Blackcurrant Extract and Fat Oxidation: What Does the Exercise Research Actually Show?
You are halfway through a ride, run or brisk walk and see the phrase increased fat burning during exercise attached to blackcurrant research. It sounds impressive, but what does it actually mean? Is your body simply using a little more fat as fuel during that session, or does it mean you will lose more body fat?
Those are different claims. Research on defined New Zealand blackcurrant preparations suggests blackcurrant can increase fat oxidation during exercise on average. A 2026 meta-analysis found a pooled increase in fat oxidation alongside a decrease in carbohydrate oxidation.1,2 Responses varied between people, and the finding is about fuel use during exercise, not proven body-fat loss.
There is another boundary we think is just as important. The studies in that meta-analysis all used the CurraNZ research supplement. They did not test our finished Kiwi Superfoods Blackcurrant Skin Extract formula.2 That means the research gives us an interesting New Zealand blackcurrant story to follow, but it does not let us promise that our capsules will reproduce another preparation's result.
First, what does fat oxidation actually mean?
Your body uses a mix of fuels to make energy. During exercise, two of the main sources are fat and carbohydrate. The balance shifts depending on things such as how hard you are working, how long you have been exercising, your training status and what you have eaten.
Fat oxidation is simply the process of using fat as an energy source. When a study reports higher fat oxidation during exercise, it means the participants were estimated to be using fat at a higher rate during the measured exercise period.
Researchers commonly estimate this with breathing measurements. By looking at oxygen use and carbon dioxide production while someone exercises, they can calculate the approximate mix of fat and carbohydrate being used for energy. This is often called substrate oxidation, where substrate simply means the fuel being used.
That is why blackcurrant exercise metabolism research can sound more dramatic than it is. A measured change in fuel mix is scientifically interesting, but it is not the same thing as showing long-term weight loss.
What changed when researchers pooled the blackcurrant studies?
Individual blackcurrant studies have not all produced the same result, so the 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis is useful because it looked across the available controlled trials rather than leaning on one positive experiment.1,2
The review included 15 studies with 226 participants. When the data were pooled, blackcurrant extract was associated with an average 0.042 g per minute increase in fat oxidation and an average 0.099 g per minute decrease in carbohydrate oxidation during exercise.1,2
That gives the blackcurrant substrate oxidation story more weight than a single small study could. It also needs to be read properly. These are group averages. They do not mean every person experienced those exact changes, and the review itself notes that responses were not consistent between individuals.
The preparation matters too. All 15 studies in this meta-analysis used the same New Zealand blackcurrant supplement, CurraNZ.2 We do not treat that as proof that every blackcurrant extract is interchangeable. Different products can differ in raw material, extraction, standardisation, dose and finished formulation.
A separate 2026 systematic review of New Zealand blackcurrant and sports outcomes also found the metabolic findings, particularly fat oxidation, more consistent than the performance findings overall.3 That is one reason we think the fuel-use research is worth following on its own terms rather than turning it into a broad sports-performance claim.
A pooled result can still hide very different people
Averages are useful, but they can smooth over what actually happened from study to study. A few snapshots make that easier to see.
Endurance-trained women cycling for a prolonged period
In endurance-trained women, a controlled study reported greater mean fat oxidation during prolonged moderate-intensity cycling after the tested New Zealand blackcurrant preparation.4 It is a useful finding because it showed that the fat-oxidation signal was not confined to male participants.
Men and women running in hot conditions
Another study tested men and women during an hour of moderate running in hot conditions. The blackcurrant condition produced higher fat oxidation and lower carbohydrate oxidation than placebo, while the measured thermoregulatory variables, including body temperature measures, did not meaningfully change.5
That is a good example of why we keep the claim specific. The study found a shift in measured fuel use. It did not show that every other exercise response changed at the same time.
