Capers

Unique, piquant flavored capers are flowering buds of a low-growing caper shrub. The buds, indeed, are one of the most desired ingredients in the kitchens all around the mediterranean basin. The spice buds botanically belong to the family of capparaceae, in the genus: capparis.

The plant is a spiny, trailing, deciduous shrub native to the mediterranean. It prefers warm humid climate and grows in abundance all over the cyprus, italy, greece,anorth african and some asia minor regions. The shrub begins producing flower (caper) buds from third year of plantation.

In general, their small cream colored buds are gathered by handpicking in the early morning hours of the day whichaotherwise would unfold into a beautiful whitish-pink four sepal flower with long tassels of purple stamens. Soon after harvesting, the buds are washed and allowed to wilt for few hours in the sun before putting into jars and covered with salt, vinegar, brine, or olive oil.

In commercial practice, capers are categorized and sold by their size in the markets. Smaller sized buds are more valuable than large ones. Non-pareil and surfines are some small buds while capucines, capotes and grusas are sold as big sized ones.

Being flower buds, capers are in fact very low in calories, 23 calories per 100 g. However, this spice-bud contains many phytonutrients, anti-oxidants and vitamins essential for optimum health.

Capers are one of the plant sources high in flavonoid compounds rutin (or rutoside) and quercetin. Capers are in-fact very rich source of quarcetin (180 mg/100 g) second only to tea leaf. Both these compounds are powerful anti-oxidants. Research studies suggest that quercetin has anti-bacterial, anti-carcinogenic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties.

Furthermore, rutin strengthen capillaries and inhibits platelet clump formation in the blood vessels. Both these actions of rutin help in smooth circulation of blood in very small vessels. Rutin has found application in some in trial treatments for hemorrhoids, varicose veins and in bleeding conditions such as hemophilia. It also found to reduce ldl cholesterol levels in obese individuals

The spicy buds contain healthy levels of vitamins such as vitamin a, vitamin k, niacin, and riboflavin. Niacin helps lower ldl cholesterol.

Furthermore, minerals like calcium, iron, and copper are present in them. High sodium levels are because of added granular sea salt (sodium chloride).

Caper parts have been used to relieve rheumatic pain in traditional medicines.

The spicy caper pickles traditionally added to recipes as appetite stimulant. In addition, they help relieve stomachache and flatulence conditions.

Capers, its tender shoots, as well as immature berries are used in cooking. Raw buds have neutral flavor and need to be processed in pickling medium to develop unique piquant, tangy flavor.athey feature in variety of cuisines worldwide, especially in the mediterranean cooking.