Pectin – Properties and Applications

Do you remember one of the first fun rhymes taught in English classes? An apple a day keeps the doctor away! Yes, today we'll be talking about apples, or more precisely, about a special carbohydrate found in them – pectin.

In fact, pectin can also be found in smaller quantities in many other fruits, such as grapefruit, orange, quince, apricot, peach, dates, as well as in some vegetables, legumes, and root vegetables (red beets, carrots, radishes, peas, peppers, cabbage, zucchini, and eggplant).

An interesting fact is that an apple is richer in pectin when baked than when raw.

What exactly is pectin?

These are soluble fibers found in the walls of plant cells. Pectin is known for its beneficial effect on the digestive and excretory systems, as a substance that cleanses toxins and cholesterol deposits.

It can be found in the form of a dry mix in most grocery stores or can be extracted from apples at home.

At ZELEN, we offer 3 types of pectin, each portioned into doses for easier intake.

And for enthusiasts who have decided to make it at home, here's the recipe in 4 steps:
1. One kilogram of healthy, ripe homegrown apples are washed, dried, and cut into large cubes without removing seeds and peels.
2. The chopped apples are simmered in a deep pot with 120 ml of water for 30 minutes, stirring constantly until a puree is formed.
3. The puree is left to cool and then strained through cheesecloth or gauze.
4. The strained liquid is poured into a large baking pan and baked for 6 hours at 80-100 degrees until the water evaporates.
The resulting brown powder is pectin and can be used directly or frozen to remain edible for up to 1 year. Store in a dark, cool place.

What is pectin used for?

Pectin's applications are twofold – culinary and health care.

We'll start with its properties as a gelling agent, especially known in making jams. It is also used as a thickener in the food industry, where you'll find it labeled as E440. Specifically for homemade jams, citrus pectin is more suitable than apple pectin because it successfully thickens fruit juice without the need for long heat treatment and boiling down. Still, pectin's gelling effect is not as strong as that of agar-agar. Keep this in mind if you decide to whip up a dessert. 🙂

 
We also share the recipe for the jam that we soon plan to make, following directions from Vili's mother from our green team.
Ingredients:
1 kg washed and cleaned strawberries
300 g brown sugar
20 g pectin
100 ml lemon juice
20 finely chopped fresh mint leaves
Preparation:
The cleaned strawberries are prepared by freezing them in the freezer and then thawing them in the refrigerator. The cold fruit is poured into a pot over medium heat, along with 200 g of brown sugar. The mixture is stirred constantly until the sugar melts. Separately, the remaining sugar is well mixed with pectin and a little water and added to the pot. The mixture is stirred constantly until it boils again, and the lemon juice and mint are added. After one more boil, the jam is ready to be put into jars while still hot.


When it comes to its health benefits, you probably associate pectin with weight loss, but in reality, fat loss is more of a side effect of its other "magical" properties that balance the body's processes. Here's how pectin works:

– Facilitates digestion – Pectin is an exceptionally rich source of soluble fiber, which aids digestion. In addition to stimulating this process, it cleanses the stomach of waste products and helps restore irritated and damaged mucous membranes.

It is typical for all fibers to create a feeling of fullness when they enter the stomach.
That's why they are often used as an appetite suppressant.

– Supports peristalsis – We can safely call pectin a natural prebiotic. When it enters the intestinal tract, in addition to stimulating peristalsis, it also creates a favorable environment for the development of good microflora. Pectin's ability to absorb toxins is one of its important properties for maintaining gut health.

– Detoxifies – Apple pectin is one of the most preferred options for natural fiber, precisely because of its absorbing properties. The apple itself is known as a body-cleansing fruit precisely because of pectin. It binds and removes heavy metal molecules, pesticides, radioactive elements, and other harmful components from the body.

– Improves metabolism – Pectin allows the body to get rid of accumulated substances that burden it. In addition to helping to generally cleanse blood vessels and prevent plaque buildup and cholesterol formation, pectin slows down the absorption of fats and glucose. This is why it is known as a natural remedy for maintaining cardiovascular health and normal blood pressure levels.

These are the most key properties of pectin, but its action in the human body is complex. Since all systems in our body are connected, the beneficial effect of pectin intake is felt most strongly on the digestive system, especially in people with stomach and intestinal discomforts, but with regular use, an improvement in functions at other levels of the body is also observed.


Our advice – Start your day with 10 g of pectin and a cup of tea! 🙂 This way, in addition to supporting your body's cleansing and jump-starting your metabolism, you will also feel satiated, which will allow your body to wake up faster