Of all the horticultural crops, I cannot call red currant the most beloved, after all, it tastes with a noticeable sourness, for an amateur.
But in my family there are big fans of both fresh berries and, especially, red jams, so several bushes have found shelter with me. In this article I want to tell you by what parameters you can choose the best varieties and make a brief overview.
History of red currant
The homeland of the red currant is Western Europe, where the plant has been used as a medicine for many centuries and has only recently been recognized as just a delicious berry.
On the territory of the Slavs, the first mentions of red currant appeared a very long time ago, according to the chronicles, it was not only used, but also artificially bred in the distant eleventh century. Then it was done mainly in monasteries, then medicine was made from it or simply used for food.
It was then that they first noticed that red currants and products from it help alleviate the condition of people with heart attacks, high blood pressure and other diseases associated with blood and blood vessels.
Pomegranate, which contains a high concentration of coumarins, has approximately the same effect on the human circulatory system.
With pancreatitis
Acute inflammation of the pancreas is a categorical contraindication for the use of currants - like many other products. The substances contained in fresh berries are irritating, harmful and can only aggravate an attack of pancreatitis.
However, the product can be consumed during the period of remission of the disease. After the pain symptoms pass, and the tests return to normal, the currants can be returned to the diet in the form of jelly, compotes, fruit drinks, jams and preserves. Fresh berries are also allowed for consumption - but in small quantities, so as not to provoke a new exacerbation.
Berry composition
Red currant berries contain a large amount of various vitamins, as well as organic acids, to which it actually owes its pleasant taste. Berries contain a large amount of vitamin C and vitamin A, several types of beneficial acids, as well as minerals. In addition, the berries contain beta-carotene, which is necessary for the normal functioning of the body. Red currant, when consumed regularly, can even act as a prophylaxis against cancer, as it contains antioxidants that resist cancer cells.
Unlike black currant, red contains several times less ascorbic acid. But it has a much higher concentration of iron, which is necessary to create new blood cells and support blood vessels, as well as potassium, on which the normal functioning of the heart and the fight against edema depend. It contains the same amount of iodine as persimmon or feijoa.
As for the calorie content of berries, it is only 39 kcal per 100 g. However, it rises significantly in dried berries: up to 283 kcal. In addition, dried berries contain a large amount of carbohydrates, so they are not recommended for people who are monitoring their diet or losing weight.
Chemical composition of red currant (per 100 g)
| Calorie content | 43 kcal |
| Protein | 0.6 g |
| Fats | 0.2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 7,7 g |
| Organic acids | 2.5 g |
| Alimentary fiber | 3.4 g |
| Water | 85 g |
| Ash | 0.6 g |
| Vitamins | |
| Vitamin A | 33 mcg |
| Beta carotene | 0.2 mg |
| Vitamin B1 | 0.01 mg |
| Vitamin B2 | 0.03 mg |
| Vitamin B5 | 0.06 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.14 mg |
| Vitamin B9 | 3 μg |
| Vitamin C | 25 mg |
| Vitamin E | 0.5 mg |
| Vitamin H | 2.5 mcg |
| Vitamin PP | 0.3 mg |
| Niacin | 0.2 mg |
| Macronutrients | |
| Potassium | 275 mcg |
| Calcium | 36 mg |
| Magnesium | 17 mg |
| Sodium | 21 mg |
| Phosphorus | 33 mg |
| Trace elements | |
| Iron | 0.9 mg |
| Saturated fatty acids | 0.1 g |
| Mono- and disaccharides | 7,7 g |
Red currant can be considered a real record holder for the amount of iodine it contains, of which it contains about 5 mg per 100 g. This makes it a real leader in the concentration of iodine in plants we are used to, moreover, in terms of the amount of iodine it is not inferior to feijoa, which is considered a real record holder among all plants in the world.
Vitamin A in red currants helps to:
- strong bones;
- good vision;
- strong hair;
- elastic young skin;
- increasing immunity;
- the growth of new cells;
- as a rejuvenating agent.
