Beet kvass: benefits and harm to the body

Beet kvass has been known in our country since ancient times. With this drink, our ancestors quenched thirst and increased the tone of their body. And today he enjoys well-deserved popularity. It helps reduce high blood pressure, relieves arrhythmias, helps cleanse the body, dilates blood vessels, and finally just removes fatigue.

Composition and calorie content

The energy value of beet kvass is low, in 100 g of the product contains only 42 kcal. Since the main ingredient of the drink is beets, carbohydrates are in the first place in the product, there are 9.56 g of them. Proteins (1.61 g) follow and fats (0.17 g) are in the last place. But what is important is that fiber, useful for digestion, contains 100 g of kvass 2.8 g.

The drink contains a significant amount of vitamin C, which is so necessary for boosting the immune system, E, which slows down aging, A, K, B and folic acid, which promote tissue growth.

Beet kvass contains copper, zinc and iodine, which is of great importance for the health of nails and hair. It contains silicon, necessary for the production of collagen, as well as potassium and magnesium, which are responsible for the construction of bones and connective tissues, the elasticity of the walls of blood vessels. This helps to lower blood pressure, has a positive effect on the human nervous system and slows down aging.

Useful properties of beet kvass

General benefit

Long-term observations have allowed scientists to highlight the beneficial effects of the use of beet kvass for organs and systems of the human body:

• treats constipation;
• Helps lower cholesterol
• cures respiratory infections;
• improves the condition of the liver, helps fight atherosclerosis;
• has an anti-cancer effect;
• helps to lose weight;
• beneficial effect on kidney function;
• cleanses the body of toxic substances;
• facilitates the condition during menstruation;
• contributes to the normalization of metabolism;
• struggling with dementia and Alzheimer's disease;
• strengthens the skin, connective tissue, bones, blood vessels;
• accelerates cell growth and cell nucleus regeneration;
• promotes the production of the necessary amount of stomach acid;
• reduces allergic reactions;
• helps to heal joints affected by rheumatism.

For women

The particular benefit of beet kvass for the female body is determined by its high iron content, which helps to replenish monthly blood loss. Also, the drink helps to neutralize the negative effects of menopause, stimulating blood circulation and metabolism, providing a diuretic effect.

Women who care about their appearance can use it for cosmetic procedures.

For men

The practice of traditional medicine suggests that in the male body beet kvass favorably affects the hormonal background, and also contributes to the normal functioning of the reproductive system. During fermentation, zinc is transferred to the drink from beets, which increases the testosterone content in the body, which enhances sexual desire and increases erectile function.

During pregnancy

During pregnancy, beetroot drink can have a positive effect on the development of the fetus, reduce the likelihood of miscarriage, increase the production of red blood cells, and prevent the development of anemia.And also kvass will help to deal with such misfortunes as flu and the common cold, without taking additional medications, so undesirable for women in this position.

When breastfeeding

During breastfeeding from beet kvass, a woman receives folic acid, which is very necessary for her during this period, as well as vitamins B1, B2, B6, C and E.

For kids

Give beet kvass to children with caution. In particular, it is not recommended for children under 8 months of age, since they still have an immature digestive system, and kvass can cause colic. The allergenic properties of the drink should also be borne in mind, since babies can easily give an unexpected reaction to its ingredients. This does not mean that such kvass should be abandoned altogether, it simply needs to be introduced into the child’s diet gradually, starting with small portions and carefully monitoring the reaction of the child’s body. In this case, the child will be able to get the positive effect that kvass has on the adult body.

When losing weight

Overweight people can beetroot drink can help lose a few pounds. After all, it helps to streamline the body's metabolic processes, helps cleanse the body of toxins and activate the body's natural ability to burn fats, strengthens the walls of blood vessels, cleanses the liver, stops inflammatory processes, stabilizes digestion and fights constipation.

Those who want to use beet kvass for weight loss should drink a glass of drink half an hour before meals. However, adhere to such a scheme should be no longer than 3-4 weeks and best of all under the supervision of a doctor. It can also be included in meals on fasting days, in which it is eaten along with cottage cheese, dried fruits and apples.

How to take beet kvass for medicinal purposes

The therapeutic use of beet kvass can significantly improve the patient's condition in a number of diseases. As a rule, for medicinal purposes, the drink is drunk an hour before meals. The only thing that needs to be firmly remembered is that excessive unauthorized activity cannot be allowed. You need to adhere to the rules of admission and, best of all, do it under the supervision of doctors.

