VITAMIN STOREROOM

Unfortunately, black currants are not the most popular of berries. People most often prefer strawberries or black berries. But it is precisely black currants that contain a number of amazing properties, which are not found in other berries.

What medicine has to say about them

It would not be over-exaggerating to say that the black currant is a veritable storeroom of vitamins and other beneficial substances. First and foremost, we are talking about vitamins of the B and P groups, as well as provitamin A - carotene. Pectin substances, ethereal oils and phosphoric acid, tannic acid and potassium salts, iron and phosphorus make up a simply impressive list of substances highly beneficial to man. Even the leaves of the black currant possess medicinal properties.

They contain copper and sulphur, magnesium and manganese, phytocides, a large amounts of ethereal oil and vitamin C. In general, black currants are the top-ranking berry when it comes to vitamin C. It is sufficient to eat 20 berries per day to satisfy your daily requirements in this vitamin. Red currants also contain many beneficial things, but not in such large quantities.

Consumption of black currants cuts down the risk of cancer diseases. Thanks to the carotene, pectin, ethereal oils and phosphorus, black currants help in combatting cardio-vascular diseases and help the elderly to retain their mental capacity. Actively affecting the brain, black currants considerably reduce the chances of the elderly suffering from Alzheimer's disease. But that's not all! Black currants contain many more minerals than other berries. It is also good for those suffering from diabetes. The phosphorus contained in black currants helps in retaining good eyesight for a long time.

Doctors advise that that black currant leaves can be used in treating diseases of the liver and respiratory tracts and sometimes in getting rid of kidney stones. These berries also help those suffering from atheroschlerosis. When all its components are taken together, the black currant possesses disinfectant properties and is involved in anti-inflammatory processes. Blackcurrant juice is often used in treating acute tonsillitis. When preserving black currants, it is important to retain the majority of the beneficial properties. Frequently, when a patient is recovering from a serious illness or operation, the doctor in charge of the patient will prescribe black currant juice to help the body recover more quickly.

Doctors frequently advise consuming black currants to combat abnormal hypertension and anaemia, gastric ulcers, bleeding gums and gastritis. In these cases, the berries are consumed in stewed form. Similarly, the stewed berries are used in ridding the body of purine and uric acids as fast as possible, as a laxative and a diuretic, to restore the metabolism and stop haemorrhages. They should of course only be used as prescribed by a doctor.

The consumption of black currants is only contraindicated in the case of thrombophlebitis. The fact is that the high content of vitamin K and phenols increases the rate of blood-clotting and the formation of thrombi. On the whole, it is important to be aware of the main factor, namely that neither black currants nor any other fruit, even the most nutritious, can replace a complete course of treatment. It can be taken either as a type of preventative treatment, or on the advice of the doctor, but the latter is rarely the case. When patients are suffering from serious diseases, natural products can only be used in tandem with medicinal preparations, but can never replace them.

Black currants in our country

Black currants came to Azerbaijan from Russia, where they became extremely popular as a medical treatmenttwo centuries ago, but had long been known to folk medicine, Black currants are rather difficult to grow in our region, since they are really a native plant of colder climes and prefer a completely different type of soil. The soil in our country, and especially in Abseron, is not really suitable for cultivating them. This is why black currants are so expensive to buy in our parts. At the height of the season black currants cost two or three manats per kilo on the market, but at the beginning and the end of the season the price goes up to six manats. The sellers say that the best time to buy black currants is the first half of July or mid-July.

GardenerLatifa Zeynalova said in an interview with Regionplus that amateur gardeners can grow black currants, but there is one important subtle factor to be considered in doing this. "The fact is that once every three years, the black currant bushes need to be replanted in a different place," the gardener says. "If you don't do that, in the fourth year the bushes will simply not bear any fruit." The interesting thing is that the bushes continue to grow as if nothing had happened, which confuses you into thinking that the plant is living quite normally. But that is not so. "In the fourth year the roots of the black currant bush go down so deep in the soil that it simply becomes impossible to uproot the bushes and plant them in another place," Zeynalova tells us. "Therefore, if you haven't moved the bush in time, you simply won't be able to do that the following year and then you may risk not getting any fruit on it in the new spot."

The gardener says that black currant bushes do not require any special care. All that you need to do is water them two or three times a day in summer. In autumn and spring they need to be watered once a week, and you don't need to water them at all in winter.

When it comes to their medicinal properties, it is quite clear. But the black currants are very tasty when crushed with sugar, when stewed or made into a fruit drink or jam. Thanks to gelatine-like substances in the currants, the jam made from black or red currants turns out like a jelly. Jam made from red currants is ruby red in colour. An extremely delicious tea can be made from the leaves of the currant bush, which has invigorating properties. If you put a few black currant leaves into ordinary tea, you will not only boost your health but also feel invigorated and you will be really pleased to drink such an aromatic beverage. Good health to you!

BLACK CURRANT JAM

Ingredients:

1 kg black currants

1.2 kg sugar

Half a teaspoon of citric acid (to preserve the colour and flavour)

Half a glass of water

Preparation:

Clean the black currants and wash them thoroughly, allowing any water to drain away. Gently crush some of the black currants in portions in a convenient utensil, but not too many. Pour the water into the pan in which the jam is to be made, add the berries, heat them, stirring them, for 10 minutes on a medium heat. Then add the sugar in portions so that it is well dissolved and bring the mixture to the boil. Then simmer on a low heat for 20-25 minutes, no longer, stirring all the time to prevent it from burning and sometimes skimming off the foam. Add the citric acid five minutes before it is ready and mix in well. The jam is very tasty and has plenty of flavour, and is good to eat with pancakes and fritters.

BLACK CURRANT PRESERVE

Ingredients:

Black currants - 1 kg

Granulated sugar 1.2 kg

Water - 1.5-2 glasses

Preparation:

Clean the berries and wash them thoroughly. Put the water into a big enamelled saucepan and bring it to the boil. Add the berries and boil them on a medium heat for exactly 10 minutes. Then add the sugar and bring to the boil, while stirring. Put the hot cooked preserve into sterile jars and seal them immediately with metal lids. This preserve will keep for a long time and is not at all sour, but has a delicate flavour. Do not be afraid that there is too much water. The preserve turns out the right consistency while the skin of the berries remains soft. Even people who do not like black currants enjoy eating this preserve. 

BOTTLED RED CURRANTS 

Ingredients:

1 kg of red currants on their stems

500 ml water

250 g sugar

Preparation:

Wash the currants thoroughly and remove any bad or squashed ones from the stems. Bring the water and sugar to the boil. Pack the currants tightly into sterilised jars and pour the boiling sugar syrup onto them and close with sterilised lids. Sterilise the jars of bottled fruit for 15-20 minutes in the case of 500-millilitre jars, 20-25 minutes for litre jars and 45 minutes for three-litre jars and immediately seal them tightly. This bottled fruit is highly concentrated, so you need to dilute it with water according to taste before eating.