2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
Black currants or more black currant is an edible fruit that grows on a shrub up to about half a meter tall and can be found in Northern, Central Europe and Asia. The blackcurrant berry is 1 cm in diameter, black in color, has a glossy shell and contains several seeds. The taste of blackcurrant is very sweet, sharp and markedly sweet and sour.
The bush itself black currant is quite pretentious in terms of soil fertility and climatic conditions and although it can grow in our country, its distribution is low.
During World War II, due to the lack of foods rich in vitamin C, the British government encouraged the cultivation of blackcurrants. Almost all the production of blackcurrants was used to make a stimulant syrup, which was given free of charge to children to prevent diseases such as scurvy and keep the population healthy.
As for the United States, blackcurrant was also very popular until the 20th century, when the government banned it in almost all states. The reason is that blackcurrant bushes have had the potential to spread a disease called "white pine rust" that threatened the thriving timber industry in the early years of the 20th century.
In 1966, the federal ban on black currant has been lifted and some states such as New York, Oregon, Vermont and Connecticut are lifting the ban on blackcurrant production. Other states, such as New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maine, did not lift the ban until 2007.
The best soil for growing black currant is one that has a pH between 6.7 and 7 as they do not tolerate acidity. Sandy, calcareous soils that have a good drainage system are favorable for their cultivation. Blackcurrant also requires a lot of nitrogen and is tolerant of moderate shade and wind.
Blackcurrant It is often used in the kitchen because it has an astringent taste that adds flavor to many dishes and drinks: for example, its leaves are used in Russia to enhance the taste and color of vodka, and in the UK it is used to make cider. Blackcurrant is also added to beer (the famous Guinness type).
Blackcurrant composition
Blackcurrant is extremely rich in many plant nutrients, antioxidants, vitamins, essential fatty acids and minerals. It is said that small wine-red fruits are the richest in vitamins among all other fruits. Blackcurrants exceed the vitamin content of lemons and strawberries by about 4-5 times.
Compared to apples, the vitamins in French grapes are 10 times more, 20 times more than cherries, 100 times more than grapes. Most pronounced in its high content of vitamin C. Vitamin concentrate of blackcurrant is inferior in content of vitamin P (1000 - 2138 mg%) only to chokeberry and black mulberry.
French grapes contain a large amount of organic acids (1.9 - 3, 7%), with citric acid predominating. The fruits have the highest amount of mineral salts of potassium (290 - 320 mg%), calcium (44-48 mg%), phosphorus (35 - 45 mg%), magnesium (15 -19 mg%), iron (0.9 - 1.6 mg%). Blackcurrant is rich in trace elements manganese, copper, zinc, boron, molybdenum, fluorine, iodine. The small fruits of raisins contain a total of 7-12% sugars, with fructose and glucose predominating.
Blackcurrant is known for its high content of vitamin C (a powerful antioxidant), GLA (Gamma-Linoleic acid, a very rare Omega-6 essential fatty acid) and potassium. They have twice as much potassium as bananas, four times as much vitamin C as oranges, and twice as many antioxidants as blueberries.
Blackcurrants contain anthocyanins, which are natural compounds in the fruit. They are very powerful antioxidants and are the reason for the characteristic color of blackcurrants. 100 g of blackcurrants contain: 63 kcal, 1.4 g of protein, 15.38 g of carbohydrates and 0.41 g of fat.
Selection and storage of blackcurrants
Choose healthy fruits that show no signs of spoilage. Store blackcurrants in the refrigerator, but without placing them in plastic bags, because they accelerate the processes of mold on the fruit. Higher humidity is also not recommended for longer storage of blackcurrants.
Culinary application of blackcurrant
Blackcurrant is a popular fruit for making juices, syrups, compotes, wine and more. The good news is that during cooking, much of the vitamin C is retained in the final product. These fruits are also used to make jellies, jams, added to desserts or as part of sauces and dips.
Blackcurrant is often used to make stimulant drinks, liqueur, ice cream and its most popular use in the form of juice. Blackcurrant leaves are used to improve the taste of some soups. Dried blackcurrant leaves are also used to make various types of tea.
Health benefits of blackcurrant
The bomb of vitamins, which is blackcurrant, can not but make the fruit extremely useful for human health. An interesting fact is that the buds, leaves and twigs of blackcurrant are also high in vitamins. Therefore, from the leaves and twigs of black grapes is obtained a decoction, which is used successfully for colds and other diseases.
Anthocyanins inhibit the enzymes cyclooxygenase 1 and 2 and reduce inflammation as well as the effect of arthritis in the body. Blackcurrant fruit juice contains proanthocyanidins, anthocyanins and polysaccharides, blackcurrant polysaccharides (CAPS) and has a stimulating effect. CAPS has been found to have toxic effects against tumor cells and thus reduce the risk of cancer.
The rich content of vitamin C automatically turns blackcurrant into a powerful antioxidant that fights free radicals with great success. If you have the opportunity to eat blackcurrants regularly, you can be sure that your body's defenses are at the highest level. The fruit has a prophylactic effect against colds and infectious diseases. The high levels of iron, manganese and copper in black grapes make it extremely useful in anemia.
Potassium c black currant turns the fruit into a suitable food for people with heart and kidney failure, high blood pressure and especially in the presence of disease states with edema. The juice and concentrate of black currant has a certain beneficial effect on vision and on top of that it is good in weight loss diets. For centuries, blackcurrant has been used for stomach ulcers, gastritis with increased acidity of gastric juice, which remains unchanged to this day.
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