Dried blueberries how to dry. Harm and contraindications

Dried blueberries (blueberries) Vaccinium myrtillus) are no less useful than fresh ones. They are low in sodium and calories, have no cholesterol, but are rich in important nutrients for health. And most importantly, they are available all year round.

You guessed it right - there are differences.

What is useful

Blueberries contain many beneficial compounds. These include: antioxidants, anthocyanins, bacterial inhibitors, folic acid, vitamins A and C, carotenoids, ellagic acid, dietary fiber, and more.

Dried and fresh fruits have many similar health benefits, backed up by scientific research:

The product has a number of beneficial benefits associated with the content of vitamin K, which has a beneficial effect on blood clotting, and also helps the body absorb calcium. The result is a strengthening of bone structures.

Recent studies suggest a reduction in the risk of fractures, especially in postmenopausal women (high risk for osteoporosis).

Another equally important nutrient that dried blueberries are rich in is vitamin C. Its main health benefits include:

promotes bone growth in children;
strengthens the immune system;
accelerates wound healing;
supports dental health;
involved in the formation of collagen.

Collagen is an important protein in the human body, involved in building ligaments, skin, blood vessels, tendons, and cartilage. As an antioxidant, it also limits the harmful effects of free radicals on our body's cells.

Medical studies of the therapeutic effects of dried blueberries have shown marked improvements in subjects regarding metabolic risk factors, such as:

glucose metabolism;
lipid peroxidation;
total antioxidant activity of plasma;
the degree of oxidation of low density lipoproteins.

Harm and contraindications

Sugar and calories in the dried product, no doubt, more than in fresh berries. Therefore, dehydrated blueberries should be consumed in moderation, especially if you are diabetic or overweight.

Direct contraindications are:

diseases of the pancreas;
sluggish intestinal peristalsis;
violations in the functioning of the biliary tract.

Traditional medicine recipes

Teas, infusions, compotes, kissels and decoctions are far from a complete list of remedies with dried blueberries. Here are two of the simplest and therefore popular recipes.

Cold infusion. 2-3 tbsp. l. pour a glass of cold but boiled water, leave for 8 hours, then strain. Take half a glass 3-4 times a day.
Classic infusion. 3-4 tsp dried raw materials, pour 400 ml of boiling water, let it brew for 2 hours and strain. Take 1/4 cup 5-6 times a day.

How to dry blueberries at home

First of all, blueberries should be sorted out. It is necessary to get rid of the stalks, as well as berries with traces of mold and damage (including from insects and birds). The best choice is large ripe fruits.

Wash the selected blueberries.
Place in an electric dryer for several hours and turn on the mode indicated in the instructions for the device.
It is not difficult to check the readiness: the fruits should not stick together in a lump and “paint” the skin when squeezed in the palm of your hand. If the berries are elastic and firm - you did it!

You can also dry blueberries the old fashioned way, laying them out in the open air, on a thin layer of cloth or paper. But such berries need additional heat treatment at a temperature not exceeding 60 ° C.

It is not difficult to find dried fruits for sale - they are in many city pharmacies, both separately and as part of gastric fees.

Shelf life: 2 years.

How to use

In addition to delicious compotes and jelly, you can make your own vitamin cocktail from dried berries, banana and skim milk. And the simplest and most obvious solution is to add blueberries to your favorite cereal, cornflakes or muesli. And no one forbids using this product in recipes for homemade muffins and cakes.

¹ Freeze-drying is a gentle drying method in which the product is first frozen and then sent to a vacuum chamber for liquid sublimation.

² The corresponding study was carried out as early as 1976 by Swedish scientists (see the works of Kovalchuk).

A small tasty summer berry - blueberries has a truly huge set of useful properties that have a good effect on the functioning of the whole organism. And help in the fight against various diseases. This is the prevention of the appearance of malignant tumors, which is carried out by the anthocyanins and antioxidants contained in blueberries. And cleansing the intestines from toxins and metals thanks to pectin. As well as disinfection and improvement of the intestinal microflora due to various trace elements and nutrients.

