Pumpkin honey or pumpkin with honey

Beneficial features

Honey collected by bees from pumpkin pollen is an extremely rare commodity. From a hectare of crops, bees can collect about 25–30 kg of this valuable nectar. The medicinal properties of this product make it effective in the treatment of many pathologies:

• The product normalizes the activity of the gastrointestinal tract: eliminates heartburn, relieves nausea;
• Stimulates intestinal motility - promotes better digestion of food. Used in small quantities to combat excess weight;
• Promotes the removal of toxins, recommended for increased stomach acidity and constipation;
• It has a bactericidal effect and is used for food poisoning and infectious intestinal pathologies;
• Due to the high carbohydrate content, it activates brain activity;
• As an adjuvant, it is actively used in the treatment of acute respiratory infections and acute respiratory viral infections, throat diseases and other colds;
• Has a mild diuretic and choleretic effect.

Actively used for pathologies of the liver and cardiovascular system. Effective in various inflammatory processes.

Composition, characteristics, calorie content

A distinctive feature of this product from other varieties is its high content of carotenoids - natural organic compounds. These substances function as antioxidants, which can slow down the aging process and strengthen the body's immune defense. The composition also contains:

• vitamins – A, B, E, K, PP, C;
• proteins fats carbohydrates;
• cellulose;
• calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc and more.

This product is considered low-calorie. 100 grams contain from 180 to 300 calories.

How to cook

It is difficult to purchase natural pumpkin nectar, that is, a product collected by bees from melon crops. For this reason, it is most often prepared artificially. In addition, this process is quite simple and can be organized by any housewife. So, let's look at the steps of making pumpkin honey at home. To do this you need:

• Take a small ripe pumpkin;
• Wash the outside of the vegetable and dry with a towel;
• Carefully cut off the top to create a lid of sorts. For convenience, it is not recommended to get rid of the “tail” - it will act as a handle;
• By hand or using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and stringy fibrous pulp from inside;
• Fill the space with sugar, cover with the cut top;
• For convenience, it is recommended to place the pumpkin in a pan of suitable size;
• Place everything in a dark place where the temperature does not exceed 20°C.

The ripening period of the product is about 10–15 days. During this period, the sugar will dissolve and turn into healing pumpkin nectar. To get even more benefits, use any honey instead of sugar. According to experts, the latter option is the most preferable.

Making pumpkin honey

As a beekeeping product, pumpkin honey is considered elite, it is produced in small quantities, and the demand for it is high. Natural honey can be bought from a beekeeper only in places where pumpkin fields cover many hectares. Only when there are no other honey plants nearby will the bees agree to take meager bribes from pumpkin flowers. Large yellow gramophones have a lot of pollen, but produce little nectar, about 30 kg of honey per hectare. Therefore, pumpkin honey is produced in Bashkiria, where there are traditionally many pumpkins and beekeeping is developed. It can be distinguished by its bright yellow color, lack of bitterness, and melon-like aftertaste and smell.

People have learned to extract everything useful from the pulp and turn it into a viscous syrup using sugar. This type of honey is less effective than natural honey, but is also a very useful product. Making sugar-based pumpkin honey is not difficult.

There are several recipes for pumpkin honey, each of which can be used at home. In any case, first of all, you need to choose a ripe small pumpkin and thoroughly wash the crust. If honey is made from a whole fruit, it should be placed in a container.

Use a sharp knife to cut out the plug from the stem side of the pumpkin and place the whole side on the bottom of the pan. The hole should allow you to pick out the seeds from the cavity by hand. Sugar is poured into the resulting container and the top is covered with a cork with a pumpkin tail. Cover the pan to prevent dust from getting in and put it in a warm, dark place. The soft rind of the pumpkin will indicate the readiness of the honey, but fermentation should continue for at least 10-15 days.

