Unabi - beneficial properties and contraindications of jujube, Chinese date. Unabi beneficial properties and contraindications
It has accompanied people for thousands of years and never ceases to amaze. “The tree of life” - Muslims call it, “gives youth and health” - the Chinese echo them. All organs of this plant are medicinal; it is not for nothing that unabi is one of the five most effective on Earth. Let's try to figure out what jujube is, what its beneficial features and are there any contraindications to its use?
Did you know? The scientific name "ziziphus" comes from the Greek word "ziziphon", which the Greeks, in turn, borrowed from the Persians. It means “edible fruit”. Concerning various options names of jujube, then it can be called a record holder, since it has more than thirty names (for example, “Judas apple”, “Ilan jida”, “female plum”, “yanap”, etc.).
Jujube: calorie content, composition and nutritional value
100 g of jujube fruit contains 79 kcal. This allows you to safely use jujube in dietary nutrition. Unabi fruits have a unique chemical composition and a unique combination of vitamins, minerals, acids, oils and other substances. The vitamin composition of jujube includes:
- vitamin C (its content exceeds lemon by 15 times);
- vitamin P (rutin) - from 0.29 to 0.95%;
- vitamin PP (nicotinic acid);
- retinol (A);
- tocopherol (E);
- B vitamins (pantothenic and folic acids, riboflavin, thiamine, pyridoxine).
- lead;
- copper;
- mercury;
- iron;
- magnesium;
- sodium;
- potassium;
- phosphorus;
- calcium;
- cobalt;
- titanium, etc.
Benefits of jujube for the body
The beneficial properties of unabi and its unique vitamin and mineral composition determined the use of the plant in. Like ginseng or eleutherococcus, unabi:
- tones the central and peripheral nervous systems;
- rejuvenates and regenerates cells;
- strengthens the immune system;
- normalizes metabolic processes in the body;
- disinfects;
- removes free radicals;
- gives a diuretic effect;
- removes bile;
- acts as an antioxidant (removes heavy metals, toxins, bad cholesterol, etc.);
- weakens toxicosis;
- has an anesthetic effect (especially effective in helping with toothache and headaches).
The use of jujube in folk medicine
The healing properties of unabi have not gone unnoticed. There is even a saying in China that those who eat unabi fruits do not need doctors. All the “organs” of jujube have found their application.
Jujube has thick gray or black bark and cherry-colored branches. The young bark has no cracks and is smoother. The bark is used for medicinal purposes. It acts as a tonic, helping to get rid of diarrhea. A decoction is prepared from 10 g of crushed bark. It is poured with a glass of boiling water and placed on water bath(up to 45 minutes). Drink 2 tbsp. l. 30 minutes before meals. 
Leaves
Jujube leaves are leathery, elongated-ovate, located on small petioles. They have a hypotensive effect, promote expectoration of sputum (for diseases of the lungs and bronchi), stabilize blood pressure and heart rate (for hypertension). To prepare the infusion, use 2 tablespoons of dry leaves per 300 ml of boiling water. It is necessary to insist for 1 - 2 hours. Drink - three tablespoons three times a day.
A decoction of the leaves can be used to wash out ulcers on the mucous membranes.
Did you know? Jujube leaves contain an anesthetic. If you chew a fresh leaf, the anesthetic in it has a temporary paralyzing effect on the taste buds sweet and bitter. The taste of sour and salty is still felt.
Jujubes are ovoid and 6 cm long. Unabi berries are eaten fresh and dried; in addition, their beneficial properties do not disappear from heat treatment. It is recommended to take fruits:
- For hypertension- 20 berries three times a day (consume for three months, then take a break).
- For toxicosis and breastfeeding- Take fresh or dried.
- For anemia- berry compote (it is better to use dried jujube). Boil berries (10 pieces per half liter of water) for 20 minutes, leave for one hour, take 100 ml three times a day.
- For inflammation various kinds - Boil 15 overripe berries (per 300 ml of water) and simmer over low heat. The volume of the decoction should be reduced by three times - to 100 ml. Cool, strain. Take the decoction for 15 days (a tablespoon three times a day).
Important! By eating jujube berries or taking medications Based on this, it is necessary to monitor blood pressure levels to prevent hypotension.
The benefits of jujube seeds in their sedative effect which appears on nerve cells. Preparations from unabi seeds are used in the treatment of depression, dizziness, as well as stress and insomnia. To prepare the product, you should:
- grind the seeds (100 g);
- fill them with half a liter of water;
- boil and simmer for ten minutes;
- add 200 ml of alcohol and leave for eight hours.
Important! Pregnant womenacceptunabi seed productscategoricallyprohibited.
How unabi is used in cosmetology
Chinese dates are actively used in cooking. The benefits of jujube are especially great in caring for hair and facial skin.
