Superfruits for Super brains!

The humble British blackcurrant has been announced this summer as the number one Superfruit which can help fight cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s, new findings show.  Recent research by Dr Derek Stewart, of the Scottish Crop Research Institute (SCRI) has found the blackcurrant contains greater levels of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants than 20 other fruits tested.

To celebrate this news and to coincide with the new school year taking place, the British Blackcurrant Foundation has launched a new education tool through their website – www.blackcurrantfoundation.co.uk.  Aimed at primary school children, the education tool tells the story of the British Blackcurrant from planting through to harvesting together with the nutritional and health advantages of eating blackcurrants.

Working with educationalists, the site uses characters Belinda and Barnaby blackcurrant to narrate the cycle of the British blackcurrant.  With two separate toolkits (for key stages 1 and 2) the easy to use, downloadable kit fits within the science topic ‘healthy eating’ or can be used in isolation.

Jo Hilditch, chairwoman of the British Blackcurrant Foundation, said: “The story of the British blackcurrant is a fascinating one and what makes it even more interesting is that blackcurrants are available on our doorsteps.  People’s knowledge of fruit and vegetables, when they are in season and where they come from is declining and it’s important we get to consumers at a grass roots level and educate them about local produce. British blackcurrants are a truly seasonal, English fruit which are steeped in history and are now proven to be the number one Superfruit.  We feel it is important that these fruits are recognised and discussed in schools to ensure children are aware.”

The story follows Belinda and Barnaby through the planting stage in winter, the growing period and culminates in harvesting which takes place in July and August. Throughout the story, nutritional information and health benefits are discussed along with environmental benefits of blackcurrants.

Teachers and parents can download the information straight from the Blackcurrant Foundation website (www.blackcurrantfoundation.co.uk).

Blackcurrants have grown in the British Isles for over five hundred years and have been used by herbalists since the middle-ages to treat bladder stones, liver disorders, and blended into syrups for coughs and lung ailments.  The total British blackcurrant crop can range from 12,000 tonnes to 14,000 tonnes a year.

About the research

The research has been conducted by Dr Derek Stewart and his group at the Scottish Crop Research Institute (SCRI). The motivation for the research stemmed from the huge media interest and publicity surrounding superfruits, coupled with the lack of consumer knowledge and understanding of what a superfruit is or what a fruit must contain to be one.

The research group has spent time studying reputable food compositional databases and scientific publications, both of which detail actual and potential health benefits, of twenty popular fruits.

Full and detailed references for the entire piece of research can be found at www.superfruits.org

For more information about The Blackcurrant Foundation, visit www.blackcurrantfoundation.co.uk

For more information about the Scottish Crop Research Institute visit www.scri.ac.uk