Girasol

Useful properties of a girasol

Girasol – an eurysynusic perennial tuberous plant from Astrov' family, known also as "an earth pear", "tuberiferous sunflower", "the Volga turnip" and "the Jerusalem artichoke". The girasol has an upright stalk, and its inflorescence reminds a sunflower. In height the plant can reach two meters.

The girasol is appreciated edible tubers and cultivated in many countries as a valuable food and forage plant. Tubers of a girasol form on roots and can be various form and a color – from yellow to lilac-violet. Plant tubers also strongly differ also on the weight which varies from 10-15 to 100-150 g. Root crops taste like a sweet cabbage cabbage stump or an asparagus.

The girasol considerably surpasses such vegetables as carrots, turnip, potatoes and beet in the content of iron. Besides, chrome, potassium, silicon, calcium, sodium, magnesium, fluorine and other minerals are a part of tubers. Balance of the microelements which are its part promotes improvement of indicators of blood and strengthening of functional activity of endocrine, immune and nervous systems of an organism.

The girasol surpasses a sugarcane and sugar beet in amount of carbohydrates. Also useful properties of a girasol cause being its part:

• Cellulose;
• Pectins (high-molecular carbohydrates) having the knitting, absorbing and jellifying properties. They promote decrease in level of cholesterol in an organism, to improvement of exchange processes and peripheric circulation, and also normalization of a vermicular movement of intestines;
• Organic polyacids (lemon, crimson, apple, amber and fumaric acids) which in combination with vitamin C promote strengthening of antioxidant properties of a girasol;
• Fats;
• The proteins containing ten irreplaceable amino acids namely: valine, lysine, arginine, isoleucine, histidine, leucine, threonine, methionine, tryptophane and phenylalanine. Proteinaceous connections of tubers of a girasol on the structure are close to proteins of a thymus (thymus gland) and are regulators of cells of immune system (at a stage of maturing and functional activity);
• Vitamins – B1, B6, C, B2, PP.

The most valuable useful properties of a girasol causes the inulin which is its part which is a natural analog of insulin. At a diabetes mellitus the advantage of a girasol is more if to use fresh root crops in the fall as at storage a part of the inulin which is its part turns into fructose.

Also carry to properties of a girasol, rare for root crops, that tubers of a plant do not accumulate heavy metals, radioelements and nitrates which can provoke development of oncological processes.

Girasol caloric content low also makes 61 kcal that allows to carry it to the products promoting weight reduction.

In addition to low caloric content the girasol possesses some other properties which well influence many serious illness connected with obesity namely:

• Promote a lowering of arterial pressure;
• Reduce and weaken stenocardia attacks;
• Reduce risk of development of a myocardial infarction and stroke of a brain;
• Reduce exacerbations of cholecystitis and pancreatitis.

Use of a girasol

Many nutritionists advise to replace with a girasol potatoes and appreciate a plant its dietary and curative properties. There is a girasol it is possible in any kind (boiled, fried, stewed, salty and marinated). However it is the most useful plant tubers in the raw.

At a diabetes mellitus it is recommended to eat in ten minutes prior to food on 2-3 tubers of a girasol to three times a day. The long use of root crops of a plant promotes decrease in level of sugar in blood that is also prevention of a diabetes mellitus at the people having predisposition to this disease. Besides, at the systematic use of a girasol sight improves.

At heartburn for decrease in acidity of a stomach it is recommended to accept fresh juice from a girasol. As juice possesses the expressed antiinflammatory action, it is also applied:

• At treatment of polyarthritises;
• For normalization of work of digestive organs (at intestinal gripes and gastric pains);
• For prevention of diseases of cardiovascular system;
• At treatment of locks;
• As auxiliary therapy at treatment of atherosclerosis, ischemic disease, tachycardia and hypertension.

Many researches also note advantage of a girasol at an urolithiasis, gout, adjournment of salts and anemia. Broth from tubers is applied to decrease in level of sugar in blood and arterial pressure, and also to increase in hemoglobin.

Besides, the advantage of a girasol is concluded in combined action of cellulose and inulin thanks to what the plant has anti-toxic and antioxidant properties. Tubers of a girasol neutralize negative effects of influences of the environment and promote a conclusion from an organism of toxins, salts of heavy metals, radionuclides and excess of cholesterol.

The girasol was used long since as an effective remedy against wrinkles. For this purpose the rasped tubers are put on a face for 15-20 minutes. If to carry out similar procedures two times a week, then the notable effect, as a rule, occurs in a month. It is also useful from a girasol to add linseed or hempy oil to gruel.

Contraindications

The girasol has practically no contraindications, except for individual intolerance, and the low caloric content of a girasol allows to use it in a daily diet. In order that tubers did not cause a meteorism, they are recommended to be used after heat treatment or in a combination to spices which interfere with gas generation (for example, caraway seeds or a coriander).