Blackcurrants
Blackcurrant or Ribes nigrum is native to central and northern Europe and northern Asia. It is small shurb that gorws 1-2 m tall. The flowers are 4-6 mm in diameter and the fruits are edible.
Blackcurrants have very high vitamin C content along with potassium, phosphorus, iron, vitamin B5 and a range of other nutrients. They also have phytochemicals such as anthocyanins (or polyphenols). The major anthocyanins in blackcurrant pomace are delphinidin-3-O-glucoside, delphinidin-3-O-rutinoside, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside and cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside. Blackcurrant seed oil is rich in gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an essential fatty acid, along with many other nutrients.
Laboratory experiments have shown that the anthocyanins in blackcurrant have the potential to inhibit inflammation mechanisms that cause heart disease, cance, microbial infections and neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s disease.