If you are unfamiliar with them, trying gooseberries can be something of an adventure. These homely little berries look a great deal like grapes, and even have something of a similar texture, but their sour taste can be a little bit shocking if you are unprepared. The fact is, gooseberries are quite popular in various desserts and toppings, and you will find that with a little bit of research that they can be quite beneficial for you.
Despite being fairly small, gooseberries have a lot to offer in the nutrient department. They contain a lot of potassium, for instance. This is a very useful nutrient that can help bring down high blood pressure, as well as reducing problems that come with hypertension. While you do not have to eat 106 gooseberries a day for this kind of benefit, a few can really help.
They also have lots of vitamin C and vitamin A, both of which are important in our daily lives. Since they are so full of nutrients, gooseberries may be recommended for pregnant women. This natural source of essential vitamins and minerals is more easily absorbed by the body.
So, how do you eat them? There are lots of options, even straight from the carton. These grape-like little berries lack bitter seeds, and can be eaten whole. The lack of a need to remove those bitter seeds means that gooseberries are a great candidate for desserts, as well as for eating alone.
Some people are a little put off by the tartness of the berries, but find that if you split them in two and sprinkle some sugar on top, they can be quite agreeable. While many people find that the addition of sugar is essential to this fruit, other people will actually add salt to it instead.
There are also many excellent desserts that feature gooseberries. One option is mixing diced strawberries and gooseberries, and then simmering them with fruit juice, wine, or sugar. Add a little potato starch to thicken, and then chill the liquid.
You will have fantastic thickened syrup that tastes great on crepes, waffles, and pancakes. This is very popular throughout Scandinavia and Europe. Another equally popular recipe is the delicious gooseberry fool. There are plenty of easy recipes for it online. Look on recipe sites for categories like "gooseberry recipes," "gooseberry fruit recipes" or "gooseberries recipes." You can even find recipes for gooseberries in more unusual places, such as sites advertising Jello recipes. Gooseberry gelatin is surprisingly good.
This is a terrific fruit to try if you are in the mood for something different, so try searching it out at your local grocery store or farmers' market. They will range in color from pale green to reddish purple, and remember to ask for samples to see what you are getting in to as like grapes they can vary widely! There are many different ways to eat gooseberries, so take a look online, and find out how this fresh and surprisingly tasty fruit can suit you.