Blackcurrant juice: frozen, fresh

Blackcurrant is a tasty and healthy berry, which has a high content of vitamin C. Ascorbic acid gives the fruits a sour taste, and also saturates them with useful qualities. Currants are used to make jams, jams, various drinks. Blackcurrant juice is especially in demand due to the vitamin and mineral complex enriched with organic acids.

What is useful blackcurrant juice

For a classic fruit drink recipe, you can use frozen blackcurrants or freshly picked berries. The benefits of drinks will be the same. It depends on the effects that the complex of vitamins and minerals contained in the fruit has. The advantage of cooking is the use of minimal heat treatment to which the fruits are subjected. It is known that under the action of high temperature, some of the beneficial properties possessed by vitamin C and related components can be destroyed. Therefore, berry drinks are especially useful when prepared before direct consumption. Currant drink is appreciated:

1. As a tonic. Vitamins and minerals increase the body’s defenses, increase the body’s ability to resist the spread of viruses and bacteria.
2. As an antioxidant. Volatile compounds, essential oils, organic acids prevent oxidation processes inside cells. This makes the drink conducive to cell regeneration, skin rejuvenation, improvement of the state of blood vessels, and normalization of blood flow.
3. As an anti-inflammatory agent. Vitamins and minerals help relieve inflammation. Examples of such influence: the use of warm blackcurrant drink in diseases of the upper respiratory tract to relieve swelling of the larynx.

They also note the linear and antipyretic effects of warm blackcurrant drinks. This is due to the increased content of vitamin C, essential oils, organic acids. The action of the components is aimed at normalizing body temperature, relieving symptoms of fever, and eliminating chills. These manifestations make the drink especially useful for symptoms of colds. Many mothers prepare fruit drinks from frozen currant berries for their child in winter to relieve symptoms during SARS and flu.

Currant juice during pregnancy

Blackcurrant is known for its effect on blood pressure indicators, so pregnant women often think twice before consuming it. During pregnancy, blackcurrant fruit drinks or compotes can be useful for eliminating the signs of a cold. In addition, they normalize blood pressure, activate the processes of vasodilation, which may be required in case of toxicosis or migraine pains.

At the same time, the black variety is categorically contraindicated for pregnant women with high acidity of the stomach, with diagnosed diseases of the intestines or stomach. Black berries should not be consumed if there is a possibility of an allergic reaction.

Blackcurrant juice while breastfeeding

Berry drinks during breastfeeding are recommended to drink little by little, starting from the moment the baby is 3-4 months old. The only obstacle to the use of blackcurrant drinks during breastfeeding may be the manifestation of an allergic reaction in the baby.

Currant juice for a child up to a year

Black and red berries begin to be introduced into the diet of infants from 6 to 7 months of age. The timing may vary if mothers or pediatricians adhere to special feeding rules. If the baby does not have signs of an allergic reaction, then fruit drinks can become one of the most popular drinks in the children’s diet. They are tasty, healthy, fill the baby’s need for fluid, and also have a slight fixing effect, which affects the consistency of the stool in infants.

Blackcurrant juice recipes

Currant juice can be made from frozen berries, as well as from freshly picked fruits. In addition, there are several options for preparing a drink:

• with minimal heat treatment;
• without cooking;
• using a multicooker.

Blackcurrants can pair well with citrus fruits or other fruits. Therefore, there are various recipes for multicomponent blackcurrant formulations.

The main rule of preparation is the use of intact, whole fruits that have reached the consumer stage of ripeness. Damaged or dry berries can affect the taste of the future drink. Liquids are prepared using glass containers, take jugs, decanters, glass bottles.

How to make frozen blackcurrant juice

Frozen berries fully retain their beneficial properties. Many housewives take out frozen fruits from the freezer in winter in order to start cooking blackcurrant juice before taking it directly. For cooking take:

• berries – 400 g;
• sugar – 200 g;
• water – 2,5 l.

The berries are thawed in a colander, then the released juice is squeezed out. The mass is boiled on a stove with sugar for 10 – 15 minutes. After cooling, the resulting mixture is mixed with the separated juice, topped up with water.

How to make juice from fresh blackcurrants

Fresh berries give off juice worse than frozen ones, therefore, to activate the process, they are crushed with a pusher or spoon. Then the juice is removed, the berries are boiled. After cooling, all ingredients are mixed.

