Star anise (star anise) star among spices

Courses on healthy nutrition, we address the question of herbs and spices. Often ask about them, so I decided to do mini-reviews devoted to a single spice describing its nutritional and medicinal properties, touching a bit of its history and interesting features. Let's start with the common, but little-known spices, the taste of which is familiar to everyone – the star anise. This spice many know from an early age by a known antitussive drug pektusin. This is the spice gives it a peculiar flavor. You can buy almost anywhere where they sell spices (keep them covered).

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    Plant and spice star anise: what it looks like. Star anise (star anise) — a small tropical evergreen tree Illicium verum, a close relative of anise. Colors of light, from pale yellow to greenish hue. The fruits represent a compound fruit consisting usually of 8, and sometimes 7, 9, 10 and 12 fruitlets, interconnected in the form of multipath stars. Each fruitlets, or kink, is in the form of the boat is dark brown, hard, woody to the touch. Inside each ray is a brilliant one seed. His homeland is the South-Eastern China and Japan, now cultivated in many tropical countries — South Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, India, the Philippines and Jamaica. Appeared in Europe in the XVI century. The word "star anise", according to many linguists, borrowed from the Tatar "Bajan" — Anis. Spice star anise is a highly odorous coarse powder partly yellow-brown, partly reddish-Burgundy. Star anise has a sweet, slightly bitter taste, similar to anise, but devoid of cloying. For sweets active components of anise is stronger sugar 13 times! The taste of star anise sweet-bitter, sharp, astringent smell reminiscent of anise, but the smell of star anise aromaticae much thinner and harder. It is often used in cooking, cosmetics and traditional medicine. The aroma of star anise is obtained from a mixture of many substances, but the predominant component in it is TRANS-anethole (90%). It has a sweet pleasant anise flavor. Of the remaining 10 % of essential oil is divided between isomers of anethol, and half takes over methylchavicol. There is little CIS-anethol, he gives an unpleasant anise flavor, but it is less percent. There is linalool (the main component of the fragrance of Lily of the valley) and lemon (fresh scent).
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Traditional application. Love the Vietnamese soup of beef with star anise, Indonesians cook with this spice thick sauce. Chinese star anise is added in an aspic of duck kidney with sesame seeds and garlic, pickled eggs, as well as in the famous shark fin soup is the only case when the spice added to the fish dish. In Armenia, the star anise added a stuffed pumpkin and pickled grapes. Star anise are added to the tea, prepare him a refreshing beverage. Star anise is used for making grog. Star anise is good in moderation, otherwise the dish will taste bitter. Star anise is well received in mixed spices 5 spice mix Moroccan spices, garam masala. Asian chefs love the star anise in the meat (lamb, pork) and poultry (duck, chicken, pheasant) and I do not regret it in cooking. You can mix the star anise with sugar and vegetable oil, the other option is with onion, garlic, pepper, cloves, fennel, cinnamon, ginger. In Eastern cooking, star anise is used very widely. It is added to gravies and sauces for vegetables and rice dishes. In many Asian countries, star anise is added to grilled meats — especially poultry — pheasant, chicken, chickens. It makes the dishes spicy, bold taste, improves the flavor and makes the meat more tender and soft. Star anise goes well with many other spices: black pepper, fennel, garlic, onion, cinnamon, cloves, ginger. The taste of anise sweet, very similar to anise, but not so cloying. And the aroma stronger. Despite the sweetness, star anise is used not only in desserts – although they, especially in combination with chocolate and some kinds of citrus, this spice is very good. Season with star anise meat or vegetable stew, putting the whole asterisks in the sauce in the middle of cooking. If you put a few asterisks in the abdomen of a duck, goose or chicken, their meat is saturated with the smell of star anise and become more refined tastes. In Northern Vietnam, star anise add in beef soups. In Thailand star anise is a mandatory component of sweet iced tea with milk and ice. The spiciness combined with a variety of foods and other spices. The most suitable combinations are: garlic, onions, vanilla, pepper, cinnamon, ginger, cloves. Well, a lot of alcoholic beverages, which are called "anise" (like the liqueur "Galliano"), actually contain star anise – it is much cheaper anise. The star anise is not overlooked by lovers of alcohol. Anise drinks of different strength — loved by the residents of the Mediterranean region. In Greece it is ouzo and tsipouro, France Anis and pastis, Spain — anisetta (cousin of absinthe). Sambuca — Italy, Lebanon