Blueberries are a real panacea for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, constipation and diarrhea, they also have an anti-inflammatory effect and have a dietary value.

But in order to be able to use the beneficial properties of the berry throughout the year, you need to know how best to harvest blueberries. And how to dry it properly. After all, the safety of most of the important medicinal qualities of prisoners in this amazing berry depends on this.

Possible options for harvesting blueberries

Among the harvesting options are drying, freezing and preservation in the form of compotes, preserves and jams. The last method (preservation) retains benefits somewhat worse. This is because the berries are cooked. And not even prolonged boiling or scalding reduces the average percentage of nutrients in the product.

Keeping the berries fresh is also not recommended, since already on the second day of keeping them at home (albeit cool), vitamins are also lost. The most delicious and most useful berries are just picked from the bush. What to do if you want to save this benefit for yourself and your loved ones for the winter period of cold weather? Let's try to figure out together how best to harvest blueberries.

Drying

This issue should be approached with special attention. Indeed, during traditional drying, almost 80% of anthocyanins are lost and thereby significantly reduce the usefulness of the berry. Therefore, drying must be carried out at a temperature not higher than 40-70 degrees and in no case should direct sunlight be allowed to fall on blueberries.

Berry picking should be carried out in warm sunny weather and only whole, unspoiled and ripe fruits should be selected. Immediately before drying, you need to sort out the blueberries and clean them from leaves, stalks and twigs. Then rinse the berries under running water and let dry. To do this, spread a towel on the table, preferably several layers of paper. Since the blueberries will stain the fabric, the linen kitchen towel will no longer be washed off from the purple juice.

In the oven

After the initial processing in one layer, lay the berries on a baking sheet or perforated baking paper. Place in the oven at the required temperature of 40-70 degrees. Be sure to keep the oven door ajar. Otherwise, the workpiece will simply bake. Follow these instructions until the juicy balls turn into shriveled dry beads. Periodically, you should turn the berries until fully cooked.

In an electric dryer

If you are afraid to do something wrong in the case of the oven, use a home electric dryer. Different models have different usage requirements, so please read the instructions for your dryer carefully.

General principles of operation of an electric dryer and harvesting small berries in it:

lay dry berries on baking sheets (you can cover the dryer baking sheets with a layer of perforated sheets of baking paper - this is suitable for drying small berries);
insert the baking sheets into the dryer so that there is space between them for the circulation of warm air;
close the lid;
turn on the electric dryer in operation - the temperature is 30-40 degrees;
after 40-45 minutes of operation, turn off the dryer;
rearrange the trays in a different order and close the dryer again, let it cool down;
turn the device back on for another 40-45 minutes at the same temperature mode.

So dry until you get the desired result.

Storage of dry berries

Then prepare a fabric bag with ties made from natural materials - cotton, linen, tweed. Put blueberries in it, tie it up and hang it in a warm, well-ventilated room without harsh odors. During storage, the bag should not be where the humidity of the air rises periodically, otherwise the workpiece will absorb liquid and disappear.

Do not store the dried product in hermetically sealed containers or glass jars. This is fraught with rotting of the workpiece. Because even 0.1% of the moisture remaining in the berry can go to spoilage of the entire mass.

Freezing

The best option for preserving blueberries is to freeze them. In this case, the maximum amount of useful qualities remains in the berry. Clean and dried blueberries from excess moisture should be placed on a pallet and left in the freezer until completely frozen. Then decompose into dense plastic bags or special containers. Leave for storage in the freezer.

You can also prepare frozen berries not whole. A puree with or without sugar. For example, grind blueberries into a puree, put them in molds for freezing ice or any small silicone molds. Freeze like this for a couple of hours. And then decompose into packages and place in storage.

