Aronia berries are small, tart berries that have gained popularity over the past few years as they are considered a “superfruit.” These berries can be found in various forms, from fresh and frozen to dried, juiced, and as supplements. They are easy to swap into recipes that call for blueberries and are a great way to add a flavor variation to smoothies and sauces.
Aronia berries are a type of berry that grows on North American shrubs. Red Aronia and black Aronia berries are often called “chokeberries” because they taste so sour when eaten raw. The red ones are a little bit sweeter than the darker ones. The blackberries are about the size and color of blueberries, but they are a little darker, and the red Aronia berries are a little smaller.
Aronia berries are blackberries that grow on bushes in swamps and marshes where it is wet. Aronia berries were first found in North America but quickly spread to the Soviet Union and other parts of Europe in the 20th century. Native American tribes used Aronia berries to treat colds in the past. Today, they are used to make juices, jams, and wine. This superfruit is also called a chokeberry because it has a tart taste that makes your mouth feel dry.
What are Aronia Berries?
The berries of the Aronia plant are dark purple, almost black, and look a lot like blueberries. They are in the Rosaceae family, including apples, pears, blackberries, and almonds. They are also called “chokeberries” because they have a very sour taste that dries out the mouth. Aronia berries come from North America, but some parts of Europe also grow them.
Aronia berries on their own are very sour and astringent, and they can make your mouth feel very dry, which isn’t always a good thing. But they go well with something sweet and are often used to make jams, jellies, syrups, and sauces. They are great in baked goods like bread and muffins, as well as in granola, oatmeal, and yogurt, just like blueberries.
People who like Aronia berries say they are a superfood that is better than other superfoods like acai berries because they are native to North America. They say that the berries are almost a miracle food because they reduce the risk of almost every health problem, from colon cancer to high blood pressure to heart disease, and give your body all the good things it needs, like boosting your immune system and giving you antioxidants. People call them “superberries” and say they are “mega-high in antioxidants.”
How to Cook with Aronia Berries?
Because Aronia berries are sourer than other similar berries, you may need to add more sugar to a recipe. To make a smoothie with Aronia berries, mix 1/2 cup of frozen or juiced Aronia berries (or 1/4 cup of dried Aronia berries) with 1/2 banana to cut the tartness. You can also make a tasty jam with fresh or frozen Aronia berries.
Bring the berries, sugar, water, pectin, and a few teaspoons of lemon juice to a boil. Put the finished product in a jar and use it whenever you want to make a PB&J with a fancy jam. To make a syrup from Aronia berries, bring 1/2 cup of Aronia berries, 1 cup of sugar, and 1 cup of water to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and let the mixture simmer until it gets thick like syrup, then strain. Use it to top ice cream or add flavor to vodka drinks.
What do Aronia Berries Taste Like?
Whether fresh or frozen, Aronia berries are very sour and astringent, with a hint of sweetness that comes out when they are cooked. Aronia berries that have been dried have a mild sweetness and a tart flavor with a tannic aftertaste. All of this will make you pucker your lips. There are sour and dry parts to the flavor and earthy tones.
At the same time, the high tannins make it taste like a dry wine because it is harsh. Some people like the taste of berries right off the bush, while others find them too sour. Aronia berries are a type of berry that grows on North American shrubs. Red Aronia and black Aronia berries are often called “chokeberries” because they taste so sour when eaten raw. The red ones are a little bit sweeter than the darker ones.
Storage Tip
If you’re using fresh berries, wash them before you’re ready to eat them. Store them in a paper towel-lined plastic container with a slightly open lid on a shelf in the fridge (not in the crisper drawer) for a few days. Put the berries in the freezer to keep them for a longer time.
Wash and dry berries before freezing them. Then flash-freeze them in a container lined with wax paper, foil, or a rimmed baking sheet and put it in the freezer for 10 minutes. By doing this, the berries won’t stick together later. Put the berries in a zip-top bag that can be frozen. Berries that have been frozen will stay good for about a year. Dried Aronia berries should be kept in an airtight container in the dark, cool pantry. Within three months, eat.
How to Get More Aronia Berries in your Diet?
The medical community and consumers agree that Aronia berries are a fruit that can be easily added to our lives and is good for us in many ways. You can add Aronia berries to a salad, eat them with yogurt as a snack, or even blend them into a smoothie. Here are some easy recipes that you can make at home.
Aronia Berry Smoothie
Ingredients
- ½ cup of Aronia berries
- ½ cup of water
- One apple
- One banana
- One tablespoon of honey
- One pinch of cinnamon
Instructions
- Wash the fruits before you cut them.
- Cut the apple, banana, and Aronia berries into small pieces.
- Put all the fruits in a blender with water and honey.
- Blitz the mixture till it is smooth and no chunks of fruit are left.
