Although this fruit is small, the health benefits of black currants are enormous. The various nutritional content in black currants is not only good for maintaining endurance, but also maintaining the function of various organs of the body.
Blackcurrants (Ribes nigrum) is a fruit that comes from Europe. This plant can thrive in moist soil. Not only known for its black color, this fruit turns out to have other colors, namely red, pink, and white.
Although they have different colors, the nutrients and benefits they offer remain the same. Besides being able to be consumed directly, blackcurrant fruit is also often processed into various products, such as jam, jelly, ice cream, to stuffing for pies or tarts.
Various Blackcurrant Nutrients
In 100 grams of black currants contained about 60 calories. Blackcurrants also contain the following various nutrients:
- Vitamins, including vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, and vitamin E
- Fiber
- Carbohydrate
- Protein
- Potassium
- Phosphor
- Calcium
- Sodium
- Magnesium
- Iron
In addition, blackcurrant fruit is also known to be high in antioxidants, such as anthocyanins and flavonoids.
Various Benefits of Blackcurrant Fruit
This sour-tasting fruit can provide various health benefits. Some of the benefits of black currants are:
1. Strengthen the body's immunity
During the current COVID-19 pandemic, maintaining a strong immune system is certainly an important thing to do. Therefore, you are advised to always eat nutritious foods.
One food option that you can consume is black currant. This is because black currants contain lots of antioxidants and vitamin C which can strengthen the immune system.
2. Relieves inflammation
Inflammation in the body can usually cause several symptoms or complaints, such as pain and swelling. The content of gamma linolenic acid or GLA in black currant oil extract is known to relieve the symptoms of inflammation.
In fact, several studies have shown that GLA is effective in relieving symptoms of inflammation caused by certain diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis.
3. Lowers cholesterol levels
Black currants contain fiber and antioxidants that are good for lowering cholesterol levels in the body.
In addition, these two ingredients are also good for preventing the buildup of cholesterol in the blood vessels (atherosclerosis) which can lead to cardiovascular diseases, such as stroke and heart disease.
4. Control blood pressure
The content of potassium and antioxidants in black currants makes this fruit good for consumption to control blood pressure. Potassium is a mineral that plays a role in maintaining stable blood pressure.
However, to lower and maintain stable blood pressure, you are also advised to live a healthy lifestyle, for example by limiting salt intake, exercising regularly, reducing stress, and getting enough rest.
5. Maintain eye health
Black currants are rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, and antioxidants, such as flavonoids, lutein, zeaxanthin, and anthocyanins, which play an important role in maintaining eye health.
Several studies have shown that consuming fruits rich in antioxidants and vitamins, including black currants, appears to reduce the risk of developing eye diseases, such as cataracts and macular degeneration.
6. Smooth digestion
The fiber and water content in black currants is known to be good for maintaining digestive tract health and improving digestion. This effect makes black currant useful for preventing and treating constipation.
Not only that, some research also mentions that black currants appear to have a prebiotic effect, so they are good for maintaining gastrointestinal health and function.
When you want to consume black currant, don't forget to clean it first. After that, you can consume blackcurrants as a healthy snack or process them into sweets and various other dishes according to taste.
Although black currant has a myriad of benefits, maintaining a healthy body is not enough just to eat this fruit. The most important key is to eat healthy and nutritious foods and exercise regularly.
If you still have questions about the benefits of black currant or want to use supplements containing black currant extract, you can consult your doctor first.
