Apple pectin: preparation and use, benefit and harm

About apple pectin few know. It is a useful organic substance found in apples and in some types of fruit. Pectin helps to cleanse the body, gives it strength and energy, and also helps to lose a few extra pounds. You will learn about whether you can prepare pectin yourself at home, as well as its beneficial properties, from this article.

Pectin is a polysaccharide that is harvested organically. Its main feature is the bonding property. It can be obtained by extracting it from the pulp of an apple or any citrus fruit. This substance is often called gelling agent, thickener, stabilizer and brightener. Since pectin is often used in cooking, it is a registered food additive called E440. In addition to fruit, pectin is contained in a small amount in the composition of various vegetables and root vegetables.

The food industry quite often resorts to the use of pectin, if necessary, to make sweets, desserts, fruit fillings, marshmallow, jellies, dairy products, mayonnaise and ketchup. Apple polysaccharide has a greater value in the confectionery industry. For the manufacture of canned products or dairy products mainly used citrus polysaccharide.

Pectin can be found in two consistencies: powdered and liquid (as an extract). Both types are actively used in industrial plants and in home cooking. You should know that, when cooking with a prescription, you cannot replace the extract with powdered pectin (and vice versa) in any case. The fact is that different consistencies imply different mixing requirements. Powder must be pre-mixed with any liquid (most often used concentrated juice). Extract is added when cooking or in a hot dish.

Citrus pectin is not much different from apple. The main difference is the result when cooking any dish. The use of citrus substances does not give shade to the dish, unlike apple, which gives a pronounced yellowish color. Therefore, apple pectin is often called simply yellow. Citrus polysaccharide is used for the manufacture of jam, confiture or jelly. Also, it is not subjected to re-heating, as the adhesive properties are reduced, so the dish is not able to keep its shape.

In the case of apple polysaccharide, if re-heating is necessary, it is only necessary to add granulated sugar. It activates the gluing properties of apple polysaccharide, and the dish can be given the necessary shape. It is worth mentioning that, as in the case of citrus, pectin made from apple loses its beneficial properties during prolonged storage in an unpressurized container. therefore It is extremely important to tightly cover the container in which the substance is stored.

The value of pectin is that it stabilizes the metabolism in the human body. Even a small portion can significantly reduce blood sugar levels and normalize the activity of the gastrointestinal tract. But the main advantage of apple polysaccharide is the possibility of delicate cleansing of the body. Using this product, even the heaviest harmful elements can be removed from the body. For example, a radioactive element, a pesticide, and even a toxic metal ion.

Because of its valuable properties, polysaccharide has found its application in the pharmaceutical industry.Enveloping, astringent effect on the stomach and intestines, allows you to remove the inflammatory process in case of ulcer disease. Also, apple pectin is often taken as a natural substitute for strong painkillers. This product is low-calorie, and therefore often used as a means to combat excess kilos. One hundred grams of pectin contains only fifty two kilocalories. Most are given to carbohydrates (thirty-seven kilocalories). Squirrels are allotted fourteen kilocalories. Fat in the composition of this product is not observed.

With moderate doses, this product cannot cause any complications. However, excessive consumption reduces the absorbability of vital trace elements such as iron, calcium, magnesium and zinc. Ultimately, when food is consumed in the gastrointestinal tract, the fermentation process starts. A person begins to be disturbed by abdominal distension, and proteins with fats are practically not absorbed.

When eating fruits and vegetables, the body receives the necessary amount of polysaccharide. In this case, the body covers the daily need for this substance. Complications appear only in the case when a huge amount of apple polysaccharide enters the body. That is why The abuse of biological food additives can be very dangerous.

As mentioned earlier, apple polysaccharide can be prepared independently at home. There are three ways to get this product. Consider each of them in more detail, so you can choose for yourself the most suitable. For the first recipe you will need to acquire: four kilograms of apples, one lemon, nine glasses of pure water. The algorithm for producing apple pectin is as follows.

