Aronia Berry Fruit Facts and Health Benefits 101

Facts about Aronia Berries

The aronia berry, also known as the chokeberry or chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) has the same habitat preferences as the saskatoon. It has flowers that is white in color that usually blossom beginning from late May. Aronia berries ripen in August, with their color ranging from dark purple, red, orange to yellow.

Aronia Berry Uses

Chokeberries are astringent, but excellent for making sauces, jams and jellies. Various other parts of the Aronia plant had been used by the natives for healing purposes. The roots of the chokeberry were chewed and applied on wounds to stop bleeding. Another important part, the bark was boiled along with some other ingredients to cure fever and diarrhea. Together with the cranberry, bilberry, and other fruit juices, it provides us with several health benefits.

Aronia Berries or Black Chokeberries with Green Background

Health Benefits of Chokeberries

Chokeberries are low in fats and calories but are abundant with vitamins, minerals, dietary fibers and antioxidants.

Black aronia berries contain considerably large quantities of phenolic flavonoid phyto-chemicals known as anthocyanins. Overall anthocyanin content in the berries is around 1,480 mg in each 100 g, and proanthocyanidin concentration is around 664 mg in each 100 g. Research has proven that regular intake of aronia berries provides you with potential health benefits to fight against cancer, aging, diabetes, neurological diseases, bacterial infections and inflammation.
Clinical studies of anthocyanins found in chokeberries have discovered the following compounds: cyanidin-3-galactoside, peonidin, quercetin, delphinidin, epicatechin, petunidin, caffeic acid, malvidin and pelargonidin. These antioxidants provides health benefits by scavenging harmful free radicals in the body.
Cancer study on anthocyanins, in which black chokecherry formulations were first applied to stop cancer in the mouse esophagus by 30 to 60 percent and of the colon by as much as 80 percent. Good at both early and progression stages of tumor growth, aronia berries would definitely be a useful research tool and maintain a promising healing source, as they comprise highest level of anthocyanins ever found in native berries of North America.
Additionally, aronia berries are abundant with flavonoid antioxidants like carotenes, zeaxanthins and luteins. Zeaxanthin features photo-filtering effects against Ultra violet rays, thereby prevents eyes from age related macular disease.
Aronia berry contains many antioxidant vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, folate and beta carotene as well as minerals including potassium, manganese and iron. 100 g of aronia berries supply 35% of RDA levels of ascorbic acid.
The oxygen radical absorbency capacity (ORAC) shows that aronia berry is the highest antioxidant fruit -- Every 100 g recorded 16,062 micro moles of TE or Trolox Equivalents.

Aronia Berry Juice Nutrition Facts and Calories

Nutrition Facts for 1 glass of 6.8 fl oz Aronia Berry Juice
Calories	83 (348 kJ)
Total Fat	0 g
Cholesterol	0 mg
Sodium	25 mg
Total Carbohydrates	21.7 g
Dietary Fiber	0.4 g
Sugars	10 g
Protein	0 g
Calcium	33.3 mg
Potassium	250 mg

How to Choose and Buy Aronia Berries?

When buying from the shops, select berries that have even surface and color. Take out any wet, mottled chokeberries because they are likely to spread the mold to others.

How to Store Aronia Berries?

Berries can be kept in the fridge for approximately 1 week. Rinse the fruit in cold water before use to have their texture intact.

Aronia Berry Recipe

Aronia Berry Milkshake

Ingredients:

1 cup milk
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup frozen aronia berries
1 cup frozen strawberries
2 cups frozen yogurt (strawberry flavor)
whipped cream (optional)

Preparation:

Blend all the ingredients in an electronic blender until smooth. Divide into serving glasses. Garnish with the whipped cream if using.

More Health Benefits of Fruit

All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.