Sour cream is the most popular dairy product, which long ago took one of the most important places on the table of almost every person in our country.
This product is made from cream, which is then prepared with fermented milk.
We love sour cream for its pleasant taste, a huge number of useful properties and universal application, as it can be used both in cooking, and in traditional medicine and cosmetology.
Sour cream: composition, as used - inside and out
Every knowledgeable hostess knows how to make sour cream at home. This process is quite simple, all that is needed for this is to remove the cream from the settled whole milk and leave it in the refrigerator for several days. Alternatively, you can skip whole milk through a separator, which can degrease it, separate the cream and clean the milk from excess dirt and debris.
Lactic streptococci, which are contained in cream, transmit sour cream the desired acidity, taste and aroma.
Sour cream from store shelves, which is prepared in dairy factories from special sourdough and pasteurized milk, is not always useful. The fact is that unscrupulous manufacturers use vegetable fats, various stabilizers, additives, and so on instead of cream.
How to identify a fresh and quality product? It should consist of a uniform consistency, have sufficient density and fat content in the absence of any grains, and have a slightly sour taste. The density of sour cream increases in parallel with the fat content, as it should be in a natural product. If one of the indicators is high, and the second is underestimated, this means that sour cream is literally “stuffed” with various chemical additives.
To get a classic taste and look, you need to use exclusively natural heavy cream. Sour cream, which was produced by any other method, not only does not bring any benefit to the body, but can also harm it.
Also, when storing the product, the required temperature level must be observed, since otherwise the process of oxidation of milk fat may begin in it, which subsequently leads to the multiplication of harmful microorganisms.
High-quality natural sour cream is perfectly absorbed by the body and does not burden the stomach, it is also able to improve appetite and stimulate the digestion of food. It contains a huge amount of various useful vitamins and minerals, such as, for example, vitamins A, C, E, B, PP, organic acids.
Also, sour cream is rich in:
calcium;
potassium;
sodium;
phosphorus;
letitsin and other micro and macro elements. Also in sour cream there is a sufficient amount of carbohydrates, acids, animal proteins and sugar.
Calorie content
Next, consider such an important point as calorie content. In the case of sour cream, calorie content directly depends on its fat content. So:
10% fat content: 100 g of sour cream contains 115.4 kcal;
15% - 158.9 kcal;
20% - 202.8 kcal;
30% - 290.8 kcal.
As for homemade sour cream, its average calorie content is about 235 kcal, which is 11-12% of the daily norm for an adult.
Sour cream: what are the benefits for the body?
Dietary properties
Nutritionists as nobody knows about the beneficial properties of sour cream. First of all, their positive effect on the secretory function of the stomach is mentioned. This fermented milk product is perfectly absorbed by the body and helps to fight intestinal colitis and ulcers. During the period of ripening and ripening, it accumulates useful substances that are perfectly and quickly absorbed.
If you want to cleanse your intestines, you can use this method:
1) the first 7 days of breakfast, replace 100 g of sour cream with the addition of one dessert spoon of flour;
2) the second week to the same 100 g of sour cream add 2 tablespoons of flour;
3) and in the third week the amount of flour increases to three tablespoons of flour.
For all three weeks, you must drink at least 2 liters of water every day. Thus, the intestines will be gently and delicately cleaned of viruses, mucus and fecal stones.
For people who want to lose weight, the most famous nutritionists around the world consider the sour cream diet to be one of the best ways to deal with this problem. With the help of this diet, in addition to getting rid of extra pounds, a person can balance his metabolism, improve the gastrointestinal tract and remove excess fluid from the body.
Sour cream diet is carried out for only 2-3 days, during which a person must follow the following diet: during the day, use 400 g of a product with a fat content of 20-30%. So, every 3 hours you need to eat 400 g of sour cream, there should be a minimum of 5 such meals a day. Between meals, you should also drink rose hip infusion (at least 2 glasses per day).
With the help of such a diet, a person is able to lose up to three kilograms. However, there are also negative points in it. For example, such a diet is forbidden to athletes and people who have big health problems, as their body is very weakened by the disease.
Sour cream with a low fat content is considered a dietary product that will be useful for both a child and an elderly person. Nutritionists also recommend it to sick people, as it can speed up rehabilitation after an illness and improve hormonal levels.
For better preservation of the beneficial components of sour cream, it is better to add it to ready-made dishes, for example, to the first: soup, borsch, hodgepodge and so on. In this product, you can also stew and bake fish, meat and vegetables, as well as various desserts: creams, jellies, casseroles, and it is also added to the dough.
Most of the traditional dishes from our area is extremely difficult to imagine without this sour-milk product, since it is an excellent dressing for pancakes, pancakes, dumplings, dumplings, cheesecakes and various vegetable salads.
Application of the product in traditional medicine and cosmetology
Quite often, sour cream is used in traditional medicine. For example, if you take it in combination with grated raw carrots, you can significantly increase the body's immunity to various infectious diseases, as well as improve vision.
Among men, sour cream is also very popular because it is able to maintain and improve their potency.
It's no secret that sour cream with a high level of fat content can relieve redness and burning, as well as soothe skin irritations. In the event of a burn, immediately, until bubbles form on the skin, the following mixture should be applied to the problem area:
2 tablespoons of sour cream;
1 egg yolk;
1 tablespoon of sunflower oil.
All ingredients are well mixed and applied to the burn site, after which a gauze dressing is applied on top. Change this bandage once a day.
Among people, sour cream is reputed to be an excellent antidepressant, relieves stress, and improves mood. To cheer up you just need to eat a glass of whipped fresh sour cream with a little sugar for taste.
Also, with regular consumption of this product, you can significantly improve memory. For example, only 100 g of sour cream contain ¼ of the norm of choline per day. Choline is an excellent stimulator of the brain, it contributes to exacerbation of memory and increase intelligence. Also, choline is very necessary for pregnant mothers, since it positively affects the development of the fetal brain.
Women from time immemorial use sour cream as an excellent cosmetic product that can soothe irritated skin, fill it with nutritious components, smooth wrinkles, narrow pores and so on. Also, this product is often used as a base when creating various cosmetic masks and creams.
Sour cream: what is the harm to health?
The harm from the consumption of sour cream is small, but it also needs to be mentioned. For example, with regular abuse of this product, a person may have problems with the metabolism of fats, which will subsequently result in problems with the liver and gall bladder.
Many people with a tendency to be overweight are frightened by the increased calorie content of sour cream. However, if you take it in a small amount, it will only benefit, and will not affect weight in any way.
Some people believe that sour cream has a large amount of cholesterol. In fact, the cholesterol there is much less than in butter. However, it is absorbed faster than milk.
Thus, sour cream can not be abused by people who have problems with the liver, heart and pressure, but in a limited amount it will not harm anyone.
Sour cream for children: useful or harmful
Sour cream is very useful for children, and from the age of one, it can be added to the baby’s diet by adding it to baby food. Sour cream should have a minimum fat content.
As for homemade sour cream, it can be given to a child from 3 years old, since it is more fat. In general, sour cream is very useful for a child, because it has the following properties:
1) The product contains calcium, potassium, iron and phosphorus, which are very useful for the children's body;
2) Sour cream in combination with other products, for example, carrots, can increase the immunity of the child;
3) The presence of organic acids and vitamins in the composition has a positive effect on the growth and development of bone and muscle tissue of the child.
Thus, sour cream is a very useful and tasty product for absolutely any person. At the same time, one should not forget that she should not be abused, because in addition to problems with excess weight, one can receive "gifts" in the form of a load on the liver and heart.
Enjoy your meal!
