Black Currant by Ray Sahelian, M.D.

For more information on berries. Black current seed oil is available as a supplement. Some people use black current seed oil as a source of GLA.

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Blackcurrants for better vision?
Blackcurrants contain anthocyanosides that have beneficial properties in terms of antioxidant potential. A small study indicates blackcurrants may boost night vision.

Antioxidant value of black currant
Antioxidant capacity of black currant varies with organ, season, and cultivar.
J Agric Food Chem. 2006 Aug 23;54(17):6271-6. Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Unit, B22, University of Liege, Sart Tilman, B-4000 Liege, Belgium.
Small berries such as black currant constitute one of the important sources of potential health-promoting phytochemicals because these fruits are rich sources of compounds with high antioxidant properties. In this work, antioxidant capacities of different parts (buds, leaves, fruits) of various black currant cultivars were compared throughout the growing season with the aim to prepare extracts with high antioxidant capacity. Buds (opened, at the end of March) and leaves (in June) had a higher content in phenolics and antioxidants than fully ripened berries (in July) and the best yield (per branch) was obtained with the leaves collected in June due to their higher biomass. The differences observed among the eight black currant cultivars tested were small. Concerning flavonols, Quercetin was dominant in all organs and cultivars, myricetin varied widely among the cultivars, and kampferol was very low.

Black current seed questions
Q. There are two types of currant seed oil in the market: refined and unrefined. Can you please tell me which one is better to use.
   A. We don't have much experience with currant seed oil, but our impression would be that unrefined currant seed oil would be preferable.

Press release by Cyvex Nutrition raw material supplier
October 2007 -  Cyvex Nutrition has stepped up its supply of Black Currant Extract powder standardized to 25 percent anthocyanins. Black Currant has been shown to provide support to vision health. One study, for example, demonstrated that the anthocyanins in black currant influenced the regeneration of rhodopsin. “There is strengthening scientific interest and commercial excitement surrounding black currant and its health potential,” says Charlene Lee, executive vice president and general manager of Cyvex Nutrition. “Our Black Currant Extract is the most potent berry extract available on the market providing enhanced levels of anthocyanins.” Lee adds that Black Currant Extract is not only a superior source of berry antioxidants and anthocyanins, it is a more economically friendly choice as well. “In the marketplace, black currant is less expensive, making it a terrific choice for vision support and antioxidant formulas.” Black Currant Extract from Cyvex Nutrition is one of the newer additions to Cyvex’ growing portfolio of specific antioxidants for health promotion products. For more than 23 years, Cyvex Nutrition has continued its leadership role in pioneering antioxidant raw materials. 1. Matsumoto H, et al (2003) “Stimulatory effect of cyanidin 3-glycosides on the regeneration of rhodopsin.” J Agric Food Chem. 51, 3560-3.
   Comments: We will await human research with black currant extract to see how well this raw material works for eyesight improvement.