Also, berries are valued as a means of combating radiation and removing it from the body. This became possible due to the pectin contained in them, which has a high anti-radiation efficiency.
Red currant is no less widely used in cosmetology: these berries can cleanse the skin of the face, tighten pores, tighten the oval of the face, and give the skin a youthful and healthy look.
Potential harm to health
We figured out the beneficial properties of red currant, but there are contraindications:
- the presence of an allergy to this fetus, which is rare, but occurs;
- stomach ulcer;
- gastritis, pancreatitis;
- increased acidity;
- low blood clotting;
- gallstone disease, since the choleretic effect of berries can provoke the release of stones, blockage of the bile ducts.
If you are not sure about the quality of purchased berries, they are not recommended for pregnant and lactating women, add to complementary foods for babies up to 7 months.
When consumed in moderation, red currants do not cause unpleasant consequences for the body. Despite the increased acidity, it acts quite mildly.
How to store and consume red currants
Of course, it is best to use fresh berries when available. Fresh berries cannot be stored for a long time, even in the refrigerator they will hardly last more than 2 days. However, you can preserve the currants, make jam, or simply freeze the berries, which will retain all their beneficial properties.
Frozen red currants preserve almost the full range of beneficial vitamins and minerals, so you can store them in the freezer. Before freezing the red currants, rinse them, let them dry and put them in one layer in the freezer with whole branches until they are frozen. After that, you can collect all the branches in one container and send them to the freezer. This will preserve the maximum of nutrients, and the berries will not be crumpled or deformed.
Remember that red currants can be thermally processed, but the longer such processing lasts, the less nutrients will eventually come from currants.
To maintain the normal state of the body and ensure the prevention of many diseases, just 200 g of berries every day is enough. If your activity is associated with excessive physical and intellectual stress, or if you suffer from a cold, you can increase the amount to 300 grams daily.
With diabetes mellitus
Small red berries contain sugars, but they are all plant-based and do not lead to a sharp jump in blood glucose. The glycemic index of the product is only 30 units. At the same time, red currant berries contain a lot of vitamin C, potassium and iron, which is very valuable for diabetics.
With diabetes mellitus, it is highly recommended to use currants - there will be no harm from it, but it lowers blood cholesterol, relieves swelling, and maintains a healthy metabolism. Thus, currants promotes better absorption of food - and serves as the prevention of obesity, which often develops against the background of the disease.
Cooking applications
A huge number of dishes are prepared from red currants, primarily desserts, jam or jelly. It is very good to use berries to create drinks: alcoholic and non-alcoholic, including compotes, juices, fruit drinks, kvass or syrups. Some daring chefs even add them to salads or soups.
Red currants during a diet
Red currant stimulates the secretion of sweat, along with which a lot of salts are excreted. If you keep an eye on salt levels in your body, you can use it as a support for exercise and nutrition.
Thanks to red currants, the puffiness that sometimes haunts women on a diet will subside, the plant will help remove excess salts and water, as well as cleanse the body of toxins. It is best consumed as part of a protein diet, as this is when it is best absorbed, in turn improving protein absorption.
This way, you will have a nutritious and healthy diet, with most of the food being digested. Alternatively, when dieting or fasting, you can use the leaves instead of your usual tea. Red currant leaves will help to recover, saturate the body and give an influx of strength, which is so necessary for women on a diet. Of course, it will not give an instant stimulating effect, but it will strengthen the immune system and make you healthier.
Healing properties
Red currant fruits are successfully used in a large number of countries, they are prescribed for patients with diabetes, those who suffer from lack of appetite or nausea. Juice from berries has a mild diuretic effect, and also allows you to remove excess bile from the body. In addition, red currants can reduce fever, help the body fight inflammation, and act as a natural laxative.
Berry juice
For medicinal purposes, not only berries are used, but also juice from them. It is very easy to get it by pressing, because the berries are very juicy, then it is desirable to pasteurize it and can be used until the next harvest of red currant. From dried berries and leaves, an excellent medicinal tea is obtained, which also tones up and increases efficiency.