1. For patients suffering from hypertension, spasms, headaches, in order to cleanse the vessels, it is advisable to drink half a glass of kvass on an empty stomach three times a day.
2. You can clean the liver by drinking one glass of kvass a day, preferably before the first meal.
3. Twice a day, it is recommended to drink beet kvass with cholecystitis - ¾ cup before meals in the morning and evening. The course lasts 8 weeks.
4. To strengthen the body, improve its general condition, stimulate the immune system, it is recommended to drink up to 250 ml of kvass per day. This volume can be drunk in one or two doses, but only on an empty stomach.

Harm and contraindications

Enjoying the excellent taste of beet kvass and using its positive qualities to enhance health, we should not forget that any medal has a downside. Unfortunately, in the presence of a number of diseases, the use of this drink is directly contraindicated, since the mineral salts, acids and amino acids contained in it can cause an exacerbation of the disease. In particular, patients suffering from the following diseases should limit or completely refuse to drink this kvass, depending on the recommendation of the attending physician:

• gastritis and increased acidity of the stomach;
• gout and elevated uric acid in the blood;
• arthritis;
• diabetes;
• inflammatory diseases of the genitourinary system;
• urolithiasis disease;
• low blood pressure.

Caution should also be exercised in the presence of intolerance to the individual components of kvass. Defining it is easy enough: you just need to listen to your body and not miss the alarms.So, if the use of the drink causes digestive upset, pain in the gastrointestinal tract or other allergic reactions, it should be discarded, at least until a visit to the doctor who can assess the characteristics of the body of a particular patient and give competent recommendations.

In any case, the main criterion for the permissibility of the use of beet kvass is moderation. It is known that the same food can be both healthy and harmful, depending on how much it enters the body. The general rule for this drink is not to exceed its daily dose, and for people suffering from the ailments listed above, it is necessary to adjust the amount of kvass consumed in accordance with the recommendations of doctors. If the undesirable consequences nevertheless made themselves felt, you can try to solve the problem by simply changing the recipe for making a drink - a slightly changed composition can remove the negative effect.

How to store beet kvass

The process of preparing beet kvass, regardless of differences in recipes and technology, ends with cooling the drink to about 5 ° C, that is, the temperature of a domestic refrigerator. It is advisable to continue to store it in a refrigerator. If the drink is planned to be consumed within a few days, it can be kept in open jugs. If it is bottled in plastic bottles and tightly closed with lids that prevent air from entering, kvass can be stored in the refrigerator for several months.

In a glass jar closed with a metal lid, kvass will retain its useful qualities for up to 8 months. This is very convenient, as it allows you to prepare large volumes of the drink in the summer. Thus, it will always be at hand and it can be used both as a refreshing drink and as a filler of summer soups, such as beetroot soup or cold borsch.

How to make beet kvass: recipes

Almost any housewife can afford to cook beet kvass, because you can buy ingredients at any supermarket in any season. Beets are perfectly stored all year until the next harvest, and getting it is not a problem. The question is different - how to choose it correctly.

It is best to buy beets in the market, although a supermarket with a good reputation is also suitable. First of all, the root crop must be fresh. This is indicated by its dense texture and saturated bright color. Do not take too overripe, sluggish or too large beets. The shape of the fetus should also be round, without strong irregularities. If it is sold with tops, the leaves should be cut off as soon as possible, since they continue to draw juices from the root crop, and after a few days it will become sluggish. Washed and dried beet roots can be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks. Leaves are better to use during the first days after purchase - the fresher they are, the better.

Below are some recipes for making beet kvass - the most popular among amateur chefs and easy to perform.

Yeast-free option

Ingredients:

• Beets, medium size - 4 pcs.
• Carrot, medium size - 2 pcs.
• Filtered cold water - 3 l.

We start cooking by carefully washing the beets in running water. This is best done with a brush specially designed for washing vegetables. With a potato peel we cut the peel and cut the root crop into small (1x1 cm) cubes. We put the chopped beets in a three-liter jar: it should be about half full. We cut a couple of carrots into strips or rub on a coarse grater and lay to beets.

