Chokeberry is a unique type of berries containing essential phytonutrients, antioxidants and vitamins, intended to provide people with Personal health benefits. These berries are characterized by small, wild, and sub-arctic fruits that have lately sought the consideration of food scientists and fitness lovers for their potential nutritive values. Botanically, it is found that the black chokeberries relate to the Rosaceae family, belonging from the genus named Aronia. The scientific name of the chokeberry is Aronia melanocarpa.
There are two species of chokeberries that are being cultivated, they are red and black. Moreover, black chokeberry is typically a tiny, deciduous shrub which is known to belong to North-American cold regions. Red berries are comparatively sweeter than the black varieties, whereas the latter varieties are somewhat bitter in taste.
Health benefits of chokeberry
The Chokeberries are essentially low in fats and calories, so they offer Surprising health benefits. It is known that 100 g of fresh berries possesses approximately 50 calories. They are considered to be high in flavonoid anthocyanin antioxidants present among the bush berries. Moreover, they include good levels of vitamins and minerals.
Black chokeberries comprise of considerably high proportions of phenolic flavonoid phytochemicals known as anthocyanins. The overall proportion of anthocyanin is 1480 mg every 100 g of fresh berries. The concentration of proanthocyanidin is 664 mg per 100 g. It is scientifically proven that eating berries on a daily basis provides promising health benefits to fight effectively against issues of aging, cancer, and neurological diseases. It also fights against diabetes, inflammation, and bacterial infections.
Chokeberries are found to be rich in flavonoid antioxidants like lutein, carotenes, and zeaxanthins. Moreover, Zea-xanthin possesses photo-filtering effects of UV rays and so it safeguards eyes from the age-related macular illness found in the old-aged people.
They are an excellent source of antioxidant vitamins, including vitamin-A, vitamin-C, vitamin-E, folate, beta-carotene and minerals including iron, potassium, and manganese. It is proven that 100 g of fresh berries offers approximately 35% of everyday suggested levels of vitamin-C.
Selection and storage
In the wild environment, chokeberries are generally taken from their natural habitat and directly consumed after washing. When you purchase it from the stores, select those berries that are fresh, plump, shiny, uniform, and having clean surface. It is recommended to discard any wet or mottled berries because they may spread mold to other such barriers. Discussing regarding its storage, chokeberries could be stored inside the refrigerator for a period of one week. In order to bring back their original texture, you need to just wash them using cold water.
Preparation and serving methods
For washing the chokeberries, carefully rustle them inside a bowl consisting of cold water for several minutes. Now pat dry by help of soft cloth. You need to take care about not to harm them. The method helps to bring them back to room temperature and also improves their flavour and taste.
Here are few serving tips:
Chokeberries can be used as an excellent addition to ice cream tops as well as fruit salads.
They are utilized in cakes, muffins, juice, pies and tarts.
Safety Alert while consuming Chokeberries
We find Oxalic acid in Chokeberry that is a natural substance found in many of the fruits and vegetables. Oxalic acid has the characterisation of getting crystallized into oxalate stones inside the urinary tract in certain people. Hence people who had a history of oxalate urinary stones are recommended not to consume the berry in large amounts. Even if they have consumed a good amount of berries, it would be advisable to drink a lot of water for maintaining the output of urine in the right way. The minerals like calcium and magnesium are not absorbed due to the presence of oxalic acid in the body.
Those who do not have a history of urinary stones can include these berries can start to eat healthy diets by use of this fruit and maintain a good and healthy body.
