Did you know that before, red currants were grown only for their beneficial properties? Then it was considered an exclusively medicinal plant, and now it is rarely found on the market shelves. Let's remember this berry and find out what is the use of red currant for the body and for what diseases it is used.

The benefits of red currant

The benefits of red currant: composition and interesting facts

Red currant contains many useful and nutritious substances. It contains organic, fatty, unsaturated and saturated acids. Red currant is considered the leader in the content of malic and succinic acids. In addition to them, it is rich in vitamins of groups A, B, C and E.

Of the minerals, it contains potassium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, calcium and sodium. The berry also contains antioxidants, dietary fiber, pectin and nitrogenous substances. Due to such a diverse chemical composition, it is still used to treat various diseases.

Interesting Red Currant Facts:

Virtually odorless;

There are few biologically active substances in the composition;

It contains 4-5 times less ascorbic acid than black currant;

It used to be considered a monastery berry;

Contains sugar in the form of fructose and sucrose;

There are 19 varieties of red currant.

Red currants are used in medicine and cooking. Jam, jelly are made from it, juice is squeezed out, added to desserts, decoctions and tinctures are made.

The benefits and harms of red currant

Currant has anti-inflammatory, diuretic, laxative, antipyretic properties. It normalizes metabolism, stimulates appetite, relieves nausea and heartburn. Red currant juice restores strength, energizes and quenches thirst. Therefore, it is useful to use it in the hot season or during hard training.

In case of urolithiasis, currant juice removes uric acid salts from the body. It also helps with stomach and intestinal disorders (constipation). Currant berries normalize and improve the functioning of the cardiovascular system. They cleanse blood vessels and prevent the development of stroke and heart attack.

Red currants are used to prevent cancer. Due to its low sugar content, it can be consumed by people with diabetes. It practically does not cause allergic reactions. And because of its low calorie content, it is used to prepare dietary meals.

TOP-20 interesting facts about currants

Currant is one of the most familiar berries to us, but it keeps many secrets, the discovery of which delights biologists, doctors, and other people too. Here are the most interesting facts about currants.

Fact # 1: close relatives

The currant is the younger sister of the Gooseberry, and both come from the order of the Stonefragment, which includes peonies, money tree, saxifrage, and incense.

Fact # 2: abundant and ubiquitous

Found on all continents except Australia and Antarctica. Scientists have counted more than 150 species of wild currants. In Russia, wild currants can be found everywhere, but more often in the Caucasus and Eastern Siberia.

Fact number 3: the name was given by the Arabs

In Latin, currant is called "Ribes". The origin of this name is interesting. The ancient Arabs used a lot of rhubarb, which they called "ribas". In 711, the Arabs conquered Spain and, to their horror, did not find their favorite rhubarb there, and without it the food seemed tasteless. Then they noticed the red berries, which had a pleasant sour taste, vaguely reminiscent of the taste of rhubarb and began to call them "ribas" too. The name stuck, and now all currants officially have this name.

In the old Russian epics you can find the name of the river "Smorodinovka". Some historians believe that this was the name of the Moskva River before, since a lot of this tasty berry grew along its banks, which residents actively used for food.

Fact # 5: monastery berry

The currant used to be called the monastery berry, since it was grown in almost all monasteries and was widely used by monks for both food and medicinal purposes. There are references to the cultivation of currants in the Monasteries of Novgorod and Pskov in the chronicles since the 11th century. And only 5 centuries later, currants began to be grown in the adjacent territories.

Fact # 6: colorful fruits

There are several types of currants according to the color of the berries: black, white, red. However, there are many more of them. There are yellow currants, purple, orange and even green. Berries differ not only in color, but also in taste and content of nutrients. Particularly interesting in this regard is the so-called "American" currant, which has a black skin of berries and their inner content, which resembles semolina in appearance and is very sweet.

Fact number 7: unripe is more useful!

How many times adults, driving children away from the currant bush, said: “Why are you ripping off its green! Wait when it ripens! " It turned out that unripe currant berries contain 4 times more active vitamin C, which protects against infectious diseases and strengthens the immune system. As they ripen, the amount of vitamins in the berries decreases and becomes low when overripe.

Fact # 8: the benefits depend on the weather

In order for currants to accumulate many useful substances, it needs sun, but not heat. Therefore, the most useful currant grows in a harsh climate in fine summer, and the least useful substances in southern currants, which grew in rainy, cloudy (especially in June-July) summer.

