While other berries tend to take the spotlight, cape gooseberries (physalis peruviana) go unnoticed yet nutritionists say they contain body-benefiting properties.

Cape gooseberries, or gapera/imbuhu as they are locally known, are in plenty in markets perhaps because ‘it is a peak season’ as some vendors put it.

They are some of the indigenous fruits sold locally, according to one of the vendors in Kimironko market. One kilogramme of cape gooseberries goes for Rwf 2,000.

Cape gooseberry is a small fruit that has an attractive yellow-orange colour. The marble-like fruit also features a smooth but waxy exterior.

It has a feathery husk that serves as an inedible covering. The berry has the same aspects of a cherry tomato, including a soft, rounded exterior only that its flesh is yellow-coloured.

According to Selina Wamucii, a mobile-driven business-to-business sourcing platform for fresh produce from smallholder farmers in Africa’s rural areas, they source Rwanda cape gooseberries from the semi-arid parts of the country.

One can have cape gooseberries as a healthy snack and also use them as a topping for desserts or in puddings.

Health benefits

Erick Musengimana, a nutritionist at Rwanda, Diabetes Association-Kigali, says this fruit is highly nutritious, low in calories and fat.

They are rich in vitamin C, much more than lemon, which is good for the skin and also helps in boosting immunity.

It is said that it fulfils 18 per cent of the requirements of vitamin C, further enhancing immunity.

For instance, a 1-cup serving of fresh, raw gooseberries contains 42 milligrams of vitamin C. This amount supplies 55 per cent of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C for an adult.

Cape gooseberries apparently contain more antioxidants than broccoli and apples.

Musengimana says antioxidant-rich cape gooseberries can protect one against common cold and flu attacks.

"It has been established that consuming them with tea or hot water at least twice a day can soothe the clogged nasal passage and you will begin to feel much more relaxed,” he says.

Also, gooseberries contain 6 grams of dietary fibre in each cup, or about 26 per cent of the amount of fibre that adults should consume each day.

They are a good source of both soluble and insoluble fibre. Soluble fibre intake is linked to a decreased risk of diabetes and high blood cholesterol, while insoluble fibre can regulate your bowel movements and may help prevent digestive problems like haemorrhoids and colon cancer.

Cape gooseberries are also rich in vitamin A and iron which improve eyesight and immunity.

It provides 14 per cent of the daily requirement of vitamin A, which is good for the eyes, prevents cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.

 Musengimana says due to the presence of phytochemicals (compounds produced by plants, generally to help them resist fungi, bacteria and plant virus infections) such as polyphenols and carotenoids, cape gooseberries can regulate high blood pressure levels. These chemicals along with the soluble pectin fibre keep bad cholesterol levels in check and promote heart health.

Pectin is a type of starch, called a heteropolysaccharide, that occurs naturally in the cell walls of fruits and vegetables and gives them structure. 

Being high in calcium and phosphorous, Musengimana says these berries help in making your bones stronger. They also have a good amount of pectin that helps in calcium and phosphorus absorption, thereby, making bones stronger, and managing conditions like rheumatism and dermatitis.

"Cape gooseberries contain immense soluble fibre like fructose which prove beneficial for diabetic patients, which helps in lowering the blood sugar levels,” Musengimana adds.

And for weight loss, it has been revealed that cape gooseberries are low in fat and calories and that a handful make for a great snack or a meal filler to support one’s weight loss goals.