Never heard of an Aronia Berry?
You’re not alone. These high-antioxidant superfoods are grown in the midwest and Europe. They are a deep purple, almost black, fruit resembling a blueberry.
Why are they good for me? Aronia Melanocarpa ranks highest on the USDA’s Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) chart seen here.
Why haven’t you heard of them if they’re so healthy?
Because there aren’t that many of them out there. They are a native plant to the midwest, used by tribes years and years ago for their health benefits. Yet, farmers tore out the berries because they didn’t taste good. They were referred to as black chokeberries.
Do they really taste that bad?
Chokeberries – really? The answer is no, they don’t taste that bad. They are a dry, astringent fruit. Imagine a dry red wine, or a tart Granny Smith apple. Ours actually have a sugar content of 18-23 brix when harvested. We pick them at the peak time to maximize the flavor. Some folks do not and if you happen to get an Aronia Berry harvested too soon, it will be more sour than it should be.
Do you eat them like blueberries or raspberries?
Not usually, but they are great to blend with other fruits in a salad or add to your favorite baked goods or smoothies. They are great in chili, soups and stews. Their addition to foods punches up the nutrition! A serving of Aronia is 18-20 berries to get the nutritional benefit. It’s easy to get your antioxidants when they blend in so easily.
We have recipes and suggested uses on our farm’s blog at Fogle40Aronia.com
Where do I find Aronia Berries?
Many farmers in Iowa take fresh berries to Farmer’s Markets in late August or early September. Some of us have even branched out into providing grocery stores in the area with frozen Aronia Berries year round. You may also find them online.
What Should I Look for in Aronia Products?
Good question…You should look for organically grown Aronia Berries. Let’s put it this way, if you were going to buy a car, do you choose one that looks good, runs, and is reliable? It’s a big investment and you want the best you can afford, right? Fruit as healthy and full of polyphenols, fiber and vitamins should be viewed the same. You want to get the best you possibly can for the money. No chemicals, grown organically, fed and nurtured to produce the best quality taste and nutrient levels possible. Why buy something inferior and look for superior results?
Why do I bring this up? Simple. You will find Aronia products at all price points and grown in all sorts of places. It boils down to what you want. Do you want commercially and chemically mass produced raised Aronia from Poland? Do you care if the nutrient levels and sugar content is optimal? Do you care if the Aronia powder you buy is leftover skin, pulp and seeds leftover after someone has juiced them? It will be cheaper, but what will you be missing out on? Will you really get all the antioxidant power if the juice was first extracted? Is your juice pasteurized and heated for preservation? Does the heat diminish the nutrient content?
When I am purchasing food or supplements for health reasons I look for organically grown items. I prefer foods grown more locally, or at least in the USA. If I am buying a powdered version of a food, I want the entire food, not just the skins and pulp. Who knows what you’re really missing and I don’t want to have to drink the juice and use the powder to get it all.
We have pasteurized Aronia juice for ourselves. We use a steam distillation method to extract the juice and can it to preserve it. Does it diminish some of the nutrients? Studies have shown it may somewhat. Why do we do it? Because we have them and it’s so easy to use (not necessarily make).
What do I suggest to folks?
I suggest people use frozen whole berries. You get the full berry and all the nutrients. But, I realize most folks don’t cook and bake like I do. I have to for my other sensitivities and I’m old (as the granddaughters say). So I have recipes available at our farm’s blog at Fogle40Aronia.com
I also suggest people try the Whole Raw Aronia Powder we offer at MyAroniaBerry.com
You can use the berry powder in drinks, smoothies, yogurt, ice cream, in cookies, brownies, soups, salad dressings, or mix it in water or juice, The sky’s the limit! Anytime you want to add nutritional value or feel like you need an immune boost, add Aronia!
