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The health benefits and harms of red currant are quite large – the berry helps to cope with ailments, has a cosmetic effect. To evaluate its properties, you need to carefully study the composition of the currant and how to use it.
Composition of red currant berries
The chemical composition of small red fruits is very rich – they contain a lot of substances necessary for health. Namely:
- ascorbic acid;
- vitamins B and A;
- magnesium and potassium;
- iodine;
- vitamin E;
- biotin and folic acid;
- phosphorus and calcium;
- cellulose;
- vitamin PP;
- tannins.
Also currant is rich in antioxidants, it contains a lot of organic acids, pectins and coumarins.
What is useful red currant for the human body
The benefits of small red currant berries are that the fruits of the plant:
- supply the body with potassium and thereby improve the functioning of blood vessels and the heart;
- have a mild analgesic effect in inflammatory processes;
- help improve metabolism and effectively remove toxins and toxic substances from the digestive system;
- contribute to the strengthening of blood vessels and protect against the development of atherosclerosis;
- increase immune resistance and help to avoid colds even in the cold season;
- improve kidney function, as they serve as a natural diuretic and remove excess fluids from tissues;
- regulate blood pressure, improve blood supply to the brain and prevent the development of strokes;
- have a beneficial effect on the work of the gallbladder;
- protect against beriberi and promote recovery after serious illnesses and operations;
- strengthen the skin, hair and nails, and also start the renewal processes in cells;
- improve the absorption of nutrients that come with food.
Eating red currant is useful for the prevention of cancer. Antioxidants in the composition of the fruit prevent the development of cancerous tumors and can slow down the course of an existing cancer.
What is useful red currant for women
The beneficial properties of red currant for women are the beneficial effects of berries on the reproductive system. Eating fruits is useful for painful and irregular periods – currants help to establish a cycle and relieve discomfort. Iron in the composition of the product allows you to compensate for blood loss during heavy menstruation, and during menopause, the berries even out the emotional background.
Eating red currant is useful during pregnancy, first of all, it helps to cope with bouts of toxicosis. Folic acid in the composition of the product has a positive effect on the fetus. Thanks to the red currant, pregnant women suffer less from edema – the berry removes excess fluid from the tissues.
Useful properties of red currant for men
For men, red currant also brings a lot of benefits. Due to the fact that the red berry improves blood circulation, the use of the product has a positive effect on potency and libido. The anti-inflammatory properties of the fruits can prevent prostatitis and reduce unpleasant manifestations in the presence of the disease.
It is useful to use red currants for athletes. The product improves tissue metabolism, strengthens the heart muscle and increases endurance, which means it makes training more effective and safer.
The benefits of red currant berries for children
For children, red currant will be very useful, it will help improve the composition of the blood, strengthen the immune system and avoid beriberi. The fruits contain a large amount of vitamin B – currants are useful for the development of the muscular and nervous system, to improve concentration and memory. The use of berries has a beneficial effect on the work of the intestines and avoids constipation.
It is allowed to give red currants to children after 7 months of life – in small quantities and in the form of soft puree. If the child does not show a food allergy, then the dosage can be increased later.
Medicinal properties of red currant and contraindications
The benefits of red currant for the human body are especially pronounced in certain diseases. It is useful to use fresh berries or as part of fruit drinks and decoctions for the following ailments.
- Cold and cough. Red currant quickly reduces high temperature, has a mucolytic effect and removes phlegm, eliminates nasal congestion and general malaise.
- Cystitis. Infusions based on red currant help relieve inflammation and reduce pain.
- Weakened immunity. The product contains a huge amount of vitamins, especially a lot of vitamin C, so when used against a background of reduced immunity, the red berry is of great benefit.
- Nearsightedness, farsightedness and inflammatory eye diseases. The anti-inflammatory properties of berries help to get rid of irritation and pain in the eyes with infectious ailments and microtraumas. And a large amount of carotenoids in berries helps to strengthen the visual apparatus and protects against a decrease in visual acuity.
- Gastritis with low acidity, flatulence and nausea. Currant accelerates the digestive processes and improves the absorption of nutrients, therefore it is beneficial for the listed ailments. The digestive system starts to work faster.
- Insomnia and anxiety. Red currants are rich in magnesium and are therefore a good remedy for stress and sleep problems.
- Urolithiasis disease. The diuretic properties of the product are beneficial in the presence of small stones – the red berry not only relieves puffiness, but also helps to get rid of sand and small stones in the kidneys.
- Weakened blood vessels and heart ailments. Due to the high content of potassium currant is very useful as a prevention of atherosclerosis and heart attacks. Eating red berries helps lower cholesterol levels, evens out blood pressure and heart rate.
- Constipation. Redcurrant stimulates peristalsis due to the presence of fiber in its composition and also has a positive effect on the intestinal microflora. With regular use of the berry, the stool is normalized.
- Bile flow disorders. The red berry acts as a natural choleretic agent and helps prevent the formation of gallstones.
- Slagging of the body. The use of red currant helps to remove accumulated toxins, salts, urea and toxins from the tissues.
- Thyroid disease. Redcurrant contains iodine, so it is useful to use it with the permission of a doctor for problems with the thyroid gland.
- Excess weight. It is useful to use red berries on a diet – currant helps to get rid of unnecessary kilograms, but at the same time maintains a healthy balance of vitamins and trace elements in the body.
The benefits and harms of red currant for the body largely depend on dosages. In order for the product not to cause harm, fruits should be consumed in an amount of no more than 50 g per day.
