Chokeberry /Aronia/ is a genus of the Rosaceae plant family. Aronia comes from North America. It is a perennial shrub with a height of 1.5 to 3 meters. Their root system is very shallow and bushy. In the first one or two years of planting, they grow very slowly, but then their growth begins to flow very quickly. Aronia’s lives are relatively short - about 20 years. The fruits of aronia are round and small, black or dark purple in color, gathered in clusters. The taste is very pleasant, slightly sour.
Aronia was brought to Europe in the 18th century. The plant is resistant to pests and low temperatures and is only demanding to moisture and sunlight. This unassuming but very beautiful and useful plant is always in need of excellent growing conditions. The nature of growing can not only preserve, but also enhance the quality of substances in aronia and that fully justifies its name, which translated from Greek means "useful assistance".
Composition of aronia
Aronia is characterized by a chemically diverse content, which ranks in the list of some of the most valuable medicinal plants. The fruit contains large amounts of sugar, which is mostly glucose and fructose. Proteins in aronia are presented with a large amount of amino acids. Trace elements in Aronia, include magnesium, iron, potassium and calcium.
Aronia has a record amount of iodine, manganese and molybdenum. The composition of aronia is entered by large amounts of vitamins, which is why the Russian scientific community puts it in first place among polyvitamin fruits.
Already in 1959, the Russian scientists pharmacological çommittee recommend regular consumption of aronia and even include it in the structure of space food. The most valuable part of the content of aronia are essential polyphenolic compounds, which are united in the common name of vitamin P.
There is no other plant with such a large amount of polyphenolic substances. It also contains flavonoids, anthocyanins and catechins. Compared with grapes and grapefruit, aronia contains 5 times more polyphenol substances. The composition of aronia includes vitamins C, K, B1, B2, B5, B9, organic acids, tannins and carbohydrates.
Selection and storage of aronia
Buy only fruit which has no trace of injury. Aronia is common dried or as a juice. If you buy fresh fruits, know that they are very durable. You can store them at room temperature for a few weeks, they do not rot, but simply get dried and are ready for use again.
Aronia in cooking
The small sweet fruits are mainly used to make juices, jams, marmalades, sauces and other canned mixes. Note that aronia is very high in tannins, so when curing, it is advisable to mix it with other fruits. The fruits of aronia are used in the manufacture of a number of wines, as well as coloring of some products.
To make aronia juice, you need mature and very well cleaned fruit. Once you clean them and remove their stems, grind the fruits in the meat grinder. The result is a slurry, which must stand for two days for the juice to separate.
Squeeze the pulp in cheesecloth or cold press it. Every one liter juice obtained is added to 1.2 kg of sugar and stirred periodically for several days. Pour into bottles and keep in a cool place. Consume the resulting juice diluted with water.
Benefits of aronia
The beneficial effect of the active ingredients in aronia amazes scientists in different parts of the world for years. The curative effect of aronia is directed to many diseases.
In the presence of hypertension and atherosclerosis, fresh fruits or juice are recommended, while they should be taken with rosehips and black currants are rich in vitamin C, which in turn improves the absorption of large amounts of vitamin D in aronia.
Aronia is very useful in diseases associated with increased fragility and permeability of vascular walls - scarlet fever, measles, eczema, allergic vasculitis, neurodermatitis, dermatitis and other causes of bleeding.
The combination of vitamins C and P in aronia helps to free the body from heavy metal ions and radioactive substances. This means aronia is especially necessary for people who work continuously on a computer, talk on a cell phone often or live in an environment with other radiation sources of radiation.
Aronia has strong antiseptic properties and is a very powerful tool in the fight against the flu. It acts favorably on various allergic infections. Increases the body's vital energy, helps overcome nervous disorders, stimulates the regeneration of muscle and bone. Aronia is a powerful antioxidant that is 3 to 5 times stronger than vitamin A, E and C.
Aronia eliminates free radicals that damage cell membranes and alter the composition of cells in the body. For this reason, aronia is a very successful preventative agent against cancer, especially against that of the colon.
Aronia is indispensable in the diet, because it effectively cleanses the body of accumulated unnecessary substances.
Dangers of aronia
Although recommended in hypertensive people, aronia chokeberry should be consumed in very small amounts. Aronia overdose can lead to increased blood clotting and carries risks of blood clotting. People with tromboflembit should not overuse these fruits. Aronia may be contraindicated in people with gastritis and gastric acidity.
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