Blackcurrant is the best gift of the summer garden. Black berries are fraught with incredible reserves of nutrients, vitamins and antioxidants. However, it also happens that a person is forced to refuse tasty treats due to certain diseases. Today we will talk about the beneficial properties of blackcurrant and contraindications to its use. It should be noted that this is one of the few garden berries that is used simultaneously in the food, pharmaceutical, distillery and canning industries.
Chemical composition
You won’t describe it in a nutshell, but we need to understand this issue in detail if you want to know the useful properties of blackcurrant and contraindications for its use. This is a real storehouse of health, so in the summer you need to eat this berry as often as possible, as well as harvest for the winter in the form of fruit drinks, as well as in freezing. The berries contain ascorbic acid and carotene, vitamins P, a sufficiently large number of flavones, anthocyanins, catechins, leukoanthocyanins. This berry can be safely consumed during the diet, since only 64 kcal is the calorie content of blackcurrant. The composition includes a whole collection of vitamins, alpha-tocopherol, riboflavin, calciferol, pyridoxine.
When studying the properties of black currant, it was found that it contains a specific vitamin, which the ball is named J, it is believed that it protects against pneumonia. However, this is not the end of our list. In addition to these vitamins, the composition of the berries includes citric, salicylic, tartaric and malic acids, as well as natural sugars. Currants are very rich in pectin. It is thanks to this that it makes magnificent jelly. The beneficial properties of blackcurrant and contraindications are very important for each of us to know, because this is the most valuable source of vitamins and minerals. Of the latter, the berries contain cobalt and copper, iodine and iron, as well as manganese.
Berries or leaves
This is an amazing plant, which is entirely medicinal. In addition to berries, leaves also have healing properties, not only fresh, but also dried. Therefore, harvest them for future use and add in the winter to tea and fruit drinks. All the useful properties of blackcurrant and contraindications when using leaves are almost identical to berries. Green leaves contain a large amount of ascorbic acid, phenolic compounds, phytoncides and essential oils.
Healing properties
The composition and properties of blackcurrant are determined by its chemical composition. Saturating the body with such a large number of microelements, minerals and vitamins, this amazing berry will help to cope with many diseases and serves as an excellent preventive measure. The rich composition of delicious berries affects almost all organs and enhances immunity. In medicinal preparations, both berries and leaves are used, and in most cases the second useful substances contain even more. You can replenish the daily intake of vitamin C by eating only 20 berries.
Biological properties
First of all, it is a natural multivitamin complex, as well as a source of the most important trace elements. That is, before you is an inexpensive, affordable today throughout the year (frozen winter) means to increase the body's stamina and resistance to infections. Tasty berries and decoction of leaves help strengthen capillaries, stimulate blood formation, increase secretion of gastric juice. The leaves of this amazing plant have diuretic and diaphoretic properties. The high content of pectin substances promotes the binding and removal of toxins, radionuclides and salts of heavy metals from the body.
Modern studies have shown that decoction of blackcurrant leaves stimulates the adrenal glands, so it can be used even with hormone therapy.
The use of berries for medical purposes
We already know why blackcurrant is useful, now let's see what diseases it can help cure. It is very useful for acute respiratory viral infections, thanks to currants, you can quickly alleviate the condition of the patient and speed up recovery even after operations. Potassium contained in blackcurrant removes salt from the body. This, in turn, helps with diseases of the cardiovascular system and kidneys. The essential oils presented in the composition help with heart and kidney diseases. Blackcurrant stimulates the body, increases tone and stabilizes the work of organs. This berry is very useful for diseases of the heart and blood vessels, as well as for eye diseases. It contains a lot of sugar, but blackcurrant is not contraindicated for people suffering from diabetes. Small berries very successfully stimulate the digestive tract, stomach and intestines, as well as relieve colic.
Leaf treatment
Not only the berry should be borne in mind, all black currants are useful. "Leaves: useful properties and contraindications" - this is a separate topic for a whole scientific treatise. We will try to tell you only the basics so that you have an idea of how to approach such herbal medicine. By brewing leaves, you can quickly get rid of respiratory diseases and atherosclerosis. This simple recipe will be an excellent prevention and treatment for Alzheimer's disease. That is, it is especially useful for older people, as it helps to maintain their intellectual capabilities.
In what other cases can the leaves of blackcurrant help? Useful properties and contraindications, the composition you must study before treatment, since herbal medicine can also harm if the dosage is too large. With the help of currants, rash and skin diseases are very well cured. In addition, the regular use of a small amount of berries or tincture of blackcurrant leaves removes toxins and mercury, lead and cobalt, and salt from the body. Moreover, currants can be used to prepare savory meat dishes and delicious desserts, so the range of uses is very wide.
Contraindications
As we have already said, any medicine in large doses is poison, and this is true for such a useful berry as black currant. Useful properties, treatment, contraindications to the use of this berry should be known to everyone who is attentive to their health. So, first of all, you need to remember that you should not eat too many berries, that is, you must comply with the norm. Otherwise, an allergic reaction and diarrhea may develop. We have already said that it is enough to consume about 20 berries per day, this is enough to provide the body with vitamin C and other useful substances.
It is not recommended to use currants for thrombophlebitis and a tendency to form blood clots due to the high content of vitamin K. People with gastritis and an ulcer, as well as high acidity, should also refrain from consuming these berries. If you have recently suffered a heart attack or stroke, then blackcurrant juice is strictly contraindicated for you. Doctors recommend giving up currants during pregnancy due to the high risk of developing an allergic reaction in the baby.
As you have already noticed, most contraindications relate to berries, and not a word is said about the leaves. Indeed, they are completely safe, and they can be treated as long as you like. And how delicious is strong winter tea with the aroma of blackcurrant.
Recipes for you
This is both a first-aid kit and a cookbook for a young housewife, but it is useful to absolutely everyone. You can prepare fresh berry juice in season. It increases the secretion of gastric juice, and therefore is very useful for gastritis with high acidity. Juice and fresh berries are very widely used for anemia of various origins, in the postoperative period, after severe and debilitating diseases to restore strength and increase immunity. For treatment, you will need to use 50-100 ml three times a day.
In winter, dried berries will help you a lot. This remedy is great for treating hypertension. You need to take a decoction three times a day, 50 ml each. A decoction of dried berries is an excellent diaphoretic for colds. In addition, it helps with diarrhea, can be used as a diuretic in various edema. In these cases, take 1 tablespoon three times a day. Preparing a decoction in the ratio of 2-3 tablespoons of dried berries per 1 glass of water. Simmer for 10 minutes and then infuse under a closed lid.
Infusion of leaves is an excellent medicine for diseases caused by metabolic disorders. These include gout and articular rheumatism, osteochondrosis. Very often, this remedy is used when there are stones in the bladder, and when urination is delayed.
Note to the hostess
Do you know how to make wonderful vitamin jelly? For these purposes, you can separate the juice from the berries. We fill them with sugar (per 1 kg 150 g of granulated sugar), wait a day and drain the juice. The process must be repeated 2 more times, but at the same time reduce the sugar rate to 100 g at a time. Now it remains only to pour the juice into a glass dish and put in the refrigerator. We told you what blackcurrant is, we described the beneficial properties and contraindications in sufficient detail so that you do not forget about such a wonderful gift from the summer garden.