Green Your Home, Your Family and Your Life!

Green Your Home, Your Family and Your Life!

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Aronia: The Superfood You May Not Know About

Aronia BerriesAronia Berries (Photo credit: outdoorPDK)
One of the main goals of Rainbow’s Acre is to grow foods that are yummy enough to appeal to the kids and also provide our family with the greatest health benefits. 

Another goal is to grow fruits and vegetables from every color of the rainbow, in keeping with the recommendation by nutritionists that we eat foods in a variety of colors for optimal health.

This month, I’m participating in the A-Z Blogging Challenge. I’m going to spend April blogging about some of the plants we’re planning to grow at Rainbow’s Acre, from Aronia to Zucchini. 

Today’s post is about a superfood you’ve probably never heard of – aronia berries. Everyone who is eating blueberries for the health benefits take note – aronia berries score higher on many counts such as ORAC value and flavonoid content, making these fruits one of the best antioxidants on the planet.

Aronia berries contain more quinic acid (the compound that fights UTIs) than cranberries. This little pea-sized berry packs a punch, combining the best of blueberries, cranberries and blackberries in one fruit. 

So why aren’t aronia berries more popular? For those who are used to a high sugar diet, this deep purple fruit can taste somewhat tart. If tartness is an issue for you when eating the berries raw, try mixing them with sweeter fruits such as raspberries, blackberries or blueberries. 

Or try freezing – this process reduces tannins which in turn naturally sweetens the berries. And speaking of those natural tannins – it is just this property that makes aronia berries a popular additive in juices and wines, particularly grape and apple. The high tannin content improves the color and flavor of the resulting product.  

Aronia berries are small and easy to dry - just protect them from birds if you dry the fruits outdoors. The dried berries can be added to hot or cold cereal and enjoyed throughout the year. Or try adding the dried fruits to black or herbal teas. 

Aronia (Aronia melancarpa) is an easily grown, low-maintenance, fast growing bush that reaches about six feet in height. The bush tolerates a wide range of conditions and soils, and is very insect and disease resistant. Aronia is native to North America and can be grown in most temperate climates.

The bush produces dainty white flowers in May. Berries mature in the fall.

Each mature bush can produce between 36-38 pounds of fruit per year.  To put that into perspective, the average American only eats about eight pounds of berries (of all types) each year.

If you plan to add aronia berries to your diet, one bush might suffice for a family of five. At Rainbow’s Acre we’re going to plant three bushes for our family of five though as we’re all berry monsters. 

So, what do you think? Are you ready to give aronia berries a try?  
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15 comments:

  1. I've never heard of these before. Do they grow well in Florida?

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    1. Boy, they sure look like Salal, which is native to the Pacific Northwest!

      Mimi Torchia Boothby Watercolors

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    2. Yes, their natural range is from Florida to Nova Scotia!

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    3. Mimi - salal is a different plant - Gaultheria shallon - the berries look somewhat similar but the leaves are very different. All the dark berries have great antioxidant profiles though!

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  2. Thanks for sharing! I love that we use the word "superfruit/superfood": I get images of berries dressed up like Wonder Woman! :)

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    1. What a great image - thanks Jen! And I love Wonder Woman :)

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  3. They're beautiful, with the colored leaves. I'm with Jen - I love the concept of Superfoods.

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  4. Ashamed to say I have never heard of Aronia berries - until today!

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    1. Don't be ashamed - it's always a great day to learn something new :)

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  5. Lilly, I'm so pleased to have learned something new today! I am also pleased to be reading your blog the entire month of April and keeping up with your A-Z blogging challenge. I'm @grammakaye on twitter.

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    1. Thanks Kaye and I look forward to your input as well!

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  6. I am not an "average American," then, as I probably eat 8 pounds of strawberries alone each spring, not to mention blueberries and other tasties. Haven't seen aronia berries, though, will have to keep a sharp eye out for 'em.

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    1. I was pretty shocked by that statistic too, but then again I'm used to my berry monsters :) Hope you can find some aronia fruits or do you plan to grow the bushes yourself?

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  7. Gorgeous! I have to get my hands on some of those!

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