Blackcurrants, the little berry with big health benefits

Health benefits of blackcurrants

Originally thought to be from Tibet, the humble blackcurrant has been cultivated in the British Isles for around the last 500 years. For much of this time however it was largely overlooked in favour of more exotic fruits. It wasn’t until World War 2 when the supply of vitamin rich fruits such as oranges became so short that the British government started to actively promote blackcurrant production around the country.

What are the health benefits of blackcurrants?

• Improved digestive health - New research is showing that taking a blackcurrant extract has a beneficial effect on gut health, including increasing the amount of good bacteria and reducing the activity of some metabolites of pathogenic bacteria. These metabolites can cause colon cancer.

• Anti aging properties – The ageing process is known to be extenuated by the oxidative stress brought on by free radicals. Blackcurrants are a rich source of powerful antioxidants that bind to the free radicals in our blood stream rendering them harmless.

• Cardiovascular health – The flavanoids found in blackcurrants are essential for a healthy cardiovascular system. In addition blackcurrants are also known to help reduce bad cholesterol (LDL)

• Kidney stones – There have been a number of small studies carried out to assess the benefits  of blackcurrant juice when treating uric acid stones that have come back with positive results

• Anti inflammatory properties – The oil found inside blackcurrant seeds works to reduce inflammation of the joints; this can offer relief to people suffering from arthritis, gout and other forms of joint pain.

Where can I get blackcurrants?

These highly nutritious berries are available all year round from supermarkets, but with summer in full swing why not go out and pick some for yourself. Blackcurrants grow in the wild in the UK, but if you are finding it a struggle to track down your own private patch there are also many places that let you pick blackcurrants as well as other summer fruits including strawberries and blackberries.

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