Dagestan secret of health: what is urbech and how to use it correctly

Real urbech is a pasty delicacy made from unprocessed seeds and nuts. The cooking technology has existed for centuries. In order to prepare urbech, you need to grind the ingredients until smooth and slightly oily. Artificial additives are not welcome. The paste is not subjected to heat treatment - during the friction of the millstones, the mixture is heated to body temperature, not higher.

Due to its composition, pasta is high in calories - saturated with healthy fats and proteins. For those watching their figure, this is an excellent supplement, but you can’t eat a lot of it - it’s filling and high in calories . One jar is eaten slowly and sits in the refrigerator for a long time. Due to improper storage, most of the product may be wasted. To avoid this, you need to follow some recommendations so that urbech remains fresh for a long time.

What affects shelf life?

1. Sun . The products from which urbech is made contain unsaturated fatty acids. In addition to nuts and seeds, these include olive and flaxseed oil. As you know, the sun has a negative effect on vegetable oil. The nut mass has an oily base, and the jar is glass or plastic. Therefore, direct sunlight has a detrimental effect on this superfood.
2. Temperature . Urbech is not a perishable product. When properly stored, the shelf life of the raw product is 8-12 months. The optimal temperature for storage is up to +20°C in the refrigerator or other cool, dark place. At temperatures above +20°C, the oxidation process occurs. At a lower temperature, this process slows down, therefore, the product is stored longer. The warmer it is, the faster thermal decomposition occurs.
3. An unwanted neighborhood . If stored incorrectly without a lid or in a loosely closed jar, urbech quickly absorbs foreign odors.
4. Air humidity . Relative humidity should be around 75%. In apartments, especially during the heating season, the air is very dry and humidification is necessary.

Urbech: how and from what it is produced, where it appeared

Urbech is a thick mass obtained from ground dried or roasted nuts, apricot kernels, and seeds (pumpkin, hemp, flax, sunflower). It is part of the traditional Dagestan cuisine dish of the same name and is used as a supportive and general tonic in the treatment of diseases.

The product contains plant fiber, vitamins, micro- and macroelements. It includes:

• ascorbic acid,
• vitamins of groups E, PP and B;
• biotin;
• carotene;
• calcium;
• sodium;
• magnesium;
• potassium;
• iron;
• phosphorus;
• zinc;
• copper;
• selenium;
• manganese;
• cobalt;
• fluorine;
• iodine;
• vegetable fibers;
• amino acids.

Urbech appeared in the 18th century on the territory of Dagestan. The population living in mountainous areas needed nutritious food that could quickly restore strength. The hearty pasta helped warriors go on long campaigns, and shepherds helped herd their cattle to mountain peaks.

What kind of Urbech is there?

The following types of product can be distinguished:

1. The composition of urbech is:
   single-component - made from one ingredient
2. multicomponent - consists of several components.
3. According to the production method, urbech is distinguished:
   raw - the product consists of fresh seeds and nuts
4. heat-treated is urbech made from fried ingredients.

All components of urbech have different effects on the body, this must be taken into account when choosing a paste.

How to store Urbech after opening?

Since urbech is a thermally unprocessed product and contains oils, it must be stored in a dark and cool place , including in the refrigerator. The temperature should not exceed +20 °C . True, the consistency hardens a little after cooling. It is possible for the paste to separate, in which the oil protrudes to the top and forms a layer. This is fine.

The container also affects the shelf life. In glass containers the shelf life is 6-12 months . In containers made of polymer materials, urbech is stored less - a maximum of 3 months . It is advisable that the jar have additional packaging or a box. This will ensure that the product has not been opened. You also need to pay attention to the cotton when opening. If it is present, it means that the seal was not broken during transportation.

Calorie content and chemical composition

Linen urbech

Urbech from sunflower seeds

Coconut Urbech and storage features

Coconut urbech is properly stored in the refrigerator , but the ingredients freeze easily . Therefore, before use, you should prepare it a little - a jar of paste is placed near a heat source or placed in a water bath . After 10 minutes, the contents are carefully mixed, after which the urbech is ready for use.

Often in an open jar you will find that the top layer is slightly yellower - this is normal, since the paste separates, so it is recommended to mix the mass thoroughly before use. The main thing is to protect coconut urbech from temperature fluctuations . It is unacceptable to store it in the freezer. If the paste freezes, you can throw it away.

Reviews from doctors

Papyrin N.V.:

“In my practice, there have been many cases when an allergy to sweets caused great inconvenience; patients came and complained of itching and burning. Now almost all sweets contain preservatives and additives. There are very few natural products left, one of them is urbech. Children who love sweets will love this delicacy, because by adding honey to the mixture, you can make the delicacy sweet, the child will be very pleased.”

How to determine that urbech is spoiled?

Even at the time of purchase, you should pay attention to the label and composition . Only “pure” urbech without impurities can be stored for a long time. A small amount of water, honey, sugar significantly reduces the shelf life.

After opening the can, the product begins to gradually oxidize . If urbech is spoiled for some reason, bitterness appears, a musty smell, a foreign taste, even the smell of drying oil, the consistency can become very hard, dried out, or, on the contrary, watery - this means that the product is rotten and is no longer suitable for consumption.

Methods of use

Spicy sandwich mix. For such a product you will need urbech made from hemp seeds or any other. It is mixed with spices, herbs and all this is spread on bread. Pumpkin, tomato and garlic go together very well.

Salad dressing. You will need sesame or pumpkin urbech; it is mixed with tomato paste, spices and a small amount of oil.

Nut milk. This product has a positive effect on the functioning of the heart, since it contains no cholesterol. To prepare milk, you need to mix several urbechs (coconut, cedar, cashew), add water and honey.

