We’ve written before at HuffPost UK about how great plums can be for our health.
And as it turns out, another tart treat – gooseberries – may also have brain, heart, and hair benefits.
Though they’re not native to the UK, many species of gooseberry have been grown here since at least 1276. By the 19th century, there was such a craze for the fruit that “gooseberry clubs” formed all over Britain.
I’m not saying we should bring those back, but I am advising you to read the impressive health-boosting benefits of the berry.
Which types of gooseberry are there?
There are many kinds of gooseberry, including:
- The European gooseberry
- The American gooseberry
- The Indian gooseberry, also called amla
- Cape gooseberries, sometimes called physalis.
It’s important to note that American and European gooseberries belong to a different species of plant (the Ribas, or currant, family) than Indian and Cape gooseberries (Phyllanthaceae and the nightshade family Solanaceae, respectively).
Most of these studies involve Indian gooseberry.
What are the health benefits of gooseberries?
1) They may be good for your heart
A supplement extracted from the Indian gooseberry, or amla, has been linked to lower cardiovascular risk factors in adults.
And another study suggested that compounds in the fruit, called ellagitannins and ellagic acid, might help to keep the flow of blood running better.
Additionally, gooseberries are high in copper, which seems to benefit our hearts by protecting them from oxidative stress. They also contain lots of heart-healthy flavanols.
Yet another paper found that a powder made from Indian gooseberry improved LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels in both participants with an without type 2 diabetes.
2) They could help your cognitive function
The buildup of iron, to which brain cells are more susceptible (especially as we age), damages our brains and nervous systems. But citric acid, which gooseberries have quite a lot of, can help to block that iron accumulation.
In a rat study, extracts made from Indian gooseberry extract led to better memory and learning and appeared to slow the progression of dementia-related damage to the brain.
3) They may have anticancer properties
A review of studies found that Indian gooseberries may have a range of cancer-curtailing effects: it said multiple papers “have demonstrated [the fruit’s] strong suppressive properties against tumour-promoting mechanisms”.
In other words, it might help to slow or even assist in preventing the growth of tumours.
4) They might help to strengthen your hair and prevent hair loss
A mouse study suggested that Indian gooseberry “might influence hair-growth-promoting activity and enhance hair health and can therefore be considered an effective option for treating hair loss”.
5) They may help to control your blood sugar levels
Some studies – again, conducted on animals – have found that Indian gooseberry extract, which is high in a compound called quercetin, might help to control blood sugar.
A 2011 paper, this time conducted on humans, found that people both with and without type 2 diabetes saw more controlled blood sugar levels after consuming Indian gooseberry powder.
6) They could help to manage heartburn
In a randomised double-blind trial, participants with non-erosive reflux disease (NERD) saw fewer cases of heartburn and less severe symptoms after consuming Indian gooseberry-derived tablets.