If you are a fan of drinking a variety of cocktails, cool compotes or herbal teas in the winter season, there is an opportunity to make popsicles with berries. To do this, place one blueberry in ice molds. Place a small leaf of fresh mint or any other dessert herb (oregano, cherry, currant) there. Pour boiled cool water. Freeze. Store as you would regular ice for drinks.

The freezing option is the most convenient and expedient:

takes little time;
keep the maximum benefit in blueberries;
berries will always be at hand.

Conservation

But, of course, most often, many housewives want to keep blueberries not for medicinal purposes. And most importantly, in order to pamper yourself and your household in the winter. And in this case, they resort to different, no less good alternatives. This, of course, conservation.

How to prepare blueberries in jars:

in the form of jam, jam;
cook compotes;
pickle with apple cider vinegar;
preserve in own juice;
close blueberry jelly with chocolate.

In addition, you can harvest berries not alone, but with additives. Great options for blueberries are slices:

pears;
squash;
apples
rhubarb.

Recipe - blueberry jelly with chocolate

Consider one of the possibilities of canning - blueberry jelly with chocolate. Close it in small portions - in jars of 300, 350, 500 g.

What you need for the blueberry jelly with chocolate recipe:

blueberries - 1 kg;
sugar - 0.6 kg;
chocolate - 0.2 kg;
agar-agar - 3-4 s. l.

How to make blueberry jelly with chocolate:

Mix agar-agar with cool water in a ratio of 1:4. That is 1 part powder to 4 parts liquid. Let the mixture swell well.
Sprinkle the berries with sugar in a bowl. Instead of sugar, if desired, you can take bee honey. But the bookmark will be different. To replace 600 g of sugar, it will be necessary to take 750 g of natural honey.
Put the pot on a slow fire. Stir until sugar turns into syrup. Then cook, stirring over low heat for about 25 minutes.
Take dark bitter chocolate. With this, the workpiece will stand longer and delight you and your loved ones all winter. Break the chocolate bars into pieces. Send to the pan for jam. Stir.
After 5-7 minutes, add agar-agar. Stir again. Bring to a boil. Remove from fire.
Pour into jars sterilized with boiling water. Seal tightly with lids. Leave on the table until it cools completely naturally. Then put in a cool place to save.

Agar-agar is specially taken in the recipe. This is a gelling agent that is not afraid of the high boiling points of jam. On the contrary, when boiling, the agaroid becomes even stronger and forms a stable jelly. But his "brother" gelatin cannot boast of such qualities. When boiling, it completely loses all its gelling properties and can only spoil the dish.

Recipe - compote with blueberries and zucchini

This is a great option to prepare vitamins in a jar. Pieces of zucchini will give the drink extraordinary tenderness and some piquancy. Having tried compote, your guests and relatives are unlikely to guess that there is a zucchini in it.

What you need for the recipe for compote with blueberries and zucchini:

blueberries - 0.2 kg;
zucchini - 0.2 kg;
granulated sugar - 0.4 kg.

How to cook compote with blueberries and zucchini:

First, pre-process the ingredients. Sort the blueberries, rinse and dry on a cloth or paper towel.
Rinse the zucchini, remove the skin and seeds. Cut the pulp into small cubes.
Take a three-liter glass jar. Sterilize it with boiling water, hot steam or in the included oven.
Put blueberries, zucchini and sugar in a jar. Fill with boiling water not completely. Cover with a lid.
Place in a suitable pot of simmering water to sterilize. For a three-liter can, 35-40 minutes is enough. After that, carefully remove the jar and tightly seal the lid.
Leave on the counter until completely cool, and then put in a cool storage room.

Blueberries are a small vitamin pantry, known to everyone as a berry that restores vision. But in addition to a positive effect on the structure of the eye, it has many useful substances that improve many processes in our body. From time immemorial, our ancestors harvested blueberries for the winter in order to enrich themselves with vitamins during this period and treat certain diseases. That is why the best method was to dry the berries.

