Currants: A Super Food with
Immune System Vitamin C Powers
Written by Sky Taylor, Diet Bites
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One cup of tiny black currants contain over 300% of the recommended daily allowance for Vitamin C - that's twice the Vitamin C potency power of a four-ounce orange.
Other nutrition facts surrounding the Super Food, Currants
- The Currant is naturally low in calories, 71 per cup for black currants and about 63 calories per cup for red & white currants.
- Zante currants contain more calories; about 204 per 1/2 cup - which is about three times more than the popular black specimen.
- This super food contains zero cholesterol, thus won't impact heart health.
- It is naturally low in dietary fat; the European black specimen contain less than 1/2 a gram per cup. The red and white specimens contain 0.22 grams per cup and the Zante contains 0.39 grams for the same amount.
- All varieties of this super food boost immunity due to its amazing Vitamin C content. The Zante contains almost 7 mgs of Vitamin C - so it's not the star in this nutritional race. That goes to the European black at 202.7 mgs per cup! The red and white specimens contain an impressive 45.9 mgs.
- The Currant is a source of protein; the European black, red and white specimens contain 1.57 grams per cup. Here is where the Zante shines as it contains 5.88 protein grams per cup.
- Red, white and black currants pack fiber power: about 4.5 grams for black & about 4.8 grams for red and white. But yet again the Zante shines at 9.8 dietary fiber grams.
Serving Suggestion for Currant, The Super Food
Adding Bling With Currants
- Add to wild rice and stuffing - and it doesn't have to be the holidays in order to enjoy stuffing.
- Make a reduced calorie mincemeat pie using currants, golden raisins, orange rind & Splenda.
- Add to muffin batter and enjoy with a cup of your favorite Espresso.
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- Create a yummy raisin and currant salad using shredded carrots, light Miracle Whip and currants. You will need the following ingredients for this recipe:
1 small bag of shredded carrots; you can purchase them pre-shredded if you wish and if time is an issue.
1/2 cup of the following mix: golden raisins, dark raisins, dried cranberries and currants of any variety
1/3 to 1/2 cup of Miracle Whip Light
Simply mix all of the ingredients together and stir until the Miracle Whip clings to all of the carrot strips and the fruit is well-coated. If you wish, you can add a spoon of white table sugar to the recipe if more sweetness is desired - or sugar substitute. A dash of pineapple juice or a splash of fresh milk will also alter the recipe slightly - each adding a unique flavor.
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Let's do a quick summary of this super foods amazing nutritional benefits based on its raw state:
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Nutritional Benefits Based on 1 Cup |
Zante Currants |
European Black Currants |
Red & White Currants |
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Fiber g |
9.8 |
4.5 |
4.8 |
|
Fat g, Total |
0.39 |
0.46 |
0.22 |
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Protein g |
5.88 |
1.57 |
1.57 |
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Calories |
408 |
71 |
63 |
|
Vitamin mg |
7 |
202.7 |
45.9 |
Zante, Red & White Currants, Calories & Nutrition Facts
|
Nutritional Elements |
Units |
ZANTE CURRANTS, DRIED |
RED & WHITE CURRANTS, RAW |
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|
100 grams |
1 Cup |
100 grams |
1 Cup |
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| Energy, Calories |
kcals |
283 |
408 |
56 |
63 |
| Protein |
g |
4.08 |
5.88 |
1.40 |
1.57 |
| Carbohydrates |
g |
74.08 |
106.68 |
13.80 |
15.46 |
| Fiber, Dietary |
g |
6.8 |
9.8 |
4.3 |
4.8 |
| Sugars |
g |
67.28 |
96.88 |
7.37 |
8.25 |
| Total Fat |
g |
0.27 |
0.39 |
0.20 |
0.22 |
| Saturated Fat |
g |
0.028 |
0.040 |
0.017 |
0.019 |
| Monounsaturated Fat |
g |
0.047 |
0.068 |
0.028 |
0.031 |
| Polyunsaturated Fat |
g |
0.180 |
0.259 |
0.088 |
0.099 |
| Cholesterol |
mg |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Minerals, Vitamins | |||||
| Calcium |
mg |
86 |
124 |
33 |
37 |
| Iron |
mg |
3.26 |
4.69 |
1.00 |
1.12 |
| Magnesium |
mg |
41 |
59 |
13 |
15 |
| Phosphorus |
mg |
125 |
180 |
44 |
49 |
| Potassium |
mg |
892 |
1284 |
275 |
308 |
| Sodium |
mg |
8 |
12 |
1 |
1 |
| Zinc |
mg |
0.66 |
0.95 |
0.23 |
0.26 |
| Vitamin C |
mg |
4.7 |
6.8 |
41.0 |
45.9 |
| Thiamin |
mg |
0.160 |
0.230 |
0.040 |
0.045 |
| Riboflavin |
mg |
0.142 |
0.204 |
0.050 |
0.056 |
| Niacin |
mg |
1.615 |
2.326 |
0.100 |
0.112 |
| Vitamin B-6 |
mg |
0.296 |
0.426 |
0.070 |
0.078 |
| Folate, DFE |
µg |
10 |
14 |
8 |
9 |
| Vitamin B-12 |
µg |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
| Vitamin A, RAE |
µg |
4 |
6 |
2 |
2 |
| Vitamin A |
IU |
73 |
105 |
42 |
47 |
| Vitamin E |
mg |
0.11 |
0.16 |
0.10 |
0.11 |
| Vitamin D2 + D3 |
µg |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
| Vitamin D |
mg |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Vitamin K |
µg |
3.3 |
4.8 |
11.0 |
12.3 |
European Black Currants, Calories & Nutrition Facts
|
Nutritional Elements |
Units |
100 grams |
1 Cup |
| Energy, Calories |
kcals |
63 |
71 |
| Protein |
g |
1.40 |
1.57 |
| Carbohydrates |
g |
15.38 |
17.23 |
| Total Fat |
g |
0.41 |
0.46 |
| Saturated Fat |
g |
0.034 |
0.038 |
| Monounsaturated Fat |
g |
0.058 |
0.065 |
| Polyunsaturated Fat |
g |
0.179 |
0.200 |
| Cholesterol |
mg |
0 |
0 |
| Minerals, Vitamins | |||
| Calcium |
mg |
55 |
62 |
| Iron |
mg |
1.54 |
1.72 |
| Magnesium |
mg |
24 |
27 |
| Phosphorus |
mg |
59 |
66 |
| Potassium |
mg |
322 |
361 |
| Sodium |
mg |
2 |
2 |
| Zinc |
mg |
0.27 |
0.30 |
| Vitamin C |
mg |
181.0 |
202.7 |
| Thiamin |
mg |
0.050 |
0.056 |
| Riboflavin |
mg |
0.050 |
0.056 |
| Niacin |
mg |
0.300 |
0.336 |
| Vitamin B-6 |
mg |
0.066 |
0.074 |
| Vitamin B-12 |
µg |
0.00 |
0.00 |
| Vitamin A, RAE |
µg |
12 |
13 |
| Vitamin A |
IU |
230 |
258 |
| Vitamin E |
mg |
1.00 |
1.12 |
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