The benefits of pumpkin for the human body have been proven over time. The vegetable crop is unpretentious to weather conditions and soil composition, and is grown in any climatic zone. The vegetable contains many useful and nutritious elements. The plant is also a honey plant, from whose flowers industrious insects collect nectar. What does natural pumpkin honey look like, and why is it so rarely found on the shelves of markets and stores? Let’s look further.
Features and Properties
Natural pumpkin honey is very rare due to the small amount of nectar secreted by the flowering plant. To get up to 30 kg of medicinal delicacy, insects have to cultivate more than 1 hectare of vegetable plantings. Most often, beekeepers use pumpkin nectar for their own needs and the development of their apiary.
The natural gift is characterized by an unusual taste and aroma, contains many vitamins, beneficial acids, sugars and chemical compounds necessary for human health.
Natural pumpkin nectar is determined by the following characteristics:
- bright yellow or golden hue, may vary depending on the plants that grow next to the pumpkin patches;
- transparent, viscous consistency;
- pleasant sweet taste without bitter undertones or astringency, aroma and aftertaste have melon notes and herbs;
- Due to the high fructose content, natural nectar crystallizes very quickly and becomes bright yellow.
The calorie content of this valuable beekeeping product is up to 305 energy units per 100 g of fresh honey. Thanks to its unique composition, this natural gift is used in folk medicine, cooking and cosmetology. This rare beekeeping product has restorative and antiseptic effects, helps improve immunity, and protects the body from viruses and bacteria.
Pumpkin nectar is used in the following cases:
- abnormalities in the functioning of the digestive organs;
- to remove harmful substances from the body and when getting rid of excess weight;
- Pumpkin nectar helps improve the health of the heart and blood vessels;
- has a beneficial effect on the nervous system, helps get rid of chronic fatigue, insomnia and depression;
- activates brain function;
- helps in the treatment of inflammatory diseases of internal organs and skin;
- has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the liver, kidneys, and genitourinary system.
For prevention and proper functioning of the body, it is recommended to consume up to 100 g of natural delicacy per day, dividing it into equal doses throughout the day.
Fact! Pumpkin nectar is collected at the beginning and middle of summer, and the largest plantations of the vegetable crop are grown in environmentally safe areas of Bashkiria.
How to make pumpkin honey at home
It is difficult to purchase a natural beekeeping product, but a complete substitute for pumpkin honey can be prepared at home. Such a product, of course, will differ from the natural gift in vitamin and chemical composition, but it is still very useful for the body.
Selection and preparation of pumpkin
Pumpkin honey made at home can be stored for no more than 30-40 days, so choose a small or medium-sized vegetable. When purchasing a fruit, you need to make sure that it is fully ripe.
- The vegetable is thoroughly washed under running water and dried under natural conditions.
- The upper part, where the stalk is located, is carefully cut off with a sharp knife and set aside.
- The seeds and fibers are removed from the inside of the fruit, leaving only the tasty and juicy pulp of the vegetable.
Important! To make this healing delicacy, the pumpkin itself is used as a container, so the skin of the fruit must remain intact during preparation.
Recipe options
To prepare this healing delicacy at home, you will need:
- 1 small ripe vegetable;
- natural bee honey.
A sufficient amount of honey is poured into the prepared pumpkin.The top of the fruit is covered with cling film and the cut off upper part, which will now serve as a lid for the vegetable container, and sent to a cool, dark place for 10-12 days.
The finished product is placed in small jars, sealed and stored in the refrigerator. If natural honey is not available, you can use regular sugar instead, which is poured into the pumpkin right up to the surface.
Vegetable seeds contain a huge amount of vitamins and mineral compounds. In order not to lose the value of the product, they are crushed and mixed with honey, which is then poured into the pumpkin. Infuse this nectar for up to 30 days, stirring the mass once a week. The finished product is poured into separate small containers and stored in the refrigerator.
Also, to prepare a healing delicacy, the pumpkin can be peeled and chopped, and then mixed with honey or sugar in a 2:1 ratio. The process of preparing pumpkin delicacies at home is not complicated and does not take much time or effort.
Advice! If desired, you can add nuts, medicinal herbs, citrus fruits and spices to vegetable nectar.
Product benefits
The composition of the vegetable crop is characterized by a high content of vitamins, healthy carbohydrates, macro- and microelements. During the infusion process, the nectar is enriched with valuable compounds that make up the pumpkin.
In folk and traditional medicine, pumpkin nectar is used as a prophylaxis and for the treatment of diseases of the digestive tract, cardiovascular and nervous systems, as well as to relieve the patient’s condition during colds and viral infections.
In cosmetology, the vegetable delicacy is used to make nourishing, healing and rejuvenating masks for the skin and hair.
In cooking, this product can be added to desserts, baked goods, sauces and dairy products.
Use in medicine
The finished product is used to strengthen the immune system and treat many diseases.
- Pumpkin nectar prevents and alleviates liver diseases, removes accumulations and toxins from the body, thereby facilitating the functioning of this vital organ. For complex treatment, the healing product is taken 1 tablespoon 3 times a day.
- The vegetable delicacy normalizes metabolic processes, removes harmful cholesterol from the body, and helps get rid of excess weight. To normalize metabolic processes, it is recommended to dilute 2 teaspoons of sweets in a glass of water. Drink the infusion 15-20 minutes before each meal.
- Vegetable honey improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system and is an excellent prevention of heart attacks, strokes and thrombosis. To prevent dangerous diseases, consume 3-4 tablespoons of the treat daily.
- To normalize hormonal levels and thyroid function, crushed lemon is added to the finished product. The healing mixture is taken 3-4 times a day, 1 tablespoon.
To strengthen the hair structure, pumpkin honey is mixed with a chicken egg and vegetable oil. The resulting mass is applied to the entire length of the hair and left for 40-60 minutes, after which it is washed off with running water.
Advice! A face mask made from vegetable nectar has a rejuvenating and cleansing effect. If desired, you can add cream, sour cream or vegetable oil to the cosmetic product.
Contraindications and harm
Vegetable delicacies have a number of contraindications that must be observed when introducing the product into the diet.
It is not recommended to use pumpkin nectar if you are intolerant to one or more of its ingredients. People prone to allergies, diabetes mellitus, gastritis with low acidity, pregnant and lactating women should treat sweets with great caution. You should not consume vegetable sweets during exacerbation of chronic kidney disease.
Important! Children under 3 years of age can be given bee products in limited quantities. After eating, babies need to thoroughly rinse their mouth or brush their teeth.
Shelf life and storage conditions
Pumpkin honey made at home is stored in tightly closed containers in a cool, well-ventilated, dark room. The shelf life of such a product is no more than 1 month, which must be taken into account when choosing a vegetable for preparing healing nectar.