Moderate walking shows why individual response matters
Walking research has been especially useful for showing variation. One study in adult men found higher fat oxidation after both 7 and 14 days of the tested preparation, with a larger average change after the longer intake period.6 Another study found that daily use changed fat oxidation in some men, while every-other-day use did not produce the same result.7
In recreationally active women, one trial reported higher walking-induced fat oxidation in 10 of 12 participants, with the size of the response related to several body-composition measures.8 At the same time, the wider meta-analysis included studies that did not show a change in substrate use.2
The useful lesson is not that cycling, running or walking is the best exercise for blackcurrant. It is that protocol and person both matter.
The part we would not turn into a weight-loss promise
If you search does blackcurrant burn fat, it is easy to slide from one meaning of fat burning into another. Exercise researchers use fat oxidation to describe fuel use during a measured period. Most people hear fat burning and think of losing stored body fat over time.
Those are not the same outcome.
Higher fat oxidation during one exercise bout does not prove that someone will lose more body fat. Long-term body-weight and body-composition changes are influenced by many factors, including overall energy intake, activity, training, sleep and individual physiology. The blackcurrant substrate oxidation studies were not weight-loss trials of the finished Kiwi Superfoods product.
So we do not describe our Blackcurrant Skin Extract as a fat burner or a weight-loss supplement. We also would not suggest that a capsule can compensate for food choices, low activity or a training plan that does not suit your goals.
What the research does support is a narrower and more interesting statement: defined New Zealand blackcurrant preparations have changed the mix of fat and carbohydrate used during exercise in a number of controlled human studies, and the 2026 pooled evidence found that effect on average.1,2
Why one person may respond differently from another
The meta-analysis itself points to individual variability, and the wider research gives several sensible reasons why results may differ.1,2 Training status can affect the way your body uses fuel during exercise. Sex may matter. Baseline fuel use can differ before a supplement is added, and body composition has been associated with response in some walking research.
The exercise session matters as well. Intensity and duration both influence the balance between fat and carbohydrate use, so a moderate walk is not metabolically identical to a long ride or a run in hot conditions.
Then there is the supplement protocol. Studies have used different intake durations and different experimental conditions. Most importantly for anyone comparing products, the exact blackcurrant preparation matters. A result from one defined extract cannot automatically be assigned to another finished product.
None of this gives us a reliable way to predict your personal response in advance. It simply explains why a group average can be real while individual results still vary.
Why this fuel-use research keeps NZ-grown blackcurrant on our radar
We find this research interesting because defined New Zealand blackcurrant preparations have now been investigated repeatedly in human exercise studies. The 2026 pooled work gives the metabolic side of that research a useful signal: on average, fat oxidation went up and carbohydrate oxidation went down during exercise.1,2
We also keep the product boundary clear. Those studies used their own defined preparations and protocols. They did not test our finished Kiwi Superfoods Blackcurrant Skin Extract formula.
What we can say directly about our product is straightforward. We use NZ-grown blackcurrant skin extract. The current daily serving provides at least 270 mg of NZ-grown blackcurrant skin extract plus 400 mg of vitamin C. Our current directions are two capsules daily, with or without food. Each bottle contains 60 capsules, and the product is described as gluten free and vegan-friendly.
If the plant-compound side of blackcurrant is what interests you, our guide to New Zealand blackcurrant anthocyanins explains the berry and skin story separately. You can also browse our blackcurrant range.
Where our Blackcurrant Skin Extract fits
Our Blackcurrant Skin Extract is a practical option if you want a convenient NZ-grown blackcurrant capsule as part of an active lifestyle. What we like about the format is its simplicity: you can add a concentrated blackcurrant skin extract to your day without another powder, drink mix or complicated supplement schedule.
You do not need to build a special pre-workout plan around it. Follow our current directions: two capsules daily, with or without food.
If your main question is whether New Zealand blackcurrant can affect sports performance rather than fuel use, read our blackcurrant sports performance guide. It looks at that evidence separately so we do not turn a metabolism result into a performance promise.
A quick safety note
Use the product as directed and do not copy the doses or timing from research studies. Those protocols belong to the specific preparations that were tested.
