Bird cherry flour: health benefits and harms

Surprisingly, bird cherry flour is a product little known in Russia, despite the widespread distribution of bird cherry. This plant can be found practically throughout the entire territory of our country in the temperate zone. Bird cherry has more than twenty edible species and grows in the form of both low shrubs and large trees.

For a long time, from its berries, fillings have been prepared for pies, preserves, fruit drinks, jelly, liquors, kvass. Berries, flowers, leaves and bark have long been used in folk medicine.

Today in shops you can find a lot of different varieties of flour: traditional wheat and rye, oat, buckwheat, pea, corn, sunflower and even exotic - almond, coconut, pumpkin. Almost any well-dried fruit can be used to make flour.

But bird cherry flour still stands apart in this row, and finding it in stores is not so easy. It is produced a little, mainly small private enterprises are engaged in this. Until recently, it was in demand mainly by connoisseurs of gourmets who prefer exotic tastes.

Nevertheless, this type of flour is gradually gaining more and more fans. And everyone wants to know more about the delicacy. We will try to introduce you in detail to this product, its application and properties.

What are bird cherry flour made of?

To obtain bird cherry flour, dried berries were crushed together with seeds, and then ground in stupas to obtain a powder. Modern technology allows you to no longer crush bird cherry in a mortar, but use, for example, a coffee grinder.

The color and consistency of bird cherry flour resembles cocoa powder. They use it mainly for the preparation of desserts and pastries, to which it gives a unique piquant taste. The flour itself tastes a little tart, sweetish, with a delicate bitterness and the aroma of bitter almonds.

Whereas in the villages freshly ground fruits of bird cherry were a traditional filling for pies, today bird cherry is increasingly being used in the form of flour to partially replace the usual product from cereal grains in dishes.

Bird cherry flour is not a new invention at all. Since the development of the Urals and Siberia, peasants have learned to dry and crush these healthy berries, then using them to prepare different dishes. However, this was a laborious undertaking. Therefore, bird cherry flour was harvested in small quantities, only for home use and almost never for sale.

Today, this product is still produced in small quantities for home use. People buy dried cherry berries in pharmacies and grind in coffee grinders. Someone prefers to harvest and dry berries with their own hands, and then make flour from them. Meet this product on sale is quite rare. It is much easier to purchase it through online stores.

Composition and calorie content

Bird cherry flour has many useful properties. It is prepared from dried berries, the calorie content of which is slightly lower than fresh ones. 100 g of dried fruits of bird cherry contain only 118 kcal. Nutrition (per 100 g of product) is:

• carbohydrates - 11.42 g;
• proteins - 0.7 g;
• fats - 0.28 g.

The product has a low glycemic index - only 20 units.

The composition of bird cherry flour includes an impressive set of useful trace elements:

• iron;
• copper;
• zinc;
• fluorine;
• calcium;
• potassium;
• magnesium;
• cobalt;
• phosphorus;
• manganese.

Dry ground bird cherry also contains organic acids (citric and malic), tannins, essential and fatty oils, sugar, fiber, pectin, pigments, flavonoids and phytoncides. It contains vitamins A, C, E, K, PP and B vitamins: B1 – B6, B9.

In the nucleoli of the fruits, like all stone fruits, there is a small amount of amygdalin glycoside, which in the human body is broken down into hydrocyanic acid. This glycoside gives almond flour to bird cherry flour.

The product does not contain gluten (gluten), so it will not be able to completely replace wheat or rye flour in baking. However, replacing part of the grain with bird cherry flour, you can give the culinary products an exquisite unique taste and at the same time enrich them with a valuable complex of trace elements and vitamins. All the elements that make up the flour interact closely, enhancing the effect of each other.

Useful properties of bird cherry flour

Bird cherry is an invaluable source of nutrients for the human body. All substances that make up ground fruits retain their beneficial properties, since the product is completely natural.