and Iraq — Arak, in Turkey is raki. This spice when cooking before our era. In Europe, the star anise was in the beginning of the XVI century and was very expensive. The Europeans immediately adopted this unusual spice, as it is many times improved the flavor of baking and sweet dishes. Even then, people learned to distinguish the taste of anise and star anise, sometimes called anise. Traditional gingerbread cookies is unthinkable without the contribution of this fragrant spice. The dough for breads and cakes, Belevsky, rice and Guriev porridge, Sbitnev, cherry pies and jam, these treats were traditionally cabriales in Eastern Europe fragrant star anise. Interestingly, the star anise not only uluchshaet taste and gives flavor to dishes, but also increases their shelf life. Star anise came to us from China, where this spice is part of the known mixture of spices "5 spice", where in addition to star anise are cinnamon, cloves, Szechuan pepper and cardamom and is widely used in cooking.Cooking. The addition of star anise in strong tea or coffee gives the latter a unique flavor. Spice star anise is widely used in the production of confectionery: biscuits, cakes, cookies, jellies, puddings, cereals, fruit dishes, jams, Sbitnev, liqueurs, tinctures. The star anise added to the dough at the beginning of cooking because of the spices inherent in the heating process to give its fragrance, which will smell of the finished product. Or add star anise for 5 minutes until cooked dishes and allowed to infuse under the lid. Star anise can also be added to steamed vegetables. It is well suited to sweet vegetables such as carrots and beets. Star anise has a very useful feature – it prolongs the shelf life of products. Perfectly combined with a cherry, star anise cherry jam helps him not to sugar up to 3 years. So the star anise is also used in conservation, for example, prepare marinades with him. Use star anise in cooking:- tea made from anise: one-quarter of boiling water you will need 1 tsp powder, after cooking, add 1-2 tsp. in tea;- confectionery products: add spice for 5-10 minutes before the end of the cooking process; meat dishes: optimal rate – grams per serving, after adding spices should be kept for a dish to flavor permeated all of the ingredients; Attention!1. Pregnant. During pregnancy from the use of anise and its derivatives in food should be avoided.2. Fish. Precaution it should be noted that with fish dishes star anise incompatible and even spoil them.3. An excess of star anise can give the dish a bitterness, so should be used with great caution. On-liter jar of Kompot enough of a tip stars and the pelvis of jam — a stars. It should not be used during pregnancy, lactation, liver diseases.4. Essential oil of star anise by direct application to the skin can be toxic, be careful!Use in medicine spice star anise In the literature it is also found that the use of seeds of star anise, the destruction of unpleasant mouth odor, because it was believed that star anise is able to refresh not only the breath, but thoughts. The Chinese often break off one tip of the star with the seed inside, and placed under the tongue to freshen breath. In addition to antimicrobial properties, star anise also has anti-fungal. In addition, essential oils of star anise have a good result against resistant strains, including MRSA. Star anise shows a pronounced anticholinesterase effect, so it is studied as a means to combat the disease Allgamer, opened its neuroprotective effect. Also found that star anise enhances the glutathione system and reduces the severity of colitis in rats, showing good anti-inflammatory effect. It is believed that it prevents age-related decline of testosterone. Significantly its impact on digestive tract: improves enzyme function, is used as an antiemetic. Star anise has anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic effect, prevents flatulence and improves digestion, especially good for young children, promotes discharge of gases. In the raw material star anise contains sugar, resin, tannin, volatile oil (anethole), terpenes. Star anise has anti-inflammatory effect, improves the digestive system. There is a legend that two centuries ago the Kiev bakers, won the crisis business, inventing a candy – medicine that used star anise, giving the candy picturemovie taste. Like cinnamon, which grows in those places, star anise is especially loved by the Chinese. They first used this seasoning in the fruits of star anise contain a significant amount (5-10%) rich in anethole (90%) of essential oil. Anethole star anise ordinary represented the E-isomer is less toxic than Z-anethole. The anethol star anise is obliged inflammatory properties and ability to cause the discharge of gases. The chemical composition of star anise is close to anise (especially in the presence of anethol), so has a similarity in the taste. However, full compliance is not. Experiments on animals showed that essential oil of star anise is able to significantly enhance the intestinal peristalsis. Medical practice has