Benefits for hair
Decoctions of unabi (especially roots, bark and leaves) effectively help in the fight against dandruff, blockage of the sebaceous glands, but above all, against hair loss. Decoctions regenerate hair follicles and strengthens hair. Rinsing the roots with a decoction also promotes rapid growth of children's hair.
Benefits for the face
Unabi effectively eliminates acne, abscesses, pimples, irritations and other similar diseases on the skin of the face. The ointment is prepared from freshly picked leaves and vegetable oil(preferably from olives) in a ratio of 1:5. The mixture is heated to +90 °C. Then you need to remove it from the heat and leave to infuse (10 days). Store the composition in the refrigerator so that if necessary, lubricate it with it. problem area on the skin.
Use in cooking: unabi preparations
Although jujube berries are somewhat reminiscent of dates in taste, they are quite specific and not everyone likes them (especially children). Connoisseurs claim that the most delicious unabi are sun-dried, since it is very difficult to properly bake jujube in the oven - it can easily be overdried. Although if it’s too dry, that’s also okay. You can make flour from dry fruits and add it to regular flour. wheat flour when baking. In oriental cuisine, jujube is used to make fillings for pies, sauces, added to rice, and made. 
Did you know? In China, in order to properly cook Peking duck,in the ovenThey use exclusively unabi wood.
Preparations such as jams, syrups, etc. are very popular. Jujube retains all the healing qualities in them, and recipes tested by generations allow you to prepare delicious dishes. Unabi jam:
- boil the syrup (you will need 1 kg of fruit, 800 g of sugar and 1 liter of water);
- unripe
Fruit date palm, which are consumed as sweets, are well known to everyone. But it turned out that they have doubles. In some species of jujube ( Chinese date) dried or dried fruits resemble the delicacy we know in appearance and taste. Food and medicinal properties The lookalikes are in no way inferior to real dates.
Several years ago, while reading a gardening magazine, I became interested in a question letter from one of the readers. The woman reported that she bought dates (as it said on the package), ate them, planted a few seeds in flower pot and was very surprised: the seedlings turned out to be completely different from a palm tree, more like a lemon. The following is an explanation from a specialist on this issue.
True dates are the fruits of the date palm (phoenix, date), a plant from the palm family. It grows in hot countries of Africa and Eurasia. The Phoenix reaches a height of 20-30 meters and up to two meters in circumference.
Dates are extremely beneficial for humans: they cleanse the body, strengthen the immune system, relieve fatigue, tone up and prevent cancer.
Since ancient times, Muslims have considered dates to be almost holy food, as well as the most useful delicacy for children.
Dessert varieties of dates contain up to 75% easily digestible sugar, up to 5% fat, 2% protein, as well as a large variety of minerals and microelements necessary for humans.
The fruits of some types of date palms are a common food product for the poor population of Arab countries. They are pitted, pressed, cut with braces and sold as bread.
The plant, whose dried or dried fruits resemble dates, belongs to the buckthorn family and is called jujube or unabi, Chinese date, jujuba, jida and others.
Unabi is a tree or shrub with a wide openwork crown. Its leaves are leathery and shiny; they have interesting feature- the presence of three main veins: one in the center, two at the edges. The leaves have a short-term anesthetic effect. If you chew a fresh leaf, then within half an hour there will be no difference between sweet and bitter tastes.
At a young age, jujube has spines that fall off over time. Many cultivated varieties do not have thorns.
The fruits of the Chinese date are juicy drupes, have a spherical or slightly elongated shape, in some species the size of egg. Their skin is shiny, crispy, Brown. The pulp is sweet or sweet and sour, similar in taste to dates. The stone differs little from a date stone: only a little thinner and the ends are sharper.
IN natural conditions unabi grows in China, India, Afghanistan, Iran. Since ancient times, it has been cultivated in many countries in Asia, Europe and Australia. In recent decades, jujube has become established in many regions of Ukraine and in the southern regions of Russia.
The Chinese date has long been considered the tree of happiness, youth and health, as well as the tree of life.
One of the Muslim legends tells about the unabi tree growing in paradise, on the leaves of which are written the names of all people living on Earth. Once a year in the month of Ramadan, this tree is shaken, and those whose leaves fall will not live to see the next shaking.
Among Christians, jujube is considered a biblical plant. Dr. David Darom of the University of Jerusalem claims that Christ's crown of thorns was made from the thorny branches of this plant. One of the types of jujube, common in the Middle East, is called “The Thorns of Christ.” The fruits of this species are small and taste like soaked apples.
Many peoples have long used unabi as a medicinal and prophylactic. A Chinese proverb says: “Whoever eats unabi does not go to the doctor.” Ancient Arab doctors used jujube to treat asthma and inflammation Bladder and kidney stones.
In the Middle Ages, unabi was widely used for gastrointestinal diseases, with unripe fruits used for diarrhea, and ripe fruits for constipation.
Currently, research has established many beneficial properties of the Chinese date, which confirms its status as a tree of youth and health, as well as a tree of life.
