Currant

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About Currant
There are two important types of currant red currant and black currant and they are both part of the genus Ribes, except the red currant belongs to the gooseberry family. Generally the currant plant is a bush of about one to two meters with five-lobed leaves and with yellow or green flowers. The flowers produce the berry which is normally red, safe to eat, of about eight-ten millimeters in diameter. Currants can be found all over Europe. The currants both black currants and red currants have important medicinal use. Currants are used for ameliorating fever, as astringent, for blood cleansing and they also have diuretic and digestive properties and increases appetite. The tea made of currant reduces the symptoms of gout or rheumatism or for mouth infections and the compressions of currant tea are used for healing wounds. The currants are rich in vitamin C, fiber and acids. The currant fruit is a bit sour but very delicious and it is used for preparing sauces, jams, fruit soups, summer puddings, and it is rarely consumed raw.