What Are the Health Benefits of Dried Black Currants?

Dried black currants are a powerhouse of nutrition, offering dietary fiber as well as vitamins and minerals. Prepared from the small, berry-like fruit native to Europe, dried black currents are often used as a substitute for raisins, dates or prunes in baked goods. They have a tart flavor that pairs well with cream and with sweeter fruits like raspberries and cherries.

Dietary Fiber

A 1/2-cup serving of dried black currants contains 5 grams of dietary fiber. This amount supplies approximately 20 percent of the Food and Nutrition Board's recommended daily allowance of fiber for healthy adult men and women following a 2,000-calorie diet. Similar to other dried fruits like raisins or figs, dried black currants are a source of both soluble and insoluble fiber. A high intake of soluble fiber may lower your risk of diabetes and high blood cholesterol, while plenty of insoluble fiber helps regulate bowel movements and may prevent digestive disorders. Fiber-rich foods like dried currants may also decrease your risk of obesity, heart disease, stroke and hypertension.

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Copper

Adults over 19 years old need 900 micrograms of copper each day. Dried black currants provide 367 micrograms of copper in every cup, or about 37 percent of an adult's required daily intake. Copper is used by the body to synthesize collagen and to promote the absorption of iron. It is also necessary for energy metabolism and to inhibit free radical compounds from damaging cellular tissue and DNA. Adequate copper intake may lower your chances of developing osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, thyroid problems and anemia.

Manganese

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A 1-cup serving of dried black currants has 0.34 milligrams of the mineral manganese. For a man, this amount fulfills nearly 15 percent of his daily manganese requirement. For a woman, a cup of dried black currants supplies 19 percent of her manganese RDA. Without enough high-manganese foods in your diet, you may suffer from weakness, infertility or bone problems. Manganese is crucial for the health of the nervous system and as a factor in the production of hormones, bone tissue, the proteins involved in blood coagulation and the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase. Being chronically deficient in manganese can increase your risk of diabetes, osteoporosis and arthritis.

Potassium

As both a mineral and an electrolyte, potassium is required for the growth, development and maintenance of bones and to help establish the electrochemical balance that allows muscle contraction and nerve cell impulse transmission to occur properly. Dried black currants contain 642 milligrams of potassium in every cup, or 14 percent of the 4,700-milligram RDA of potassium for adults. A diet that regularly incorporates plenty of potassium-rich foods like dried currants may decrease the risk of osteoporosis, kidney disease, high blood pressure and stroke.

References

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