Gooseberries: A summer delight rich in nutrition and history

Gooseberry fruits are symbols of summer. Depending on the variety, they usually ripen in July. They can take on different shapes (round or elongated) and colours (green, yellow, red, pink, or even purple).

One of the more interesting ideas for using gooseberry is jam. How to make it?

Fruits of all varieties of gooseberries stand out with their impressive nutritional values. They provide, among other things, a solid dose of vitamin C, one of the strongest natural antioxidants, strengthening the immune system and neutralising the harmful effects of free radicals, which accelerate the body's ageing process and increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases or cancer.

Gooseberries, especially the darker varieties, are a rich source of carotenoids, especially beta-carotene, which helps maintain the efficiency of vision processes, protects against night blindness (vision disorders in darkness), cataracts, macular degeneration (a common condition that makes it difficult to perform daily activities: reading, writing, recognising faces or road signs), and filters harmful "blue light" for eyesight.

Tasty fruits also hide many valuable minerals, primarily potassium, which is an element of key importance to our body. It plays an important role in maintaining water-electrolyte and acid-base balance, regulates blood pressure and heart or muscle function, and affects intestinal peristalsis. Gooseberries are also rich in phosphorus (supports brain function), magnesium, iron, and iodine.

Juicy fruits are a rich source of pectins, a soluble fibre that helps lower "bad" LDL cholesterol, prevents constipation, and helps the body remove harmful toxins.

The high pectin and organic acid content, as well as the relatively low caloric content (100 grams of fruits provide only 18 calories), means that even people who watch their figures or follow weight-loss diets can reach for gooseberries. The delicacy effectively regulates and accelerates metabolism.

To prepare the jam, we need approximately 1 kilogram (about 2 pounds) of red or pink gooseberries (not overly ripe). They should be washed and deprived of dry stalks, then transferred to a wide saucepan covered with 400 millilitres (about 14 fluid ounces) of water and the juice squeezed from half a lemon. Bring it to a boil, then cook on low heat for 15 minutes until the fruits become soft and mushy.

After this time, add sugar (according to old recipes, it should be the same amount as the fruits, but it is worth limiting the sweetener a bit). Cook on low heat for 10 minutes, stirring often. When the sugar is completely dissolved, we can perform a jam density test – put a little on a cooled plate, let it cool down, and swipe with a finger. In a properly dense mass, a mark should remain. If it is too liquid, cook for another 5-10 minutes.

We put the hot jam into sterilised jars. Screw on and place upside down for a few minutes. After cooling, it is ready for consumption.