Gooseberry

Also known asRibes uva-crispa

Name: Gooseberry (Ribes uva-crispa, formerly Ribes grossularia). The American gooseberry (Ribes hirtellum) is a related species, and the “Cape gooseberry” (physalis) is an unrelated fruit with its own page.

Description

The gooseberry is a thorny shrub native to Europe, north-west Africa and western Asia. It is closely associated with Britain, where it has been grown for centuries and was long a staple of kitchen gardens, with specialist clubs still holding competitions for the biggest berries. The fruit is a smooth or lightly hairy, translucent berry, green, yellow, white or red when ripe.

Gooseberries range from very tart to quite sweet depending on the variety and how ripe the fruit is. Unripe green ones are sharp and are used for cooking, while dessert varieties, left to ripen fully, can be eaten raw. In the United States some states once restricted growing them because the shrubs can host white pine blister rust, which damaged timber.

Main nutrition value

Gooseberries provide vitamin C and dietary fibre, and are fairly low in sugar compared with many fruits, especially when eaten tart.

How best to be consumed

Gooseberries are usually cooked with sugar when tart, and eaten raw when fully ripe and sweet.

1. Stew green gooseberries with a little sugar for a compote, crumble or the classic British gooseberry fool.
2. Eat ripe dessert varieties fresh, once soft and fully coloured.
3. Make jam, chutney or a sharp sauce to serve with oily fish such as mackerel.
4. Top and tail the berries by snipping off the stalk and flower remnants before cooking.
5. Freeze whole, since gooseberries freeze well and keep their tang.

Overconsumption could cause…

Gooseberries are safe in normal amounts, and most of the issues relate to sugar and acidity.

1. Added sugar adding up when tart gooseberries are cooked into sweetened desserts, jam or fool.
2. Mouth soreness or heartburn from the acidity of very tart fruit, in sensitive people.
3. Digestive discomfort from a large amount of fibre and fruit acid at once.
4. Tooth enamel wear from frequent exposure to acidic fruit and sugary preparations.

GroupsBerriesCurrant family (Grossulariaceae)Low fatLow sodiumRich in vitamin CFresh

Related foodsRed CurrantWhite CurrantBlackcurrantBlackberryMulberryCranberry

Wikipedia — Gooseberry, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gooseberry