gooseberry, any of several species of flowering shrubs of the genus Ribes (family Grossulariaceae), cultivated for their edible fruits and as ornamentals. Currants and gooseberries form two groups within the genus Ribes; some taxonomic systems formerly placed gooseberries in their own genus, Grossularia. The tart fruit is eaten ripe and is often made into jellies, preserves, pies and other desserts, or wine.
Physical description and cultivation
Gooseberry bushes are spiny and usually produce greenish to greenish pink flowers that are borne singly or in small clusters of two or three. The oval berries are white, red, yellow, or green, usually with a prickly or hairy surface.
Native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, gooseberries are extremely hardy and are grown almost as far north as the Arctic Circle. They thrive in moist heavy clay soil in cool humid climates. Good foliage is needed to protect the berries from the sun. The gooseberry can withstand neglect but responds readily to good care, including potash or manure fertilizer, heavy pruning, and dormant spray to control scale and mildew. New plants are grown from cuttings. The bushes bear well for 10 to 20 years. Two- to three-year-old spurs produce the best berries.
Major species
Hundreds of varieties are grown in northern Europe, many interplanted in fruit orchards. The most common commercial fruits are the English gooseberries (Ribes uva-crispa), popularly called grossularia, which are native to the Old World and have long been cultivated. In Europe the large-fruited cultivated gooseberries became naturalized. Grossularia do not prosper in the United States, because they are susceptible to mildews and rusts. Because they provide an alternate host for white-pine blister rust, it is illegal to grow grossularia in some states where white pine is an important resource.
The most useful native North American species is the American, or smooth, gooseberry (Ribes hirtellum), found wild across the United States; improved varieties are widely cultivated. The fuchsia-flowered gooseberry (R. speciosum) is a popular ornamental species.
In history
Gooseberry growing was popular in 19th-century Britain. The 1879 edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica described gooseberries thus:
Ribes uva-crispa, blossoming in Latvia
The gooseberry is indigenous to many parts of Europe and western Asia, growing naturally in alpine thickets and rocky woods in the lower country, from France eastward, well into the Himalayas and peninsular India.
In Britain, it is often found in copses and hedgerows and about old ruins, but the gooseberry has been cultivated for so long that it is difficult to distinguish wild bushes from feral ones, or to determine where the gooseberry fits into the native flora of the island. Common as it is now on some of the lower slopes of the Alps of Piedmont and Savoy, it is uncertain whether the Romans were acquainted with the gooseberry, though it may possibly be alluded to in a vague passage of Pliny the Elder’s Natural History; the hot summers of Italy, in ancient times as at present, would be unfavourable to its cultivation. Although gooseberries are now abundant in Germany and France, it does not appear to have been much grown there in the Middle Ages, though the wild fruit was held in some esteem medicinally for the cooling properties of its acid juice in fevers; while the old English name, Fea-berry, still surviving in some provincial dialects, indicates that it was similarly valued in Britain, where it was planted in gardens at a comparatively early period.
William Turner describes the gooseberry in his Herball, written about the middle of the 16th century, and a few years later it is mentioned in one of Thomas Tusser’s quaint rhymes as an ordinary object of garden culture. Improved varieties were probably first raised by the skilful gardeners of Holland, whose name for the fruit, Kruisbezie, may have been corrupted into the present English vernacular word. Towards the end of the 18th century the gooseberry became a favourite object of cottage-horticulture, especially in Lancashire, where the working cotton-spinners raised numerous varieties from seed, their efforts having been chiefly directed to increasing the size of the fruit.
Of the many hundred sorts enumerated in recent horticultural works, few perhaps equal in flavour some of the older denizens of the fruit-garden, such as the Old Rough Red and Hairy Amber. The climate of the British Isles seems peculiarly adapted to bring the gooseberry to perfection, and it may be grown successfully even in the most northern parts of Scotland; indeed, the flavour of the fruit is said to improve with increasing latitude. In Norway even, the bush flourishes in gardens on the west coast nearly up to the Arctic Circle, and it is found wild as far north as 63°. The dry summers of the French and German plains are less suited to it, though it is grown in some hilly districts with tolerable success. The gooseberry in the south of England will grow well in cool situations and may sometimes be seen in gardens near London flourishing under the partial shade of apple trees, but in the north it needs full exposure to the sun to bring the fruit to perfection. It will succeed in almost any soil but prefers a rich loam or black alluvium, and, though naturally a plant of rather dry places, will do well in moist land, if drained.
8 Impressive Health Benefits of Gooseberries
Gooseberries are small, nutritious fruits that offer many health benefits.
The European and American varieties — Ribes uva-crispa and Ribes hirtellum, respectively — are the most common types. Both are closely related to black, red, and white currants.
The fruits of the gooseberry bush are small, weighing around 0.1–0.2 ounces (3–6 grams) each. They vary in color and can be green, yellow-white, pink, red, or dark purple. Their flavor ranges from tart to sweet.
Here are 8 reasons why gooseberries are a great addition to a healthy diet.
Gooseberries are low in calories and fat, yet packed with nutrients.
Just 1 cup (150 grams) of gooseberries contains:
- Calories: 66
- Protein: 1 gram
- Fat: less than 1 gram
- Carbs: 15 grams
- Fiber: 7 grams
- Vitamin C: 46% of the Daily Value (DV)
- Vitamin B5: 9% of the DV
- Vitamin B6: 7% of the DV
- Copper: 12% of the DV
- Manganese: 9% of the DV
- Potassium: 6% of the DV
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and vital to your nervous system, immune system, and skin. Vitamin B5 is necessary for creating fatty acids, while vitamin B6, which many enzymes and cells in your body need to function, helps convert food into energy.
