other vegetables or fruits are involved in the process of making pumpkin juice, we proceed in the same way. Freshly squeezed product is advisable not to store for too long, and immediately drink.
Pumpkin Juice - Best Recipes
Recipe 1: Classic Pumpkin Juice with Cranberries
Cranberries, pumpkins and honey together make an amazing combination. Instead of cranberries, you can add any berry-vegetable-fruit juices, as well as use one pumpkin. Why did we choose cranberries for the combination? Yes, because it is a real champion in the content of mineral and vitamin substances.
Ingredients:
- two kg of cranberries
- two kg of pumpkin
- to taste honey or sugar
Method of preparation:
We clean the pumpkin, cut it into pieces, squeeze the juice out of them (using a juicer). Cranberry juice is also squeezed out. Mix, add honey or sugar to taste. It should be noted that the juice should be squeezed immediately before use. There is nothing difficult in this manipulation.
Pumpkin juice for the winter
Recipe 2: Pumpkin juice for the winter with lemon
Its preparation does not require too much effort, but as a result - a tasty pumpkin juice for the winter, moreover, useful, will always be on hand and will be able to provide the family with all the necessary substances in the winter cold, especially in the difficult period of epidemics. Such pumpkin juice can be stored for a long time both in the refrigerator and in sterilized jars. Ingredients:
- one kilogram of pumpkin (pulp)
- 250 gr. Sahara
- about 2 liters of water
- one lemon
Method of preparation:
Grilled pumpkin pulp, prepared according to all the rules, is grated and poured with sugar syrup (boiling). Stir and boil on very low heat for twelve to fifteen minutes. Then remove the pot, cool its contents. After that, grind the pumpkin with a sieve or blender and return to the pan. Immediately add freshly squeezed lemon juice. Bring the juice to a boil and boil for ten minutes, stirring. Upon completion of cooking, we pour it into sterilized cans and roll it up.
For making pumpkin juice with lemon juice, it is very important to choose the best dish. An enameled saucepan without chipping is best suited for this purpose. It is not allowed to cook acidic dishes in aluminum dishes, since aluminum, in contact with an acidic medium under the action of high temperature, turns into heavy toxic compounds that enter the body with the product.
Recipe 3: Pumpkin juice for the winter with an orange
The method of making juice is similar to the 2nd recipe, but it has several differences. First, we will triple the amount of citrus fruits, and second, add a bit of citric acid to the juice.
Ingredients:
- one pumpkin (average)
- 200 gr. Sahara
- 10-15 gr. citric acid
- three oranges
- water
Method of preparation:
Pumpkin sliced pieces filled with water so that it reaches the level of the pieces. Cook after boiling just three to five minutes. Cool, wipe the pumpkin through a sieve and return to the pan again. Add acid and sugar. Squeeze juice from oranges and ship to the same place. Bring juice to a boil and turn it off immediately. Then pour in jars.
Recipe 4: Pumpkin juice for the winter with apples
What apples to prefer? It is desirable, of course, green, because they are more useful than other varieties. If there is no such opportunity - choose any, as long as they are not overripe.
Ingredients:
- one kilogram of pumpkin
- 250 gr. sugar (a little less) - one kilogram of apples
- lemon peel (one lemon)
Method of preparation:
Using a juice extractor, squeeze the juice out of apples and pumpkins. Mix them together in a pelvis or saucepan, add lemon zest, sugar. We bring pumpkin-apple juice to 90C and maintain it at this temperature for about five minutes (not more). Next, we give it to him on the switched off plate, and still pour it hot in jars. At the request of the roll.
Recipe 5: Pumpkin juice for the winter with carrots and dried apricots
We offer to try another option of cooking pumpkin juice, in which we add a little carrot, as well as useful dried apricots.
Ingredients: (for three kilograms of pumpkin)
- four carrots
- 500 gr. dried apricots
- 1.2 kg of sugar
- three liters of water
- 15 gr. citric acid
Method of preparation:
Cut the pumpkin, peeled carrots and dried apricots into slices. Put all the ingredients in a saucepan and pour water. From the moment of boiling we cook about two hours. Then cool the solid contents of the pan, do not discard the broth. Slices of pumpkin, carrots and dried apricots are whipped in a blender, reloaded into an empty pan, adding a glass of broth. Now lay out the sugar and acid, bring to a boil and boil until the sugar is completely dissociated.
Pumpkin Juice - Contraindications
Especially carefully pumpkin juice should be used by people suffering from low acidity of the stomach, irritable bowel syndrome. When severe disorders in the digestive tract, diarrhea pumpkin and its components should be completely excluded from the diet to restore all the functions of the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, a number of individuals develop an allergic reaction to carotene or individual intolerance to certain components contained in the pumpkin.
