Blackcurrants are a type of berry that is native to Europe and Asia. They are a member of the gooseberry family, and they are closely related to currants.
Blackcurrants have a long history of cultivation, dating back to the 11th century in Europe. Initially, they were primarily grown for their medicinal properties and were used to treat various ailments.
By the 17th century, blackcurrants gained popularity and began to spread across Europe. They were cultivated in monastic gardens and were valued for their high vitamin C content.
In the 19th century, blackcurrants gained significant attention in the United Kingdom. They were recognized for their health benefits and became widely cultivated in Scotland and northern England. Blackcurrants were particularly popular for making jams, jellies, and cordials.
Blackcurrants were once grown in abundance in the USA as well, but in the early 1900’s it was banned federally due to the belief that blackcurrants helped facilitate white pine blister rust, which was once thought of as a threat the US lumber industry. In 1966 the ban was transferred to State status and several states have now lifted the ban. However, the ban is still in effect for at least some blackcurrant species in Delaware, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio and Massachusetts.
Many Americans still aren't aware of blackcurrant flavor (one of the most popular soft drink and confection flavours in the world) due to the ban on the plant in the early 1900s. Less than 1% of Americans have tasted one.
Ribena is a popular soft drink that is made with blackcurrants that was first created in 1933 by a doctor named James Henry Black, He was looking for a way to help his patients with their colds and flu, and he thought that blackcurrants might be a good source of Vitamin C. He started making a syrup from blackcurrants, and he gave it to his patients. The syrup was a success, and Black decided to start selling it commercially. Ribena quickly became popular, and it is now one of the most popular soft drinks in Britain.
In the early days, Ribena was made with real blackcurrants. However, in the 1970s, the blackcurrant market in Britain collapsed due to a virus that wiped out many of the crops. Ribena was forced to switch to using blackcurrant concentrate from other countries. This change in ingredients led to some controversy, as some people felt that Ribena was no longer the same drink that it used to be.
Like most berries blackcurrants contain a wealth of bioflavonoids and anthocyanidins, which are some of the most powerful anti-oxidants known to mankind.
They are also anti-bacterial and can be very useful in tackling bouts of diarrhoea caused by foreign bacteria, as they help to neutralise such 'unfriendly' bacteria.
Blackcurrants have a tart flavor that some people find appealing. However, they can also be quite bitter, so they are often sweetened when used in food and drinks.
Blackcurrants are a popular ingredient in traditional English and Welsh cuisine. They are often used to make pies, puddings, and cakes.
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