Ground cherry: Nutritional powerhouse with a hidden danger

The ground cherry is a plant with a distinctive appearance. It resembles small orange berries or tiny tomatoes hidden inside a delicate, papery husk. Although it has some drawbacks, ground cherry offers various nutritional benefits.

Looking for vitamins? You'll find them in the ground cherry. Among the nutrients of this fruit, vitamins such as vitamin A, which is important for eye health, and vitamin C, which supports the immune system and protects cells from oxidative stress, are particularly notable.

Ground cherry also contains B vitamins (B1, B2, B3), which are essential for properly functioning the nervous system and are involved in the body's metabolic processes. The fruit also positively affects digestion.

Additionally, ground cherry enriches the diet with minerals such as iron, calcium, and phosphorus, as well as carotenoids, including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. These powerful antioxidants protect the body from free radicals. Therefore, ground cherry contributes to delaying the ageing process.

Ground cherry is widely used in the kitchen. It can be consumed raw or added to a variety of dishes like salads, desserts, and smoothies. Therefore, it is an exceptionally versatile fruit. With its unique sweet and sour taste, ground cherry introduces new culinary experiences to many dishes.

Ground cherry is also great for drying and cooking, offering culinary possibilities such as soups, sauces, or cakes. It is often an ingredient in jams and marmalades. Ground cherry can also serve a decorative function.

However, it's worth remembering the presence of solanine—a natural chemical compound that ground cherries share with potatoes and aubergines. It is a glycoalkaloid that plants have developed to defend against pests.

You can find it in various parts of the ground cherry, especially in the leaves and ripe fruits. Consuming a large amount of raw ground cherry may result in poisoning, manifesting in symptoms such as nausea, stomach pain, diarrhoea, and, in extreme cases, coma.

For this reason, it is important to remember that we should only consume ripe ground cherry fruits. However, if they are not available, it is advisable to subject them to thermal processing.

Ground cherry remains a valuable addition to a healthy diet in small amounts. However, its use should be sensible.