How does aronia work?
Aronia berries appear to be good for your health in various ways: studies indicate that they have anti-inflammatory, cholesterol-lowering, vasodilating, blood sugar-regulating and antioxidant effects.
Antioxidant effect
The term “antioxidant” refers to the ability to scavenge cell-damaging oxygen compounds (free radicals) in the tissue.
If the repair and detoxification function of a cell is overwhelmed, free radicals multiply. This accelerates the ageing process and promotes the development of diseases.
However, there is no clear evidence to date that the antioxidants contained in fresh fruit and vegetables actually have a therapeutic effect.
Find out more about antioxidants here.
Anti-cancer effect
Aronia berries may protect against cancer. Aronia is said to have a preventative effect, particularly in connection with bowel cancer. It is also used as a dietary supplement for breast cancer.
The medicinal plant also plays a role in regeneration after chemotherapy.
Aronia juice has a mild laxative effect, promotes urine formation and acts as a diuretic. This means that the juice promotes the flushing out of water from the body. A study showed that participants who drank aronia berry juice daily suffered less frequently from urinary tract infections.
The chokeberries are also said to help fight viruses and bacteria and protect the stomach lining.
People who have too much iron in their blood (iron storage disease) could also benefit from aronia. The ingredients in the berries bind iron and promote its excretion
In summary, the use of aronia berries extends to the following areas, among others:
- Cardiovascular diseases
- High or low blood pressure
- hardening of the arteries (arteriosclerosis)
- high cholesterol levels
- colds
- intestinal complaints
- Diabetes mellitus
- Eye diseases (cataracts)
- Iron storage disease
The fact that aronia berries have an effect on weight loss has also not yet been proven by studies.
What side effects can aronia berries cause?
Very rarely do people react hypersensitively to the ingredients of chokeberries. The tannins in chokeberries sometimes have a negative effect on digestion and can cause abdominal pain and diarrhea. It is therefore better to take chokeberry juice or berries after meals to avoid side effects.
What ingredients are in aronia berries?
Aronia berries are healthy. They contain lots of vitamins and minerals. A high content of folic acid, vitamin K and vitamin C strengthens the immune system and the body’s defenses. The body also needs vitamin C to build up connective tissue.
The small chokeberries also contain plenty of minerals and trace elements such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, iodine and iron. They are said to support bones, nerves, muscles, wound healing and blood formation, among other things.
Aronia berries also contain many secondary plant substances that are considered natural antioxidants. These include the plant pigment anthocyanin, which belongs to the flavonoids and protects the plant from light.
Only the small berries are used medicinally – internally. Chokeberries are not suitable for external use. You can take chokeberries dried, as juice, drinking ampoules or in tablet form.
The berries can also be used to make a vinegar that helps with cold symptoms. Dried berries are also good for making tea: pour hot water over two to three teaspoons of the berries and leave to infuse for ten minutes.
Children should consume about half. Due to the high content of tannins, take chokeberry products after meals.
Home remedies based on medicinal plants have their limits. If your symptoms persist over a longer period of time and do not improve or even get worse despite treatment, you should always consult a doctor.
What you should bear in mind when using chokeberry
To soften the bitter taste, mix the fresh chokeberry juice with other juices.
Like almost all food plants, the fruits of the chokeberry medicinal plant contain toxic and unhealthy hydrocyanic acid, but only in small quantities: 100 grams of fresh berries contain around 0.6 to 1.2 milligrams of hydrocyanic acid.
How to obtain aronia berries and aronia juice
Aronia products are available in pharmacies, drugstores and health food stores as direct juice or in the form of ampoules. You can also buy the berries as dried fruit or processed into tea or capsules.
The berries can also be processed into jam or jelly. You can also grow an aronia bush in your own garden or on your balcony.
What are aronia berries?
Aronia berries can be harvested from August to October. They have a sweet-sour-tart taste. Due to their high colorant content (anthocyanins), the berries are used in the food industry to color foods.
Their healing properties were already known to the Indians in eastern North America. In Europe, chokeberries have been cultivated since the beginning of the 20th century – especially in Eastern Europe, where the plant has long been valued as a medicinal herb.
