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The benefits and harms of sbitn deserve consideration, the traditional Slavic drink is often used to treat and generally strengthen the body. It is interesting to study the cooking recipes and find out if the product can be harmful.
What is sbiten
Sbitn is called a drink based on water and honey. It is prepared by mixing, whipping and boiling the ingredients. The composition of sbitn in the old days included medicinal herbs, spices and spices chosen to taste, and this has remained unchanged to this day. Most often, the product contains St. John's wort and ginger powder, currant and raspberry leaves, sage and pepper, thyme.
The drink can be both non-alcoholic and of a certain strength, depending on the recipe. It is consumed hot and cold. In any case, with proper use, the product brings benefits to the body and has a powerful strengthening effect.
Composition and calorie content of sbitn
The exact composition of the drink is determined by the additional ingredients. Since it is prepared in a dozen different recipes, the amount of nutrients can vary. However, any of the options must be present:
- starch and dietary fiber;
- organic acids;
- riboflavin and niacin;
- retinol;
- vitamin E;
- vitamin C;
- phosphorus and manganese;
- mono - and disaccharides;
- sodium, iodine, iron and selenium;
- zinc and copper;
- potassium.
The nutritional value of the product averages 60 calories per 100 ml.
How sbiten differs from mead
Both drinks include honey as their main ingredient, so they are often confused with each other. But the difference between the products is actually quite big:
- Sbiten is made by mixing and boiling, and consumed immediately after preparation. A hot drink without alcohol in the composition is not suitable even for short storage. The cold product can be kept in the refrigerator for about a year if desired. Alcohol in the drink is optional, it is added only in some recipes.
- Mead is created by fermentation and kept for a long time before use. Alcohol is always present in the drink, and the strength is usually more than 10 ° C. Mead is not only suitable for long-term storage, but also becomes tastier after it.
Why sbiten is useful for health
It is possible to use honey broth with spices not only because of its pleasant taste. The drink has valuable properties, namely:
- quenches thirst and restores water balance in the body;
- helps with colds and relieves fever;
- improves the functioning of the nervous system and reduces stress levels;
- improves appetite and speeds up metabolic processes;
- stimulates blood circulation and activates the brain;
- helps to quickly restore normal health with a hangover;
- helps with any infectious and inflammatory processes in the body;
- disinfects the oral cavity and improves the condition of the gums and teeth;
- freshens breath;
- quickly relieves cough.
Even the simplest drink, which is an ordinary honey solution, has the listed beneficial effects. When using sbitn with herbs and spices, the beneficial effect only increases.
For women
The soothing properties of the product are of particular value for women; the honey drink helps to cope with stress and increased anxiety. You can use it to fight any inflammation and bacterial processes.
When used on a diet, sbiten drink activates fat burning processes and helps maintain water balance. It helps to get rid of extra pounds, especially when playing sports, and suppresses appetite.
Drinking honey decoction for women is good for beauty care. Honey and herbs in the composition of the drink cleanse the epidermis and strengthen the hair follicles, even with internal use, provided that it is regular.
Is it possible to sbiten pregnant and breastfeeding
While a soft drink is certainly healthy, it's best not to use sbiten during pregnancy. The honey in the decoction is a strong allergen and can negatively affect the development of the fetus in the womb. Spices and herbs can have a negative effect as additional ingredients. Most often, they accelerate blood circulation, and for pregnant women it is dangerous to miscarry.
During the period of breastfeeding, it is also not recommended to use sbiten. Honey is still dangerous for a newborn, as it enters his body with breast milk. If desired, a woman can try the drink only 3 months after giving birth and in the volume of literally a couple of sips, in order to then observe the child's reaction. If signs of allergy do not appear, gradually the honey can be fully returned to the diet.
For men
For men, honey decoction is useful, first of all, for blood vessels and the heart system. The drink helps to normalize cholesterol levels and prevents the development of atherosclerosis.
You can drink the remedy the next morning after a feast to restore strength and well-being. Since honey infusion improves blood circulation, it can indirectly have a positive effect on potency and libido.
For children
Non-alcoholic sbiten can be a good way to strengthen children's immunity. But you cannot offer a drink to a child until 3 years old, since there is a high likelihood of an allergy to honey. For grown-up children, a healing product is given at first only 1-2 small spoons and the dosage is increased only in the absence of negative effects.
When losing weight
Honey drink can be consumed on a diet, its calorie content is low, and the beneficial effect is significant. The product accelerates metabolic processes, against the background of which edema disappears and toxins and toxic substances are removed from the intestines. It has a mild laxative effect, honey and herbs in its composition restore the microflora of the gastrointestinal tract, and the appetite decreases while taking the drink.
Sbitn recipes
Since a wide variety of ingredients are used when creating a drink, there are a lot of recipes. Non-alcoholic or strong honey decoction can be made with herbs and spices, alcoholic tinctures or berry juices can be added to the composition.