If you take regular medicines, especially medicines that affect clotting, have a bleeding concern, have surgery planned, or are pregnant or breastfeeding, get appropriate advice from a doctor, pharmacist or other qualified health professional before adding a blackcurrant supplement. Our blackcurrant supplement safety guide covers the practical safety points in more detail.
Common questions
What is fat oxidation during exercise?
Fat oxidation during exercise means your body is using fat as one of its energy sources. Researchers can estimate the rate of fat and carbohydrate use from breathing measurements taken while you exercise.
Does blackcurrant extract increase fat oxidation during exercise?
Research on defined New Zealand blackcurrant preparations suggests it can increase fat oxidation during exercise on average. A 2026 meta-analysis found a pooled increase in fat oxidation, but responses varied between people and the included studies all used the CurraNZ research supplement.
What did the 2026 blackcurrant meta-analysis find?
The 2026 meta-analysis included 15 studies and 226 participants. It reported an average increase in fat oxidation of 0.042 g per minute and an average decrease in carbohydrate oxidation of 0.099 g per minute during exercise.
Does increased fat oxidation mean you lose more body fat?
No. Higher fat oxidation during an exercise bout means more fat was being used as fuel during that measured period. It does not by itself prove greater long-term body-fat loss.
Does blackcurrant reduce carbohydrate use during exercise?
On average, the 2026 meta-analysis found lower carbohydrate oxidation alongside higher fat oxidation during exercise. That was a pooled group result, not a guarantee that every person will show the same change.
Does blackcurrant extract work the same way for everyone?
No. Studies show individual variation. Training status, sex, baseline fuel use, body composition, exercise intensity and duration, supplement duration and the exact blackcurrant preparation may all help explain why responses differ.
Were Kiwi Superfoods Blackcurrant Skin Extract capsules used in these studies?
No. The studies discussed here used their own defined research preparations, and the 2026 meta-analysis states that all included studies used CurraNZ. They did not test the finished Kiwi Superfoods Blackcurrant Skin Extract formula.
Should I copy the doses or timing used in blackcurrant studies?
No. Research doses and timing belong to the specific products and protocols that were tested. For Kiwi Superfoods Blackcurrant Skin Extract, follow our current directions of two capsules daily, with or without food.
If you like the idea of a simple NZ-grown blackcurrant capsule and want to explore our formula, you can see the full product details below.
References
- Cook MD, Bateman JJ, Willems MET. Blackcurrant Anthocyanin Supplementation Alters Exercise-Induced Substrate Utilization: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of Dietary Supplements. 2026. PubMed.
- Cook MD, Bateman JJ, Willems MET. Full article for the 2026 substrate utilisation meta-analysis. DOI.
- Gholamian S, Ebrahimi S, Razmdideh A, et al. Effect of New Zealand Blackcurrant Supplementation on Sports Performance: A Systematic Review. Current Developments in Nutrition. 2026. DOI.
- Strauss JA, Willems MET, Shepherd SO. New Zealand blackcurrant extract enhances fat oxidation during prolonged cycling in endurance-trained females. European Journal of Applied Physiology. 2018. PubMed.
- Hiles AM, et al. Dietary supplementation with New Zealand blackcurrant extract enhances fat oxidation during submaximal exercise in the heat. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. 2020. PubMed.
- Şahin MA, et al. Intake Duration of Anthocyanin-Rich New Zealand Blackcurrant Extract Affects Metabolic Responses during Moderate Intensity Walking Exercise in Adult Males. Journal of Dietary Supplements. 2021. PubMed.
- Şahin MA, et al. Daily and Not Every-Other-Day Intake of Anthocyanin-Rich New Zealand Blackcurrant Extract Alters Substrate Oxidation during Moderate-Intensity Walking in Adult Males. Journal of Dietary Supplements. 2021. PubMed.
- Willems MET, Banic M, Cadden R, Barnett L. Enhanced Walking-Induced Fat Oxidation by New Zealand Blackcurrant Extract Is Body Composition-Dependent in Recreationally Active Adult Females. Nutrients. 2022. PubMed.
Educational information only. Supplements do not replace a balanced diet, suitable training or professional medical advice where it is needed.
