Today it is difficult to see a summer cottage on which different types of currant bushes would not grow. Of course, the most common type of this berry is black currant, but red currant and its subspecies, white, are quite common. It will be discussed further. The berries of white currant are dense, medium-sized, remain on the branches until late autumn and do not lose their taste and useful properties after frosts. This is a very unpretentious shrub. Whitecurrant easily survives and abundantly bears fruit both in dry summers and rainy.
Whitecurrant: calorie content, useful properties
Of course, white currants are not as popular as black currants. But the content of useful substances in it is no less than in other types of this berry. It is also rich in sugars, organic acids, various vitamins and minerals. It is also useful for those who decide to lose weight, the calorie content of white currant is only 42 kcal per 100 g.
Whitecurrant - beneficial properties of pectin
White currant contains a large amount of pectin having gelling properties. Pectin is a natural health professional in the human body. In addition, pectin helps to cleanse the human body of salts of heavy metals and various toxins. This happens as follows: when ingested, toxins and salts of heavy metals with pectin combine and become insoluble. In this form, they are excreted from the body naturally in no way affecting the mucous membranes.
Pectin also:
- contributes to the stabilization of redox processes in the body,
- restores the gastrointestinal tract,
- helps to lower blood cholesterol,
- incorporates harmful substances,
- has a slight anti-inflammatory effect,
- contributes to the creation of a favorable environment for the propagation of beneficial bacteria in the intestine.
Vitamin composition of white currant.
White currant contains the following vitamins: vitamins of group B (B1, B2, B6, B9), vitamins C, P, E, A. Although the content of ascorbic acid in the composition of white currant is only 42 μg per 100 g, which is almost 5 times less than in black currant.
- Vitamin C: restores the stable functioning of the nervous system, participates in hematopoiesis, promotes the absorption of iron in the body, stimulates the endocrine system. In addition, vitamin C improves the condition of the entire circulatory system of a person. It increases vascular elasticity, reducing the risk of diseases of the cardiovascular system. In addition, ascorbic acid is an antioxidant and helps to eliminate free radicals. Vitamin C is popularly called the vitamin of youth because of its positive effect on cartilage, the restoration of collagen in the body.
- Vitamin A: improves cellular metabolism, restores the natural level of immunity, sharpens vision, and also has an antitumor effect. But, it is worth remembering that vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, and absolutely non-greasy white currant reduces the beneficial properties of vitamin A. To assimilate vitamin A, currants should be consumed with any fats. It is useful for people in contact with heavy smokers - retinol reduces the effect of tobacco smoke on the body. Also, thanks to retinol, the aging process slows down, the bone system is formed, and fat metabolism improves. A person needs about 15 thousand IU of retinol per day, and in white currant it is only 0.5 micrograms per 100g.
- Vitamin P: works best in conjunction with ascorbic acid, improving vascular permeability, making them more elastic. Rutin belongs to the group of flavanoids. Flavanoids contribute to the normalization of blood pressure, improve the functioning of the cardiovascular system, reduce intraocular pressure, improve the separation of bile and the production of urine, and contribute to the rejuvenation of the body.
In addition, white currants contain magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, sodium and iron.
White currant useful properties for various diseases
Thanks to the substances that make up the white currant, it is recommended to use it for diseases of the cardiovascular system to strengthen the walls of blood vessels, with systematic fatigue and loss of strength, problems with blood. Also, this is one of the few berries that can use allergies without fear.
It is difficult to describe all the beneficial properties of white currant, there are too many of them.
It is recommended to eat white currants with cholesterol plaques in the vessels and simply with high cholesterol in the blood due to rutin and ascorbic acid, which work much more actively in pairs. Pectin contained in currants in the same way as a sponge absorbs cholesterol and removes it from the body.
In case of cardiovascular diseases, in addition to strengthening vessels and improving their elasticity, mineral substances contained in its composition strengthen the heart muscle.
White currant is useful for intestinal infections - organic acids contained in its composition destroy some bacteria and viruses.
Among all the other useful properties of white currant is a general strengthening effect on the body and increase immunity. A tablespoon of these berries per day can significantly improve immunity.
It is impossible to ignore the content of B vitamins in white currant. For depression, for neurosis, for memory problems, it is recommended to eat its berries. In this case, the human psyche becomes more stable and it is easier for a person to bear emotional stress.
Also, white currant has a beneficial effect on male potency.
With colds and diseases of the ENT organs, such as bronchitis, tonsillitis, tonsillitis, decoction of leaves of white currant lowers temperature, has an expectorant effect, increases local immunity, and has bactericidal and antiviral properties. But it is worth remembering that the antiviral properties of white currant are several times lower compared to black.
White currant is necessary for people suffering from a lack of vitamin E. It improves reproductive functions and prevents skin aging.
White currant useful properties for children nursing mothers
The main useful property of white currant for children and nursing mothers is the low likelihood of allergies. It is because of the white color of the berries that it can be eaten by children with food allergies, allergic to red products, and nursing mothers can also add it to their diet with caution.
White currant can be introduced into baby food from 5-6 months of one of the first berries in connection with its easy digestibility. There are no contraindications to the use of white currant in children, except for food and individual intolerance. The best blanks from this berry for children are stewed fruit, jelly, fruit drinks and jelly.
The use of white currant for children also consists in a beneficial effect on vision, which is undoubtedly important in the modern world.
In nursing mothers, eating white currants reduces the risk of hypovitaminosis and iron deficiency anemia.
Whitecurrant: contraindications
White currant has many useful properties, it rarely causes an allergy, but it, like any other product, has certain contraindications.
White currant can not be consumed in various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: gastritis with high acidity, gastric and duodenal ulcers, due to the high content of various acids and ascorbic acid, it can provoke an exacerbation of these diseases.
