Sea buckthorn jam in 5 minutes: a quick vitamin recipe for colds

Autumn is the cold season, when it is especially important to maintain the immune system and stock up on natural vitamins. Sea buckthorn, a sunny berry rich in vitamins C, E and carotenoids, occupies a special place among the traditional means of fighting diseases. You can make quick jam from it, which will keep the maximum benefit and will be a delicious prevention of colds. Izvestia tells us how to make a fragrant and healthy treat in five minutes that will help you out in winter.

What is sea buckthorn useful for?

Sea buckthorn is deservedly considered one of the most useful natural products. In terms of vitamin C content, it is several times higher than citrus fruits, and its bright orange berries are rich in flavonoids, carotene, tocopherols and organic acids. This cocktail of antioxidants helps the body fight viruses, strengthens blood vessels and accelerates recovery from colds and flu.

In addition, sea buckthorn supports healthy skin and vision, improves metabolism and removes toxins. And thanks to the natural oils contained in its skin, the jam from this berry is not only vitamin-rich, but also very fragrant and thick.

How to choose berries for jam

To make jam, it is better to use fresh ripe sea buckthorn in a rich orange color. The berries should be firm, without wrinkles and dark spots. Frozen fruits are also suitable — after defrosting, they retain most of the nutrients. Before cooking, the berries must be sorted, cleaned of twigs and debris, and gently rinsed in cold water so as not to damage the thin skin.

It is important to remember that sea buckthorn is quite acidic, so the proportions of sugar should be adjusted to taste. But the classic ratio for most recipes is 1:1 (kg of berries per kg of sugar), which allows you to get the optimal balance of sweetness and saturation.

Quick recipe: five-minute sea buckthorn jam

For a delicious and healthy sea buckthorn jam, you will need:

— sea buckthorn — 1 kg;

— sugar — 1 kg;

— water — 100-120 ml.

The step-by-step cooking process includes several simple steps:

1. Preparation of berries. Sort the sea buckthorn, remove debris and leaves, and rinse under running water. After that, dry the berries on a paper towel.

2. Preparation of syrup. In a saucepan with a thick bottom, combine water and sugar, heat until the crystals dissolve, stirring. The syrup should slightly thicken and become transparent.

3. Adding berries. Carefully add the sea buckthorn to the boiling syrup, bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes, periodically removing the foam. Try not to overdo it — short-term processing preserves vitamins and flavor.

4. Packaging. Remove the pan from the stove, allow the jam to cool, then pour into pre-sterilized jars and close the lids tightly. You can store such a blank in a refrigerator or a cool pantry.

Vitamin alternative: jam without cooking

If you want to preserve almost the entire vitamin composition of sea buckthorn, use the recipe for "raw" jam. To do this, grind the berries with a blender and mix with sugar in a ratio of 1:1.5. Stir until completely dissolved and arrange in jars. This jam is stored in the refrigerator and is suitable as an addition to tea, porridges or yoghurts — an ideal way to strengthen the immune system without heat treatment.

For a subtle citrus flavor, you can add a little grated orange or lemon zest. To make the flavor deeper, you can also add a couple of mint leaves or a pinch of vanilla during the cooking stage. Five-minute jam can be used as a base for fruit drinks, sauces for pancakes and toppings for baking.