This type of flour is not only of culinary value, but also successfully used to maintain health. No wonder not only the fruits, but also the leaves and the bark of bird cherry have long been used in folk medicine. Bird cherry flour can be attributed to dietary products, since its constituent substances accelerate metabolic processes and positively affect all body systems.

1. Fruits have anti-inflammatory effects. Therefore, the solution of bird cherry powder can be successfully used to treat inflammation and small ulcers on the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract and genitals. It can also be used to disinfect small wounds and skin lesions. Effectively rinse your mouth with infusion of bird cherry flour with stomatitis. You can use it against acne and acne on the face in the form of rubbing.
2. Due to the presence of phytoncides, bird cherry can be used for acute respiratory viral infections, tonsillitis and even tuberculosis. The infusion of the powder can be used as a rinse to relieve pain and inflammation, as well as for oral administration.
3. It also causes a slight antipyretic effect, which makes it an indispensable tool at elevated temperatures. Vitamin C promotes overall immunity.
4. Tannins with astringent properties protect the stomach lining from inflammation. Together with dietary fiber, they can treat intestinal upset (diarrhea) and relieve pain associated with it. However, do not abuse a large amount of product, as this can lead to constipation.
5. Due to the large amount of fiber and pectin, peristalsis of the digestive tract increases. Passing through the intestines, they act as sorbents, collecting and binding harmful substances and heavy metals. Therefore, the solution of bird cherry flour can be effectively used against nausea and vomiting, as well as an antidote for poisoning.
6. The content of rutin and vitamin PP causes a natural rejuvenation of the body and protects against the development of cancerous tumors. Manganese and cobalt are involved in hematopoiesis and the formation of red blood cells.
7. Organic malic and citric acids act as antioxidants, binding free radicals in the body, participate in the metabolism and increase the absorption of iron.
8. The use of bird cherry infusion is indicated for intoxication, as well as after chemotherapy. Bird cherry flour lowers intestinal absorption of cholesterol, promotes the breakdown of fats, increases the intensity of renal filtration and helps to remove excess fluid, has a diuretic and choleretic effect.
9. Since the product has a low glycemic index, it is indicated for use by people suffering from pancreatic diseases and diabetes. They can eat baked goods with cherry flour without the addition of additional carbohydrate components (sugar, jam, jam). The daily use of this product in small quantities is also beneficial.
10. Bird cherry is a good antispasmodic. Therefore, the powder of its fruits can be successfully used to stop muscle cramps and allergic reactions. Flavonoids in its composition increase the elasticity of blood vessels, and anti-inflammatory components help treat inflammatory processes and relieve joint pain.

Bird cherry flour for weight loss

In the matter of harmony, bird cherry flour can provide an invaluable service.

It was already mentioned above that this is a low-calorie product: 118 kcal per 100 g. Sugars in it contain no more than 5%.

For comparison: any flour from cereal grains has a calorie content of more than 300 kcal per 100 g.

Replacing a portion of wheat or rye with bird cherry flour, one can achieve a reduction in the calorie content of dishes. Even traditionally forbidden dishes for losing weight: sweet cakes, pancakes, pancakes - can be made dietary by replacing part of the cereal flour with cherry, and sugar with sweet fruits. This is important for those who do not want to give up dessert while losing weight.

Low calorie foods in combination with a rich set of trace elements and vitamins will not only not gain new kilograms, but also start the process of fat burning by increasing metabolism. It is possible to prepare infusions, jelly from cherry cherry flour to strengthen the stomach and cleanse the intestines.

With regular use of the product, metabolic processes are accelerated, the intestines are cleansed of toxins and harmful bacteria, and stagnation of bile and fluid in the body does not occur. The dietary fiber and pectin, which are part of cherry blossom flour, contribute to the breakdown of fats, further reducing the possibility of their deposition.