The fiber in jujube fruits helps eliminate toxins from the body, heavy metals, excess cholesterol. It was also found that the fruits have a wonderful combination of vitamins C and P: a large number of Vitamin C helps cleanse blood vessels, and vitamin P prevents the oxidation of vitamin C and restores the elasticity of blood vessels.
With long-term consumption of these fruits, health improves, pain in the heart and head disappears, cholesterol levels and blood pressure normalize. You can make compotes, jams, candied fruits from jujube, as well as dry them, dry them, boil them, fry them and add them to various dishes.
Unabi is a fertile crop for gardening. It is undemanding to soil and can grow even on saline and poor soils. But for better fruiting, it needs to be fed with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.
Jujube is frost- and drought-resistant: it tolerates heat up to 40 degrees and 30-35 degree frosts. In snowless winters, the aboveground part may freeze slightly, but then quickly recovers.
To obtain abundant fruiting, plants should be placed in sunny areas and at least two copies should be planted side by side, then the trees will pollinate each other.
Photo from the Internet
This plant will be a real gift to the gardener who loves exotic beauty and takes care of your health. The Chinese date, also known as unabi and jujube, is a tree or shrub that has an original appearance. And its fruits are not only very tasty, but also healthy. In addition, the leaves, even the bark and roots of unabi, contain medicinal substances. It can grow on the poorest land, in special care does not need. Although there is a significant problem - the Chinese date is too thermophilic, and not all varieties can withstand Russian frosts without loss. Therefore, until recently, unabi was grown only in the southern regions. But if you choose the right variety, you can get your own dates in harsher climates.
Unabi jujube: what an exotic thing
For most of us, unabi is an exotic plant. However, in the East he has been known for a long time. According to some sources, jujube was domesticated in China and India two thousand years ago. A little later, it began to be grown in Mediterranean countries. And only in the last century, the Chinese date began to be grown in Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Transcaucasia, Krasnodar Territory, Crimea and southern Ukraine.
Unabi is the champion in the number of titles. IN different countries it acquired not one, but several names at once. In total there were about one and a half dozen of them: jujube, jujuba, jujube, chapyzhnik, chaylon, anab, chilion, Jilan jida, planjiba, tsao, yanap (or anab), arnap, ilan jida. In France, the plant is called breast berry, and in Russia, Chinese date.
In China, unabi is called the tree of youth for the ability of its fruits and leaves to rid the body of toxins, cholesterol, cleanse blood vessels and strengthen capillaries
The native climate for unabi is the tropics and subtropics. For a long time it was believed that this plant does not survive and does not bear fruit in central Russia. But in last years More winter-hardy forms appeared, and gardeners adapted to the continental climate.
New cold-resistant forms of subtropical Chinese dates can be grown in the middle zone
The Chinese date in cultivation is a small deciduous tree (up to 5 meters) or a tall shrub. Slightly drooping shoots may have sparse thorns. The leaves are oval, with characteristic longitudinal veins. The crown is harmoniously shaped, pyramidal or spherical. Unabi is characterized by a late start of the growing season. The plant wakes up by mid-May and even a little later. Therefore, it is not afraid of return frosts.
Most jujube varieties require cross-pollination, so to get a good harvest you need to plant 2-3 trees nearby.
Jujube can have both flowers and fruit ovaries on the same branch
The flowering of unabi is extended, greenish-yellow flowers bloom over the course of one and a half to two months. They don't look too good, but they smell wonderful. Bees find this smell very attractive. The fruits set and ripen unevenly: the first ones can ripen by the end of summer, the last ones - in October, or even in December. If autumn is rainy, the harvest is harvested unripe, and unabi reaches ripeness later; In dry autumn, gardeners recommend not to rush into picking, but to let the fruits dry on the branches - then they become tastier. By the way, up to 25 kg of harvest can be harvested from one mature tree, and there are also record-breaking varieties that yield 80 kg.
Most varieties of unabi produce high yields
Fruit different varieties unabi differ significantly from each other. Their weight varies from 2.5 to 35 grams. The shape can be spherical, oval, pear-shaped. Color ranges from red-orange to chocolate brown. Lightish specks are visible on the skin of some varieties. Ripe fruits are tender and juicy. The pulp, sometimes mealy, combines sour and sweet tastes in different variations. The seed is small; in some varieties it does not develop completely, remaining semi-soft.
Dried unabi fruits are very similar to real dates
The Chinese date (or unabi) has nothing to do with the real date. The plant received its popular name due to the external similarity of the fruits and slightly similar taste.
Unabi fruits are eaten fresh, prepared from them (compotes, jam, syrup, candied fruits) or dried. In any form, Chinese dates are good for health. They contain more ascorbic acid than citrus fruits, as well as flavonoids, pectin, carotene, rutin, iodine, cobalt and other elements.
Fruits of different varieties differ in color and size, but are equally useful
Jujube fruits help with respiratory diseases, hypertension, anemia, and vitamin deficiency. To lower blood pressure, Chinese doctors advise eating 20 fresh or dried dates three times a day after meals. A decoction of the fruits calms and helps restore healthy sleep.
