Many people at the word tangerine involuntarily have associations with New Year's holidays and the festive mood accompanying them.
But also regardless of holidays this fruit, undoubtedly, is one of the most tasty among a citrus, possessing besides a number of useful properties.
Structure of tangerines
The plant tangerine represents the low tree reaching a maximum of five-meter height, the events a sort from India and the Southern China. But we are interested, first of all, fruits of this tree. They are rather small, 4-6 cm in the diameter, an orange coloring, sweet or sourish and sweet on taste.
The peel usually very easily separates from pulp, but for some grades it not so. The orange pulp consisting of a set of the pear-shaped formations filled with juice, so-called juice sacks. The fruit is easily divided into several segments. They contain seeds — as a rule, one-two sunflower seeds in a segment, however are also grades without seeds.
Learn whether it is possible to eat seeds of tangerines.
Nutrition value and caloric content of a product
The power value of pulp of tangerine is 53 kcal on 100 g of a product. Pulp contains 0.8 g of proteins, 0.3 g of fats, 13.3 g of carbohydrates and up to 2 g of food fibers.
Traditionally for a citrus it is especially rich with vitamin C. Besides, in it there are a lot of group B vitamins — in particular, there are B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9 vitamins. In smaller quantities there are also vitamins A, E, K.
Organic compounds the lutein and zeaxanthin playing a large role in sight physiology also are a part. In pulp of a fruit there is also a set of macrocells; the greatest numbers contain the following:
- potassium — 166 mg on 100 g of a product;
- calcium — 37 mg;
- phosphorus — 20 mg;
- magnesium — 12 mg.
The value of fruits is not exhausted by pulp. The tangerine peel contains about 2% of essential tangerine oil. It is applied as food flavor and also as one of components of perfumery compositions.
Read also about useful properties of essential oils of orange and a lemon.
Than tangerines are useful
The main thing that is appreciated in tangerine — its excellent tastes. In addition, thanks to a large amount of vitamin C and vitamins of group B, pulp of a fruit contributes to increase in appetite, normalization of digestive processes, improvement of exchange processes in an organism, normal development of a fruit in pregnant women and the child in the early childhood.
Tangerines and fitontsidny properties possess, i.e. they are capable to suppress development of some pathogenic organisms. Thanks to the lutein and zeaxanthin which are contained in pulp, consumption of this fruit is reduced by risk of developing of the diseases connected with visual impairment. Tangerine also has styptic effect.
About use of useful properties
Useful properties of this citrus are actively used in various areas, from cookery to traditional medicine. Let's consider in more detail some spheres of their application.
We advise to read about useful properties and application of citrus fruit: orange, lemon, grapefruit, lime, bergamot.
In traditional medicine
As a component of medical medicines tangerine is quite widely applied in traditional medicine. It is used generally at problems with digestive tract, for simplification of a state at toxicosis as protivokashlevy and cold remedy.
For normalization of work of digestive tract do plain infusion. The dried-up tangerine crusts crush, for infusion take about a half of a teaspoon of crusts and fill in them with a glass of boiled water. Insist ten minutes, and drink the turned-out means as tea after a meal. The regular use of such infusion improves work of intestines.
Important! Folk remedies in most cases do not cure a disease, and only promote increase in efficiency of treatment. In certain cases tangerine and medicines from it are contraindicated to patients therefore before application of national medicines it is recommended to consult with the doctor.
As protivokashlevy medicine use spirit tincture on a tangerine peel. For this purpose two tablespoons of the crushed peel fill in 250 ml of vodka and insist week in the dark place. At bronchitis and tracheitises accept 25 drops of tincture to food, two-three times a day. At helminthosis (infection with worms) about three tablespoons of tangerine juice, three times a day, in 30 minutes prior to meal are recommended to accept.
Whether you know? The origin of the name tangerine is not clear. It agrees one of versions, Portuguese called so this fruit for the coloring similar to color of attires of the high-ranking officials of China who were called tangerines.
In dietology
The tangerine diet is recommended for weight loss and also for maintenance of health of an organism. There are many options of such diet, one of the most popular — a three-day unloading diet with five times food. In each of three days of a diet use the following products:
- the first breakfast — black coffee;
- the second breakfast and afternoon snack — boiled egg and 4 tangerines;
- lunch and dinner — 150 g of boiled low-fat meat without salt and 200 g of sauerkraut.
After end of a diet it is recommended to drink on liter of tangerine juice daily within a week, it will help to set positive effect from a diet.
Important! At excessive consumption of tangerines or tangerine juice in the course of dietary food the allergic reaction can be shown. In that case it is necessary to stop reception of this citrus immediately.
In cosmetology
Pulp, peel and juice are used as components of masks and lotions. In one of options of masks the teaspoon of the dried-up tangerine dried peel mixes up with a teaspoon of sour cream and with the same quantity of an egg yolk. Mix is put on a face and 20 minutes are maintained. Effect of a mask — refreshing of face skin, saturation by its useful substances.
It is recommended to lay over also twice a week a face and a neck the napkins soaked in tangerine juice. Duration of the procedure is twenty minutes. The freshened-up and pure leather is result of such procedure.
Whether you know? Tangerines got to Europe only in the 19th century though from all citrus they are considered as the most resistant to cold. The most northern area of their cultivation — the vicinity of Sochi.
In cookery
Tangerine can be used and just as fruit, and in combination with other fruit and vegetables in salads. It is used for preparation of some sauces and sauces, it is quite combined with fish and meat. Often this fruit is added to various dessert dishes: souffle, jelly, yogurts, etc. The peel and pulp are used for preparation of tinctures, fruit liqueurs and liqueurs.
Try to make fruit tangerines salad, a kiwi, bananas, apples and ice cream.
Features and precautionary measures at pregnancy
At pregnancy this fruit is valuable as a source of vitamins and useful substances. He also facilitates a condition of the woman at toxicosis, helps to fight against nausea attacks. And, at last, fruits of tangerine lighten the mood of the pregnant woman, improve its psychological state.
At all merits of this fruit, its use in the third trimester of pregnancy is inadmissible. It is connected with possible glut of an organism of the woman vitamin C that can cause certain complications.
Read also about properties, the choice and consumption of citrus fruit of a pomelo.
Contraindications and harm
Consumption of tangerine at various diseases of digestive tract is excluded. It is ulcer of stomach and duodenum, gastritis, colitis, enteritis. It is contraindicated and to the people having cholecystitis, pancreatitis, sharp nephrite, viral hepatitis. Consumption of this fruit at above-mentioned diseases can lead to exacerbation of these diseases. Besides, in certain cases tangerines causes allergic reaction, especially if to be fond and eat them too much. It can be expressed in development of dermatitis, in indigestion, in short wind and conjunctivitis.
Summing up, one may say, that high tastes of tangerine provide huge popularity to this representative of a citrus. But application of this fruit is not limited to cookery, it is widely used in traditional medicine and cosmetology. However it is necessary to remember that the excessive use of fruits or their juice can cause allergic reaction of an organism.