Quince is a tree fruit that is not so well known today. This was quite different in the days of our grandparents. Quince can be used both as food and for medicinal purposes.
Occurrence and cultivation of the quince
Quince (Cydonia oblonga or Pirus cydonia) is a rose plant and closely related to apples and pears. The quince tree originated in Asia and the Mediterranean region. The Romans brought it to northern Europe. Since it is quite hardy, it has become widespread in regions with temperate climates. The quince (Cydonia oblonga or Pirus cydonia) is a rosaceous plant and closely related to apples and pears. This can be seen in the fruits, whose shape is between that of apples and pears. However, the quince grows larger and is yellow when ripe. The quince tree blooms from May to June. Its flowers are white-pink and slightly larger than apple blossoms. In October and November, the quince fruits have developed from these flowers. They should then also be harvested and ripen until winter. The fruits should not stay too long on the tree, otherwise they lose too much pectin. They smell very pleasant, but taste very tart when raw. That is why they are almost only eaten cooked. The quince tree can grow up to eight meters high. It bears fruit after four years at the earliest. For medicinal use, fruits, leaves and seeds of the plant are used.
Effect and application
Tea is made from the seeds and leaves of quince, and the fruits are processed into juice, jelly, pulp or a tincture. Quince tea can be used internally or externally. When used internally, tea made from quince seeds helps against restlessness, insomnia and indigestion. Quince seeds contain prussic acid. Therefore, they should be used only uncrushed and not eaten. To make the tea, two teaspoons of quince seeds are boiled with a cup of water for five minutes and then strained. For external use, either a tea made from quince leaves or a mucilage boiled from the seeds is used. The mucilage from quince seeds helps against skin inflammations or poorly healing wounds. It is produced when the seeds are boiled for a longer time. This mucilage is skimmed off and applied to the affected areas of the skin. For uterine or rectal prolapse, sitz baths with the tea from quince leaves help. This tea is prepared by gentle decoction. For this purpose, one teaspoon of the crushed leaves is used per cup of water. The leaves are added to cold water, which is then brought to a boil. Once it boils, it is removed from the stove. The tea must steep for a few minutes and then it is strained. Quince juice, quince jelly and quince puree help against digestive problems, gout and colds. To make the juice or the puree, the quinces are peeled, the core is removed and the pulp is cut into small pieces. These pieces are brought to a boil with a little water and cooked on low heat for about 20 minutes. Then the quince pieces should be soft. To make puree, the pieces are now pureed. To make juice, pour the mixture onto a clean cloth hanging over a sufficiently large pot. The mass must drain overnight. The juice is then in the pot, the remains in the cloth can still be processed. Jelly can be made from this juice by briefly boiling the juice with jelling sugar and then pouring it into jars. Quince tincture has a hematopoietic effect and has therefore proved useful in anemia. A tincture is a herbal extract made with the help of alcohol. Double grain, vodka or medicinal alcohol from the pharmacy can be used for this purpose. In a tightly closing jar, the crushed leaves of quince are poured with so much alcohol that they are completely covered. This jar is stored in a warm place. After six weeks the tincture is ready. It must now be filtered. A coffee filter is suitable for this purpose. Then it is transferred into a bottle made of dark glass. Stored in the refrigerator, it will keep for about a year. From this tincture is taken one to two teaspoons three times a day.
Importance for health, treatment and prevention.
Quince contains vitamin C, organic acids, pectin, mucilage, zinc, amygdalin, tannic acid and tannins. Pectins are complexing agents that help detoxification in heavy metal poisoning. They also lower blood pressure and act against diarrhea.The tannic acid has an expectorant effect. The tannins contract the skin when applied to the skin surface. They form a protective film. As a result, bleeding is stopped. When tannins are used internally, they cause the intestinal mucosa to condense. Less water can enter the intestine and the intestinal contents become compacted. Thus, tannins combat diarrhea. Thus, quince has expectorant, diuretic, cooling, anti-inflammatory, hematopoietic and astringent (hemostatic and anti-inflammatory) effects. It is mainly used to aid digestion, for colds and injuries to the skin. Less common uses are anemia, insomnia,bad breath, heartburn and gastritis. The fruits are used to make mush, jelly, juice or a tincture. Tea is made from the leaves and seeds. The seeds are additionally used to make a mucilage for wound treatment. However, the seeds must not be eaten or crushed under any circumstances. They are very poisonous as they contain prussic acid.