Birds may eat the unabi crop. To protect it, nets are placed over the trees.
The sweet and sour fruits of jujube resemble dates, pineapples and pears at the same time.
Healing agents are also prepared from unabi leaves, bark and roots (rich in tannins, saponins and rutin), which are used internally and externally. The decoction has a diuretic, expectorant and antibacterial effect.
Video: why unabi (jujube) attracts gardeners
Description of popular jujube varieties
There are approximately forty species of plants in the buckthorn family in the genus Unabi. Most cultivated varieties have been bred on the basis of jujube, which are divided into two groups according to the size of the fruits (small and large-fruited). Chinese, Central Asian, Krasnodar and Crimean biologists were involved in the selection of unabi. Scientists have noted a number of interesting features. For example, they found that small-fruited plants contain more vitamin C and are better able to withstand cold temperatures. Large varieties sweeter. But size does not affect the yield. Unabi are divided into three groups according to the time of harvest ripening: early, middle, late.
Early
Harvesting from trees of early varieties begins at the end of August and ends in September. These dates are mostly small or average size. Large-fruited early varieties- rarity.
Vakhsh
Bred by Tajik breeders. The tree is tall (4–5 meters), with a pyramidal crown, medium-sized fruits (up to 18 g), ripen in mid-September. They resemble a cylinder in shape, the skin is light chocolate color. The variety is characterized by high productivity.
Vakhsh - early and high-yielding variety unabi
Maury Ger
Jujube variety Mori Ger is the result of the work of breeders from Moldova. The tree itself is medium in size, and the fruits are large (up to 35 g), elongated and cylindrical. They reach ripeness by the second ten days of September. The plant can withstand temperatures down to -25 o C.
Unabi variety Mori jer can withstand short-term frosts
Chinese 60
This is one of the smallest varieties of unabi. The diameter of the crown is no more than one and a half meters, height - up to 3 m. The fruits are elongated, slightly pointed at the top and bottom, small and medium in size (up to 12 g), covered with a brown-plum skin. They taste sweet and sour. The harvest is ready for harvest in mid-September.
Chinese 60 - the most compact variety with spindle-shaped fruits
Candy
This unabi produces stable and high yields by mid-September. The tree is low, with a spherical crown. The fruits are small, weighing only 6–8 g, but there are usually so many of them that the greenery is not visible. The thin, brick-red skin covers the very sweet and juicy flesh.
The Candy variety lives up to its name with an abundance of sweet fruits.
Sinit
Jujube variety bred by Nikitsky scientists botanical garden. A tree of medium height with a branched crown. The fruits are small (up to 6 g), but ripen record early. Sinita is harvested in late August or early September. The seed is small, the sour-sweet pulp is hidden under a brown, durable skin. The fruits are good for fresh, suitable for drying and canning.
The Crimean variety Sinit gives a record early harvest
Hourman
This is one of the most productive and at the same time large-fruited unabi varieties. An average of 80 days pass from flowering to ripening. The fruit harvest lasts for 2–3 weeks. The warmer and sunnier the summer, the sweeter this Chinese date will be.
Large fruits of the Khurman variety, which ripen very early, can be harvested in 2–3 weeks
Southerner
The author of this variety is the breeder Massover B.L. Jujube grows up to 4 meters. The crown of the tree is spreading. Pale brown large fruits (up to 20 g) appearance They slightly resemble a pear: they are narrower at the top than at the bottom. The pulp is a little dry, but the taste is pleasant, sweet, with a slight sourness. The Yuzhanin variety is productive. The fruits are stored after drying for several months.
The pear-shaped fruits of unabi variety Yuzhanin are a bit dry, but are stored for a long time
Ta-Yan-Zao (other names - Lang, Chinese 1)
Early (reaches ripeness in the second half of September) and large-fruited unabi from China. One of the first cultivated varieties. This is tall branchy tree It begins to bear fruit in the 2nd–3rd year. The dates are large, the average weight is 15 g, the maximum is 35. In shape, they look like miniature pears of a yellowish or brownish red hue. The taste is sweet, the pulp contains up to 35% sugar. Very often the fruits have no seed or it is poorly developed. Productivity is average. Ta-Yan-Zao is very sensitive to humidity. Due to rainy weather, the fruits become overly juicy and covered with cracks.
The name of the variety Ta-Yang-Zao translated from Manchu means “be healthy”
Video: acquaintance with ultra-early unabi growing in Belarus
Mid-season
Chinese dates of these varieties gain sweetness and are ready to leave the tree at the very end of September or October. They produce medium and large sizes. Resistant to low temperatures Most of these varieties have average.
Shirvan
This variety was bred in Central Asia. The fruits are small (average weight 3.5 g), barrel-shaped. The color of the skin is pale brown, the flesh is dense, milky-chocolate in color, and sour-sweet. The variety gives high yields.