Add the jar to the top with drinking cold water, tie the neck with gauze and put in a dark place for several days.When the fermentation process begins and gas bubbles are released, rising from the bottom of the can up, and the liquid turns into a rich burgundy color, kvass is ready for use. It can be cast from a can by adding boiled water there.

Juices of currant, cranberry, mountain ash, or sea buckthorn can be mixed with ready-made kvass in various proportions. It is allowed to add a small amount of kefir, chopped herbs, spices to taste - this will positively affect the taste of kvass and enhance its useful properties.

Kvass using yeast

Using yeast can speed up the fermentation process, kvass will be ready in two days. The taste will be more intense and tart. Highly chilled, with added ice, the drink perfectly refreshes in hot weather.

Ingredients:

• Beets, well ripened - 500 g.
• Sugar - 100 g.
• Drinking cold water - 4 l.
• Yeast - 10 g.

We wash the beets well, peel them and cut into small pieces. We lay out on a baking sheet and place in the oven, preheated to 160-180 ° C, so that they dry out. If we cook in the summer, you can dry the chopped beets in air, in a well-ventilated place, protected from direct sunlight.

Stacked beetroot in this way is placed in a large enameled bowl and filled with water so that it completely covers the pieces. We put the dishes with beets on the fire, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook until the pieces of the root crop are completely softened. We filter the broth through a fine sieve. You can even put a sieve with gauze for better filtration. Pour the resulting filtered broth into a three-liter glass jar and add it to the top with boiled water at room temperature. Pour a little decoction into a small container and dissolve sugar and yeast in it, then pour it back into a large jar and leave to roam for two days in a dark place at room temperature.

After about 48 hours, the kvass is ready. We filter it again and pour it into decanters or plastic containers with lids. Use heavily chilled.

Kvass recipe according to Bolotov

Drink recipes according to the methods of academician Boris Bolotov are widely popular among fans of kvass, created at home. He developed a number of kvass based on a wide variety of medicinal herbs. However, before trying to make kvass according to Bolotov, it must be borne in mind that the academician's drinks have pronounced healing qualities, therefore, before using them, it is very advisable to consult with your doctor.

Ingredients:

• Well-ripened beets - 2 kg.
• Sugar - 80 g.
• Whey - 500 ml.
• Drinking water - 3 l.
• Sour cream with a fat content of 20% - 1 tsp

We carefully wash the beets, peel them and rub on a coarse grater. Next, we deal with leaven. We spread sugar and sour cream in a small bowl, pour the whey and mix well. Grated beets are put in an enameled pan and pour the resulting sourdough. Mix thoroughly. Leave the pan in a dark warm place for 3 days. Then we collect the mold that has appeared on the surface, pour 3 liters of drinking water and leave to roam for another 3 days. We continue to carefully remove the emerging mold.

The next step is to filter the infusion through cheesecloth, add if necessary drinking warm water and leave for another 12 days. Pour the finished kvass into smaller containers with lids and place in the refrigerator at a temperature of + 5 ° C.

Beetroot kvass on rye bread

Ingredients:

• Beets, medium size - 4 pcs.
• A slab of stale rye bread - 1 pc.
• Filtered cold water - 3 l.
• Sugar - 150 g.

We thoroughly rinse the beets, peel them and rub on a coarse grater (can be cut into small cubes). Chopped beets are put in a large glass jar and pour water at room temperature. Dissolve sugar in a small vessel and add to the jar with beets, and also put the rye pink there. We close the jar with gauze and leave to roam in a dark warm place for three days. We filter the fermented kvass through a fine sieve (it is allowed to use gauze), pour it into small containers for storage, hold for another 3 hours and put in the refrigerator for several days.Eat well chilled.

Beetroot kvass with honey and raisins

Ingredients:

• Well-ripened beets - 250 g.
• Drinking water - 2 l.
• Flower honey - 40 g.
• Mid-sized lemon - ½ pcs.
• Raisins - 15 amount

Beet for this brew is better to choose a ripe, sweet, maroon color. We start cooking by thoroughly washing the beets, peeling them and chopping them. Cut it into small pieces. We heat the oven to 160 ° C and load the beet slices on it on a baking sheet. We dry until the beets become soft (time depends on the size of the pieces), avoiding overdrying.