The rich chemical composition of bird cherry flour allows you to saturate the body tissues with the necessary trace elements involved in metabolic processes. This is especially true during regular physical training, when it is necessary to remove the accumulated lactic acid and protein breakdown products from the body. Increased metabolism contributes to better absorption of healthy foods and burning fat.

Harm and contraindications

Despite such an impressive list of useful properties, cherry cherry flour has contraindications. Firstly, it can be individual intolerance and allergy.

Secondly, bird cherry flour is not suitable for people suffering from chronic constipation. The use of the product can cause them to worsen and pain in the intestines.

Do not use bird cherry flour for gastritis and stomach ulcers. Organic acids in the product can cause an increase in acidity in the stomach and exacerbate the disease.

But even with stable operation of the gastrointestinal tract overeating bird cherry meal should not be overeating. As already mentioned above, amygdalin is a part of the nucleus of the cherry fruit - a substance that, when broken, forms toxic hydrocyanic acid (or hydrogen cyanide). In small doses, this poison is not dangerous for humans, but if you eat a large portion of bird cherry powder at a time, you can get severe poisoning, since the kernels of the seeds in the flour are in a powder state and glycoside will be much easier to enter into chemical reactions.

It is because of the content of amygdalin that the use of bird cherry flour is contraindicated during pregnancy. No matter how small the dose of hydrocyanic acid, they are capable of causing irreparable harm to an unborn child.It is also not recommended to use bird cherry flour for mother while breastfeeding her baby and children up to two years. Although today there is no scientifically proven facts about the contraceptive properties of bird cherry, it is also better for those planning a pregnancy to refuse to use products from it.

Also, amygdalin, despite negligible doses, can harm the health of people with weakened immunity. Such people need to use the product with caution.

How to make bird cherry flour at home

For the preparation of bird cherry flour, it is necessary to stock up with well-ripened fruits (berries). Mass ripening of bird cherry in the middle zone of Russia and Siberia falls on the period from the end of July to the end of August.

It is best to pick berries in the morning or in the evening (not in the heat), in dry weather. Wet berries quickly moldy. It is necessary to process harvested fruits no later than 3-4 hours from the moment of collection, since they quickly deteriorate and rot.

You need to collect them together with the stalks, because ripe berries are very juicy and easily damaged, after which they become unsuitable for drying. Berries should also be dried in brushes. This will allow, firstly, not to damage them, and secondly, to provide additional breathability during drying.

Collected brushes need to be laid out in one layer on a flat clean surface and dried in the sun. You can use a stove or oven with a temperature of 45-50C for drying. In the oven, you can keep the door ajar for better air exchange.

As the brush dries, the berries should be turned over, mixed. Fruits can be gradually separated from the stalks and dried independently. Fully dried fruits can be folded into linen bags or paper bags and stored in a cool, ventilated area for up to five years.

To obtain flour, dried berries just need to grind. You can do this with a stupa, meat grinder or coffee grinder. The stupa option will be the most time consuming.

After sufficient grinding, the powder from the dried berries must be sieved through a fine sieve to separate the coarse fraction and husk of the fruit shells. By the size of the crushed fraction, bird cherry flour resembles semolina. The whole part of the flour can be crushed again and then passed through a sieve again.

How to store bird cherry flour

The resulting bird cherry flour should be stored in a cool, dry place. It is better to use glass jars with tight lids or sealed plastic bags as containers.

The shelf life of such flour is not more than one year. After this period, the taste of the product decreases, more bitterness appears in it.

What can be prepared from bird cherry flour

Bird cherry flour gives dishes a special aroma and light astringency, for which it is highly regarded by gourmets. Most often this product is used in various kinds of baking. However, to use it in its pure form for the test does not work, because it lacks gluten. Dough from such flour will crumble in your hands.

But bird cherry flour is able to fully reveal its taste in combination with other types of product in which there is gluten. Bird cherry flour can be replaced in baking up to half the entire norm of traditional flour. Its presence gives the pastries a rich chocolate-like color, a pleasant almond aroma and taste with a pleasant bird cherry bitterness.