The Shirvan variety produces very beautiful, but small fruits
Apsheronsky
Jujube Apsheronsky was created by Krasnodar breeders. They managed to develop a fruitful variety that is quite frost-resistant for its region. The average fruit weight is 6–8 g. They are chocolate brown in color and shaped like real dates. The pulp is tender, vanilla in color, the taste is bright, combining sweetness and slight sourness. Full ripeness of the fruit occurs in the second half of October.
Apsheronsky - variety Russian selection with a bright fruit taste similar to real dates
Chinese 2A (or 52)
A proven variety with almost a century of history, it is well known in the world. From China he first came to America, and only then to Russia. Large (up to 25 g) fruits ripen by the end of October. Oval-elongated dates acquire a rich chestnut color when ripe. The light flesh is juicy and sweet. The sour taste is weakly expressed.
Chinese 2A - one of the first cultivated unabi varieties
The medium-ripening variety was bred by botanists in Tajikistan and became widespread in Central Asia. Now it can be bought in Russian nurseries. The elongated, rounded fruits weigh on average 15–20 g. They are light brown in color. The pulp has a delicate consistency and harmonious taste. Disadvantage of the variety - when high humidity During ripening, the fruits may crack.
Delicate soft fruits of the Soviet variety can crack if there is excess moisture
Tasty
Trees of this jujube variety grow very quickly. The fruits are large, weighing up to 35 g, and ripen in October or November. Under the light brown skin there is sweet, cream-colored flesh. The yield and frost resistance of the Lakomy variety are average.
A fast-growing tree of the Lakomy variety produces large fruits
Ya-Zao
This Chinese variety can't boast large fruits, their weight is usually no more than 7 g. But its advantage is abundant harvests. On high tree there are no thorns, and by mid-October the branches are covered with fruits, the color of which gradually becomes chestnut. Their greenish flesh has a pleasant sweet-sour taste. The variety is suitable for fresh use and is good for preparations.
Ya-Zao is a variety that gives bountiful harvest in almost any conditions
Friendship
One of the newest unabi. The fruits are not the smallest, but not large either, the usual weight is 10–15 g. Their shape is pear-shaped, and the color is unusual - plum-chocolate. Productivity is low. A special feature of the Druzhba variety is its resistance to frost is slightly above average.
Pear-shaped fruits of unabi Druzhba of unusual color - plum-chocolate
Tavrika
A now popular variety of jujube, the fruits of which ripen in October. “Dates” Tauriki are spherical or barrel-like. Their average weight is 12–16 g. The skin color is orange-chestnut. Pulp with a characteristic pleasant taste. This variety is distinguished not only by good resistance to frost, but also by increased yield.
Frost-resistant Tavrika has round, bright fruits
Late
There are not many varieties of jujube whose fruits ripen late. It is not very popular because the harvest is delayed until late autumn. It starts at the end of October and ends in November and sometimes December. It happens that a tree completely sheds its leaves, the first snow falls, and the dates have not yet been collected. Of course, such a tree looks elegant and original. But only gardeners living in the hot south can afford such a luxury.
Kara-Dag
The variety created in Crimea fits well into local conditions. It tolerates dry summers and slightly frosty winters without any problems. Large pear-shaped fruits, their weight can reach 35 g, ripen by October-November. But gardeners are in no hurry to pick them. They wait until the reddish-chocolate skin wrinkles slightly. Dried fruits are tastier and sweeter than juicy ones. And besides, they last longer.
Kara-Dag unabi fruits are left on the tree until the skin wrinkles: this way they will become sweeter and will be stored longer
Koktebel
Another variety of unabi with Crimean registration. The breeders of the Nikitsky Botanical Garden can be proud of their pet. Dates of the Koktebel variety grow not just big, but huge, they gain weight up to 50 g. The fruits are round, irregular shape. The orange-brown skin hides pistachio-white flesh. It is not too juicy, but has a delicate sweet and sour taste. But the harvest begins to ripen towards the end of October, and northern gardeners risk not waiting for it. In all other respects, unabi Koktebel is a beautiful, strong tree. By the way, its productivity is also amazing. The authors of the variety claim that up to 80 kg of fruit can be harvested from an adult plant.
Koktebel is a productive but late variety that can only be grown in the south
The best varieties of unabi for Crimea
Jujube loves warmth and light and is not afraid of drought. Therefore, this plant feels great on the Crimean Peninsula. The Chinese date will grow even in dry and poor soil. True, lack of nutrition will affect the volume of the harvest.
Even in a dry summer, unabi fruits will be tasty, but without watering the harvest will decrease
Any variety of jujube is suitable for Crimean gardens. The gardener just needs to decide what is more interesting for him to grow and when he needs the harvest. Of course, the most the best choice- late unabi of the Crimean selection. These fruits can be collected when winter comes; it will be a wonderful vitamin dessert for New Year's table. And dried Chinese dates can be eaten until the first summer berries ripen.