We heat the drinking water in an enamel pan. If the water was purchased in a store in a plastic bottle, it is not necessary to bring it to a boil. In hot water, add the juice of cooked lemon and honey. Cool the pan with water a little, place the dried beets in it, add raisins. Close the lid and leave in a warm place for 2-3 days. Filter the finished kvass through cheesecloth, folded in several layers, pour into containers and place in the refrigerator.

How much can you drink beet kvass per day

Determining how much you can afford to drink beet kvass per day, you must be guided, first of all, by the needs and characteristics of a particular organism and the properties of the drink consumed. Since this drink has healing properties, it is necessary to keep in mind the basic principle of healing: do no harm! The general opinion of doctors is that in the absence of obvious contraindications to the use of beet kvass, you can drink it up to three glasses a day, that is, about 600 ml, so as not to create an excessive load on the stomach and not cause digestive upset. Naturally, people who know about the problems of their gastrointestinal tract, the presence of arthritis or gout, low blood pressure, have to significantly adjust this volume for themselves, especially if the attending physician also advises. Well, patients with diabetes should remember that beets and drinks from it contain a large amount of sugar.

Can I drink at night and on an empty stomach

If you drink beet kvass at night, it will get enough time to exert its beneficial effect on the digestive system, to show its ability to cleanse the body, the most effective at rest. But at the same time, one should not forget about his ability to lower blood pressure. For people who have low blood pressure, drinking kvass at night can be more harmful than beneficial. And, of course, for those who take medications prescribed by a doctor for the night, you just need to ask him if they can be combined with this drink.

As for taking kvass on an empty stomach, it is even recommended when using it as a means of healing. A quarter cup is taken before each of the three main meals about 2-3 hours before eating. Again, one should not forget about the ability of beets to irritate the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, as in all cases, taking kvass on an empty stomach should be discussed with your doctor.

Interesting facts about beets

Beetroot has been known to mankind since ancient times. But initially it was perceived, first of all, as a medicinal plant. For example, even 2 thousand years BC, its roots were used as a medicine by the peoples who inhabited the Mediterranean coast, and only leaves were eaten by beets. Such medical luminaries of antiquity as Avicenna, Hippocrates and Paracelsus widely used beetroot juice for healing. This root crop was highly valued in ancient Greece, where it was an indispensable attribute of sacrifices to the god Apollo. There is an opinion that in Russian the word “beet” arose on the basis of the Greek “seuklon”, meaning “regal”.In the Middle Ages, all the Balkan and Eastern European countries were saved with the help of beets from the plague. And during the war of 1812, soldiers used the healing properties of beets to protect against the spreading cholera epidemic.

But the ancient Persians, beets were treated with prejudice. They believed that this was a symbol of quarrel, gossip and slander. Scientists suggest that beetroot owes this ratio to its dark purple color, suggesting dark venous blood. In any case, the beets, planted in the neighbor's house, were a messenger of hostility. This root crop had the same symbolic significance in ancient Rome, which, however, did not prevent the Romans from eating it with pleasure, both roots and leaves.

Beetroot itself is one of the very few representatives of root crops whose life cycle depends on a particular species. So, it can be one and two year old or perennial plant. A variety of beetroot modern plant growers number about 70.

In Russia, beets were mentioned in historical documents from the 10th century, although they became widespread only after four centuries. It was cooked by baking in the oven, serving to tea. In the country there was a belief that beets give strength to the heroes, heals them from various ailments. And somewhere from the XVI century, this root crop is the main ingredient in such a dish as borsch, since then occupying a well-deserved place of honor in national cuisine.

Girls successfully brought beet blush on their cheeks no worse than modern cosmetics. By the middle of the XVIII century, Russian breeders were able to get sugar beets. Since then, sugar in Russia has been produced entirely from sugar beets, and not from cane, which had to be imported from overseas.

And also such a romantic touch to the portrait of a wonderful root crop. According to ancient belief, if a man eats one beet for two with a woman, they will be able to love each other.

The traditions of using beet kvass date back to very old times, and this drink deserves to occupy a special place in our national cuisine. One glass of such a drink will help keep the body in good shape, normalize the functioning of the digestive system, restore metabolism and the activity of the endocrine glands. Exceptionally light cooking technology that does not require any special chef qualifications, very cheap ingredients available throughout the year, and ease of storage of the finished product - all speak in favor of beet kvass entering the arsenal of both professional chefs and homemakers .

Photo of beet kvass