Peculiarities

Blueberries are a low-growing perennial shrub whose berries ripen in August. They are black in color with a blue coating, dark red flesh and many seeds. The picking of berries begins from the moment of ripening, but the leaves - in May or June.

This shrub can only grow in natural conditions. The area in which the blueberry bush grows has a special soil, humidity and temperature. In such favorable conditions for this shrub, the berries and leaves are filled with a mass of useful substances.

Blueberry fruits

The calorie content of blueberries is low - 60 kcal per 100 grams of berries.

Nutritional value: proteins - 1.3 g, fats - 0.9 g, carbohydrates 7.8 g, ash - 0.5 g, water - 88 g. The composition of the berry contains:

tannins - 18%;
organic acids - 8% (succinic, malic, oxalic, quinic, lactic, citric);
sugar - 29%;
ascorbic acid - 7 mg /%;
carotene -0.73-1.8 mg/%;
group of vitamins B - 0.06%.

Berry seeds contain 15% protein and 32% fatty oils.

blueberry leaves

Blueberry leaves contain:

tannins - 21%;
sugar - 17%;
arbutin - 0.57%;
hydroquinone - 0.049%;
saponins - 2.3%;
organic acids - tartaric, gallic, citric, malic, acetic, benzoic, oxalic.
minerals - chlorine, magnesium, potassium, sulfur, sodium, iron;
glycosides - neomyrtillin 2%.

Useful properties of dried blueberries

Based on such a large composition of useful substances, you can identify what positive properties this plant has:

hypoglycemic effect is due to organic acids;
an excellent remedy for diarrhea, as the fruits contain a large amount of tannins;
improves vision and reduces redness of the eyes due to carotene;
increases the secretion of hydrochloric acid due to irritation of the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract by organic acids;
improves digestion;
prevention of cancer development is carried out due to the antioxidant effect;
antiseptic effect;
antimicrobial action;
regenerative effect;
healing action.

Contraindications

Blueberries are such a unique plant that they have an extremely small number of contraindications:

individual intolerance;
chronic constipation, as the berries contain a large amount of tannins;
diseases of the pancreas. Such a rich composition of berries enhances the secretory function of the pancreas, and this is bad for pathological processes.

How to dry blueberries?

In order to dry blueberries for the winter, you will need:

blueberries;
baking sheet;
baking paper.

The procedure is as follows:

Berries preparation. The first step is to sort out the blueberries from the garbage and wash them. To do this, you need a light surface, for example, a table with a white oilcloth, on which spoiled berries and unnecessary garbage will be clearly visible. To wash the berries from plaque, it is best to use warm water and a colander, in which we then leave the berries to drain the water completely.
Preparing the oven. After the berries have dried in a colander, you can turn on the oven for heating. You will need a temperature of 60-65 degrees.
Drying blueberries. We lay the blueberries on a baking sheet, which must be covered with baking paper in advance so that the berries lie in one layer. This is very important, since the fruits should not come into contact with each other, so that they do not stick together during drying. Put the baking sheet in the oven and leave for an hour. It is important to occasionally open the cabinet door. After an hour has passed, we cool the blueberries, and we do the same for 5 days in a row.

There is also a slightly different method. For it you will need:

blueberries;
baking sheet;
gauze;
cotton fabric.

This method does not require an oven, instead you need a dark, dry place.

The sequence of actions for this method:

Berries preparation. We carry out with accuracy, as described above.
Drying berries. We put a cotton cloth on a baking sheet, on which we pour already peeled blueberries. This is necessary so that the canvas absorbs the liquid that will evaporate during the drying process of the berries. Then we cover the blueberries with gauze from insects.

You can not dry the berries in the sun, as ultraviolet destroys many of the components that make up blueberries. The best solution would be a hot room with good ventilation, for example, in a private house it could be a veranda.

Today, household appliance stores sell special dryers for fruits and berries. If you have purchased such a useful device, then you can safely use it. Since modern developments provide for the maximum preservation of the useful composition of a particular berry.

