Aronia – the Healthiest Secret of Nature
The little dark blue aronia berries are full of antioxidants so that they have recently been recognized as by far the healthiest fruit and the best natural medicine against cancer.
American Indians were the first to use aronia both as food and as a cure for stomach problems but it really flourished when it touched the European soil with its roots thanks to Gerhard von Gensthaler who in 1834 carried it from Canada to Russia. Its beautiful white flowers were the reason why in England it was awarded a prize by The Royal Gardening Association in 1972. A few decades later it’s much more important «inner» beauty was discovered.
The Most Powerful Antioxidant and a Fighter Against Cancer
Namely, scientists at the respectable Tufts University in Boston researched the antioxidant capacity of fruit (ORAC). Foods with a high number of ORAC unities increase the level of antioxidants in the body, slows down ageing, prevent cell damage, and reduces the risk of heart diseases, arthritis and numerous degenerative diseases. According to the research results aronia has one of the highest ever registered ORAC values – a 100 grams of aronia contain as much as 16,062 ORAC units ( three times more than blueberry ) while the daily dose of antioxidants necessary to protect human tissue is 3,000 to 5,000 units. Thus a little handful of its berries prevents cancer and helps to heal malignant diseases by destroying infected cells.
It is almost impossible to list all positive sides of this super fruit (the term super fruit has been used since 2005 for fruits rich in nutritive value with a considerable amount of antioxidants). Besides being the best antioxidant and natural fighter against cancer aronia also helps to reduce high blood pressure because it stops the process of inflammation and relaxes arteries by means of proantocianidine.
Since it is full of flavonoids aronia is exceptionally efficient against cardiovascular diseases, it reduces the level of glucose in urine and the level of oxidation of lipids as well, thus helping in the cure of diabetes. It also reinvigorates the immune system. Ripe aronia fruits are abundant in carotene that protects our cells from damage, our eyes from the appearance of cataract and our skin from dangerous sunburns. It is very healthy for intestines and stomach, it regulates the functioning of liver and bile, eliminates toxins from our blood, alleviates migraine and headache, improves the functioning of thyroid and is very effective in the elimination of heavy metals and radioactive elements (Russian scientists used aronia after the Chernobyl catastrophe in 1986 to alleviate health problems of infected people).
Besides containing flavonoids and anthocyanin’s which neutralize free radicals in the body, aronia is a real treasure full of vitamins as it contains almost half the alphabet – C, A, E, B, B2, B6, B9 and a very rare vitamin P, and of minerals it contains iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium, manganese, iodine, phosphorus and zinc. Actually, it is impossible to find as much health and nature in one place as there is in the berries of this fruit whose cultivation doesn’t demand a particular attention.
The Cultivation of Aronia – a 100% Ecological Product
Aronia belongs to the rose family (Rosacea) and is divided into: red berry aronia (Aronia arbutifolia), purple berry aronia (Aronia prunifolia) and blackberry aronia (Aronia melanocarpa), which is the most widespread.
Most frequently a shrub of aronia grows till 2 meters in height and 2 and a half meters in width. In continental parts of Croatia it blooms towards the end of April. It can withstand very low temperatures even to -30°C so that it’s called Siberian blueberry. It only demands sufficient quantity of water to get the best crop. Aronia is a self-fertilizing plant and gets pollinated mostly by bees. It can also be grown in a garden as a decorative plant. Its little berries ripen in August. Aronia is an ecologically grown fruit since it hasn’t got natural enemies, there aren’t any parasites or illnesses, and there’s no need to sprinkle pesticides.
Aronia contains five to ten times more anthocyanin’s, flavonoids, minerals and vitamins than any other sort of fruit and because of low level of sugar has an intense, acid and sour aroma that can be mitigated if mixed with other kinds of fruit such as blueberries, strawberries or apples. To prolong its shelf-life the berries can be frozen, desiccated or you can make marmalade, tea, juice, jam, syrup, wine, powder, liqueur and even brandy.
Note
The information on these pages are not a substitute for professional medical advice and must not be considered the basis for the decision about a cure. All texts on these pages are exclusively informative so you must turn to your doctor to diagnose and determine a medical treatment for you.
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