Micah Stanley
Healthy capers are rarely used in Central and Northern European cuisine. Usually, they only serve to breathe life into the Königsberger Klopsen. In the Mediterranean region, on the other hand, capers are served almost every day as an antipasto or as a spice. Here, capers have also been valued as a remedy for thousands of years.
What are capers?
Most of us are familiar with the pickled capers that can be found on the supermarket shelf alongside the pickles. But what it actually is – vegetables, seeds, or fruits – is not known to everyone.
Capers are the flower buds of various caper plants. They are pickled in vinegar, oil or brine and are among the spices, which the term “spiced capers” indicates. There are about 10 species of caper bushes in the Mediterranean that provide edible buds. The best-known type of caper is the real or thorny caper bush ( Capparis spinosa ), which can be found both as a wild plant and as a cultivated plant.
If the flower buds are not harvested, they bloom into wondrous, delicate flowers that are considered a symbol of impermanence, as they open in the morning and fade again by midday. Later, the caper fruits develop from this, also known as caper apples, which are now also available in our supermarkets – also pickled in vinegar.
Caper bushes are still considered magical plants today, as they prefer to thrive where the soil is barren and barren. They also like to spread out on rocks, on the walls of ruins, or on cultural monuments. In Italy, it is said that the caper bush feeds exclusively on wind and sun.
In northern Europe, capers are particularly well-known as an ingredient in Königsberger Klopse, an East Prussian specialty made from meatballs with white sauce, capers, and potatoes. However, very few people know how the capers can be used in other ways. It is even less well-known than capers are extremely healthy.
Capers – An ancient remedy
Archaeological finds – e.g. in present-day Jordan – have shown that capers were used to flavor food thousands of years ago. Both the famous Sumerian epic of Gilgamesh and Egyptian papyri contain indications of how many capers were valued in ancient times as a spice and also as a medicine.
In addition to the capers, the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and Arabs used practically all the components of the caper bush – i.e. the seeds, roots, bark, leaves, flowers, and fruits – in medicine, e.g. B. arthritis, hemorrhoids, liver and spleen diseases to treat. In addition, the caper was also used as an aphrodisiac in ancient times.
In southern Italy, tea made from the bark of the caper bush is still used to treat rheumatism. It is also common to chew the bark to relieve toothache. Oil is prepared from the roots of the caper bush, which is said to be helpful for infections in the mouth.
On the other hand, the fresh buds are used to make an ointment that is used for vitiligo, allergic dermatitis, and couperose. In North Africa, the Berbers use the fresh buds as a fountain of youth for the skin. They are made into a paste with honey, which is said to work against wrinkles and dry skin.
Capers: the nutrients
Capers can be preserved in vinegar, oil, or salt. As a result, the nutrient content naturally also depends on the preservation method. If you use oil, the fat and calorie content is correspondingly higher. For the sake of simplicity, we, therefore, choose the vinegar capers for the nutritional information. They consist of more than 80 percent water. 50 grams of vinegar capers have about 44 kcal and contain around:
- 2.4 grams of protein
- 1 gram of fat
- 5 grams of carbohydrates
- of which 0.4 g sugar and 3.2 g fiber
Capers: A spice rich in vitamins and minerals
As is usual with spices, capers are used sparingly in the kitchen. So you would have to eat kilos of capers every day in order to cover your need for vital substances.
Nevertheless, capers contain many vitamins and minerals, some of which are even relevant in terms of meeting the recommended daily allowance (RDA). Only 50 grams of capers contain round:
- 60 mcg Vitamin B1 (4 percent of the RDA): This is important for metabolism and the nervous system.
- 135 µg Vitamin B2 (8.5 percent of the RDA): This is responsible for the body’s energy balance.
- 750 mcg vitamin B3 (4 percent of the RDA): Used in mental disorders such as B. Depression used.
- 365 mg calcium (36 percent of the RDA): Keeps the heart, kidneys, and lungs working properly.
- 550 mg of potassium (25 percent of the RDA): This is responsible for the fluid content in the body cells.
- 130 mg magnesium (40 percent of the RDA): Has e.g. an anti-inflammatory effect.
- 120 mg sodium (25 percent of the RDA): This is important for water balance.
- 3 mg iron (23 percent of the RDA): Every body cell needs iron for its energy balance.
- 250 mg copper (16 percent of the RDA): Alzheimer’s may be associated with a copper deficiency.
In addition, capers contain carotenoids such as B. contain beta-carotene and many other antioxidants, some of which we would like to briefly introduce to you.
Capers: The healing active ingredients
There is no other food that contains more quercetin than capers. While 50 grams of onions contain about 16 milligrams of quercetin, capers contain almost 100 milligrams.
Quercetin is a natural coloring from the group of polyphenols and flavonoids, which has a strong antioxidant effect. Numerous studies have shown that quercetin prevents allergies, atherosclerosis, eye diseases, and cancer and can lower cholesterol levels.
However, capers contain many other health-promoting flavonoids. These include kaempferol, which has a positive effect on postmenopausal osteoporosis and kills tumor cells.
Rutin is also found in capers, a substance that helps against intestinal diseases, circulatory disorders, edema, inflammation, and arthritis as well as varicose veins.
