Aronia is a fruit that is being mentioned more and more often in this country. Only a few have seen them. Just as few people know exactly what type of fruit it is and what properties it has. Our enlightenment whets your appetite.
What kind of fruit is aronia?
Aronia is an edible, tart, sour fruit that grows on the aronia bush and belongs to the rose family. It is best known as black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) and is valued as a superfood because of its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic effects.
What kind of fruit is Aronia?
Aronia is anedible fruit that grows on the aronia bush. This belongs to the rose family (Rosaceae), as does the apple tree. From a botanical point of view, aronia is a false fruit. Due to its external similarity to a berry, it is also called that in common usage, for example chokeberry. Umbrella umbels form, each with many small berries hanging from it. A shrub bears fruit from the second year onwards. From the fifth year onwards, 5-6 kilos of aronia berries can easily be harvested per plant.
Is aronia a native fruit?
No, but the hardy and undemanding plant is now also native here. The wild form of the plant originates in eastern North America. In Germanythe cultivation of large-fruited cultivars has been increasingly popular since the beginning of this millennium. When Aronia is mentioned, the type of black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) is usually meant. People can process their fruits in many ways. The red berries of the felty chokeberry are not poisonous, but are inedible.
What do aronia fruits look like?
The harvest begins around mid-August. The characteristics of the small black berries in detail:
- small, 5-10 mm diameter
- for cultivated forms up to 16 mm diameter
- rounded with a sunken calyx at the tip
- bald to slightly hairy
- black outer shell
- dark red to purple flesh
- a core casing inside
Is aronia edible and what does it taste like?
Yes, Aronia berries are edible. They taste verytart-sour and have only a little sweetness. Raw, they have an astringent effect and contract the entire oral mucosa. That's why they are often processed with sweet fruits. Processing is also necessary because they can only be eaten raw in small quantities. Because they contain a substance that is converted into hydrogen cyanide in the body.
How are aronia fruits used for eating?
Raw and processed For example, juice can be pressed from aronia fruits, pure or together with other fruits. They are also good added to smoothies or added to muesli as dried fruits. However, they are usually heated. This significantly reduces the hydrogen cyanide concentration. They are also ideal for making jams.
Are aronia berries he althy?
Yes, very much so. That's why Aronia is also known as a he alth berry. It contains important trace elements, minerals and vitamins. Among other things, it has an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic effect. It can be used to generally improve he alth. But it also has an effect on specific complaints such as gastrointestinal problems, high blood pressure, neurodermatitis, inflammation and rheumatism.
Tip
Freeze or dry aronia berries for more sweet taste
The tart-sour berries become slightly sweeter if you dry them after harvesting or freeze them for several days.
