Gooseberry Health Benefits

The gooseberry has a high nutrient content and is available in white, green, or red varieties. Quarter of the daily requisite of vitamin C can be found in an average serving of gooseberries. Gooseberries generally have an acidic tart taste to them, but lately, new varieties have been found to be sweet. These berries are usually used while making jams, jellies and puddings.

The health benefits of gooseberry are many, and these berries are known to help with many of problems listed below.

Maintaining proper acid balance in the stomach
Enhancing fertility
Absorption of food by the body
Providing nourishment to the brain and aiding with cognitive functions
Weight loss
Flushing out of toxins
Improving eye health
Promoting healthy hair growth
Strengthening of the liver and lungs
Promoting cardiovascular health
Reducing blood sugar and helping with diabetes
Helpful during pregnancy
Good for the skin
Regulating elimination of waste from the body
Good for the urinary system
Good for cooling the body
Helpful in toning muscles
Fighting damage caused by free radicles
Increasing vitality

Different varieties of gooseberries are widely available world over, with species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia. The American species are also considered indigenous to North America, although many dispute this claim.

Based on the species, gooseberries have been used in varying herbal remedies; however, all gooseberries have almost the same nutrient content, genetic traits, and health benefits.

Medicinal uses

Gooseberries are used a lot in Unani and Ayurvedic medicines. Here are a few medicinal uses of gooseberries that are frequently also used in home remedies.

A tablespoon of gooseberry juice with honey is valuable in getting rid of many ailments including conjunctivitis. It also helps improve eyesight and reduces intraocular tension. Gooseberry is also used to fight glaucoma.
Gooseberry juice combined with a cup of bitter gourd juice is also used to help diabetic patients as it helps lower blood sugar levels.
Pregnant women are given gooseberries to eat as they are excellent coolants for the body.
Gooseberry powder also helps patients with heart disease as it stimulates vital organs.
Another medicinal use of gooseberry is that is used for people with rheumatism. You can eat a teaspoon of dry gooseberry powder with two teaspoons of jiggery.
Dried gooseberries are used to aid with people suffering from dysentery and diarrhea.
Gargling with a concoction made of gooseberry barks and leaves eases ulcers on the tongue and mouth.
Gooseberry tea also helps with mouth sores.
Gooseberry oil helps make you hair stronger and improves growth.

Nutritional facts

The nutritional benefits of gooseberry are many as it is an excellent source of vitamins like vitamin A, vitamin B complex, and vitamin C and minerals such as calcium, iron, potassium, phosphorous, and magnesium. A cup of gooseberries has a calorific count of 66. Additionally, gooseberries contain no fat or cholesterol and have very low levels of sodium, which is very good for health. Gooseberries are also rich in dietary fiber, and this helps improve bowel movement, decreases cholesterol levels, and helps in the prevention of constipation.

A cup of gooseberries has around 10% of the required amount of potassium, which helps regulate heartbeats, protects you against hypertension, and helps to maintain water balance in tissues and cells of the body. Bioflavanoids are also found in gooseberries and have good antioxidant properties and that help to uphold the permeability of capillaries. This is good because it ensures that nutrients move through blood vessels without any hindrance.

For a full detailed list of nutrients in gooseberries, you can check the USDA National Nutrient data base here http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/2319

References:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/531.html
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm230761.htm

Submitted on August 1, 2012