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Health benefits of gooseberries

  • Gooseberries are low in calories; 100 g of fresh berries provide only 44 calories. As in blackcurrants, they too have significantly high amounts of phenolic phytochemicals especially flavones and anthocyanins. These compounds have been found to have numerous health-benefiting effects against cancer, aging, inflammation, and neurological diseases.

  • They have moderately well in anti-oxidant values. At 3277 umol TE/100g, gooseberries have oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) value comparable to that of red currants (3387umol TE/100g).

  • The berries are moderate source of vitamin-C. 100 g of fresh berries provide 27.7 mcg or 46% of daily-recommended intake values of vitamin C. Research studies have shown that consumption of fruits rich in vitamin C helps body develop immunity against infectious agents and help scavenge harmful oxygen free radicals from the body.

  • They have small amounts of vitamin A. 100 g berries has 290 IU or 10 % of RDA of this vitamin. Vitamin A is required for maintaining integrity of mucus membranes and skin, and essential component of visual cycle. In addition, consumption of natural fruits rich in vitamins and flavonoid anti-oxidants has been found to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.

  • Fresh berries contain small amounts of essential vitamins such as pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), folates, and thiamin (vitamin B-1). Some of these vitamins are essential in the sense that the body requires them for metabolism from external sources to replenish.

  • Furthermore, gooseberries contain adequate levels of minerals such as copper, calcium, phosphorus, manganese, magnesium, and potassium.

  • Indian gooseberries (amla) are exceptionally rich in vitamin C. However, their anti-oxidant properties come from other anti-oxidant compounds tannins (emblicanin, punigluconin, pedunculagin etc).
Principle Nutrient Value Percentage of RDA
Energy 44 Kcal 2%
Carbohydrates 10.18 g 8%
Protein 0.88 g 1.5%
Total Fat 0.58 g 3%
Cholesterol 0 mg 0%
Dietary Fiber 4.3 g 11%
Vitamins

Folates 6 mcg 1.5%
Niacin 0.300 mg 2%
Pantothenic acid 0.286 mg 6%
Pyridoxine 0.080 mg 6%
Riboflavin 0.030 mg 2%
Thiamin 0.040 mg 3%
Vitamin A 290 IU 10%
Vitamin C 27.7 mg 46%
Electrolytes

Sodium 1 mg 0%
Potassium 198 mg 4%
Minerals

Calcium 25 mg 2.5%
Copper 0.070 mg 8%
Iron 0.31 mg 4%
Magnesium 10 mg 2.5%
Manganese 0.144 mg 6%
Phosphorus 27 mg 4%
Zinc 0.12 mg 1%

Selection and storage

Inside the USA markets, fresh gooseberries and currants begin to appear by July. Buy fresh harvest, ripe, firm, bright colored berries for eating as table fruits and to use in desserts. Choose mature but unripe berries to make tart and to use in cooking. Avoid berries that are excessively soft, shriveled, and with bruises with leaking juice.

If not used immediately, store them in the refrigerator where they kept fresh for few days.

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