A wonderful and satisfying breakfast is, of course, porridge, and if you add prunes, dried apricots, and a few grams of flax urbech to it, then the breakfast will be simply excellent.

Tips for proper storage

• If you check the jar while still in the store and look carefully, you can identify at this stage a violation of the seal during transportation and improper storage. It is necessary to study the label and check whether the composition is pure or there are additives, since each case has a different expiration date.
• After purchasing, it is better to store Urbech in the refrigerator or other cool and dark place. Before each use, the contents of the jar are mixed . If it is coconut urbech, then it hardens in the refrigerator. Before use, place it in a water bath or in a warm place to restore consistency.
• Urbech in its pure form is stored longer . If you mix the paste with honey and other additives, the shelf life is significantly reduced. Therefore, it is recommended to add other products immediately before consumption. This mixture should be consumed within 5-7 days.
• In the summer and spring seasons, when the sun is especially strong, you should pay attention to where exactly the urbech is stored in the store, whether it is exposed to direct sunlight. If so, then it is better to refrain from purchasing, since the storage conditions have already been violated.

Varieties of Urbechs

1. Urbech made of light and dark linen . Its characteristic features: contains a large amount of fiber, phytoextragens, omega acids. The best recipe for flax is to mix it with honey. If you have a sweet tooth, you can take 1/2 parts of paste and honey. The paste can be spread on bread, added to cottage cheese, flaxseed Urbech can also be combined with vegetables.
2. Brown sesame paste. The bitter taste is a little alarming, but the product still has great benefits. Most often, this Urbech is added to salads. There are people who prefer sesame paste as a dessert; they add honey or something sweet to it. If the sesame is unpolished, then it contains the most vitamins, especially calcium, which is required for bones and teeth.
3. Chocolate hazelnut urbech. If children love sweets, then this is just for them. Urbech with hazelnuts is something interesting. The consistency of the paste differs from the traditional one, but the taste makes up for everything. Urbech is very filling, so you can’t eat a lot of it, although there may be breakdowns, because it’s very difficult to tear yourself away from such a tasty treat. The mixture has a positive effect on the nervous system, is a wonderful preventative against depression, and the immune system becomes stronger after consuming this product.

4. Coconut Urbech. Many people love coconut, so everyone will like a pasta with it. Coconut paste contains a large amount of vitamins and important elements. Coconut urbech speeds up metabolism, can prevent cancer, this product contains a lot of protein and fiber.
5. Urbech made from apricot kernels is very healthy; it contains vitamin B17, which helps prevent cancer.
6. Urbech made from almonds is the most expensive. Almonds remove heavy metal salts (i.e. those substances that we inhale every day). The product contains a good composition of amino acids, so people who play sports can safely use the product.
7. Urbech from pumpkin seeds. The walls of blood vessels need to be constantly strengthened; there are many ways to do this; Urbech will also help to do this. It is possible to prevent atherosclerosis and varicose veins, you just need to eat the right foods. Urbech made from pumpkin seeds will also improve brain activity. The person will be in good condition, energy reserves will be constant. It is recommended for students and scientists to eat.
8. Urbech from caraway seeds . Gastrointestinal diseases are quite an acute problem and there are many ways to solve it, for example, you can include urbech from cumin in your diet, it will help remove harmful substances from the body. For cosmetic purposes, cumin is very useful, it enhances hair growth and has a good effect on the skin.

Remember that you do not need to consume more than 2 spoons of the product per day.

Important! The product contains a lot of calories, so it is better not to give it to children under 3 years of age. If you have diseases associated with the stomach, then you should stop using it.

Reviews

Yulyashka:

“Ohhh, Urbech, how I love him!! It’s often included in my diet; I take it and spread it on the bread with a spoon. My relatives live in Dagestan, so there is a lot of this delicacy there, I have never bought urbech, so I can’t say anything about the purchased one...

Urbech is a useful thing containing nuts and seeds. This is very important for maintaining the youth of the body. There may be more choice in the store, but I know that there is urbech made from flax, cherry and apricot kernels. Everyone has their own taste, so I can’t recommend anything here. There are no contraindications as such, the main thing is that you don’t have allergies!”

Marie Deka:

“I learned about the existence of Urbech not so long ago. My daughter wanted nut butter, but what is sold in stores contains milk powder, to which she is allergic. A replacement was urgently needed; Urbech paste caught my attention. I bought a linen urbech, although there were others, but I liked this one, and the color was nice. The product made from seeds costs about 400 rubles, and those made from nuts are a little more expensive, the price reaches 900 rubles. When I opened the jar, the mixture on top was liquid, that is, the consistency was uneven.

After I mixed the mixture, the mass became normal, the smell is tasty, but the taste is not very good. I mixed urbech with honey, the taste became pleasant. My daughter really liked the mixture. The composition is natural, which is very good, and if you mix it with honey, it will be enough for more than one time. Now I will buy Urbech more often, because there are so many flavors, but I want to try everything.”

Marya:

“I purchased urbech made from hemp. The jar is beautiful, and so is the label. But at first I didn’t really like the product, because the jar was not closed tightly, and there was no protection (film). But it all depends on the supplier. The taste seems to be pleasant, but my husband and I had different opinions, so as they say, there is no friend for the taste and color...”

Raw food sweets of Dagestan

Fans of healthy eating will certainly be interested in a delicious, healthy sweet called urbech.
This is the name of a traditional Dagestan remedy that was used as a medicine - it can raise a tired person to his feet, giving him strength, and cure coughs, bronchopulmonary diseases, gastritis, ulcers and skin diseases (it treats pustules, ulcers, etc. well). Urbech has been known since the 18th century. And as a healthy sweet it is irreplaceable. You can take it with you on the road and not be afraid that you will have to buy store-bought sweets.