Aronia – The chokeberry

The Aronia melanocurpa is little known in this country. Perhaps some people are more familiar with the name black chokeberry (or bald chokeberry). It has been valued as an effective medicinal plant in Eastern Europe for several decades. Visually rather inconspicuous, one could almost confuse the aronia berry with the blueberry – the berries of the aronia plant have a healthier effect. We’ll tell you here what’s in aronia berries.

Aronia: healthy effect

The chokeberry is not only particularly good for treating  high blood pressure , medicines for capillary toxicosis, certain forms of gastritis and bleeding are also obtained from the aronia berry.

Furthermore, the aronia plant is used as a remedy for:

• allergies
• upset stomach
• Liver and biliary diseases
• teething

It also shows a positive effect on the immune system, blood formation and the regeneration of bone and muscle tissue.

Constituents of aronia berries

The aronia plant is a versatile medicinal product because it is a donor of:

• folic acid
• Eisen
• Iodine
• Provitamin A
• Vitamin B2
• Vitamin-C
• Vitamin-K
• Flavonoids

Chokeberry protects against free radicals

Many diseases in our modern society are triggered by unstable oxygen molecules, which we call free radicals. They influence cell metabolism and cause oxidative stress, which can lead to serious secondary diseases. It also accelerates the aging process.

Aronia is rich in secondary plant substances that counteract all of this. The free radicals are bound by the high proportion of  antioxidants  . Since free radicals can also influence the development of cancer, regular consumption of chokeberries can have a cancer-preventing effect.

The aronia berry is also a remedy for damage caused by solar radiation and for skin diseases – the chokeberry is even used for radiation sickness. Aronia thus has the potential to become an anti-aging elixir.

Environmentally conscious people can also prevent hardening of the arteries  and nerve damage by consuming aronia  . Sometimes the chokeberry is also said to have a positive influence on mental illnesses.

Aronia juice or aronia jam?

However, the aronia has a small drawback: despite their relatively high sugar content, chokeberries have a sour-tart  taste,  so many people prefer to drink aronia juice or spread aronia jam on bread. The berries are often combined with oranges for the jam.

However, one should not overdo it: a glass of aronia juice diluted with water (pure aronia juice still has a relatively bitter taste) daily is sufficient. If you eat too much, you may  have stomach problems  .

Aronia berries contain a small amount of hydrocyanic acid, but consuming small amounts is considered harmless. The hydrogen cyanide content can be reduced by heating.

Other uses

Instead of water, the aronia juice can also be mixed with other fruit juices or enjoyed as lemonade by processing it further. In their ground form, as a powder, they are also often used as an ingredient in  smoothies .

However, aronia berries can also be used dried (like raisins). In the Soviet Union, the aronia berry was also used to make sweets.

Since ready-made chokeberry products are rarely available in Germany, you can also try out some aronia recipes yourself.

Recipes: Aronia Milkshake and Aronia Ice Cream

This simple recipe is suitable for an aronia milkshake:

• 400 g aronia berries
• 1 liter whole milk
• 200 g Sahn
• Sweeten with  honey  or sugar if you like

The washed aronia berries are processed into a mush with a blender or blender. Pass the puree through a fine sieve,   mix with the whipped cream and milk . Beat everything again and sweeten to taste.

This and other aronia recipes spice up every summer party; Aronia berries, creamy yoghurt, egg yolk, powdered sugar and vanilla sugar can also be used to conjure up a refreshing  aronia ice cream  .

A little tip: the deep-frozen chokeberry loses its intensely tart taste.

Origin of the Aronia plant

Originally from eastern North America, the aronia plant came to Russia in the 19th century. Since the middle of the 20th century it has also been used for healing purposes in the former Soviet Union. 

Aronia berries are black with red flesh, the size of a pea, and are in season from mid-August to October. The berries are often used in the food industry as a red food coloring.