Classic recipe
To prepare a honey drink according to the classic algorithm, you will need:
- in 5 liters of water, bring 1 kg of molasses to a boil and cool to 40-10 ° C;
- add 250 g of honey and boil the mixture for another 20 minutes over the lowest heat;
- a couple of minutes before ready to add spices - a pinch of cinnamon, a few cloves and cardamom buds and a couple of black peppercorns.
Classic sbiten should be consumed extremely hot.
Sbiten fir with ginger powder
The drink with ginger and fir extract has strong strengthening and anti-cold properties. Prepare it like this:
- 150 g of honey is poured into a glass of water and brought to a boil;
- the heat is reduced to medium and the product is boiled for several minutes, not forgetting to remove the foam;
- in another container in 250 ml of water, 100 g of sugar are diluted and a standard syrup is made;
- both broths are combined and kept, stirring, over low heat, until the liquid turns into a homogeneous mass.
While the honey broth is being prepared, you need to pour a few black peppercorns, a couple of clove umbrellas, ground cinnamon and dry mint into a small saucepan, add 50 g of grated ginger root. The spices are boiled for 3 minutes, and then filtered into a sweet honey broth and 50 ml of fir extract is added. They drink hot fir sbiten with ginger, it is especially useful for the prevention and treatment of ARVI.
Juniper sbiten
A very aromatic and valuable drink can be prepared using juniper berries. They do it like this:
- mix in an enamel pan 100 g of honey and 10 washed juniper fruits;
- add spices and spices, a small piece of ginger root, 3 cloves, a little star anise and a pea of black pepper;
- pour the ingredients with juice squeezed from ripe lemon;
- boil in 500 ml of water for half an hour after boiling.
Strain the finished drink and drink until it cools. The benefits of juniper sbiten are its pronounced anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, it helps against colds, pressure surges, coughs and bronchitis.
Cedar sbiten
With a weakened immune system and respiratory diseases, it is useful to use cedar sbiten. The recipe is very simple:
- first, make a honey base, boil 150 g of honey for several minutes in 250 ml of water;
- simultaneously prepare sugar syrup and add it to the first broth;
- after 15-20 minutes, the selected spices and spices are poured into the mixture, traditionally cloves, cinnamon and black pepper are used, as well as chopped ginger.
After a couple of minutes, the sbiten is removed from the heat and 50 ml of cedarwood is added to it, and then consumed warm.
How to drink a drink correctly
The rules for using sbitnya depend primarily on its variety:
- Non-alcoholic honey decoctions can be consumed at will at any time of the day on a daily basis. In the morning, sbiten will help to start the digestive system faster, and in the evening it will have a calming effect and help you fall asleep faster.
- Strong sbiten with alcoholic tinctures in the composition is consumed in a volume of no more than 1 glass per day. It is forbidden to drink the product before driving, and you should not use a honey drink before driving. Even in very small dosages, alcohol in the composition still reduces performance and attention.
A hot drink should be taken immediately after preparation, until it cools down and loses its beneficial properties.
The use of sbitn in cosmetology
Honey sbiten is not only consumed internally, but also used externally. With careful handling, the product can soothe irritated facial skin, nourish the epidermis with beneficial substances and strengthen hair.
Sbitan face toner
The honey drink can be used as a nourishing tonic that will help with flaking and increased dryness of the epidermis. It is enough to rinse your face with diluted non-alcoholic sbitn in the morning and before bed.
You can also prepare a special cosmetic option - stir 1 small spoonful of honey in 1 large spoonful of water. In both cases, the product will soften the epidermis and relieve irritation.
Sbitn balm for hair
The beneficial properties of sbitn with spices and without alcohol additives are suitable for rinsing hair after washing. After just a few applications, the curls will become thicker and acquire a healthy shine.
In addition, you can make a thick cosmetic sbiten. Liquid honey and water are mixed in equal proportions for 1 large spoon, gently distribute the mixture over the hair and skin at the roots. The mask is kept on the head under a film, and after an hour, it is washed off using a mild shampoo.
Harm and contraindications
Sbiten not only possesses useful properties, but also can be harmful. It must be remembered that the drink contains honey, and the latter belongs to the category of the strongest allergens. If you have an individual intolerance to beekeeping products, you need to refuse sbitnya, it will give a negative effect.
The drink is not recommended for use:
- with heart failure;
- in the presence of chronic liver and kidney diseases;
- with allergies to auxiliary components - spices and herbs;
- during pregnancy and lactation;
- with diabetes mellitus and a tendency to obesity;
- with exacerbations of stomach ulcers and pancreatitis.
Alcoholic sbiten should not be taken with hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver, and the drink is also prohibited for children under 18 years of age.
How to store sbiten correctly
A honey drink prepared in the traditional hot way is consumed immediately, it loses its valuable properties within an hour. Cold sbiten can be kept in the refrigerator for a year. You cannot use metal dishes for it, the container must be glass or ceramic.
Conclusion
The benefits and harms of sbitnya depend on several nuances, in particular, on the type of drink and the presence of contraindications. Basically, the honey solution has a beneficial effect, you just need to make sure that all the components of the composition are safe.
