Vitamin bombs Currants are extremely rich in vitamins and minerals

Currants: The vitamin C stars among the berry fruits

Currants are among the best summer foods for many Germans. They are the vitamin C stars among the berry fruits, especially the blackcurrant. In addition, the berries contain many healthy minerals. Before eating, they should always be cleaned and stored properly.

Delicious and healthy

Currants are delicious. The small berries are sour and healthy. Among other things, they contain a lot of vitamin C, which in combination with the phenolic acids and flavonoids also contained in currants can also prevent the deposition of cholesterol on the arterial walls and thus reduce the risk of hypertension and heart attacks. Since the fruits are also rich in various minerals, the currant is used in natural medicine among other things as a home remedy for iron deficiency. Experts explain what else is in the delicious berries.

Currants are an absolutely healthy pleasure. The berry fruit is not only rich in vitamin C, but also contains many minerals and fiber. (Image: okrasyuk / fotolia.com)

Taste of rather sweetish to very sour

Currants are an absolutely healthy pleasure, whether black, red, pink or white. The personal taste decides which color the preference is given. From rather sweetish or slightly acidic to very sour and tart, everything is there.

Particularly delicious are the red currant Ribes rubrum and the blackcurrant Ribes nigrum.

Also the varieties with pink, delicately yellow and white fruits belong to the red currants. They are missing only the plant dye anthocyanin, which is present in the red varieties, explains the Federal Center for Nutrition (BZfE).

The approximately five to ten millimeters small smooth fruits sit in clusters of up to 15 pieces together; in blackcurrant there are few to single berries.

As the BZfE explains, the fruits are "real" berries, meaning the seeds are embedded in the juicy pulp. You can see this well in the white varieties whose skin is almost translucent.

The nutritionally most valuable berry fruit

Currants are rich in fruit acids such as citric and malic acid. In addition, they have many ballast and minerals and vitamins - especially the blackcurrant.

According to the experts, it is even the most nutritionally valuable berry fruit - a real local superfood.

With 177 milligrams of vitamin C per 100 grams, it has five times the amount of red currant, compared to nearly four times as much vitamin A. The mineral content is also significantly higher, including potassium, calcium, phosphorus and iron.

The same applies to the content of sugars, fruit acids and fiber. Because the content of anthocyanins is ten times, the fruits are so dark black-purple.

The two species also differ in taste. While the pink and white varieties taste mildly acidic to sweet, the reds are acidic to sour and the black ones are predominantly tart and - depending on the variety - more or less aromatic.

Versatile to use

Both the red and the black currants are very suitable for fresh consumption, even if many people do not like the tart taste of black fruits.

It is worthwhile, however, to try again and again. There are sometimes significant differences between the varieties and newer varieties are improved in taste.

Currants can be used very versatile in the kitchen. Fully ripe red, pink or white fruits can be enjoyed simply pure. They are also often processed into juice, syrup, jam, jelly, red fruit jelly, ice cream or sorbet.

As a cake topping or in the fruit salad as well as for the Rumtopf they are also outstanding. The Blackcurrant know most processed rather, especially as juice, syrup, jelly, mixed jams or as a liqueur "Cassis".

The BZfE has one more tip: The fruits of both species have a relatively firm outer skin, so they can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days.

It should be checked again before washing and if necessary sort out mushy fruits. It is best to wash all the grapes and then brush the individual fruits with a fork as needed. (Ad)