To make such a tea, it is necessary to dry the berries and leaves, be sure to separately from each other, then grind into powder and mix the resulting powders together. To make tea, 2 tsp is enough for one cup. this powder, a little honey or sugar to taste.
In addition, you can use the juice throughout the winter as a cosmetic product that helps to whiten the skin, saturate it with useful substances and improve its condition.
Red currant juice is actively used for patients with fever: it helps relieve fever, and at the same time perfectly quenches thirst, and is also able to relieve inflammation.
Berry juice helps to stimulate appetite, improve bowel function, and helps to better digest food. In addition, the juice from red currant well removes uric acid salts, so it is also used by those who need the prevention and treatment of kidney stones.
Red currant leaves
In addition to berries, red currant leaves are also widely used in folk medicine, because they have significant healing properties. For example, to solve the problem of hypovitaminosis, you can use not only the berries themselves, but also buy red currants at the pharmacy, which will contain leaves.
From these leaves you can make an infusion, pour 2 tbsp into 250 ml of hot water. l.leaves, and then thoroughly warm them up in a water bath for 10-15 minutes. It must be drunk at 80 ml for 5 days.
It is the leaves that are used for the supportive treatment of cystitis, for this you need to make an infusion: pour 50 g of leaves with 200 ml of boiling water, close the container and put in a warm place (or use a thermos), and leave for 4 hours. After that, it is necessary to thoroughly strain the infusion and drink 3 times a day after meals.
Unlike sour berries, red currant leaves can help with increased acidity in the stomach. For treatment, you need to take high-quality white wine, add 50 g of fresh leaves to it and infuse the resulting mixture for 2 weeks, in the dark and cool, shaking occasionally. For an effective and pronounced therapeutic effect, you need to take 50 grams half an hour before meals.
If you need the diuretic effect of red currants, add 20 grams of leaves to a glass of boiling water, and then infuse them until the composition has completely cooled down. Infusions should be drunk 2 tablespoons 3 times a day.
Who is red currant useful for?
Due to the presence of coumarin substances, red currants are very useful for people as a prevention of diseases of the circulatory system, including heart attacks and strokes. It lowers blood clotting, as a result, helps the body to bind cholesterol and prevent the development of atherosclerosis.
That is why red currants are so useful for the elderly, especially since they fill the body with energy and help with fatigue.
Including red currants, it is recommended to be consumed by professional athletes if they need to restore or maintain strength for training and competition.
If you need to get rid of such a nuisance as constipation, it is enough to add 3 tablespoons of berries to a glass of hot water, then leave for 4 hours. The resulting infusion should be taken 3 times a day for a quarter of a glass half an hour before meals.
If you are looking to lose weight, it will be very beneficial for you to include red currants in your diet. It has a very low calorie content, at the same time, it saturates the body with a wide range of useful vitamins and minerals: this is why nutritionists often include it in the menu of their patients.
The benefits of red currant for men
Men should pay special attention to red currant berries, as they are able to saturate the body with useful substances, maintain good vision and help the normal functioning of the kidneys.
It is very important to use red currant for those men whose work and daily activities are associated with regular physical activity.
The fact is that red currant helps to quickly restore expended strength, as well as maintain the heart and blood vessels in perfect condition. Vitamin A contained in red currants helps to minimize inflammation, including on the skin, and helps maintain male reproductive health.
Benefits for women
The combination of vitamin A and vitamin E in red currant berries gives an amazing and very beneficial result for women. In folk medicine, red currants are called the berry of female beauty: if you regularly use it in food, a positive effect will very quickly become noticeable: better hair, stronger nails and more beautiful skin.
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In addition to being consumed internally, red currants are used as a decoction, which is added to cosmetics for daily use, and from which masks are made. The broth also helps those women who want to achieve a natural and beautiful complexion, but have too pale skin: red currants stimulate blood circulation, get rid of blood clots and make you look blooming.