1. To begin, thoroughly rinse all the apples, removing all contamination from the surface of the fruit. If necessary, get rid of damaged areas, remove the core with seeds, peel. Peel the apples into medium-sized cubes. Do the same with lemon.
2. Place chopped fruit in a saucepan. Then pour clean water and turn on the burner, set the fire to minimum power. Stir the contents of the pot regularly, every ten minutes.
3. After forty-five minutes, the consistency of the contents of the pan will resemble fruit puree. Slices of apple and lemon will boil out, and the volume of liquid will be reduced by half.
4. At this stage, leave the mash to cool for ten to fifteen minutes. Then fold an ordinary gauze napkin in several layers and place it over a deep plate or glass jar.
5. Wait until all the apple juice runs out. Be prepared for the fact that this procedure can be delayed for one to two hours.
6. After receiving the filtered juice, pour it back into the pan and place it on the stove. Having set the fire to medium power, continue to stir the fluid constantly to avoid burning.
7. It is necessary to wait for the moment when the volume of liquid decreases exactly by half. As a rule, it does not take more than twenty minutes.
8. In order to check the readiness of the product, take a small quantity of juice with a tablespoon and transfer it to a free plate. Leave the liquid to cool for five to six minutes. If during this time the juice takes on a jelly consistency, then the apple polysaccharide is ready. Otherwise, continue cooking.
9. It is advisable to immediately pour the prepared product into a glass jar of the required size and hermetically sealed with a lid.

The second recipe involves the use of a water bath. In the absence of special dishes, you can always build a water bath yourself. To do this, you need two pots with different volume.To prepare you need to get one kilogram of apples. It is better to give preference to green, slightly immature varieties. Chop fruits on medium-sized cubes, put them in a smaller pot and sprinkle them with ready-made or freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Pour water so that it covers all the apples. Leave the fruit to simmer for the next two hours. Every twenty minutes, gently mix the apples and pour water. Once the purée has reached the consistency, turn off the heat and leave the mixture to cool for a few minutes. As in the first recipe, you will need a gauze napkin. Strain the cooked mashed potatoes, you get apple pectin.

The third recipe is called lazy. He received his name due to simplicity and simplicity. So, first you need a pan with a lid made entirely of glass. Enamel or metal dishes will not work, as this method uses an oven. And when cooking apple pectin, In no case does the released acid interact with the metal surface. Otherwise, the composition of the product will be spoiled.

Cut the apples and lemon in the proportions indicated above and put them in a glass pan. Pour some water and close the lid. In extreme cases, the use of ceramic tableware is permissible. The pot is placed in the oven for forty minutes. Temperature range should not exceed one hundred fifty degrees. After cooking, carefully remove the dishes from the oven and fold the hot mashed potatoes onto a thick cloth. You can resort to using a dense knitted fabric, which is much thicker than a gauze napkin. Strain the puree by tying the fabric in a knot and hanging it over a deep bowl. The resulting liquid must be re-boiled and poured into glass jars.

Apple pectin is a kind of organic thickener that can be extremely useful for preparing many dishes. Regardless of whether you purchased the finished product as a food additive or prepared yourself, It will be helpful for you to familiarize yourself with some of the nuances of using this product.

1. For apple pectin, used as a gluing element for making jelly, there is a consumption rate. For example, when using one kilogram of fruit, it is permissible to use no more than three and a half grams of polysaccharide. The maximum allowable value is fifteen grams. If sugar prevails over the volume of water in the recipe, the content of pectin should be minimal. Therefore, it is recommended to prepare a test portion of the required dish with a low dose of apple polysaccharide and, based on the result, adjust the proportions.
2. When using sugar syrup, apple pectin is added only when it boils. Preliminary it is desirable to mix this substance with a small amount of sugar. Then the pectin is evenly distributed in sugar syrup.
3. Blanks containing apple pectin should be boiled for at least two to five minutes. Long cooking begins to change the structure of the substance, and therefore its adhesive property decreases.

To learn how to cook and apply apple pectin, see the next video.