There has been a huge revival of curiosity in the aronia berry in recent times, particularly since its countless benefits have come to light. Often called chokeberry, this dark berry is indigenous to North America. It was part of the staple diet of early settlers and Native Americans because it was very healthy.

Today, researchers and scientists are discovering the goodness of this berry and what a completely amazing super food it is. There has been ample research to suggest that the aronia berries are indeed some of nature's best health supplements.

Scientific researches have indicated that dark skinned berries and fruits offer the most amount of nutrients and protective elements to people. From that point of view, the black aronia berry is indeed dark and offers much more protection than blackberries and cranberries.

What's special about aronia berry?

We are all aware of the importance of antioxidants in keeping us healthy and fighting conditions. The aronia berry has the optimum concentration of antioxidants present in any fruit. Just this property of the aronia berry ought to make it a top contender for the healthiest fruit/berry ever. Because it is rich in antioxidants, it has a extremely high ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) value, almost 80 units which is probably the highest amongst fruits. However, there is more.

Aronia berries also have a lot of flavonoids which help the body in its battle against viruses, cancer causing elements, also known as carcinogens and different types of allergies.

These dark skinned berries have all of the properties found in cranberries and black berries, but in added measure because of the high levels of anthocyanins and proanthocyanins. It also has a high dose of quinic acid which is known to prevent urinary infection.

As research is usually being conducted, there is a lot more about the aronia berry which is being found. Here's a look at how specifically the aronia berry can be beneficial to us.

* Circulation. Aronia berries are known to enhance the circulation of blood, make blood vessels stronger and fight against heart disease. Free radicals are the true cause of various diseases in the body and aronia berries can prevent formation of these radicals thereby preventing diseases such as other cardiovascular conditions and diabetes.

* UTI. It is a well known fact that cranberries are great in helping resolve urinary tract infection, but these aronia berries are really better than that because of the high quotient of quinic acid in them.

* Struggling with high blood pressure? Aronia berries are your antidote as these can help significantly in keeping blood pressure at normal levels.

* If your diet has aronia berry regularly, you can be sure that colds and flu will stay away from you.

* Here is another surprising benefit. Aronia berries can help enhance your memory also.

* These berries help the body in producing good cholesterol.

* Studies are being conducted to find the effect of aronia berries on cancer as it is known to be somewhat effective especially for those suffering from colon cancer.

* Aronia berries can prevent blood clots from forming and thereby reduce the occurrence of atherosclerosis.

How to consum it?

The aronia berry is known for its tart and sharp taste which might appeal to some and not to many others as its low on sugar as well. On the other hand, aside from being eaten fresh, these berries are now appearing in various forms of food and provide the same amount of nutrition. The aronia berry juice is quite healthy as well as it offers all the benefits of the berries in an easy to use and store form. The juice is often sweetened also to make it more tasty.

Numerous companies have come up which are promoting berry chews, fresh frozen berries, and even aronia berry green tea. If you're fond of fresh fruit in your food, then you can include the aronia berries in pancakes, top it with cereals or add it to your fruit salad to power your food like never before. Inventive cooks are adding aronia berries to substitute other berries such as strawberries and cranberries in their recipes which call for sauces or fillings. One of the most famous ways to eat aronia berries can be through smoothies while jams and preserves are also great.

Great to know

Several researches have indicated that apart from all the many health benefits that it offers, the aronia berry can furthermore help in controlling weight. What is more, there's many amazing news that aronia berries can help prevent the body from storing fat around the tummy, a problem which numerous people are constantly facing.

It is rather easy to grow aronia berry bushes in your own garden if you have adequate space because that means you can have fresh supply of this berry throughout the year. And the great news for those who don't have that much of a green thumb is that these bushes are low maintenance and are rather easy to grow. Better yet, a mature bush can produce around 38 pounds of berries, more than enough to keep you enjoying super foods everyday of the year.