Secret cure revealed : Which fruit is giving people longer life?

When it comes to eating healthily, purples really are the new greens

WHETHER you pop them in smoothies, make them into a compote or serve with roast duck, blackcurrants, which are in season throughout the summer months and available frozen the rest of the year, are bursting with goodness.

 

This tiny purple berry has high levels of antioxidant polyphenols, particularly anthocyanins, which have been shown to help maintain cardiovascular, brain and urinary tract health, as well as healthy vision.

Here are five reason to include them in your diet.

Get your blackcurrant fix however you can, whether it's in a smoothie, or part of a main meal

Strenthens immunity

Blackcurrants contain four times more vitamin C than oranges and a whopping 33 times more than blueberries.

The researchers found that after consuming blackcurrants, attention and mood were improved and mental fatigue cut

Making a tasty blackcurrant compote with a little sugar or stevia sweetener doesn’t undo the benefit either as a typical 140g serving of sweetened, stewed blackcurrants contains 182mg vitamin C, which is more than twice the recommended daily amount of this vitamin that is required for a healthy immune system.

Helps cardiovascular function

Anthocyanins are the components of blackcurrants that give them a deep purple colour and are also potent antioxidants that have been linked with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.

One theory is they protect the insides of arteries from damage that is an early step in the furring of arteries.

Other components called procyanidins in blackcurrants help keep blood vessels more elastic, while the berries are also a great source of potassium which helps keep blood pressure healthy.

Boosts your brain

Super-healthy anthocyanins in blackcurrants may also help to protect nerve cells and potentially keep you more mentally agile.

Scientists at the New Zealand institute Plant & Food Research, working in collaboration with Northumbria University in the UK, designed a study in which 36 adults were given either 250ml of blackcurrant juice, 250ml of blackcurrant extract or a placebo drink, before participating in a series of challenging metal performance tests.

The researchers found that after consuming either blackcurrant drink, attention and mood were improved and mental fatigue cut.

 

Improves the workout

There’s some evidence that blackcurrants could help with athletic performance.

Researchers at the University of Chichester looked at the effect of blackcurrant powder capsules (each equivalent to 100 blackcurrants) on performance during high intensity interval sprints.

They found that taking the supplement increased the distance that sprinters (who were not elite athletes) could cover by nearly 11 per cent and enabled them to exercise for 10 per cent longer.

 

Experts surmise blackcurrants may reduce the oxidation-related stress on the body that leads to fatigue as well as having antiinflammatory properties and helping blood flow.

Footballers, rugby players and runners could benefit.

Age-proofs the skin

Blackcurrants also top the bill as a skin-friendly fruit as anthocyanins and vitamin C create cross-links that reinforce and strengthen the collagen to firm and tighten skin.

There’s no guarantee the super berries will get rid of wrinkles but as part of a healthy diet including at least five portions of fruit and veg daily, they’ll contribute to ageproofing your body inside and out.