China
No for candy, yes for super food!
Have you ever heard of a jujube? I always thought jujubes were only candy. Not so!
Last week I tasted the most delicious jujube tea at our local farmers market and received a little health-history lesson about this very special super food. Jujubes are a bit larger than a walnut, a beautiful brownish-reddish color and felt very light and soft in my hands.
The jujube originated in China where they have been cultivated for more than 4,000 years and where there are over 400 cultivars. The plants traveled beyond Asia centuries ago and today are grown to some extent in Russia, northern Africa, southern Europe, the Middle East and the southwestern United States. Some jujube trees grow up to 40 feet tall in Florida, but are smaller in size in California.
The benefits of jujube the super food
Jujube contains high levels of protein, carbohydrates, fat, carotene, vitamin C, B, P, and minerals like calcium, iron and phosphorus. Below you will find some benefits of jujube.
- Decrease in seborrheic keratosis
Vitamin C present in jujubes is an antioxidant, that participates in the physiological oxygen reduction of the body and lowers the production of seborrheic keratosis by preventing the chronic melanin sedimentation in the body.
- Liver protection is another benefit of jujube
The fat, protein and sugar contained in jujubes protect the liver. These nutrients stimulate liver to synthesize protein, thus increasing the amount of albumin and red protein, controlling the ratio of globulin and albumin, preventing transfusions and reducing the level of serum alanine aminotransferase.
- Many will be glad to know that hair loss prevention is among the benefits of jujube
Jujube has the function of nourishing spleen and stomach. There is an old saying in China goes like this “Good spleen, good skin”. With radiant skin, the hair can have a sound shelter. So eat more jujubes can prevent hair loss and help you to grow glossy hair.
- Nourish stomach and brain
In fact, jujube is used in Chinese medicine to nourishing spleen and stomach. In case of irritating substances in prescription medications, jujubes are equipped to protect the spleen and stomach. Jujube is rich in protein, carbohydrate, organic acids and fat, which produces the tonic effect for the brain. Jujube cake with flour and jujubes is very delicious and moreover it can improve the functioning of the brain and stomach.
- Nourish the blood and provides vital energy
As a matter of fact, rich amount of vitamins in jujube is one of the most important benefits of jujube which is advantageous for capillary. Take 20 jujubes, brown sugar (30 grams) and 1 egg; make it with water stew. You should take this mix every day. It is beneficial for women’s recuperation after childbirth.
- Sleep promotion
As it has already been said, jujube nourishes the blood and spleen, but it also has a soothing effect. Take 1000 grams of jujubes, wash them, eliminate the nuclear, then smash and add water to boil on slow fire. After that, filter the juice and mix honey (500 grams). Mix into the paste with heating, reserve in bottles. Take 15 ml for two times a day. The mix continuously served will prevent and cure insomnia.
Additionally, jujube is important in calcium supplement, anti-diarrhea and emission control prevention. But, jujube is not appropriate for people with constipation for the rich content of carbohydrate.
The jujube tea I sampled was delicious. It reminded me almost of a cinnamon-raisin type of tea, but satisfyingly rich.
I am sharing this very special recipe with you below. The making of this tea certainly is a process, but well worth the time involved.
Ginger jujube tea is normally served hot with pine nuts. Ginger has a soothing effect on stomach and sore muscles and jujubes alleviate stress.
This Korean tea is dark in color and has strong flavors of spicy ginger and sweet dried jujubes because it was cooked in simmering water for a long time. A fast way to make ginger tea is to use a pressure cooker.
When it is cold outside, this spicy hot drink will warm your body and even heart.
Korean Ginger Jujube Cinnamon Tea
Yields: about 16 cups
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients
- 40 dried jujubes, Korean dates
- 2 oz ginger (55g)
- 3 oz packed brown sugar (85g)
- 0.5 oz cinnamon sticks (14g)
- 3 liters drinking water
Instructions
Preparation Wash ginger and dried jujubes. Peel off ginger and cut into thin slices.
Brew Put ginger slices, dried jujubes, cinnamon sticks, and 3 liters of water in the pressure cooker. Cover and cook under pressure for 10 minutes over medium high heat. Then reduce the heat to very low and cook for another 10 minutes. Release pressure and add in brown sugar and without cover, simmer for another 5 minutes, or until sufficiently infused.
Serve Drain and serve with a few pine nuts in the tea and honey or brown sugar on the side.
Serve with pine nuts.
If you do not own a pressure cooker, this process can be accomplished (as per our local farmers market vendor) by slow-simmering for several hours. Honey and brown sugar truly is optional, as the jujubes have their own sweet, unique flavor.
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What a neat little super food, don’t you think?
Happy Monday,
Wendy
Keep Choosing Consistency 