Fact # 9: and leaves are good for you

In Ancient Russia, people on a mandatory basis prepared berries and leaves of berry plants for the winter - they dried them. Currant was no exception. In terms of their benefits, currant leaves are comparable to its berries. They contain a large amount of vitamin C: one tablespoon of ground dried currant leaves contains the same amount as a whole lemon. This is only true for blackcurrant leaves harvested immediately after flowering. After picking berries, vitamin C in the leaves becomes 10 times less.

Currants are a source of pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), which is responsible for immunity, resistance to allergies, beauty of skin and hair. 100 grams of black currant berries contain 0.4 mg. The daily norm for an adult is 10 mg of vitamin B5 per day. An excess of natural pantothenic acid in the body is not deposited, there is no overdose.

Fact # 11: for the mind and heart

Tea made from fresh or dried black currant leaves improves vascular function, lowers the level of low density lipoproteins, cholesterol. has a venotonic effect and improves the functioning of the brain, including memory. Therefore, tea from black currant leaves can be drunk not only for adults, but also for children to improve academic performance.

Dye identical to natural "Black currant" is an unnatural dye, and therefore does not have any useful properties and may even harm the body.

Blackcurrant leaves, stacked by good housewives in jars with pickles, not only add beauty, but also enrich the contents with vitamin C and phenolic compounds that prevent spoilage of the product.

The Russian name currant got from the word "stench" - "smell", as the aroma of currants, especially black, is pronounced. This can be explained simply: it is black currant that contains a large amount of essential oils with a characteristic strong odor.

Fact number 15: there are contraindications

Fact # 16: fights radiation

Currants, along with viburnum and honeysuckle, are powerful agents that remove radioisotopes from the human body, since they contain a large amount of pectin and ascorbic acid. This was discovered by scientists after the Chernobyl accident. Now currants are recommended for food for those who work in hazardous industries, including those with radiation.

Fact number 17: few calories

Black currant contains only 60 calories per 100 grams, and red even less - 50. So in currant season, beauties who watch their figure can safely feast on delicious berries.

Fact # 18: freeze and dry

How to preserve the beneficial properties of currants? It is best to freeze the berries - in this case, the beneficial properties are not lost, in second place is drying in a natural way, with it, all the benefits of the berries will also remain. But if the berries are dried in the oven, then vitamin C will be significantly destroyed. You can knead the currant berries, mix them with sugar and store in the refrigerator. With this method, the loss of useful properties is also low.

Fact number 19: each age has its own currant

It is believed that black currants are more suitable for children, red currants for adults, and white for the elderly. This makes sense, since the composition of currants of different colors is different.

Fact # 20: beautiful mead With

Currant is a melliferous plant, and honey from it has medicinal and prophylactic properties.

What do global medical studies say about healthy eating, and what does the average Russian actually eat?

Over the course of a hundred years, our diet has totally changed: today in Russia they eat 13 times more sugar and 4 times more meat than at the beginning of the 20th century. The contents of our plates change due to crises, unscrupulous manufacturers, multinational companies. They develop consumption and promote what is beneficial to them.

Let's not talk about what is happening, but about what these events mean for the average Russian.

Black, red and white currant species belong to the same gooseberry family. Black currants are more of a wild crop, while red and white are cultivated hybrids. Here are some interesting facts about currants. About 50-60% of the world's currants are grown and harvested in Russia.

Red currant contains less carbohydrates, which reduces its calorie content, which is 50 kilocalories. And 100 grams of black currant contains 60 calories.

Red currant contains many acids, vitamin C (responsible for the elasticity of blood vessels), vitamin A (responsible for vision and skin renewal), B vitamins (especially B5 and B12). The presence of coarse indigestible fibers and pectin, which turns into a jelly-like mass in the intestines and removes many harmful substances from the body, also increases its value.

But the content of anthocyanins in currants - these are powerful antioxidants - makes this product simply invaluable. Anthocyanins have the ability to reduce oxidative reactions. After all, it is oxidized cholesterol that can destroy the walls of blood vessels and form atherosclerotic plaques. A decrease in its oxidation reduces its activity and reduces its destructive effect.

Since currants contain a lot of acids, its consumption should be lowered for those who suffer from high acidity of gastric juice.

Red currant practically does not give allergic reactions.

How to choose the right currant?

Choose those berries that have less damage, dirt and so that all the berries are on the branches, this is a guarantee of the freshness of the product.

How to store currants correctly?

It is better to store freshly harvested currants on a branch in a suspended state, this greatly lengthens its shelf life. Store in a cool and dark place.

Also, the berry can be washed and dried in the oven at a temperature of 45-50 degrees (if the temperature is higher, this will lead to the destruction of vitamin C), and then stored in a glass container. In this form, the berry can be stored for up to six months.

You can freeze the currants. To do this, put the washed berries on a baking sheet and place them in the freezer. With this option, currants do not lose any vitamins.