- Pour it into a glass and add a stick of cinnamon.
Aronia Berry Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup of acorn squash, blanched and cut into small pieces
- 1 cup of Aronia berries
- 1 cup of blanched Brussel sprouts
- ¼ cup pearl onions
- Olive oil
Instructions
- Heat the pan over medium heat and then add the olive oil.
- Add the brussels sprouts and cook until they are golden brown.
- Put in the acorn squash and keep cooking it until it’s soft.
- Add pearl onions and Aronia berries.
- Put salt and pepper on it.
- Everything should be cooked for 5 minutes on high heat.
- Just put it on a plate and eat it.
The nutritional value of Aronia berries includes:
- The calories and fats in Aronia berries are low (100 grams of fresh berries provide about 50 calories).
- Antioxidants like polyphenols, flavonoids (like carotenes, lutein, and anthocyanin, about 1,480 mg per 100 grams of fresh berries), and proanthocyanidins are found in high amounts in fresh berries (664 mg per 100 grams)
- Vitamins C, A, and E, beta-carotene, folate, and minerals are all found in this food (such as potassium, iron, and manganese). One hundred grams of fresh Aronia berries have about 35% of the amount of vitamin C you should get daily.
The Nutritional Value of Aronia Berries (1 ounce)
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 13 |
| Protein | 2 g |
| Fat | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 12 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Vitamin C | 10% |
| Manganese | 9% |
| Vitamin K | 5% |
What are the Health Benefits of Aronia Berry?
Possible health benefits of Aronia berries include:
1. Help Reduce the Risk of Cancer
Studies show that Aronia berries have the best chance of lowering cancer risk. Antioxidants in the berry, especially anthocyanins, stop colon cancer cells from dividing and growing, slowing their growth by up to 60%. When women with breast cancer take the extracts, it reduces oxidative stress on the body and stops free radicals from being made in the blood.
2. Prevent or Reduce the Risk of Chronic Diseases
They have a lot of polyphenol antioxidants, which are known to keep you healthy and protect you from long-term diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and metabolic disorders.
3. Help Lower Blood Pressure
Researchers have found that Aronia extracts relax the tissue on the walls of blood vessels and help improve blood flow. This makes it less likely that someone will get heart disease. Many heart diseases make it harder for the blood vessels to relax, which causes the walls of the arteries to harden. They help lower blood pressure and may help fight high blood pressure in the arteries.
4. Improve Heart Health
Aronia berries are full of antioxidants that help lower bad cholesterol, raise good cholesterol, and improve the way the heart works. Bad cholesterol levels decrease when you drink about 250 mL of Aronia berry juice daily (low-density lipoprotein).
5. Help Manage Diabetes
People with diabetes often eat Aronia berries, as well as their juice and extract.
Studies show that these berries can help the body use glucose better and control sugar levels by making the body less resistant to insulin.
6. Improve Immune Function
Aronia berries have properties that support and strengthen the immune system. These are called immunomodulatory properties.
Extracts from the berries have been shown to help stop harmful bacterial activity by reducing the amount of protective biofilm the bacteria make and stopping viral diseases from spreading.
The berry extract killed Escherichia coli and Bacillus cereus, both harmful bacteria.
Ellagic acid and myricetin, found in the Aronia berries extract, may help protect against the flu virus.
7. Reduce the Risk of Urinary Tract Infections:
Studies show that people who regularly drank Aronia berry juice had a big drop in urinary tract infections.
The berries stop the body from making cytokines and interleukins, which cause inflammation, and reduce the body’s response to inflammation.
The Bottom Line on the Aronia Berry
Aronia berries may be everything people say they are and more. Still, all berries have antioxidants and properties that fight cancer, as do most fruits and vegetables, like apples and broccoli. Even though they may be healthy and full of vitamins and antioxidants, you would be just as well off filling your grocery cart with fresh blueberries and leafy green vegetables, which are also healthy and full of antioxidants.
They are healthy, just like other superfoods like goji berries and hemp. If you like them, there’s no reason not to eat them, but don’t expect to live to be 95 just because you do. With Aronia berries and coconut, you can make a healthy and tasty smoothie. Try looking online for Aronia berries. They can be bought as whole frozen bags, gummy supplements, supplement capsules, concentrated juice, or a freeze-dried powder.
Conclusion
From what you can see, Aronia berries look a lot like blueberries. Even though Aronia berries can be used in place of blueberries in recipes, keep in mind that they are much sourer and tart than blueberries and usually not as sweet. So, you can’t depend on them as the only way to sweeten a recipe. Some farmers’ markets have fresh Aronia berries in late summer, but they are much easier to find in other forms, such as frozen, dried, juiced, powder, and even gummy supplements. And while you might be able to find some Aronia berries at health food stores, shopping online is the best way to find them.