For information on how to properly dry blueberries, see the following video.

Application rules

Dried blueberries can be used as a delicacy, medicine and as a prophylactic according to indications.

In the winter season, with frequent colds, tea from dried fruits will help you. To do this, you need to pour 2 tablespoons of blueberries into a cup and pour 200 ml of hot water. Let it brew for 5-7 minutes. Vitamin tea is ready to drink.
Kissel from blueberries will not only enrich your body with vitamins, but will also be an excellent treat for your child. To do this, boil 20 grams of blueberries in one liter of water and mash the berries. Then add 40 grams of starch, 20 grams of sugar and continue to simmer until cooked.
Blueberry infusion is prepared from 10 grams of berries, which are poured into 200 ml of hot water. Then let it brew for at least 2 hours. This drink can be drunk both warm and cold. Such an infusion should be drunk with a cold about 4 times a day in a warm form.
Dried blueberry compote. To do this, you need 2 cups of fruit, 3 liters of water, 4 tablespoons of sugar (who likes it sweeter, you can use 5 tablespoons). All ingredients must be mixed and cooked over low heat. Such a drink should boil for 15 minutes.

Vitamin cocktail. Since blueberries have antioxidant properties, they can be used in combination with milk and banana. To do this, pour a tablespoon of berries with warm milk, and then add chopped bananas. After that, all this must be ground in a blender to a homogeneous consistency. Such a nutritious vitamin cocktail heals the body with its unique composition.
Your cake will become much more fragrant and tastier if you add dried blueberries to the dough.
Enriching yogurt with vitamins can be very simple. To do this, pour blueberries with boiling water to make them softer. Then drain the water and add yogurt to the cup and stir.
You can not use dried blueberries for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes without consulting a doctor. Due to the individual characteristics of each organism, past diseases, there may be contraindications to the use of blueberries.
It is important to remember that dried berries have their own shelf life. And if this period has passed, and the fruits still have the same appearance, it is best to dispose of them so as not to harm the body.
Before giving a child a decoction or any other blueberry product, you should first consult a pediatrician.

Just because blueberries are your favorite berry doesn't mean you can use them in large quantities. After all, this fruit gives allergic reactions in the form of urticaria and Quincke's edema.

Blueberries are considered one of the healthiest. They are rich in vitamins and antioxidants, good for vision, lower cholesterol levels, and prevent urinary tract infections.

Dried blueberries for the winter can be put in pies and compotes, cereals and dry mix snacks, brewed into tea. Therefore, as soon as the first berries appear, you should know how to dry blueberries at home correctly.

Before you start drying the berries, sort them out, leaving only ripe, whole, strong ones, and, of course, remove all twigs, leaves and debris.

How to dry blueberries

Ways to dry blueberries

It is best to do this outdoors, in the sun. For this, special screens are used, consisting of gauze stretched over wooden frames. The berries are placed between the frames and dried in the sun, putting them in a warm, dry place at night. This method takes several days.

The easiest way to dry at home is to use the oven. Heat it up to 30-40 degrees, cover a baking sheet with baking paper and put the berries on it in one layer. Put in the oven, leaving the door ajar a couple of centimeters to allow air to circulate. Then raise the temperature to 60-70 degrees. It is necessary to dry blueberries in the oven, depending on the size of the berries, from 4 to 12 hours.

Order an energy saver and forget about the former huge expenses for light

You can quickly dry blueberries at home in the microwave. Spread the berries in small portions between two pieces of cotton or linen and dry them at 200 W for 3-4 minutes. It is best to dry in several stages, checking readiness from time to time.

To air dry blueberries, lay the blueberries in an even layer on a streamer or other suitable mesh tray. Between the flask and the lid, be sure to insert a skewer or other thin heat-resistant object to drain hot moist air. Set the temperature to 60 degrees and a high blowing speed. Drying lasts from 30 minutes, depending on the size and number of berries. After drying, look at the berries that are not dried, send them back to the convection oven.