Copper is important for your heart, blood vessels, immune system, and brain. Meanwhile, manganese supports metabolism, bone formation, reproduction, and immune response, whereas potassium is essential for normal cell function
Gooseberries are high in fiber yet low in energy, meaning you can eat a decent portion without consuming too many calories.
In fact, eating 1 cup (150 grams) of gooseberries contributes just over 3% of the average person’s total daily calorie needs, making them a nutritious, low-calorie snack.
In addition, research shows that eating berries may aid weight loss and help you eat fewer calories overall.
For example, one small study found that those who ate berries as a snack consumed 130 fewer calories at their next meal, compared with those who ate the same number of calories from sweets.
Furthermore, gooseberries are a great source of soluble and insoluble dietary fiber.
One cup (150 grams) of gooseberries provides 26% of the DV of fiber, making it a great way to boost your intake.
Insoluble fiber helps add bulk to your stool and improves consistency, whereas soluble fiber helps slow the movement of food in your gut, which can reduce hunger and increase feelings of fullness.
Additionally, dietary fiber from fruit can help control your blood sugar levels and reduce blood pressure, cholesterol, and your risk of chronic conditions, including certain cancers, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.
Antioxidants are compounds that help fight the effects of free radicals. These are reactive molecules that cause cellular damage and lead to a process known as oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is associated with many diseases and premature aging.
Diets rich in antioxidants are thought to reduce your risk of certain types of cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, aging, and protect your brain from degenerative disease.
Gooseberries are an excellent source of antioxidants, including vitamin C, small amounts of vitamin E, and phytonutrients.
Plants produce phytonutrients to keep healthy and protect against sun damage and insects.
Some of the phytonutrients in gooseberries include:
- Flavonols. These are linked to heart health and may have stroke-reducing, cancer-fighting, and antiviral effects. The main types in gooseberries are quercetin, myricetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin.
- Anthocyanins. These compounds are the colored pigments in fruit, and they’re associated with eye and urinary tract health, improved memory, healthy aging, and a lower risk of some cancers.
- Aromatic acids. In gooseberries, these include caffeic, chlorogenic, coumaric, hydroxybenzoic, and ellagic acid.
- Organic acids. They’re responsible for the tart taste of fruit and may reduce your risk of stroke and Alzheimer’s disease
High blood sugar levels are linked to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, dementia, and many other illnesses.
Gooseberries have several properties that may aid blood sugar control.
First, they’re high in fiber, which slows the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream, preventing spikes in blood sugar levels.
Furthermore, test-tube studies reveal that gooseberry extract is an alpha-glucosidase inhibitor. This means it binds to special enzymes in your small intestine, preventing them from moving sugar from your gut into your bloodstream.
Finally, gooseberries contain chlorogenic acid, which may slow carb absorption and help reduce blood sugar levels after starchy meals.
However, despite promising results, more research on gooseberries’ effect on blood sugar levels is needed.
Certain degenerative brain diseases are linked to an overload of iron in the cells.
Iron levels that are too high can spur the creation of free radicals, which are molecules that damage your cells. Your brain cells are particularly high in iron, making them more vulnerable to damage.
Gooseberries are a natural source of organic acids, providing 11–14 mg of citric acid in 100 mg of fruit. Citric acid blocks the accumulation of iron in cells and has been found to reduce the risk of diseases like Alzheimer’s and stroke if consumed regularly.
The antioxidants and phytonutrients in gooseberries are also believed to benefit age-related diseases of the brain and reduce your risk of stroke. Still, more research is needed.
Diets rich in berries, phytonutrients, and antioxidants are linked to a reduced risk of some types of cancers.
Some of the known anticancer substances in gooseberries are folate, phenolic compounds, and vitamins C and E.
These nutrients are thought to reduce, counteract, and repair damage from oxidative stress and inflammation, which can lead to the development of cancer.
For example, test-tube and animal studies indicate that anthocyanins inhibit the growth of cancer cells and may reduce your risk of certain cancers, including of the colon, pancreas, and breast.
However, more research is needed to determine gooseberries’ effects on cancer.
Eating a diet rich in fruits like berries is associated with a lower risk of heart disease.
Gooseberries contain many nutrients that promote heart health, including antioxidants and potassium.
Antioxidants improve heart health by preventing the oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol in your blood, a process that increases your risk for heart disease.
Additionally, phytonutrients like flavonols and anthocyanins help reduce blood pressure and improve blood vessel function, which may lower your risk of heart disease.
Finally, potassium is essential for good blood vessel health. It helps maintain a regular heartbeat and blood pressure and is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke.
For maximum health benefits, it’s best to enjoy gooseberries raw.
Their flavor ranges from quite sour to relatively sweet, a little bit like slightly underripe grapes. The riper the fruit, the sweeter it becomes.
Some gooseberries are very tart, so if you want to eat them fresh look for sweeter varieties, such as Whinham’s Industry, Captivator, or Martlet.
Before eating the berries, you should wash and prepare them. Most people prefer to chop the very bottom and top off the berry, as it can taste a little woody.
Once prepared, you can eat gooseberries as a healthy snack on their own. Alternatively, add them to a fruit salad, use them as a topping on cereal or yogurt, or mix them into a fresh summer salad.
Gooseberries are also used in cooked and baked dishes, such as pies, tarts, chutneys, compote, jams, and cordial. However, keep in mind that these dishes often contain sugar, and cooking destroys a lot of the antioxidants and beneficial phytonutrients.