Even the essential oils in the capers have been studied. The relevant researchers came to the conclusion that the substances in the capers can play an important role in the prevention of colon and stomach cancer
Capers against bacteria, fungi, and viruses
Capers contain – just like mustard or cress – the healing mustard oils. They are proven to be effective against fungi, bacteria, and viruses and therefore wonderfully prevent infections of all kinds.
Studies by the University of Jordan showed that capers have a very good antibacterial effect and are good against fungi such as e.g. B. Candida albicans (yeast) and Aspergillus flavus (mould).
Researchers from An-Najah National University have found that caper extract can completely stop the growth of two filamentous fungi (Microsporum canis and Trichophyton violaceum). These fungi can cause fungal skin infections (dermatophytosis) in humans and animals.
Scientists from Alagappa University in India were also able to prove that an appropriately dosed caper extract even tackles antibiotic-resistant bacteria and could represent a good alternative to antibiotics.
According to researchers at the University of Messina, capers or an extract from them are even reliable helpers in the fight against herpes viruses.
Capers for allergies and autoimmune diseases
Capers could have interesting advantages, especially for allergy sufferers. An Italian study showed that caper extract can significantly reduce an excessive immune reaction in the form of an allergy. With the help of the extract, the allergic symptoms of hay fever were reduced by 75 percent and those of food allergies by over 90 percent.
For prevention, 300 mg of caper extract is recommended daily. Therapy should begin three weeks before the pollen season. This usually equates to one capsule per day.
If the symptoms are already present, up to 7 capsules per day should be taken for a week. In this way, the symptoms can be greatly alleviated. If relief has occurred, the allergy sufferer should take the basic dose of 300 mg caper extract per day for 3 weeks. If necessary, the dosage can be increased again.
Similar to allergies, autoimmune diseases also lead to excessive reactions of the immune system. Again, the caper could be helpful. A study at the Immunology and Pharmacology Unit in Fez/Morocco showed that caper extract can inhibit the undesirable reactions of the immune system that are common in autoimmune diseases.
Capers are good for diabetics
In Iran, capers – not the buds, but the capers – have been used to lower blood sugar levels for a long time.
A corresponding study from 2013 involved 54 subjects suffering from type 2 diabetes, who were divided into two groups. One group received a capsule containing 400 mg of caper fruit extract three times a day for two months, the other a placebo.
The examinations of the blood values, which were determined at the beginning and at the end of the study, showed that the blood sugar level could be drastically reduced by the caper fruit extract. No side effects were observed.
But now back to the real capers, the pickled flower buds. How are these made and what is the best way to use them in the kitchen?
Capers: The Production
Capers are preserved in vinegar, salt, or oil to make them durable but also edible, as the fresh buds taste very bitter. The high price of capers is due to the complex manufacturing process. This explains why the flower buds of other plants, e.g. B. the nasturtium, were processed into the so-called “false capers”.
The capers are hand-picked in the early hours of the morning or in the evening, then spread out on a cloth where they rest for a few hours. Of course, since the buds do not all form at the same time, they have to be harvested again and again.
The capers are then placed in salt for about a month and mixed again and again. Last but not least, they have to be washed and sorted according to size so that they can finally be placed in salt, oil, or vinegar again.
Capers: purchase, storage, and preparation
While we usually use capers pickled in vinegar, salted capers are almost exclusively served in southern Europe. They are preferred because they are characterized by their unadulterated taste and – unlike what is often the case with vinegar capers – do not contain any additives.
When buying, make sure that the capers are completely closed and have an olive to a bluish-green color. The smaller the capers, the higher their prestige, and yet the choice also depends on the intended use. If the jar has been opened, you should store it in the refrigerator. Properly stored, capers can be kept for around 1 year.
While pickled capers should only be rinsed briefly under running water before use, it is advisable to soak salted capers in a water bath for about 20 minutes, changing the water a few times. As a result, the capers should be squeezed out gently. If the capers are then finely or roughly chopped, they can fully develop their aroma.
If you want to enjoy the full benefit of the health-promoting effect, you should only add the capers at the very end of hot dishes, as some of the ingredients and the aroma evaporate very quickly due to the influence of heat.
Capers in the kitchen – an aromatic delicacy
In the Mediterranean region, capers are part of almost every meal. Large capers and caper fruits are considered particularly tasty antipasti, as they stimulate the appetite and go well with dried tomatoes or grilled peppers, for example.
For this purpose, e.g. For example, in Greece, caper leaves pickled in oil or vinegar are often served. These are considered a special delicacy, which is now also gaining attention with us.
Incidentally, the popular tartare sauce is not the only sauce that capers give the necessary kick. The tiny capers are ideal for making a vinaigrette, pesto, or dip. Medium-sized capers, on the other hand, go perfectly with pizza, risotto, or pasta sauces. One of the most well-known pasta recipes with capers is spaghetti alla puttanesca.
In addition, capers can be used to give salads, soups, and vegetable stews that certain something. When cooking, however, make sure that very intensive spices such as e.g. B. sage or rosemary suppress the taste of capers.
Tip: In Mediterranean cuisine, capers are often combined with olives, as they harmonize so well in terms of taste.
