Cape Gooseberries are a small orange berry that is full of good nutrition and has many health benefits. Also known as ground cherries, Physalis minima, pygmy ground cherry, Inca berry, golden strawberry, pearly round yolk mab obs, tino-tino and many other names.
Cape gooseberry is an herb that is edible in nature and is used in fruit salads, cocktails, and also in a dessert with apple and honey. Gooseberries are common in the western hemisphere and other places.
Cape gooseberry contains the following – polyphenols, carotenoids, withanolides, melatonin, fiber, protein, calcium, phosphorous, iron, potassium, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pectin, Vitamin A and Vitamin C.
The following medicinal actions are associated with Cape gooseberry – anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, purgative, taxative, diuretic and antihepatotoxic.
Health Benefits:
- Taste – They taste something like a tomato with a sourness at the end like cranberries.
- Paper Outer Covering – Some call cape gooseberries Chinese Lanterns because they have an orange fruit inside and a paper like covering on the outside resembling Chinese Lanterns.
- Powerful Antioxidant – Cape gooseberries have more antioxidants than goji berries, broccoli, apples, pomegranates.
- Lots of Vitamin C – Cape gooseberries contain twice the vitamin C of lemons. Thus they have wonderful antioxidants that help to stave off cardiovascular disease, strokes, and cancer.
- Pectin – Cape gooseberries contain pectin which is a wonderful soluble fiber that helps to soothe the GI tract and prevent constipation.
- Vitamins – Cape gooseberries also contain B Vitamins for good mood and vitality, and Vitamin A, an antioxidant which is important for good eyesight, immune function, and heals DNA damage.
- Anti-Inflammatory – Cape gooseberries are high in anthocyanins which help with the inflammation – pain, swelling, and redness.
- Contains – Cape gooseberries contain potassium for water regulation and heart health, zinc for a strong immune system, phosphorus and calcium for strong bones, iron for anemia, and magnesium for enzyme production.
- Antibacterial – Extracts of cape gooseberries in studies kill lots of gram negative and positive bacteria including E. Coli, Micrococcus gluteus, Staph, Pseudomonas, Enterococcus, many strains of Bacillus bacteria, and Bordetella bacteria.
- Antileishmanial and Anaplasmosis – Cape gooseberries contain special steroids that in studies inhibit the growth of intracellular microbes such as leishmaniasis and anaplasmosis.
- Big C – Some studies show that these little berries may be able to help with lung cancer.
- Lung Disease – Cape gooseberries have lots of anti-inflammatories which are great asthma. And the dried berries can be made into a nice tea that can be taken 3 times a day for lung problems.
- Colds, Flues, and Laryngitis – Cape gooseberries can be made into a tea, taking a handful of dried or fresh berries and steeping in hot water and taking this tea 3 times a day… can help with colds, flues, and laryngitis.
- Skin Disease- Cape gooseberry roots contain solanoside glycosides and other agents which are powerful agents for malignant skin tumors and carcinomas. And the stems and leaf extracts also work well for treating melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma.
- Cholesterol – Because cape gooseberries contain soluble pectin fiber they also lower cholesterol.
- Diabetes – Cape gooseberries made into tea can also help lower blood sugar… because they contain lots of soluble fiber.
- Weight Loss – Because cape gooseberries are very low in fat and calories they can also assist in weight loss. 11 grams of cape gooseberries only contains about 50 calories.
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