Currants: Current Attractions or Better Off Gone?
Currants: Current Attractions or Better Off Gone?
TO be perfectly honest, I didn’t know what currants actually were before writing this article. I’ve always mentally associated currants with Great Expectations-era literature; I don’t know, they just sound like fruits from the 17/1800s? Currants may be outdated in stature, but here are some reasons that they are very relevant in their benefits!
- Metabolic conditions including diabetes can be prevented by eating currants.
- Eating currants has been shown to be conducive to heart health! Studies show that currant juice reduces arterial plaque and decrease platelet clumping, the lack of which in turn reduces blood pressure.
- According to the National Psoriasis Foundation, applying black currant oil to rough patches can soothe skin.
- Currants are packed with vitamins B, C, and MORE!
- Eating black currants can strengthen one’s immune system.
Pretty impressive list of accomplishments there, currant. But let’s take a step back – what ARE currants? They are grape-like fruits native to North America and Europe, spread over much of the western hemisphere. Anyone familiar with the British, child-favorite fruit juice Ribena is familiar with currants. Now that you know the what and why behind currants, we can investigate the how. How can one incorporate currents into the menu, aside from Ribena? They are easy fruits to incorporate into baking recipes. They can be eaten raw, dried, or in preserves. Let us know if you like these, and what fruit to analyze next by emailing to editorjaanu@gmail.com.
