Blackcurrants: A Nutrient-Rich Source for the Development of Functional Foods for Improved Athletic Performance

Blackcurrants are nutrient-rich fruits with a significant amount of bioactivecompounds including vitamin C and polyphenols, especially anthocyanins. Thehigh phytochemical content of blackcurrants promotes this fruit to becomea valuable functional food ingredient with varying health-promoting activitiestargeting different consumers including athletes. Athletes experience oxidativestress during intense exercise, which can result in inflammation and reducedexercise performance. Antioxidants such as vitamin C and polyphenols canrestore the regular oxidative status of the body. Blackcurrant supplementationhas shown potential ergogenic activity to improve athlete performance duringhigh-intensity training. Clinical trials have evaluated the effectiveness of black-currant supplementation on exercise performance, fat oxidation, blood lactatelevels, muscle fatigue, and cardiac output. Due to the rich nutritional value ofblackcurrants, they can be a potential candidate for the development of func-tional foods targeted at the improved performance of athletes. Blackcurrants canbe used as ingredients to develop functional beverages and snacks for athletesas well as gluten-free products for celiac athletes. Blackcurrant is rich in bioactive compounds that can help improve athleticperformance. It can be considered a potential bioactive ingredient to developfunctional foods for athletes.