Gooseberry (Ribes uva-crispa)

Gooseberry: Health and Medicinal Benefits 

Gooseberries (European gooseberries) are small, round to oval berries of European origin. They grow in the wild all over the temperate climates of Europe, North America, and Siberia. Botanically, they related very closely to currants. Gooseberries are edible and can be eaten as-is, or used as an ingredient in desserts, such as pies, fools and crumbles.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF GOOSEBERRIES

1.     Gooseberries are low in calories and 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.

2.     Gooseberries are moderately good in anti-oxidant values and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) value.

3.     The berries are a moderate source of vitamin-C which helps body to develop immunity against infectious agents, and help scavenge harmful oxygen free radicals from the body. It also purifies the blood. It improves health. It also reduces brain diseases.

4.     Gooseberries carry a small amount of vitamin-A which is required for maintaining integrity of mucusa and skin and essential component of visual cycle. Eye sight will be improved. In addition, consumption of natural fruits rich in vitamins and flavonoid anti-oxidants has been found to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.

5.     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.

6.     Gooseberries contain moderate levels of minerals such as copper, calcium, phosphorus, manganese, magnesium, and potassium.

7.     If consumed daily 5 or 6 gooseberry for about a week or two cold will be cured. Obstruction will be reduced; no memory power, falling hair, gray hairs will be reduced.

8.     Blood coming with urine will be stopped, if gooseberry is taken with sugar. Amoebiosis will be reduced if it is used with sugar, stomach pain stops.

9.     If there is more sweatting paste of gooseberry should be applied to the palms and should not be washed. If gooseberry is used with butter milk three to four times in a day, burning of palm and feet will stop. If small variety of this gooseberry fruit is taken with salt, vomiting, indigestion, joint pain etc. will be reduced.

10. Keep powder of dry gooseberry fruit in hot water and add sugar to it. Drink it. Amoeboisis will be reduced. Coming blood from mouth, noise and anus stops. Mouth ulcers will be reduced if it gargled with its juice.

NOTE: It should not be boiled. If it is boiled, the vitamins therein with be destroyed.

Gooseberries (Raw)
Carbohydrate Factor: 3.6 Fat Factor: 8.37 Protein Factor: 3.36 Nitrogen to Protein Conversion Factor: 6.25
Nutrient (Proximates)	Unit	1Value per100g
Water	g	87.87
Energy	kcal	44
Protein	g	0.88
Total lipid (fat)	g	0.58
Ash	g	0.49
Carbohydrate, by difference	g	10.18
Fiber, total dietary	g	4.3
Minerals
Calcium, Ca	mg	25
Iron, Fe	mg	0.31
Magnesium, Mg	mg	10
Phosphorus, P	mg	27
Potassium, K	mg	198
Sodium, Na	mg	1
Zinc, Zn	mg	0.12
Copper, Cu	mg	0.07
Manganese, Mn	mg	0.144
Selenium, Se	µg	0.6
Vitamins
Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid	mg	27.7
Thiamin	mg	0.04
Riboflavin	mg	0.03
Niacin	mg	0.3
Pantothenic acid	mg	0.286
Vitamin B-6	mg	0.08
Folate, total	µg	6
Folic acid	µg	0
Folate, food	µg	6
Folate, DFE	µg	6
Vitamin B-12	µg	0
Vitamin A, RAE	µg	15
Retinol	µg	0
Vitamin A, IU	IU	290
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)	mg	0.37
Lipids
Fatty acids, total saturated	g	0.038
Fatty acids, total monounsaturated	g	0.051
Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated	g	0.317
Cholesterol	mg	0
Alcohol, ethyl	g	0
Flavonoids
Anthocyanidins	mg	9.5
Flavan-3-ols	mg	2.1
Flavones	mg	0
Flavonols	mg	2.1
Isoflavones	mg	0

MEDICINAL USES OF INDIAN GOOSEBERRY (AMLA)

 

Amla fruit is sour and astringent in taste, with sweet, bitter and pungent secondary tastes. Aamla’s qualities are light and dry, the post digestive effect is sweet and its energy is cooling. Amla balances all the 3 doshas. Amla is used to revitalising potency and the digestive system, rejuvenating longevity, treat constipation, reduce fever, purify the blood, reduce cough, alleviate asthma, strengthen the heart, benefit the eyes, stimulate hair growth, enliven the body, and enhance intellect.

Indian gooseberries (amla) are exceptionally rich in vitamin C. 100 g of amla carry astoundingly 445 mg of vitamin-C. However, their much of anti-oxidant properties come from other anti-oxidant compounds in them like tannins (emblicanin, punigluconin, pedunculagin etc).

READ MORE ABOUT INDIAN GOOSEBERRIES (AMLA)