Having opened the cork, you can see mold on the top of the walls of the pumpkin, since the composition settled and the walls were not protected. Now you will need a saucepan, the cleanliness of which has been taken care of. The crust is soft, it is difficult to remove the fruit. But you can make a hole at the bottom and lift the vacated wineskin. This way, pure honey will be collected, and the moldy walls can be cut off and removed. The rest of the candied pumpkin can be turned into candied squash.

This product can be used from the refrigerator within a month. For long-term storage, the composition can be boiled over low heat to obtain viscous dark honey, but it will be less useful after heat treatment. Honey poured into sterilized containers can be stored in a cool, dark place.

Pumpkin honey will become more expensive and healing, where any natural honey is used instead of sugar.

Pumpkin honey prepared on the basis of a natural flower product is more healing. They keep it in a pumpkin for up to a week, the finished composition is used as medicine, a tablespoon with warm tea or an infusion of medicinal herbs.

A quick recipe for pumpkin honey involves cutting pieces of pumpkin the night before into a glass or enamel bowl and filling the slices with sugar. After standing overnight, the pumpkin will give juice, which is drained, and the pieces are boiled until soft, adding spicy mint, cloves and cinnamon. This product is also considered honey with a by-product - juice.

Any pumpkin honey made by bees or humans should not be used as an additive to a hot drink. Amino acids and other organic beneficial elements coagulate when heated above 50 degrees. Therefore, an infusion or tea is first prepared, and after cooling, healthy honey is added.

How to take for medicinal purposes

Traditional medicine knows many options for drinking pumpkin honey. The simplest and most common way is to consume several spoons of the product per day. However, popular experience shows that in order to achieve the greatest therapeutic effect, it must be used correctly, according to the recommendations below.

For immunity

To increase the body's protective properties, it is recommended to consume about 3 tablespoons of honey daily. In the morning, in order to wake up, cheer up and activate intestinal motility, honey should be diluted in a glass of water and consumed on an empty stomach.

It can be combined with various foods throughout the day. It is known that 70% of human immunity depends on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Products such as cottage cheese or yogurt with honey have the best effect on intestinal function. It is recommended to use them as a dessert for constipation, infectious intestinal diseases and other disorders.

During pregnancy

Numerous studies have shown that consuming honey during pregnancy helps:

• the birth of healthier children;
• energizes women;
• helps you endure physical activity more easily.

Pregnant women should consume honey twice a day. In the morning, immediately after waking up, you should drink a glass of water with 2 teaspoons of honey. At night, to improve sleep, it is better to drink warm tea with honey - 2 tsp. The product is consumed no later than 2 hours before bedtime.

For liver diseases

Consuming honey for liver pathologies promotes faster cell regeneration and bile removal. The most effective remedy for hepatitis is a decoction of yarrow, nettle and knotweed.

So, how to make pumpkin honey to treat the liver? To do this, you need to take 1 tablespoon of herbal mixture, which contains the above herbs in equal proportions. Pour the mixture with half a liter of boiling water and leave for about 10 hours in a thermos.

After this, the infusion should be filtered and consumed half a cup 3 times a day with the addition of 1 teaspoon of honey. Before performing a liver cleansing procedure using this method, you should consult a doctor.

It is recommended to use honey in treatment in courses of 2 weeks. Then you need to take a break for the same period. Otherwise, the body will quickly get used to regularly taking the product and the therapeutic effect of its use will decrease.

How to take pumpkin honey

There are no strict restrictions on nectar intake. It is consumed with tea, used as a filling for pancakes, or simply as a favorite treat. However, you should not abuse the product. Due to the fast carbohydrates it contains, you can quickly gain weight.

Pumpkin nectar is an essential supplement during the cold season. It also calms the nerves and relieves stress. Regular use of this product will significantly improve your physical condition.