Varieties for Ukraine
In the southern regions of Ukraine, almost all varieties of unabi can be grown. Mild winter and long hot summers are what exotics will enjoy. However, the further north you go, the less choice. Late varieties They will not be able to deliver the harvest before the cold weather begins. When the fruits are touched by frost, they will lose their keeping quality. Therefore, you need to choose unabi with medium or early fruit ripening. For example, varieties Druzhba, Tavrika, Candy, Apsheronsky, Chinese 60. It is better to give preference to small-fruited varieties. They are more resistant to frost.
Jujube (or unabi) decorates the garden all autumn
In mid-latitudes, growing unabi is associated with certain troubles. First of all, you need to choose the right place to plant. It should be well lit and quiet, protected from drafts.
A young tree must be insulated on the eve of winter by tying the stem and crown with covering material. And the roots need to be covered with leaves, grass, and then snow. If the branches do freeze, the unabi quickly recovers. And with age, the Chinese date becomes more resilient.
Video: how to prepare a unabi seedling for winter
Frost-resistant unabi varieties for the middle zone
The Chinese date has expanded beyond the tropical and subtropical regions. It is now cultivated not only in Crimea, in the south of the Krasnodar Territory and Ukraine. IN Lately gardeners living in the Dnepropetrovsk, Rostov, Voronezh regions and even in the Moscow region and Belarus talk about their successes in growing unabi. Although they admit: you have to tinker with a delicate tree, and not every summer you manage to reap a good harvest.
Chinese dates, especially dried ones, can be stored for a very long time.
Experienced gardeners advise choosing for middle zone early varieties with small fruits, they are more hardy. It is worth paying attention, for example, to unabi Chinese 60 and 2A, Khurman, Candy, Yuzhanin, Sinit. And form them not into a tree, but into a bush with a wide crown. Such a plant is easier to prepare for frost.
Unabi fruits can ripen when all the leaves have already fallen
In the event that the fruits do not have time to ripen, the harvest will still have to be harvested before the first cold weather. And then put the Chinese dates in storage and wait for them to ripen.
Video: unabi in cool climates - from planting to harvest
True jujube (Ziziphus jujuba).
Other names: unabi, Chinese date, jujube, French breastberry.
Description. Deciduous, thorny, spreading bush or small tree (up to 5 m) of the buckthorn family (Rhamnaceae) with a spreading or pyramidal crown. The plant has quite a powerful root system with vertical roots penetrating to a depth of 3 m or more.
The bark of the true jujube is dark gray and thick. Young branches are jointed, with red-brown bark, and have spines at the nodes. The leaves are alternate, on short petioles, leathery, broadly lanceolate or elongated-ovate, entire or obtusely serrate, 3-6 cm long, 1-3 cm wide.
The flowers are bisexual, small, greenish-white, five-membered, axillary, collected in bunches of 2-5 pieces. Each flower lives a little more than a day. If during this time the flower does not have time to pollinate, it falls off. Flowers are frost resistant. In our climatic conditions, unabi blooms from June to mid-August.
Fruit ripening is uneven, from September to October. The fruit is a small round, ovoid or oblong, juicy drupe with sweet pulp. The length of the fruits is 2-6 cm, and their diameter is 1-3 cm. The weight of the fruits is 3-20 grams. Unripe fruits are green; when ripe, they become dark red or yellow-brown. The shape, weight, color of jujube fruits, as well as their ripening time depend on the variety.
Real jujube is tropical plant, whose homeland is China. It is cultivated in Central Asia and Transcaucasia. Unabies are also grown in the zone temperate climate. To obtain a good harvest, it is necessary to plant varieties that are best suited to these climatic conditions. The following varieties are considered successful for cultivation: Sinit, Ta-Yan-Zao, Chinese 93, Chinese 2A (early ripening); Vakhsh, Ya-Zao, Southerner, Koktebel ( average term maturation).
Date unabi - heat-loving plant, which tolerates heat, drought, and winter frosts. Plants should be planted in sunny areas, preferably protected from cold winds. Despite the drought resistance of jujube, to obtain a good harvest, the plants must be watered regularly. The unabi date begins to bear fruit early, fruiting is abundant and regular.
Collection and preparation of raw materials. For medicinal purposes, the fruits, leaves, and less commonly the bark and roots of jujube are used and prepared. The fruits are harvested after they are ripe. The leaves are harvested during the fruiting period. The collected jujube leaves are dried in the shade on outdoors or in a room with normal ventilation, spread it out in a thin layer on paper. Best before date dried leaves 1 year.
The roots are harvested in late autumn, and the bark of the branches in early spring, when sap flow begins. Three-year-old branches are used to harvest bark. Best before date dried bark and roots for 2 years.
Unabi fruits are consumed fresh, dried, dried, made into compotes, jams, preserves, marinades, juices, and used in confectionery production. Collected fresh fruits are stored at room temperature for no more than 4-5 days. IN refrigeration chamber at a temperature of 5°C they can be stored for up to 1 month.
