Black Currants, a 'super fruit' rich in anti-oxidants, have been under represented in the US market until just recently. Now sweetened, dried black currants are becoming available in a multitude of ways. Kendall Frozen Fruits has now made them available so that they can be used in a plethora of products like "healthy snacks, trail mixes, cereals, yogurt, muffins, salads, cookies, vinegars and other applications."
The black currant is known for its intense, rich, fruit flavor so well loved in the liqueur cassis and other alcoholic beverages. A while ago I wrote about CurrantC, a delicious black currant juice beverage. I'm so glad we are now going to have other black currant food options available.
Besides anti-oxidants, vitamin C, and Iron; black currents also contain anthocyanin compounds which may help the body fight against diseases like Arthritis, Cancer and Alzheimer's disease. I love it when healthy and tasty are combined in one product.
2-18-2008 @3:24PM Julie said... I love black currants, my cousin makes homemade currant jams which are absolutely delicious.
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2-18-2008 @5:30PM The Postindustrialist said... Ungh.... sugar added? is there a simply dried version you can recommend?
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2-18-2008 @6:46PM Adam said... Trader Joes has had dried black currants for a while now. I'd have to guess over a year since i've gotten them there.
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2-18-2008 @8:39PM Silver_Potato said... I'll take Acai over currants
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2-19-2008 @12:12AM Ed T said... Aren't these also called bilberries? Another health benefit of these gems is improved night vision. One of the antioxidant chemicals improves blood flow to the retina and that helps the eye to adapt quickly to low light.
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2-19-2008 @3:02AM K said... Ditto Adam ... I've bought dried black currants from Trader Joe's for more than a year, at least. Great atop my steel cut oats.
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2-19-2008 @5:39AM Beany said... Ed T: no, bilberries are the European blueberry, closely related to the American blueberry.
Blackcurrants are quite easy to distinguish from bilberries/blueberries- they're quite a bit smaller, and have a brown tuft opposite the stalk (you can see this in the picture above).
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2-22-2008 @10:49AM MJ said... Love current juice..........this would be good one dried.
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