Blackcurrants (Ribes nigrum)

Blackcurrants (Ribes nigrum) originate from Northern Asia and Central and Eastern Europe and is widely cultivated in most countries of Europe as well as New Zealand. The plant produces purple-black, sweet, aromatic, edible and seed-containing berries of up to 12 mm in diameter. The berry fruit has a glossy skin with a persistent apical calyx. Blackcurrant fruits and leaves have been used as both Asian and European traditional medicine for the treatment of a variety of ailments.

Black currants are amazingly high in vitamins and antioxidants. Like other dark-colored fruits and vegetables, these berries are rich in anthocyanins, a class of polyphenols known to have wide-ranging health benefits such as slowing down the effects of dementia or giving anti-inflammatory properties to reduce the effects of rheumatoid arthritis. Blackcurrants have been reported to improve cardiovascular health and lower the risk of glaucoma.

Anthocyanins are found mainly in blackcurrant fruit skins and constitute nearly 90% of total polyphenolic compounds present.

Blackcurrant can be included in fruit juice blends to provide added health benefits and delicious flavour. It also popular to be made into jams, jellies, syrups, candies and blackcurrant extract.

1. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/10/4/495
2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0955286314001181
3. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/10/5/756
4. https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/13/4085