How to drink pumpkin honey during pregnancy

Nectar contains a large amount of carotenoids. They are necessary for a woman during pregnancy, as they promote the synthesis of vitamin A. Flavonoids, which are also found in nectar, preserve the beauty and elasticity of the skin of expectant mothers. These plant antioxidants prevent the development of pathological processes in the body and protect the child’s cells.

Medical studies have proven that drinking pumpkin nectar reduces the risk of diseases in the unborn child. Pregnant women who regularly consumed the product gave birth to healthy and strong children. Pumpkin contains vitamins of various groups that promote the growth and full development of the fetus. Useful elements maintain the balance of minerals in the mother's body.

Pregnant women can take pumpkin honey in the amount required by the body. However, you should not abuse it.

Important! The high iron content in pumpkin nectar cleanses blood vessels and improves blood formation, which is important during pregnancy.

The product is well absorbed even by a weakened body. It is included in the diet of young children. Pumpkin honey is also recommended for mothers who have given birth and adults who have suffered severe physical or mental trauma.

Shelf life and storage methods

A distinctive feature of artificially prepared pumpkin nectar is its short shelf life - no more than one and a half months. It is recommended to store the product in glass containers in the refrigerator or in a dark basement where the temperature does not exceed 5°C.

To protect honey from the negative effects of light, the container should be made of dark glass or wrapped in paper or foil. In this form, the product can be stored for no more than 45 days without loss of beneficial properties.

If it is necessary to extend the shelf life to 3 months, you can resort to the pasteurization procedure - heat the product for about an hour in a water bath at a temperature of 65–70 degrees.

However, it should be borne in mind that during this process, some of the beneficial microelements are destroyed and the product loses some of its medicinal qualities. As a result, this leads to the fact that you just get a tasty treat, and not medicine. Moreover, with longer heat treatment, honey may begin to release carcinogenic substances and become classified as harmful products.

Another way to extend the shelf life and at the same time increase the medicinal properties is to add seasonings that have an antiseptic effect to honey. These include:

• cinnamon;
• carnation;
• pepper and others.

This will not only make the product more healthy and aromatic, but will also make it possible to preserve honey for a longer time without losing vitamins.

Contraindications and possible harm

Like many other beekeeping products, pumpkin honey, despite its obvious medicinal properties, also has contraindications. The most common problem that a person may encounter is an allergic reaction. In order to make sure that it is absent, you can conduct a small experiment.

You need to drop a little honey on the skin on the inside of the elbow. If within 10–15 minutes there is no redness or itching in this area, then there is no allergy. Contraindications also include:

• type 2 diabetes mellitus;
• cardiovascular pathologies: tachycardia, heart failure, etc.;
• diseases of the liver, pancreas;
• It is not recommended to use the product for women during lactation.

It is not recommended for use by persons suffering from atherosclerosis and obesity, or by patients with gallstones and kidney stones. If chronic diseases worsen or any discomfort occurs from using the product, you must stop taking it. Since pumpkin honey can be not only beneficial, but also harmful, you should consult a doctor to avoid complications.

Harm and danger of pumpkin honey

Natural or homemade pumpkin honey remains a sweet and fairly high-calorie product. It should not be used if you have diabetes, are prone to obesity, or are trying to lose weight. You should not exceed therapeutic doses of the medicinal product; this can lead to weight gain even in the absence of metabolic problems. Each time after using the composition, you should brush your teeth, otherwise the likelihood of developing caries increases.

If you have kidney stones or gall bladder stones, as well as heart disease, you should consult your doctor before introducing the composition into your diet. The mass can significantly help with these conditions, but if the treatment regimen is violated, there is a possibility of aggravating the situation. It is worth noting that if you have a history of such conditions, it is better to use a preparation that is prepared not with sugar, but with flower honey.

Some housewives prefer to additionally boil homemade pumpkin honey to increase its shelf life. This is not the best option for processing the product, because... During thermal exposure, many useful substances in the composition of the mass are destroyed. It is better to prepare several pumpkins for the winter and process them as needed.