A Home-Grown Health Superhero!
| Published: 20th June 2007 15:24 |
Latest findings show that the superfruit leading the way with its health benefits is none other than a fruit indigenous to the British Isles - the humble British blackcurrant.
Celebrities and superfruit followers alike have for years been extolling the virtues of blueberries and exotic goji berries, but in actual fact should be looking closer to home for the fruit that is packed with outstanding health benefits and numerous vitamins and minerals.
According to recent research the British blackcurrant is the fruit you should look to this summer when you want to give yourself an optimum health boost, as it can lay greater claim to the term ‘superfruit' than any other.
The research has been conducted by Dr Derek Stewart and his group at the Scottish Crop Research Institute (SCRI). The motivation for the research stemmed from the huge media interest and publicity surrounding superfruits, coupled with the lack of consumer knowledge and understanding of what a superfruit is or what a fruit must contain to be one.
The research group has spent time studying reputable food compositional databases and scientific publications, both of which detail actual and potential health benefits, of twenty popular fruits.
"Out of the research we have analysed, we have comparatively assessed various health claims/benefits and nutritional compositions of a number of ‘superfruits'. From this model it is clear from a quick overview that those with a purple/red colour perform particularly well - the darker the fruit the higher the anthocyanin/antioxidant content. Blackcurrants are very dark purple in colour and in line with these indicators, comes out top in the majority of the categories."
The quintessentially British blackcurrant has high levels of antoxidants, known as anthocyanins. Research from the last 3 years has found that these anthocyanins, along with other components, can help to prevent Alzheimer's, heart disease, eye strain, MRSA and urinary tract infections. These latest findings certainly show blackcurrants leading the way with their nutritional and health benefits.
"Over the last few years the SCRI has continued to report on new findings in relation to the health benefits of British blackcurrants," comments Jo Hilditch, Chairwoman of the Blackcurrant Foundation. "This latest research just proves how eating blackcurrants and drinking blackcurrant juice can help to provide you with a wealth of health benefits."
In line with this research the Blackcurrant Foundation has created a Superfruit ‘wheel' to allow consumers to select the fruit they are interested in and to view its health benefits versus other fruits listed on the wheel. For more information or to obtain a superfruit wheel, readers should visit www.superfruits.org.
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