For all their benefits, red fruits have a number of serious contraindications. You need to get rid of them:
- with pancreatitis and stomach ulcers in the acute stage – red berries contain a large amount of organic acids and irritate the mucous membranes;
- with exacerbation of colitis and gastritis with high acidity, in these cases, currants will also be harmful;
- with a tendency to allergies – any red berries in this case represent an increased danger, and you need to use red currants in small quantities;
- with absolute intolerance to the product;
- in the presence of large stones in the kidneys and gallbladder – the properties of red currant can cause the stones to move and cause severe pain.
With caution, you need to use red fruits with sensitive tooth enamel – organic acids in the composition of a useful product can cause pain. If there is a problem after eating currant fruits, it is recommended to rinse your mouth with clean water.
The use of red currant
Useful properties and contraindications of red currant are in great demand in several areas at once. The berries of the plant are eaten, they are used to treat chronic ailments and take care of the external beauty of the skin and hair.
In folk medicine
Even just eating fresh currant berries as a light snack is good for health. But the best effect for some ailments is given by medicinal products prepared from ripe red fruits.
- Infusion from constipation. In case of violations of the intestines, it is necessary to pour 3 large spoons of berries into a glass of hot water and insist for 6 hours. The finished infusion is filtered, and then they drink 1 glass daily until the stool returns to normal.
- diuretic juice. With edema and sand in the kidneys, fresh currant juice diluted with water helps well. Red berries must be squeezed through cheesecloth so as to get about 100 ml of juice, and then dilute it with the same amount of water. You need to drink the remedy for a month, 200 ml per day, the daily portion can be divided into 2-3 doses.
- Anti-inflammatory decoction. With cystitis and other inflammatory processes in the body, a decoction based on red currant berries and leaves benefits. Raw materials in the amount of 20 g are poured with a glass of boiling water and insisted under the lid for 3 hours, and then filtered. You need to drink the remedy for a week three times a day, 50 ml each.
In cooking
The health benefits of red currants are also evident in culinary use. Many delicious and valuable dishes are prepared on the basis of berries. For example, currants are made from:
- juices, fruit drinks and compotes;
- preserves, jams and homemade marmalade;
- sauces;
- stuffing for pies and pies;
- alcoholic homemade liqueurs and liqueurs.
Red berries are also added to ice cream and light fruit and berry salads.
The recipe for jam based on red currant is popular – it has a pleasant aroma and sweet taste with a slight sourness. Jam is prepared as follows:
- about 1,5 kg of red currants are washed and dried for several minutes on a thin towel;
- then the berries are kneaded with a wooden crush in a large colander and the resulting puree is squeezed through tightly folded cheesecloth into a saucepan;
- fresh currant juice in a saucepan is properly mixed with 1,2 kg of granulated sugar, it is necessary to achieve complete uniformity;
- sweet syrup is boiled for 10 minutes, and then immediately rolled into sterile jars while hot.
You can store jam in the refrigerator, and use it with sandwiches for breakfast or as a dessert for dinner. A healthy and tasty delicacy does not do any harm to the figure.
Another well-known recipe tells how to make a sweet and sour compote based on red currant berries.
- Red currants in the amount of 2 glasses are washed, slightly dried, and then mashed to a puree state in a large bowl.
- Meanwhile, put a large pot with 3 liters of water on the stove.
- After the water boils, put red berry puree into the pan and wait for it to boil again.
- Immediately after this, the pan is removed from the heat and allowed to cool to room temperature.
When the compote becomes a little warm, you will need to add 3 large spoons of honey to it and mix well. A drink without sweeteners will be too sour to taste, honey will make it much more pleasant.
In cosmetology
Redcurrant is also actively used by home cosmetology. You can list several useful properties of currant berries.
- Valuable properties of red berries help to improve the health of facial skin, currant relieves irritation and nourishes the skin, smoothes wrinkles and eliminates acne.
- Based on currants, you can prepare homemade anti-cellulite scrubs, a healthy puree of mashed berries in combination with other ingredients helps get rid of the crust on the thighs and make the skin smoother.
- With the help of currants, you can strengthen the hair and eliminate their increased fragility. It is enough to add healthy red berries to hair masks a couple of times a week, so that after a few applications the result becomes noticeable.
At home, you can prepare the following useful face masks based on currants.
- From wrinkles. Mashed red currants are mixed with natural honey and low-fat sour cream in a ratio of 2:1:1. The mask is kept on the face for about 20 minutes, then gently washed off with warm water.
- For dry skin. Fresh currant juice in the amount of 2 small spoons is mixed with honey and fatty cottage cheese in equal proportions and kept on the skin for only about 10 minutes. The mask has an excellent moisturizing effect.
- For oily skin. With enlarged pores and increased production of subcutaneous fat, it is recommended to mix equal amounts of fresh juice from healthy red berries and wheat flour, and then distribute the mask over the face and wait for it to harden. Then the agent is washed off. Redcurrant in combination with flour helps to narrow the pores and normalizes the production of fat.
- Whitening. Currant berry puree and milk must be mixed in equal amounts – half a glass each. After that, you need to moisten a thin clean cloth or gauze in the resulting product and put a homemade mask on your face for 5-7 minutes.
Any of the masks are recommended to be used at least twice a week, then the effect of them will come very quickly.
Calorie content of berries
100 g of useful currant fruits contain about 39 calories. This makes it possible to use red currants without fear – the berries are a very dietary product and never lead to excess weight.
Conclusion
The health benefits and harms of red currants are manifested in a wide variety of areas. You need to use small red berries with caution, having previously read the contraindications. But if the currant does not pose a threat to health, then the beneficial effect of it will be very high.
