Black currant has several popular common names like Phalsa, Phalsa berries, Indian Phalasa, or Falsa. This fruit is easy to consume, and people also like it in juice form. Its benefits are unique in both fruit and juice form. Grewia asiatica (black currants), commonly known as phalsa or falsa, is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family Malvaceae. It is extensively cultivated for its sweet and sour acidic fruit. It is sold in the market during the summer months under the name falsa. The sherbet or squash is prepared from the fruit pulp by mixing it with sugar and used as an astringent, stomachic, and cooling agent.
Black Currant Cultivation
It is a fruit that is available for a few weeks in hot weather. Therefore the duration of enjoyment is very short. This sweet and sour fruit improves the taste of the mouth.
Composition
Black currant contains high levels of potassium, protein, and carbohydrates and is rich in Vitamin C, calcium, phosphorus, dietary fiber, and other useful minerals. Typically, 100 grams of Black currant contains:
Benefits of Black Currant
This fruit is good for health and that is why you should make it a habit to enjoy this delicious fruit. We have therefore researched all the benefits and listed them here just for you!
Black currant is a cool fruit and keeps the body cool from the inside. In addition to its health benefits, it is good for the skin, too. It regulates the skin and helps tissues fight skin problems like acne or mosquito bites. Black currant fights equally well against cancer and sun radiation. It is a blood purifier. It is very good for treating respiratory inflammation, fever, heart diseases, blood pressure, and heartbeat normalization.
Health benefits:
Black currant can be used as a cure for several diseases, some of these diseases are listed below:
Decrease in Severity of Respiratory Diseases
Drinking its juice or syrup can be helpful in relieving respiratory problems like asthma, the common cold, and others.
Useful for Diabetic Patients
Glycemic Index (GI) is a tool that categorizes foods based on their effects on blood sugar. It has a scale from zero to 100: zero represents no effect while 100 represents the effect of pure sweetness. Black currant is at the bottom of this index, meaning that eating it is not harmful to diabetics, but is thought to be helpful in controlling blood sugar metabolism. According to the Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, it is a low glycemic index food. This means diabetics and patients with cardiovascular diseases can still enjoy it.
Beneficial for Digestive Problems
The fiber in black currant can be beneficial for digestive problems such as nausea, abdominal pain, and others. For this purpose, make it a habit to drink this fruit juice daily.
Healthy Heart
Black Currant is an anti-inflammatory fruit. It is an important factor in decreasing the risk of heart disease, which is why eating black currants and making it a habit can improve heart health.
Useful for Anemic Patients
Black Currant has immense quantities of iron, the mineral that is central in monitoring synthesis as well as a smooth flow of blood, between organs and tissues in the body. In instances of iron deficiency or anemia, consuming the ripe fruit helps in boosting iron levels as well as combating dizziness and fatigue.
Relieves Joint Pain
The antioxidant content in black currant infuses the unripe fruit with anti-inflammatory traits. This is extremely valuable in alleviating severe pain in bones, in situations of arthritis and osteoporosis, and also helps to increase the mobility of joints. Black currant also improves bone density and performance with calcium as one of its components.
Treats Respiratory Issues
Ingesting the juice of black currant, along with lemon and ginger essence, is a wonderful curative technique for pacifying irritating instances of the lungs such as asthma, bronchitis, cold, and cough.
Remedies Hypertension
Black Currant contains the beneficial minerals potassium and phosphorous in high amounts. Hence, it brings down blood pressure when it is above the normal range. Furthermore, the wealth of tannin and anthocyanin antioxidants in it prevents the accumulation of lipids in the bloodstream and clogging of cholesterol in blood vessels, to avert cardiac ailments of atherosclerosis, and heart attacks and augment heart functions.
Anti-Microbial Property
Several scientific pieces of research show that this fruit is beneficial to prevent fungal growth. It acts magically as antifungal and antimicrobial to promote body health.
Black Currant in Pregnancy
Fruits provide a significant portion of all the essential nutrients and play a vital role in a healthy pregnancy. Amazingly, this fruit has a great nutrient profile, making it beneficial during pregnancy, as well. It brings all the valuable vitamins and traces elements that are vital during pregnancy. Its antimicrobial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties make it an ideal fruit to consume during pregnancy.
Black Currant Leaves: Treats Eczema
Black currant leaves are the best remedy to manage eczema and healing wounds. Grind some leaves and apply them to the affected area of the skin. Leave them for time to work.
Effectively Manages Malaria
Mosquito bites cause a seasonal disease called Malaria. It affects many children and adults, particularly in damp monsoons. Adding a small serving of this fruit to the regular diet is useful as a valuable antipyretic or temperature/body heat-reducing. It is an analgesic i.e. pain-relieving traits and significantly alleviates symptoms of body pain, fever, and discomfort often experienced in bouts of malarial infection.
Regulates Electrolyte Imbalance
Being intrinsically high in sodium content, black currant plays a crucial role in balancing the key ions namely sodium, potassium, and chloride, in the bloodstream. Thus, it effectively controls the transmission of impulses via nerves, for optimal enzyme function and muscle activity and thus regulates the electrolyte imbalance.
Source of nutrients:
Vitamin A is useful for Strengthening Muscles
Vitamin A is present in black currant, which is important for good eyesight and protection against muscle weakness with age. Black currant contains potassium and protein which are nutrients that help to strengthen the muscles while improving their function. It is a good source of protein and helps the body get more energy from protein.
Vitamin B1
Vitamin B1, which helps maintain a stable heart and nerve function is obtained by using Black currant. Deficiency increases the risk of problems such as muscle weakness, nerve damage, and emaciation.
Vitamin B2
It is important for the growth and metabolism of blood cells and is received by black currants.
Vitamin B3
It helps to keep the arteries and the metabolic system strong. It also maintains the balance of cholesterol levels.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a vitamin that is considered important for the immune system. It is believed that the use of black currant provides protection or relief from common seasonal diseases.
Black Currants’ Side Effects And Contraindications
- Pregnant and lactating women must keep in mind to not consume too much black currant, as it may lead to extreme fluctuations in body temperature.
- Make sure to buy only the fresh produce from stores, as the ripened fruits retain their dewiness and flavor only for a few days post-harvest.
- It can cause an allergic reaction, if, consumed more than required.