When defrosting, it is best to first place it in the refrigerator for 4-5 hours.

Currants can also be stored as jelly. It needs to be wiped off, and the released pectin will contribute to the formation of a thick mass. In this version, it can be stored for a month.

Any heat treatment leads to the loss of all vitamins and nutrients contained in currants. Therefore, it is better to consume it fresh.

Currant is a popular berry in Russia. Both black and red are respected, her bush has its rightful place in the country. But a curious summer resident may be interested in some facts about her, which you can use for your own good.

We all know that jams, syrups, marmalade, liqueurs, liqueurs are renowned for glory from this berry. But what other good properties does it have?

It is better to grow currants in the colder regions of the country.

Of course, its harvest is harvested everywhere, but most of all vitamins are contained in those berries that have grown in harsh climatic conditions. It turns out that Siberia is one of the most favorable locations for this. Summer residents of Siberia, take more space for this berry bush!

The largest variety of currants

The "Vigorous" variety boasts the largest berries. The weight of one can reach up to 8 grams, and it was bred in Gorno-Altaysk.

Where did the name Currant come from?

From the Slavic language, Smorod is a fragrant, strong and pungent smell, even a stench. But it's true: this culture has a kind of unforgettable aroma. Abroad, the word comes from "Ribas", which means "sour". Apparently, the one who gave the first name was not lucky to run into sour berries.

In general, if you are a fan of this berry, then you are convinced that it is not in vain. And if you are just thinking about how much space to give on the site for currants, then you should know - more.

Initially, red currants were grown exclusively for medicinal purposes; therefore, Western European pharmacists from ancient times were well aware of the healing properties of scarlet currant berries. Now this beautiful frost-resistant culture grows in the Czech Republic, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Great Britain, Austria.

In Russia, this garden deciduous shrub began to be cultivated from the 11th century, mainly in monasteries (for example, in Novgorod and Pskov). Records about this have been preserved in the annals. This is how the red currant took its place in the Russian food culture and folk medicine. Then they began to grow it in estates and gardens. Siberia is considered the homeland of currants, and at present the Volga region, the South of Russia, the Urals, the middle belt and even the Far East are famous for high yields of bright and healthy berries. It is known that up to 60% of the world's currants are grown in our country.

The currant bush is a hardy perennial, and with proper care (it cannot stand the shade) and good watering it can bring joy to more than one generation of summer residents and successfully bear fruit for up to 20 years in a row. The first small crop of currants brings in the second year, and from one mature bush you can collect from 3-4 to 7-9 kg. Flowering begins in May, and the fruits ripen in July.
In the "wild" form, there are up to 150 species of this shrub. In modern Russian catalogs for gardeners, there are up to 70 different varieties of red currants, including quite exotic varieties - with colorless, white, pink, pomegranate-red or dark, almost black berries. The most popular modern varieties with excellent taste are now:

• Red currant: Generous, Ural beauty, Earring, Rachnovskaya, Dawn, Early sweet, Gift of summer, Ural Lights, Nadezhda, Natalie, Alpha, Valentinovka, Viksne, Konstantinovskaya.
• White currant: Yuterborgskaya, Smolyaninovskaya, White Fairy, Minusinskaya white.
• Pink currant: Rose, Jumping.

Black, white and red "varieties" of currant berries can be simultaneously found in the garden - from unripe, but more saturated with vitamin C, to delicious ripe varietal fruits. That is why you need to know about some of the nuances and differences of these cultures.

• The Latin name for the currant "Ribes" comes from ... the Arabic naming of rhubarb ("ribas"). It is known that when they conquered Spain in 711, the Arabs tasted sour red berries, the taste of which remotely reminded them of the rhubarb habitual for their diet. In such a surprising way, this name was officially fixed for all types of currants.
• If you carefully consider the various types of currants, then you can note a real rainbow of colors - in addition to the well-known three varieties, there are also yellow orange, purple and even green (ripe!) Currants. A distinctive feature of berries is not only color, but also taste, as well as biochemical composition. So, "American" red currant, surprisingly sweet in taste, has a black color, and its pulp resembles semolina in appearance.
• It is not for nothing that unripe green currants have their "admirers" - they contain 4 times more active vitamin C, which protects against infections and diseases, effectively supports the immune system. As they ripen, the "activity" and the concentration of vitamins in the berries decreases, and when overripe, the fruits become completely useless.

