Research on the Chokeberry Health Benefits

With so much praise, research has now also turned its attention to the chokeberry in order to scientifically investigate the health-promoting potential that is said to be associated with the plant.

The author has no relations with the producers and is not involved in the sale of the products mentioned. As a food supplement or food as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle. We deal in detail with how the secondary plant substances in chokeberry are absorbed and metabolised by the body.

What is new about our study is that we are covering the entire spectrum from basic molecular research to application-oriented processes for product improvement and development. It is popularly known as the noble mountain ash or black chokeberry because its delicate white flowers resemble apple blossoms and the sliced fruit resembles an apple. A study recently published in the USA by researchers from Ohio State University even assumes that the anthocyanin group of anthocyanins in the chokeberries has a cancer-killing property.

How to use chokeberries 

In our industry, innovation is the be-all and end-all if you want to secure your business for the next generation. Go for organic produce or grow berries in your own garden. As a rule, fruit from organic production is not or only slightly contaminated with pesticides, as our focus studies repeatedly show. The chokeberries are lightly pressed into a tall glass and then infused with vinegar and water.

For the aronia drink you need 3 cups of aronia berries, 1 cup of mild wine vinegar and a cup of water. You can use the vinegar for a dressing or you can drink it mixed with water. In case of chemo- or radiation therapy, taking chokeberry is said to relieve the metabolism and have a positive effect on the whole organism.

Phenol is also said to have a positive effect against the proliferation of cancer cells - as well as supporting the body when the patient undergoes radiation or chemotherapy. It can, for example, be processed into tasty jam or marmalade (or purchased as a ready-made spread). As an addition to muesli, yoghurt, jam or even bread, chokeberry powder thus refines the taste of food.

Chokeberry berries can be easily processed into juices and smoothies, but can also be the basis of mueslis and other dishes.

What are Chokeberries?

If you look at it closely, it is not a real berry at all, but belongs to the pome fruit family. This can be seen by cutting open a chokeberry and examining the tiny core: There the small seeds are arranged symmetrically around the center - almost like a tiny apple. The washed chokeberry berries are made into puree with a blender or blender stick. Ultimately, our intensive breeding work on many plant species forms a breeding funnel based on tens of thousands of plants at the top, cultivated on more than 6 hectares of breeding land, and at the bottom, so to speak at the target, which produces 5 to 15 novelties every year:

Planting the chokeberry is also conceivable as a road companion, as it has a high salt tolerance and is heat-tolerant. In September, the longed-for miracle berries appear, they have a very dark colour, often this colour is already a first sign of the healthy ingredients of a fruit, the fruits are also very popular with birds. The anthocyanins contained in chokeberry fruits have an even stronger antioxidant effect than the cell protection vitamins C and E. Thus, chokeberry berries are said to protect the body from an excess of free radicals.

However, as they are not long-lasting when freshly harvested, chokeberries must be dried quickly or processed into juice. Under no circumstances should this information be regarded as a substitute for professional advice or treatment by trained and recognised doctors. The chokeberries are usually processed into juice, jam or puree and are said to contain many valuable secondary plant ingredients such as flavonoids and phenolic acid.

A not too alkaline soil with a pH-value between 5 and 6.5 - well loosened before planting - is the perfect basis for a good growth of chokeberry. Pressed into juice and slightly sweetened, chokeberry juice is also popular with children and the tasty fruit spreads are also a vitalising addition to the breakfast table. It is difficult to give general dosage instructions, because not everyone "needs" the berry and not everyone can benefit equally from the ingredients.

Ripe aronia berries: The taste of the fruit is intense - the intensity can be reduced, for example in jams, by adding pear or raspberry ... are particularly suitable for the treatment of the diseases from which modern man suffers, namely circulatory diseases, gastric catarrh; the latest research has shown that the chokeberry berries neutralized the harmful influence of radioactive radiation to which the human organism is exposed more and more frequently. Tannins have a great influence on the taste of chokeberry berries. Their content in ripe berries is about 0.35% and they give the berries a characteristic taste, which is very important especially in wine processing.

The berries are then strained through a sieve or gauze cloth and the liquid is collected and boiled down again for 2 minutes. OPC acts as a free radical scavenger and thus as an active cell protection much stronger than conventional vitamin C. If OPC works together with flavonoids, they form an active protective shield against radicals, which not only repels them but even actively fights them. In the cold season, aronia tea and mulled wine attract fans of hot drinks to the healthy fruit and even those with a sweet tooth get their money's worth with aronia chocolate berries, fruit slices and the crunch variant.

The Secret of the Chokeberry

The colour of chokeberries is not only pretty to look at, but also provides UV protection for the consumer. Of particular importance are secondary plant compounds which, as part of our daily diet, are extremely beneficial to health and general well-being.

Chokeberries can be bought and eaten fresh or dried. It is suitable for individual planting in a tub. For example, chokeberry decorates and plants a balcony or terrace. Due to the processing, which includes a heating process, the content of (bound and free) prussic acid is even lower here than in the raw fruit.

The taste of the berry means that chokeberries are rarely eaten raw, but mostly in processed form as juice, jam, jelly or as dried fruit. There are now isolated reports that warn against eating chokeberries because of their prussic acid content. It refers to 122 human studies, i.e. studies on humans, published by various universities, associations and from various countries.

There are no scientific studies on the risks and side effects of using chokeberry preparations. The anthocyanin content in fresh chokeberries is between 200 and 1000 mg per 100 g. No other vegetable agent or foodstuff has such high anthocyanin contents.

Simply place the dried chokeberries in water for a day so that they swell and add to your favourite cereal. By the way, the antioxidants and many other vitamins also have a positive effect on the rejuvenation of the skin, a cheap alternative to expensive creams.

The health-promoting effect of chokeberry juice, which many people expect from the berry, has not yet been scientifically proven.

The juice: thickened, the juice makes a delicious syrup or can also be used for fruit sauces and desserts.

The fresh fruit: hardly anyone enjoys the fresh chokeberry as a snack between meals - but it is great for making a liqueur or in a rum pot.

After defrosting, however, the taste and consistency may behave differently than the dried chokeberry. They are extremely frost-hardy, grow in barren soil and even diseases or pests hardly stand a chance. Due to their high dye content (anthocyanins), the berries are used in the food industry for colouring food.

When crushed, the dried berries are also suitable for making tea. Two to three teaspoons of the berries are poured over hot water and left to infuse for ten minutes. Even if some studies for the above-mentioned areas of application have found indications of a positive effect of chokeberry, the significance of the investigations is usually insufficient. Due to the processing, which includes a heating process, the contents of (bound and free) prussic acid are again lower than in the raw fruit.

The taste of the berry means that chokeberries are rarely eaten raw, but mostly in processed form as juice, jam, jelly or as dried fruit.

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