Healthy eating: Four reasons to eat more gooseberries

gooseberry

Gooseberries are finally in season again. Sweet berries are full of healthy nutrients and should end up on your plate regularly in the summer. We reveal all the health effects of delicious berries here.

As a regional and seasonal soft fruit, the furry gooseberry is simply part of summer. Depending on the variety, gooseberries, which belong to the currant genus, ripen from June to August.

Anyone who always sleeps during gooseberry season should prepare now. The first batches of delicious berries are already available at weekly markets and in supermarkets. Ripe berries are very sweet. They contain almost as much sugar as grapes. Different varieties can be identified by their colouring. Red or green gooseberries are typical. The berry's hard, thick rind is translucent, allowing a peek into the inside of the veins. This is full of valuable nutrients. 100 grams of gooseberries contain on average:

Carbohydrates (8.5 grams)

Potassium (200 milligrams)

Calcium (30 milligrams)

Magnesium (15 milligrams)

Phosphorus (30 milligrams).

Vitamin C (35 milligrams)

Vitamin E (0.6 milligram)

Gooseberries bring these health benefits

1. Fiber fills you up and regulates digestion

With just 150 grams of gooseberries, you can get more than a quarter of your recommended daily fiber. Gooseberries fill you up quickly due to their high content of insoluble plant fiber. Fiber swells the stomach and other digestive systems. Due to this increase in volume, you begin to feel full quickly. High-fiber foods like gooseberries move more slowly through the digestive system, which is another reason for the long-lasting satiety effect. Digestion is also stimulated. Because the larger stool volume stimulates receptors and nerve cells in the inner walls of the intestine, which promotes the natural rhythm of digestion and emptying.

2. Regulating high blood sugar

Gooseberries can have a positive effect on stabilizing blood sugar levels. The fiber it contains, such as pectin, slows the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream. This avoids the blood sugar spikes that inevitably lead to insulin cravings when excess insulin is left in the blood. In a study, researchers were able to discover that gooseberry extract can have an inhibitory effect on alpha-glucoside. The enzyme transports sugar from food digested in the intestine into the bloodstream. If it is inhibited, less sugar enters the blood. Your blood sugar level remains stable.

3. May support brain health

Gooseberries are rich in antioxidant plant substances such as phenols, flavonoids and anthocyanins. These can protect vessels and neurons from oxidative stress and prevent the development of age-related degenerative diseases. Healthy acids such as citric, malic, and tartaric acids appear to be particularly important for brain health. They are all found in gooseberries and, according to studies, can prevent iron accumulation in cells. High levels of cellular iron can increase the release of free radicals in the body. These aggressive oxygen compounds are responsible for degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and dementia.

4. Strengthens the immune system, hair and bones

Gooseberries are full of vitamin C. This strengthens our immune system and makes us fit. In addition, the very powerful fruit contains potassium, calcium, iron and magnesium, among others, ensuring strong hair, nails and bones. And: The underrated miracle berry can be easily incorporated into a diet. Because: Gooseberries only contain about 40 calories per 100 grams - and hardly any fat. However, the sugar content of approximately 7 grams should not be underestimated.