The medlars are fruits with re-mineralizing and antipyretic properties and are useful for the health of the liver, intestine and oral cavity. Let's find out better.
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Description of the plant
Mespilus germanica (European medlar); Eriotroba japonica (Japanese medlar), belongs to the Rosaceae family. The term medlar refers to the fruits of two different plants: the European medlar and the Japanese medlar .
The European medlar is a small thorny tree about 5 meters high; the Japanese medlar, which despite its name is native to China, is instead more impressive and can reach a height of about 10 meters; it has a very intense aroma, reminiscent of hawthorn.
The medlars are harvested when they are not yet fully ripe and then they are expected to ripen. The European medlars, when they are not ripe, are very hard and harsh and therefore practically inedible, unlike the Japanese medlar, which, instead, can be consumed even when not yet completely ripe.
Properties and benefits of medlars
Medlars have anti-inflammatory and diuretic properties ; they help regulate bowel and liver function and are a mild antipyretic.
The ripe fruits have laxative properties while the unripe ones have, on the contrary, astringent properties and are therefore useful in case of diarrhea .
Medlars are also used in herbal medicine: with the dried bark, decoctions are prepared that can be used as an antidiarrheal or as an anti-inflammatory for the oral cavity.
Loquats contain vitamin A, B vitamins and vitamin C. They are also rich in formic acid, a known dietary fiber; thanks to this substance, the medlars have an excellent satiating power and are therefore very useful in case of sloping diets. They have few calories and contain many minerals.
Medlar seeds should not be eaten as they contain hydrocyanic acid, a very poisonous substance.
Calories and nutritional values of medlars
100 g of medlars contain 28 kcal / 117 kj .
Furthermore, for 100 g of product we have:
- Water 85.30g
- Carbohydrates 6.10g
- Sugars 6, 10g
- Protein 0.40g
- Fat 0.40g
- Fiber 2.10g
- Sodium 6mg
- Potassium 250mg
- Iron 0.30mg
- Calcium 16mg
- Phosphorus 11mg
- Vitamin B1 0.04mg
- Vitamin B2 0.05mg
- Vitamin B3 0.40mg
- Vitamin A 170µg
- Vitamin C 1mg
Medlars, allies of
Intestine, liver, oral cavity.
Discover also the fruit and vegetables of May
Curiosity about the medlar
- The Japanese medlars are still sold unripe not so much because in any case the taste can be pleasant, but for market reasons. The maturation of these fruits coincides with the period of appearance on the market of the first peaches and the first cherries; if, therefore, the Japanese medlars were placed on the market only after having reached full maturity, the simultaneous presence of cherries and peaches would bring down the price, hence, that they are marketed first.
- "With time and with the straw the medlars ripen" says the proverb; it refers to the patience it takes in waiting for the medlars to ripen after being harvested.
A recipe up your sleeve
The medlars are excellent for the preparation of jams. Here is the recipe for medlar jam .
Ingredients :
- a kilo of Japanese medlars,
- 800 grams of whole cane sugar,
- an Apple.
Preparation : wash, stone and peel the fruit before cutting it into small pieces and place it in a large pot. Put on the heat and add the sugar; bring to the boil, stirring constantly and then continue cooking over low heat until the desired consistency is obtained; in general, it takes about 40 minutes.
When the medlar jam thus obtained is still hot, place it in jars, which must be capped and kept - turned upside down - on a flat surface, until they are completely cooled.