shown that the effect of star anise on the person, especially those associated with anethol, in different conditions differently. In small doses, the plant stimulates digestion and relieves spasms of the intestine, and in high doses — stimulates the Central nervous system. Therapeutic effects of star anise: analgesic (painkilling), and Central analgesic (pain relieving). Sesquiterpenoid, extracted from star anise in small doses, have mastokids effect, and at higher concentrations lokal; star Anise has antimicrobial activity against wide range of microorganisms, including Porphyromonas gingivalis — microbe, which is usually sown in individuals suffering from gingivitis and periodontitis. Essential oils, which are part of Badian, it liquefies phlegm, reduces hoarseness and promotes expectoration. It also cures cough, helps to restore missing or hoarse voice. It liquefies mucus and facilitates its expectoration. By the way, the first cough drops were made over a century ago, in Kiev, on the basis of star anise. For medicinal purposes used star anise as a tea or infusion. Infusion of star anise is used for colic and rheumatism, tea for coughs. In traditional modern medicine, the seeds of star anise are used to improve the taste of certain medications. Star anise is also a component of several of the thoracic fees.Thanks to the star anise contained in checkoway acid it helps in viral diseases and severe colds with coughing. Perhaps at the right moment in the struggle for health takes another component of star anise – alcohol linalool. The substance limonene, also found in anise, prevents certain types of cancer.Shikimic acid. Later of star anise was extracted shikimic acid (otherwise shikimic). Among other natural sources checkoway the acid should highlight the products fermented with the help of varieties of E. Coli bacteria, ginger, fennel, and fruit and amber wood. Although the Anis star the maximum number of this beneficial for the human immune system acid. Some doctors believe that the spectrum of antiviral properties of star anise is not limited to checkoway action of the acid on the influenza virus. Although shikimic acid is present in most microorganisms, plants, and fungi, it is a biosynthetic intermediate. It therefore, does not accumulate, is spent on the subsequent reactions and is found usually in very low concentrations. Significant amounts of shikimic acid is only found in anise star anise and related plants. Of natural checkoway acid during a multi-step synthesis receive oseltamivir — the active ingredient of the drug against the flu Tamiflu®. Interestingly, in 2005, star anise has virtually disappeared from the wholesale sale on the world market. As it turned out, the whole star anise bought pharmaceutical concern for the production of this antiviral drug.TRANS-anethole (essential oil of star anise). TRANS-anethole is the main component of oil of star anise has a strong vasodilator effect. (Tognolini et al., 2007); TRANS-anethole in experimental animals with induced hyperglycemia, has hypoglycemic properties, making it promising for use in pharmaceutical preparations for diabetics. (El-Soud et al., 2011). TRANS-anethole determines the insecticidal activity of star anise. Proved that the smell of TRANS-anethole can't stand the Prussians — red cockroaches. Star anise due to the high concentration of TRANS-anethole has a stimulating the secretion of the property. For example, his technique stimulates the activity of the salivary glands — together with its antimicrobial properties and has been successfully used by manufacturers of toothpastes. The ability to stimulate the secretion of also based the use of star anise in various diseases of the respiratory system and digestive system, urogenital system. TRANS-anethole has antispasmodic, mucolytic (thinning phlegm) that increases mucociliary clearance effect.
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The use in perfumery.

Star anise is used by perfumers when creating aromatic, aromatic and chypre compositions. It is the star anise used in the creation of such recognized masterpieces of Jacques Guerlain, as "After the rain" Apres l ondee: black currant, neroli, star anise, bergamot, citrus, Mimosa, carnation, sandalwood, violet.iris, Jasmine, vetiver, ylang-ylang, rose, amber, musk, benzoi, vanilla, heliotrope, styrax.

"Dusk" L'HEURE BLEUE: Clary sage, star anise, tarragon, bergamot, neroli, rose, tuberose, carnation, heliotrope, vanilla, iris, white musk.

Star anise is also used in such famous fragrances as AIMEZ-MOI Caron ORIENTAL (W) — FLORAL cardamom, star anise, mint, bergamot, violet, Jasmine, rose, Magnolia, heliotrope, Tolu balm, vanilla, iris BALAHE Léonard — floral-fruity — Clary sage, pineapple, plum, star anise, neroli, rose, tuberose, iris, civets, sandalwood, vetiver, musk . published 

P. S. And remember, only by changing their consumption — together we change the world! © Join us at Facebook , Vkontakte, Odnoklassniki

Source: beloveshkin.com/2015/12/badyan-zvezdchatyj-anis-zvezda-sredi-pryanostej.html