Unabi fruits are dried after enzyme inactivation. To do this, the fruits are kept in boiling water for 1-2 minutes. Next, the fruits are laid out on a cloth to dry them from the water and then placed on a baking sheet. Dry in the oven at 60-65°C for 7-10 hours. Can be dried in a dryer at the same temperature.
If unabi fruits need to be dried, then the drying time will be 2 times less. The shelf life of dried fruits is 2 years.
Composition of the plant. The fruits and leaves of jujube contain flavonoids, tannins and resins, sugars, organic acids, carotene, coumarins, vitamin P, and ascorbic acid. Fresh fruits contain 750-900 mg% ascorbic acid, dried with enzyme inactivation - 1550-2000 mg%, and fruits dried without enzyme inactivation contain no more than 10 mg% ascorbic acid. The fruits also contain pectins, fatty oil, potassium salts, and phosphorus. The leaves also contain anesthetic substances.
Useful properties, application, treatment.
Jujube fruits have diuretic, hypotensive, sedative, anesthetic, tonic, antimicrobial, expectorant, antitussive, antisclerotic properties, also regulate metabolism, help the body get rid of “bad” cholesterol, toxic substances and heavy metals.
Jujube fruits (fresh and dried with enzyme inactivation) contain a lot of vitamin C, which, in combination with vitamin P, has a beneficial effect on the walls of blood vessels, making them more elastic and durable. This is a good prevention of cardiovascular diseases.
Unabi fruits are considered good remedy for hypertension. It has been experimentally established that a 10% decoction of unabi fruits, taken in a third of a glass 4-6 times a day, or eaten fresh or dried fruits 8-10 pieces 3-4 times a day, exhibits the greatest therapeutic effect for lowering blood pressure. If the doses are reduced, then the hypotensive effect will be less. Also, when taking the fruits or decoction, headaches, tinnitus, palpitations decrease or stop, performance increases, mood and sleep quality improve.
In folk medicine, a decoction of the fruit is taken as an anti-inflammatory and emollient for inflammation of the upper respiratory tract, fever, intestinal infections, intestinal ulcers, and for the treatment and prevention of iron deficiency anemia.
Fresh ripe fruits unabi will be useful for constipation, and unripe fruits are taken for diarrhea and dysentery. An infusion of jujube leaves is taken orally for inflammatory diseases of the upper respiratory tract, for the treatment of gastritis, purulent wounds, and abscesses. Externally, an infusion of leaves is used as a rinse for inflammation of the oral cavity, as a wash and as a lotion for the treatment of poorly healing wounds and ulcers. An ointment is also prepared from fresh leaves.
In case of hair loss, to strengthen it and stimulate growth, a decoction of the bark of the branches or roots of jujube is used externally. For a month, the scalp is moistened with this decoction once a day. Real jujube is among the top five medicinal plants. In China they say that a person who consumes unabi fruits does not need to see a doctor.
Dosage forms and doses.
For health purposes Take jujube fruits 8-10 pieces 2 times a day. The course of admission is 3 months. During the year they do 2 such courses.
A decoction of fruits for the treatment of hypertension. The decoction is prepared at the rate of 20 grams of fruit per 200 ml of water. Cook over low heat for 12-15 minutes. After cooling, strain, squeeze, and boiled water bring the volume of the decoction to the original volume. Take half a glass 4-6 times a day. The course of treatment is 15 days.
To treat hypertension, you can also consume fresh, dried or dried unabi fruits, 8-10 pieces 3-4 times a day for 15 days.
Infusion of jujube leaves. 1 dessert spoon of dry crushed leaves is poured with a glass of boiling water, left for 1 hour, filtered. Take a quarter glass 3-4 r. in a day.
Infusion of leaves for external use prepared at the rate of 1 tablespoon of dry crushed leaves per glass of boiling water.
A decoction of the roots or bark of the branches. Prepare at the rate of 2 tablespoons of crushed raw materials per 400 ml of water. Cook over low heat for 12-15 minutes, after cooling, strain.
IN eastern countries healers traditional medicine called unabi “tree of life”. The plant also has the name “breast berry” due to its healing properties, which are used in the treatment of respiratory diseases. Other local names for this plant are also known, for example, jujube, Chinese date, Chinese jujube, Judas berry and others.
Unabi belongs to the genus Jujube. This evergreen shrub, whose height ranges from 3 to 8 meters, in China the tree can grow up to 20 meters, and in India - up to 30 meters. The leaves are ovoid, medium-sized (2–5 cm), pointed, with jagged edges. Small flowers are collected in bunches of three to five or are single. On one bush you can count about 300 thousand flowers. Flowering period – June-July.
