Why Eat Gooseberries?
Ayurveda highly advises consuming a gooseberry daily to increase longevity, metabolism, and immunity. It is referred to as a “Divyaushada” or a heavenly medicine since it has five flavors that are beneficial to the health of the body and mind: sweet, sour, bitter, astringent, and pungent.
Gooseberries are sour berries frequently used in fruit desserts and prepared sauces for rich meats like roast duck. They are an excellent source or root of important nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin A, manganese, and dietary fiber and are low in calories, fat, and cholesterol. According to the Nutrient Data Lab of the US Department of Agriculture, gooseberries in cans have a similar nutritional profile to those in raw form. This is because canned gooseberries are a wonderful alternative. After all, fresh berries are only accessible briefly in the summer.
Types of Gooseberries
Gooseberries can be yellow, green, or a color between purple and red. European or American cultivars are often used (or a mix of both). Invicta is a popular European cultivar with large, tasteless fruit. The Captivator is a mix of European and American plants. It has red fruits that look like teardrops.
You can buy gooseberries fresh or in a jar. You can find dried, jammed, and canned gooseberries online, at farmers’ markets, and in gourmet food stores. But it’s important to know that many gooseberry products have added sugar (up to 11.5-12.5g of sugar per tablespoon of gooseberry preserves).
Gooseberries’ Nutrition Facts
One cup (150g) of raw gooseberries has 66 calories, 1.3g of protein, 15g of carbohydrates, and 0.9g of fat. Gooseberries are a great way to get vitamin A and vitamin C, as well as the mineral manganese. The USDA gives the following information about food’s nutritional value:
- Calories: 66
- Sodium: 1.5mg
- Fat: 0.9g
- Protein: 1.3g
- Fiber: 6.5g
- Vitamin C: 41.6mg
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Vitamin A: 22.5mcg
Carbs
One cup of raw gooseberries has 14-16 grams of sugar and about 6.4-6.6 grams of fiber. Like all berries, gooseberries have sugar in them that is made by nature, but the USDA doesn’t say how much.
Fats
Gooseberries are very low in fat, with less than 1 gram of fat per cup, just like many other fresh fruits.
Protein
Gooseberries don’t have a lot of protein. One cup of gooseberries has only 1.3 grams of protein.
Minerals and Vitamins
Even though gooseberries are low in calories, they are full of vitamins and minerals that are good for you. One cup of raw gooseberries has at least half of the vitamin C you need for the whole day to fight inflammation.
Gooseberries also have manganese and vitamin A. As with other berries, the pigments in gooseberry skins are antioxidants that protect cells.
Health Benefits of Gooseberries
Researchers have looked into berries, including gooseberries, and found that they are some of the healthiest and most nutritious foods.
Decrease Risks of Type 2 Diabetes & Colon Cancer
Each cup of fresh gooseberries has about 5-7 grams of fiber, about 25-27% of the amount of fiber that healthy adults should eat daily. Both insoluble and soluble fiber can be found in berries like gooseberries.
Insoluble fiber may help prevent digestive problems like hemorrhoids and colon cancer and can help control your bowel movements. Soluble fiber can lower your risk of high blood cholesterol and diabetes.
Gooseberries Prevent Heart Diseases
Fresh gooseberries have 434-436 International Units of vitamin A per one-cup serving. This is 17.9-18.1 percent of a woman’s daily vitamin A needs and 13.9-14.1 percent of a man’s. The carotenoid form of vitamin A is found in gooseberries. Carotenoids are antioxidants that may help prevent neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, heart disease, and diabetes.
Gooseberries have vitamin A, which controls your genes, makes more red blood cells, and helps keep your eyes healthy. Eating a lot of vitamin A-rich foods may make you less likely to get sick or have eye problems like age-related macular degeneration.
Aids with Energy Metabolism
Men need 2.2-2.4 milligrams of manganese daily to meet their daily needs, while women only need 1.7-1.9 milligrams. Fresh gooseberries have 0.19-0.21 milligrams of manganese per cup, 11.9-12.1 percent of the RDA for women and 8.9-9.1 percent for men.