Health berry

Despite the fact that, thanks to the development of chemistry and pharmaceuticals, many medical achievements began to be scientifically substantiated only in the 19th-20th centuries, for a long time people knew how useful red currants are and what medicinal qualities are inherent in them. So, the use of this scarlet berry in its raw form, juices and fruit drinks from it is indicated for such diseases and conditions as:

• diseases of the heart and blood vessels;
• hypovitaminosis of vitamin C (100 g of currants contains up to 25 mg of this vitamin!), weakened immunity;
• fever, colds, SARS, inflammatory diseases of the throat, nasopharynx;
• decreased appetite, suppression of the gastrointestinal tract;
• dry mouth, thirst, nausea.

The multifunctional effect of currant preparations on the human body is possible due to the rich chemical composition of ripe scarlet berries. The substances contained in red currants have the following beneficial properties:

• The unique substance oxycoumarin, which is only in the "red" variety of berries, helps to normalize the blood coagulation process, which is useful for the prevention of strokes, heart attacks, thrombosis.
• Due to the high content of pectins, the body leaves the body, harmful cholesterol, which is beneficial for the prevention of the appearance of vascular "plaques" and, as a result, atherosclerosis. Also, organic acids and pectins neutralize the effects of exposure to increased background radiation.
• Red currant has a good choleretic and diuretic effect, relieves edema, effectively increases metabolism and cleanses the intestines.
• Natural antioxidants (vitamins A, C, E, selenium) help fight the formation of cancer cells and slow down the rapid aging process of body cells.

In addition to these useful substances, red currant juice and pulp contain flavonoids, catechins, anthocyanins, vitamin H - biotin (2.5 μg), vitamin PP (0.3 mg), mono- and disaccharides (7.7 g), dietary fiber (3 , 5 g), saturated and unsaturated fatty acids (0.1 g each), B vitamins, nicotinic acid, iron (0.9 mg), iodine, calcium (36 mg), sodium (21 mg), phosphorus (33 mg), magnesium (17 mg), potassium (up to 275 mg), as well as vitamin K, which is involved in the process of blood clotting.

Red currant for expectant mothers

Despite such a fairly saturated biochemical composition, it is known that red currants do not cause allergies, therefore, during the season it can be useful for the nutrition of pregnant women. Fresh berry juice is an effective remedy against early toxicosis, stomach discomfort and nausea.

Advice: The juice of this berry has whitening properties, which can be useful for those who, due to their "interesting" situation, have age spots on the face and body. Hair loss increases during breastfeeding, masks made from red currant juice will help to regulate this process and accelerate the renewal of the hairline.

Contraindications

Despite the obvious benefits of red currant for the preservation of human health, one must not forget about the harm that its use can cause for an organism already affected by an ailment. Contraindications to taking this fruit-rich berry are:

• in the acute stage - gastritis, gastrointestinal ulcers;
• hepatitis;
• sensitivity of tooth enamel;
• hemophilia, low blood cell clotting.

Medicinal properties and excellent taste

It is known that every disease has its own remedy. In the case of red currants, there are also certain medicinal "preferences" and patterns. So, the use of jams and tea is shown to alleviate the condition of hypertension, gastritis, suppressed immunity. Here are some recipes for such useful and tasty "drugs".

Recipe for tonic tea for hypertension

Required: dry leaves (1 tablespoon), fresh or frozen fruits of currants (2 tablespoons), rosemary (1 sprig), mint (2 sprigs) boiling water (500 ml).

Preparation: Mash the berries. Pour the herbal raw materials with boiling water in a teapot, add grated currants, let it brew for 10 minutes. Drink 2-3 cups a day, adding honey to taste.

Red currant compote recipe

Required: currant berries (500 g), sugar (250 g), water (2 l).

Preparation: Rinse the berries and leave to drain. Boil water in a saucepan, add sugar and after dissolving, pour berries. Boil for 2-5 minutes, turn off the heat and leave to cool under the lid. By infusing, the compote becomes tastier.

Tip: You can add other fruits to red currant compote: gooseberries, cranberries, apples. It is reasonable to replace sugar with honey.

Red currant fruit drink recipe

Required: red currant berries (500 g), sugar (50 g), water (1.5 l).

Preparation: Crush the washed berries with a pestle and rub through a sieve - you should get about 150-200 ml of juice. Transfer the remaining cake to a saucepan, add water, add sugar and boil for 5 minutes after boiling. Cool the broth completely. When serving, pour juice (25-50 g) into a glass, add sweet broth, decorate with a sprig of fresh currants.

Tip: You can wipe not fresh, but slightly scalded currant fruits (dip in boiling water for 2 minutes). Then the berry broth will turn out to be more saturated.

Eating fresh berries is the best way to saturate the body with the beneficial nutrients for which red currants are famous. However, a significant part of the vitamins is preserved as a result of processing berries - during freezing, canning, making drinks, jams, jellies, desserts and other delicacies.