The edible, fleshy fruits of unabi can be round, spherical, pear-shaped or elliptical in shape. In wild forms of the plant, the fruits are small, 1–2 cm in size and weighing 6–23 g; in cultivated forms, the fruit size is 3–5 cm, weight – 25–45 g. The fruits ripen in August–September. Ripe fruits fall off with the shoots on which they grew.
The homeland of unabi is China. Wild forms of the plant are found on dry mountain slopes in Japan, Asia Minor and Central Asia, the Himalayas, and the Caucasus. As a drought-resistant plant, the Chinese date is cultivated in dry subtropics. Recently, the plant has been developed in Moldova and Russia.
The entire plant is used for medicinal purposes: fruits, leaves and roots. The most widely used medicinal fruits are unabi fruits, which can be consumed both fresh and dried. The fruits, when dried, taste like dates. In addition, the roots of the plant are used to dye silk in different shades. yellow color and for tanning leather. The leaves and bark are used in silk production.
Chemical composition
Unabi fruits contain the following substances:
- up to 30% sugars, up to 3.7% fatty oil, up to 2.5% organic acids, up to 3% proteins, about 10% tannins;
- nicotinic and folic acid, catechin, carotene, riboflavin, thiamine, tocopherol;
- pectin, capable of removing mercury, copper, and lead salts from the body, as well as radioactive isotopes and bacterial toxins;
- minerals and trace elements: calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron;
- high content of vitamin C and vitamin P. Unlike lemon, unabi is not at all sour, but contains 20 times more ascorbic acid than lemon.
The roots of the plant contain triterpenoids, leukocyanins, and tannins.
The composition of unabi leaves includes sugars, succinic, tartaric, malic acids, alkaloids, vitamins C, P, B, saponins, coumarins, folic acid, carotene, alcohols.
Medicinal properties of unabi and use in folk medicine
They have unabi and beneficial properties. IN medicinal purposes They use leaves, fruits, seeds, shoot bark, wood and roots of the plant. But most of all, unabi fruits are used in treatment, both fresh and dried, which can be used throughout the year.
- The fruits of the Chinese date can normalize blood pressure. In countries where they are regularly eaten, there are very few cases of hypertension. Modern medicine recommends eating 20 unabi fruits after meals 3 times a day for hypertension.
- With long-term consumption of unabi berries, health improves, cholesterol levels decrease, and pain in the head and heart stops.
- The fruits help restore strength after long-term infectious diseases.
- The fruits are prescribed for inflammatory diseases of the liver and kidneys, ulcerative stomatitis, and stomach diseases.
- I recommend that pregnant women and nursing mothers take unabi berries for toxicosis to increase lactation.
- Unabi has anti-inflammatory, emollient, and antitussive properties. Therefore, it is widely used for diseases of the respiratory tract, used for whooping cough, bronchitis, and shortness of breath. For these purposes, a decoction of dried fruits is prepared and taken. You need to pour 10-20 g of berries with 300 ml of water and boil to 100 ml, take 1-2 tbsp. spoons.
- A decoction of leaves, bark and branches has an antibacterial effect. It is used for washing purulent wounds, for gastritis, bone tuberculosis, tuberculous lymphadenitis, tuberculosis of the eyes and skin.
- An infusion of leaves helps with pulmonary diseases and hypertension. For this you need 1 tbsp. pour a spoonful of crushed leaves into 1.5 cups of boiling water and leave for an hour, take 50 ml 3-4 times a day.
- A tincture of fruit seeds is used for hysteria, insomnia, tachycardia, and dizziness. To prepare it, 100 g of crushed seeds are poured into 500 ml. water, boil for 10 minutes, then add 200 ml. 96% alcohol, infuse for 8 hours, filter. Should be taken 4 times a day, 1 tbsp. spoon.
- An ointment is made from fresh unabi leaves: the leaves need to be mixed with olive oil in a ratio of 1:5, heated to a temperature of 90 degrees and left to brew for 10 days. After straining, it is effectively used for abscesses, tumors, and ulcers.
Hair care product
A decoction of unabi roots is used as a remedy against hair loss in adults and to improve hair growth in children. You need to pour 20 g of crushed roots into 0.5 l hot water and cook in a water bath for approximately 30 minutes, stirring constantly, cool until room temperature, squeeze and bring the volume to original quantity. You should wash your hair with this decoction at night; there is no need to wipe your hair dry. It is advisable to perform this procedure every day for 3 or 4 weeks.
Use of unabi in cooking
Fresh fruits are used in large quantities; juice with pulp, wine, preserves, jams, marinades, and compotes are prepared from them. A lot of unabi fruits are used for drying.
Dishes with smoked and salted fruits are popular in China. They are also used in canning production, confectionery, and bakery. In Central Asia, dried fruits are made into powder and added when baking bread; such bread does not go stale for a long time.
Contraindications
It is not recommended to take unabi berries for people with low blood pressure. And preparations made from seeds are not advisable for pregnant women.
The leaves have an anesthetic substance; if the leaves are chewed, the ability to taste sweetness disappears within a few minutes.