Quinces – therapeutic recommendations
Quinces are native to the island of Crete and South-West Asia. In ancient Greece, quince sown the fruit of the goddess Venus, with the young married women having to taste them before they walked the threshold of the dandelion chamber to put the marriage under the protection of the beautiful goddess. Quinces are grown 4,000 years ago.
Quinces have two varieties: maliformis and pyriformis and several varieties of culture: Angers, Lescowartz, Constantinople, Beretchi, De Vrania. Quinces contain 70-72% water, sugars, protides, organic acids, tannins, pectins, small amounts of fat, mineral salts of Fe, Ca, P, K, Cu, Mg, S and vitamin C,B, A and PP. The seeds contain 20% mucilaginous substances and amygdala.
Internal recommendations. These wonderful fruits contain tannin with strong astringent properties. Quinces are indicated as antidiarrheal, especially in convalescence for both children and the elderly. They are also recommended as antihemorrhage, in hemoptides, hemorrhoids, uterine hemorrhages.
Due to mild acidity, fruits are recommended in prolonged cures and atonic dyspepsias, the so-called “lazy stomach”, as well as in liver failure. Quinces are also recommended as an anti-vomiting. Seeds, strongly emollient, are a good pectoral remedy in cough, bronchitis and hoarseness.
External recommendations. Due to the astringent properties combined with emollient ones, quinces are used in the form of gargles in laryngitis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, stomatitis, as well as in the treatment of hemorrhoids, eczema and burns.
Quince seeds are also recommended as an adjunct in calming skin and breast irritations, in treating cracksin the hands, frostbite, in eczema, burns, conjunctivitis, inflammatory hemorrhoids. In cosmetics quince seeds help to moisturize and cleanse dry complexions.
How to use the quince
We consume fresh fruit or in the form of juice, syrup, jelly, in the form of food in different culinary dishes. For decoction we need a large, grated quince, per 1 liter of water, which we let boil until the liquid is reduced by half. The quantity is drunk during a day, sweetened with 50 g sugar. With this decoction, we can make external gargles.
Pectoral infusion of quince seeds, one teaspoon per cup, two cups a day. It is also possible to make lotions or compresses against skin irritation and in cosmetics from a teaspoon of seeds to a cup, which we macerate cold for 2-4 hours.
The leaves are also rich in tannin, being effective as antidiarrheal, in the form of infusion with 1-2 teaspoons per cup. They drink two cups a day. We can also make an aromatic tea from: quince leaves, mur or raspberry and fruit of cloves. Good health!