Manganese is important for the body because it helps the body absorb calcium, helps with blood sugar control and energy metabolism, and makes the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase, or SOD, work. If you don’t get enough manganese in your diet, you may have a higher chance of getting osteoporosis, arthritis, or diabetes. If women don’t get enough of the mineral, they may have very bad symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.
Healthy Teeth and Bones
Fresh, raw gooseberries have 41.9-42.1 milligrams of vitamin C per cup. This amount gives an adult woman 54.9-55.1 percent of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin C and a man 45.9-46.1 percent of the RDA. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that can protect DNA and cellular tissue from damage caused by free radical compounds.
It is also needed to make collagen and keep teeth and bones in good shape. If you eat a lot of vitamin C, you may be less likely to get heart disease, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, or cancer. Fresh gooseberries have the most vitamin C when kept in a cool, dark place and eaten within 2-5 days.
Prevent Some Types of Cancers
Gooseberries have several plant chemicals that fight cancer. Quercetin, a flavonoid found in Indian gooseberries, makes cells eat themselves (programmed death of mutated cells).
Some of the tannins in gooseberries, like gallic acid, chebulagic acid, and ellagic acid, have strong antioxidant effects. Even though there isn’t enough evidence about how to treat or prevent cancer in humans yet, more research is needed.
Helps Wounds to Heal
A cup of raw gooseberries has about 41.9-42.1 milligrams of vitamin C, a big chunk of the 74.9 to 90.1 milligrams most adults need daily. Vitamin C is an important building block for collagen and a powerful antioxidant, vital for skin integrity.
Because of these things, vitamin C is a very important part of healing wounds. In addition to vitamin C, gooseberries also have vitamin E and zinc, which help the body repair itself naturally.
Protects Against Ulcers
Naturopaths have used gooseberries for a long time to calm stomach acid. Modern studies seem to back up the use of gooseberries in Ayurvedic medicine to treat dyspepsia and make stomach acid more balanced.
In studies with rats, gooseberry extract was shown to protect against ulcers caused by drinking too much alcohol or taking too much aspirin. Even though there needs to be more research on humans, this possible benefit of gooseberries comes with very little risk.
Side Effects of Eating Gooseberries
Gooseberries have a lot of fiber, which can take some getting used to if you don’t usually eat a lot of fiber. Increase your intake, drink lots of water, and avoid gas and bloating by staying active to help your digestive system adjust.
Allergies Linked to Gooseberries
Gooseberries are not a common allergen, but anyone of any age can become allergic to any food. Reactions can happen right away or several hours after eating the offending food. Some of the most common signs of a food allergy are hives, a runny nose, diarrhea, wheezing, or vomiting.
If you think you might be allergic to gooseberries, you should see your doctor for a full checkup.
Food Storage and Safety
Fresh gooseberries can be preserved in the fridge for one to two weeks, or you can try to freeze them. To get the best results, take off the stems, and wash and dry them adequately.
Clean and dry the gooseberries, then spread them out in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Arrange the cookie sheet in the freezer until the gooseberries are hard. Once the gooseberries are frozen, put them in resealable plastic bags or another container that can go in the freezer and keep them there for up to two years.
This method takes a little longer, but the delicate berries won’t get crushed or stuck together when frozen. Gooseberries that have been frozen don’t need to be thawed before use. Add them to recipes that call for them to be cooked, like pie fillings, jams, and sauces, or eat them straight from the freezer.
How to Prepare Gooseberries
You’ll need 5-7 cups of gooseberries, 1-2 cups of water, and 3.5-4.5 cups of sugar to make gooseberry jam. Clean the berries with water and put them in a saucepan with water. Bring the water to a boil. Go ahead and reduce the heat and simmer until the berries are soft, about 14-16 minutes. Take 3.5-4.5 cups of the gooseberries that have been simmering to mix with the sugar. For 6 to 10 minutes, let it boil.
Gooseberries can be cooked down with minced garlic, black pepper, fresh thyme, and a splash of vinegar to make a tasty sauce. Fresh gooseberries go well with seeds and nuts, which are healthy fats.
Gooseberries that have been dried are a little harder to find, but you can buy them from many online stores. Combine with pumpkin and almonds seeds to make trail mix.