In an electric dryer, the berries must be laid out in one layer in special trays. Dehydrate according to your drying instructions for 6-10 hours, depending on how dry you want them to be. Ready berries will shrivel and decrease in size. Turn off the dryer and let the blueberries cool. This will take 2-3 hours.

To prevent blueberries from losing color from drying

1. The most glossy berries look after pectin treatment. To do this, dissolve the pectin in warm water according to the instructions, pour it over the berries, gently stir them with a spoon so that they are evenly coated. Place the blueberries in a sieve or colander to drain the liquid.

2. You can treat the berries with lemon juice. Put it in hot water for a couple of minutes to get more juice. Drizzle blueberries and mix well.

3. You can blanch the berries in boiling water, holding them in boiling water for 2 minutes, and then lower them into a bowl of water with ice. Let drain on a sieve.

It is best to store dried blueberries in paper or fabric bags, in glass jars.

Blueberries are considered to be one of the healthiest vegetable fruits in the world. Containing many essential vitamins and antioxidants, they are very good for vision, as well as lowering blood cholesterol and preventing urinary tract infections.

In dried form, blueberries are used as a filling for pies, added to compotes and cereals. How to dry blueberries at home in order to preserve the berries for the winter will be described later.

How to dry blueberries for the winter

To do this, you will need, in addition to blueberries, lemon juice or pectin (another option, which will also be discussed below: water with ice and water brought to a boil) and, of course, an oven or a special electric dryer. Drying time is several hours. Berries should be stored in a dark place in paper or linen bags.

Preparatory stage

1. Place blueberries in a colander or strainer, rinse under cold running water. During flushing, remove all leaves and twigs.

2. After washing, you need to sort out the whole berry, throwing out overripe, wrinkled and moldy fruits (having a white coating).

3. Next, proceed to drying. There are several recipes for preparing blueberries for the winter. All methods perfectly help to preserve the color of the berry. But the best color is present in those blueberries that have been treated with pectin at the preparatory stage. How to prepare: First, dissolve the pectin in warm water, pour it over the blueberries and then gently stir the berries with a spoon to coat them evenly. Then drain the liquid by placing the blueberries in a sieve (colander).

4. Treatment of blueberries with lemon juice. First of all, put the lemon in the microwave for just a couple of minutes - this way we get the maximum lemon liquid. Next, sprinkle blueberries with lemon juice and mix thoroughly.

5. The option using ice and boiling water is called blanching. This recipe will allow the berries to retain their brightness and saturation after drying. To do this, prepare a large pot in which you need to boil water, as well as a deep bowl with ice and cold water.

The secret of cooking is that first you dip the berries in a pot of boiling water for 2-3 minutes, and then transfer them to a bowl of water and ice, after collecting the blueberries from the pan in a sieve (so that the glass is hot water).

Drying in an electric dryer

You must first lay out the berries in a single layer in special dryer trays. Then proceed to the dehydration of the fruits (drying within 6-9 hours). The drying time will depend on how dry you want the blueberries to be. Ready berries will wrinkle and will be reduced in size.

After checking the readiness of the product, turn off the electric dryer and let the blueberries cool. The cooling time will take two to three hours. Drying in the oven Preheat the oven to 60-70 degrees, and then place a baking sheet in it, which must first be covered with a sheet of baking paper and put the berries in one layer. It is best to keep the oven door slightly ajar to allow air to circulate. It is desirable to dry from 4 to 10-12 hours.

How to prepare dried blueberry leaves for the winter

Blueberry leaves contain vitamin C, essential oils and useful organic acids, so the infusion of them is a good antiseptic. The collection of blueberry leaves and drying is carried out as follows: only the cleanest leaves are collected, then they are laid out on paper in a dark, ventilated place. Dry for about 7-9 days. You can store both in paper bags and in jars for tea or coffee.