How to make red currant juice?
Red currant is a fruit full of valuable ingredients for health. It is one of the best dietary sources of vitamin C. Unfortunately, the season for it is very short. Is there any way to make it present in the menu all year round? Yes! You can prepare red currant juice and enjoy its taste even after summer is over.
Why shouldn't red currant be missing from a healthy diet?
Red currant has a sour taste, but it is worth it. Its consumption has many health benefits. Remember that you can always combine it with other products to make your meal taste sweeter. It goes well with, for example, a banana or a pear.
It is low in calories - 100 g provides only 46 kcal, in addition to about 1 g of protein, 6 g of carbohydrates and small amounts of fat (less than 0.2 g). This means that you can easily include red currant in your weight loss diet. Provided that you do not sweeten it with white sugar. What other valuable ingredients can you find in currants?
Dietary fiber - helps maintain normal body weight and improve bowel function
Consumption of products rich in dietary fiber facilitates the fight against excess weight, improves intestinal function, helps maintain normal blood glucose levels, and lowers the level of "bad" cholesterol. In addition, it lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, as well as cancer (including colon cancer). In 100 grams of red currants there are as much as 7.7 grams of this valuable ingredient.
Vitamin C - reduces the risk of infection
Vitamin C is mainly known for its immunomodulating properties. It strengthens the action of the immune system, and thus increases resistance to infection. That is why red currant juice, which is rich in vitamin C, is in high demand during the autumn and winter.
The effect of vitamin C is not limited to strengthening immunity. It is also worth noting that it is a compound with strong antioxidant properties. This means that it protects cells from the harmful effects of free radicals. Thus, it delays the aging process, and reduces the risk of cardiovascular, neurodegenerative diseases and cancer.
Drinking juice rich in vitamin C also has a positive effect on the condition of your skin. It is an ingredient that not only takes care of its youthful appearance by delaying the aging process. Vitamin C is also essential for collagen synthesis.
You should pay special attention to products that are a good source of this vitamin if you are at risk of iron deficiency (including as a result of a vegetarian, vegan diet). Vitamin C increases the bioavailability of non-heme iron, i.e. from, among others, whole-grain cereal products, vegetables and pulses.
Given its high vitamin C content, it is certainly worth including currant juice in your diet. To prepare it, you can use a fruit squeezer. Ideally, if you drink the juice prepared this way right away - then it has the highest amount of vitamin C, which is sensitive to light, oxygen and high temperature. However, if you want to prepare the juice for winter, you need to subject it to the pasteurization process. It causes some loss of valuable components (vit.C., polyphenols), but for that you can store it much longer.
Polyphenols - effective protection against free radicals
There are also polyphenols in currants, as well as the juice that is made from them. These are compounds that, like vitamin C, exhibit antioxidant activity. Their presence in the modern diet is particularly important. This is due to the fact that air pollution, unhealthy diet, little exercise, as well as cigarette smoking promote the formation of free radicals.
How to make red currant juice?
If you want to prepare currant juice, you have two options. The first is more time-consuming - you need to boil the washed fruits for a few minutes, then cool, drain them in a strainer and pour the resulting juice into jars or bottles. The second method, which involves using a juicer (such as the Hurom h200) for this purpose, is much simpler. All you have to do is put the picked and thoroughly washed fruits into the juicer. If you want to make juice for winter, you'll need to pour it into bottles or jars and then pasteurize it.
It is best not to add sugar to it. Although its taste will be sour it is better to sweeten the juice with honey, xylitol or stevia. This will increase its nutritional value. You can also increase the taste and health benefits of the juice by adding other products, such as apples, mint, or lemon.
Currant juice is a good idea to enjoy the taste and health-promoting properties of the fruit also after the end of summer. It is best if you prepare it yourself at home. Then you are sure of its high quality. It is not at all a time-consuming activity - with the help of a juicer you will make it in just a dozen minutes.