Currant juice recipe without cooking

Without heat treatment, drinks are prepared in a cold way. To do this, take:

• 1 tbsp. fruits;
• 3 Art. water;
• of 2,5 tbsp of sugar.

The berries are sorted, washed, dried. Then the fruits are crushed with a blender. Sugar is added to the mass, left until the crystals are completely dissolved. After dissolution, pour water, mix thoroughly. The liquid is filtered through a medium-sized sieve. Served with ice, mint leaves.

Homemade currant and lemon juice

One of the recipes with the addition of lemon is called a “vitamin composition.” The content of vitamin C in such a drink is increased many times over. For cooking take:

• 200 g of fruit;
• 1 lemon;
• from 5 to 8 tbsp. l. Sahara;
• 1 L of water.

Grind blackcurrant, add sugar, zest and juice of a large lemon. Then the mixture is diluted with water, stirred. The drink is served strained.

How to make currant juice in a slow cooker

The slow cooker makes the cooking process easier. In it, you can make fruit drinks from frozen blackcurrants without first defrosting. For cooking, take 200 g of berries, add 200 g of sugar, pour 2 liters of water. On the multicooker panel, set the cooking mode for 5 – 6 minutes. The liquid is then pureed with an immersion blender. Serve after additional straining.

Recipe for currant juice with apples

Black berries are often mixed with apples. This is how compotes, jams and even jams are prepared. Sour varieties of apples are suitable for currant drink.

Quarters of two medium-sized apples are added to 300 g of fruits, poured with water, boiled for 15 minutes, until softened. The liquid is drained, the remaining puree is ground through a sieve. Combine mashed potatoes and syrup obtained after cooking, add a sweetener to taste.

Blackcurrant and basil juice

Sprigs of purple basil are used for cooking. For 1 glass of currants take:

• 2 medium sprigs of basil;
• sweetener – to taste;
• 1,5 L of water;
• orange peel.

Basil leaves are added to the prepared blackcurrant, then the berries are crushed with a crush or spoon until the juice comes out. Boiled water is poured over basil, berries, orange zest and sweetener are added. The syrup is left to infuse for 30 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve before use.

Currant juice with mint flavor

Mint drinks have a slight calming effect, this is due to the content of mint essential oils in the stems and leaves. Sprigs and mint leaves are added to the composition prepared according to the classic recipe, left to infuse for 30-40 minutes. Mint-currant drink is served with ice.

Blackcurrant ginger juice

The addition of ginger makes blackcurrant drink in demand during the cold season. Warm drink has an anti-inflammatory and antipyretic effect. Ingredients:

• berries – 200 g;
• ginger root – 100 g;
• water – 2 l;
• sweetener – to taste.

Ginger is crushed, mixed with berries. The mixture is poured with boiling water, boiled over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add a sweetener. The drink is drunk in small sips.

Morse of oranges and blackcurrant

Blackcurrant pairs well with orange to taste. Ingredients are selected according to your own preferences. To give a characteristic orange flavor, 300 oranges are taken per 2 g of berries. To enhance the taste, use 3 citrus.

Black fruits and an orange, together with the peel, are crushed with a blender, poured with water, boiled for 5-10 minutes. Then insist 30 – 40 minutes, add honey. Such a drink is served completely chilled, with pieces of ice and mint leaves.

A variant of this recipe can be prepared using mineral sparkling water without additional boiling. Then the drink is infused longer, about 1 hour.

Contraindications to currant juice

The benefits or harms of blackcurrant fruit drinks can be discussed taking into account individual health characteristics. Fruit drinks from black berries can be completely contraindicated for those diagnosed with serious diseases:

• thrombophlebitis, diseases associated with blood clotting indicators;
• gastritis, ulcers with high acidity of the stomach;
• bowel disease complicated by regular constipation.

Terms and conditions of storage

Berry fruit drinks are drinks that are prepared before drinking. With long-term storage, fermentation processes begin, which are typical for the technology of making homemade liqueurs and tinctures with berries. There are basic storage rules:

• at room temperature, the liquid is stored for 10 to 20 hours;
• in the refrigerator, the drink is saved for 4-5 days.

Conclusion

Blackcurrant juice is a healthy drink, valuable for its content of ascorbic acid and unique essential oils. Traditional blackcurrant drinks are prepared in different ways. Adding additional ingredients improves tastes, complements the list with the beneficial properties of the main drink.