Cape gooseberry, a global health fruit
Cape gooseberry is a plant, with the same name for its fruit, indigenous to South America, but being cultivated in several countries of the world. The name might have come because it is cultivated in South Africa in the region of the Cape of Good Hope since the start of the 19th century. It is scientifically known as Physalis peruviana belonging to the family Solanaceae.
It has numerous other names like inca berry, aztec berry, golden berry, giant ground cherry, pok pok, poha, uvila, uchua, harankash, physalis minima, pygmy ground cherry, golden strawberry, pearly round yolkimabobs, etc. In India it is known as ras bhari. The name lantern berry also is common because it has an orange fruit inside calyx, a paper- like covering on the outside resembling Chinese lantern.
Under good conditions the plant may reach 6 ft. The purplish, spreading branches are covered with fine hairs.
The cape gooseberry plant is closely related to the tomatillo, also a member of the genus Physalis. It is distantly related to a large number of edible plants, including tomato, eggplant, potato and other members of the nightshades.
Cape gooseberry fruit is a smooth berry resembling a miniature tomato, about 1–2 cm in diameter. The fruit turns from a pale green to an amber or gold color within the calyx as they ripen and gets a flavor of gooseberry or a tart green grape. Like a tomato, it contains numerous small seeds. The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked. It has a slight sweet-sour taste. After the flower petals fall the fruit continues to grow in the calyx until it forms a protective cover around the growing fruit. As the fruits ripen, they begin to drop to the ground, but will continue to mature. If the fruit is left inside the calyx husks, its shelf life at room temperature is about 30–45 days, and may extend up to six months.
Cape gooseberries can be eaten with cheese, and can be added to salads for attractive flavor. They are ideal for making snacks, pies, jellies, cheese cakes, chocolate fondants and jams. Also, because of the fruit’s decorative appearance, it is popular in restaurants as an exotic garnish for desserts. They can be dried and go with any dish as dried fruit.
Nutrients
Cape gooseberries contain carbohydrates, fat and proteins. They are low in calories and contain modest levels of vitamins A and B-complex namely B1, B3, thiamine, niacin, and vitamin B21. The fruit also contains vitamin C in higher proportion than in orange or lemon. Minerals like calcium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, iron and magnesium which are essential for a healthy body are also present at low levels.
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