Attempts to cook compotes from it were also not very successful: the drink acquired, of course, a specific taste, but there was little use in it in the form of vitamins and inorganic components.
But jam and candied fruits turned out to be the most convenient option. Candied fruits, whose benefits for the body are very significant, have a serious advantage over jam or jam – they do not require any container for storage and transportation. And at the same time, they practically do not deteriorate. Despite the fact that candied fruits are quite tasty and can be used as a delicacy on their own or as a filling, they also retain many of the beneficial properties of their original predecessors – the citrus peel itself.
Candied fruits and health benefits
First of all, the benefit of candied fruits is that they retain a large amount of mineral components: calcium, phosphorus, potassium and some others – depending, in fact, on the type of citrus fruits. These elements are resistant to temperature stress and do not deteriorate even after prolonged boiling. And when they enter the body, they contribute to:
- potassium – normalization of pressure and improvement of the work of the heart muscle;
- phosphorus and calcium – strengthening the joints;
- magnesium and iron – increasing the amount of hemoglobin in the blood and combating anemia;
- zinc – improving the condition of the prostate and increasing the production of sex hormones and semen in men.
But in addition to mineral components, the benefits of candied fruits are in preserving a certain set of vitamins. Of course, there are less of them here than in the original, raw peel, but you can also use them in larger quantities at a time.
For example, vitamin C is the very substance for the abundance of which lemon peel is recognized as the most important anti-scaling drug. When citrus skins are boiled in syrup, its amount is reduced by three times, remaining at about 10-12 milligrams per 100 grams of candied fruits. This is almost four times more than in a fresh pear. But at the same time, candied fruits will not set the teeth on edge and are available for consumption at any time of the year.
And vitamin C, or as it is also called ascorbic acid, also supports our immunity. Thanks to him, our body is reliably protected from various viruses and bacteria, the benefit of this vitamin is also that it is a very powerful antioxidant, skillfully fighting free radicals and resisting the threat of cancer development.