They use bird cherry flour mainly for baking cakes, pastries, cupcakes, pancakes, pancakes, pies, cookies, bread. They also make jelly and make it like coffee. In Buryatia, honey is added to such a drink, ascribing to it the property of increasing male strength. Modern culinary specialists more often begin to use bird cherry flour in other dishes, such as sauces.

It should be said that bird cherry flour is not suitable for the preparation of tinctures and liqueurs, although these drinks are successfully prepared from fresh cherry berries. The fact is that in fresh whole fruits containing the already well-known amygdalin glycoside, they are in a closed drupe, and the ingress of this glycoside into the liquid is minimal. In flour, amygdalin is in a natural fragmented form and, with prolonged insistence without heat treatment, can decompose to produce hydrocyanic acid. Therefore, bird cherry flour is best used in combination with heat treatment of a dish.

Below are a few simple recipes with bird cherry flour.

Bird cherry pancakes

Ingredients:

• milk - 0.5 l;
• vegetable oil - 2 tbsp .;
• wheat or rye flour - 150 g;
• bird cherry flour - 60 g;
• sugar - 1 tbsp;
• egg - 1 pc.;
• salt to taste;
• soda - 1 tsp (pay off in 2 tablespoons of table vinegar).

Cooking:

1. Stir a third of the milk, egg, vegetable oil, sugar, salt, quenched soda.
2. Add wheat and bird cherry flour, knead a rather steep uniform dough.
3. Continuing to knead it, add the remaining milk in portions. With this method of kneading, the dough will not have lumps.
4. Next, the dough needs to be poured into a hot pan and oven, like ordinary pancakes.

Bird cherry cupcake

Ingredients:

• bird cherry flour - 60 g;
• wheat or rye flour - 100 g;
• sugar - 120 g;
• sour cream - 120 g;
• eggs - 2 pcs.;
• soda - 1/2 tsp (pay off 1 tablespoon of table vinegar);
• salt - 1/3 tsp

Cooking:

1. Mix all the ingredients and fill the cake pan with dough.
2. Bake in the oven at t = 200C for 35–40 minutes.

Bird cherry bread

Ingredients:

• warm water - 0.6 l;
• dry yeast - 6 g (or 30 g of fresh yeast);
• salt - 1 tsp;
• flour - 1 kg.

Attention! The recipe shows the total amount of flour for the recipe. Part of the flour (50-100 g) must be replaced with bird cherry.

Cooking:

1. Mix warm water, yeast and salt.
2. Gradually adding flour, knead the dough so that it does not stick to the hands and walls of the dishes.
3. Then you need to put it in a warm place.
4. When the dough rises, it needs to be kneaded and allowed to come up again.
5. After this, spread the dough into greased forms with vegetable oil or form oblong loaves and lay on greased baking sheets.
6. Bake the first ten minutes at t = 200C. Then lower the temperature to 180C and bake another 40-50 minutes.
7. For better baking bread, you can put a bowl of water on the bottom of the oven so that it evaporates as the dough is cooked.
8. Ready bread needs to be removed from the mold and covered with two to three thick napkins for 20-30 minutes for slow cooling.

Bird cherry jelly

Ingredients:

• warm water - 1.5 l;
• bird cherry flour - 0.5 cups;
• starch - 1.5 tbsp .;
• sugar - 3 tablespoons

Cooking:

1. Pour half a liter of boiling water into bird cherry flour and let it brew for 10 minutes.
2. At this time, dilute the starch with a small amount of water.
3. Then pour bird cherry infusion into the remaining boiling water with sugar and add a starch solution.
4. Stir the jelly until thick, and then remove from heat.

We see that bird cherry flour is undergoing a rebirth. Culinary experts have finally appreciated this useful product and are finding it increasingly widely used. We hope that he will soon become a welcome guest in your kitchen.