Black currant is a good way to lower high cholesterol

Black currant is a plant. People use the seed oil, leaves, fruit, and flowers to make medicine.

Black currant seed oil is used for lowering high cholesterol. It is also used for high blood pressure, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

Black currant berries, black currant juice, and black currant extracts are used for glaucoma. These are also used for Alzheimer disease, the common cold, the flu, and other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

Black currant dried leaf is used orally for arthritis, gout, diarrhea, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

Some people apply black currant leaf to the skin for wounds and insect bites.

In foods, black currant berry is used to flavor liqueurs and other products such as jams and ice cream. People also eat black currant berry.

Black currant seed oil contains a chemical called gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). Some research suggests that GLA might improve the immune system, making it more able to fight off disease. GLA might also help decrease swelling. Black currant also contains chemicals called anthocyanins, which have antioxidant effects. There is interest in these chemicals to prevent skin aging and wrinkles.

Early research shows that black currant might lower eye pressure in people with open-angle glaucoma who are already taking medicine for glaucoma. It seems to work best in people with glaucoma who are using only one other glaucoma medication. In these people, black currant might lower eye pressure by about 1.5 mmHg. But black currant doesn’t seem to lower eye pressure in people with glaucoma who are already taking more than one glaucoma medication.

Some research suggests that taking black currant seed oil can reduce total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL or “bad”) cholesterol, and blood fats called triglycerides. It also seems to increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL or “good”) cholesterol.

Early research shows that taking black currant seed oil by mouth does not reduce blood pressure in adults with borderline high blood pressure. But it appears to reduce stress-related increases in blood pressure in adults with borderline high blood pressure.

Early research shows that drinking a mixture of black currant juice and orange juice reduces markers of swelling in people with peripheral arterial disease.