Aronia prunifolia, aronia melanocarpa, and aronia arbutifolia are all types of aronia berry plants, also known as chokeberries. Aronia prunifolia is the purple chokeberry, which is most rare. Aronia arbutifolia is the red chokeberry, which is the most sweet. (Almost sweet enough to eat streight.) and Aronia melanocarpa is the black chokeberry, which is the most special of all, for it’s immense health benefits. Often grown in many gardens because of its pleasing appearance, these shrubs are part of the Rosaceae family, native to and common throughout North America.

The juice from all three berries in the aronia family is very bitter tasting, not sweet enough to be eaten on it’s own. That is how it got the name chokeberry, in fact. The juice, however is easily mixed with sweetener or even just apple juice and can be delicious as a mixed juice. Also, aronia is commonly used in the making of wines, yogurts, and jams, and as a pigment for coloring clothing.

When it comes to flavanoids, the chokeberry is chocked-full! Each berry has anthocyanins, cyanide3-glactoside, epicatechin, caffeic acid, quercetin, delphinidin, petunidin, pelargonidin, peonidin, and malvidin. These phytonutrients all work together to makes this berry very high in antioxidants. Research shows that these phytonutrients, which are all antioxidants, are very effective in prevention and delaying of diseases caused by oxidative stress. The diseases it is credited for preventing include colon/rectal cancer, cardiovascular disease, inflammation, peptic ulcers, eye inflammation, and liver failure, just to name a few.

Anthocyanins, in particular, are extremely abundant in aronia melanocarpa, which is the black variety of chokeberry. You can tell simply by squeezing one, because it’s pigment is so extremely thick, much like iodine… This is because anthocyanin is the pigment itself, and the more anthocyanin you find in a fruit, the darker purple it will be. -That’s what makes aronia so great as a clothing dye. It’s also the reason why the USDA has recognized aronia melanocarpa as the fruit with the very highest ORAC score out of any they have tested!

The chokeberry was used for health and medicinal purposes as far back as the Native American Indians and early settlers. Since then there have been many claims by other fruits that they are the healthiest. So sadly, the chokeberry became less and less popular as these other fruits gained their popularity. Now that people are eating healthier, and science has evolved enough to allow proper testing, the chokeberry is becoming more common and has reclaimed it’s throne again.

Not only does the aronia berry have a very high level of antioxidants, it is also very rich in several other vitamins, including vitamin c, vitamin e, vitamin b2, vitamin b6 and folic acid. If you research this berry you find there are several lists of positive factors relating to this berry, including but not limited to the quantity of antioxidants, prevention of heart and cardiovascular problems, and its anti-inflammatory properties. It is also been shown to help with urinary tract health, fights bacteria and virus, aids in digestion, helps with good cholesterol, helps control blood pressure and provides essential oils for your body.

The chokeberry has been used for flavoring wines in Poland, Russia and all of Eastern Europe for centuries now, which is interesting because the plant is native to the Eastern Seaboard of the United States! It has only been used in the flavoring of desserts, beverages and wines in the US as far back as the early settlers, but is now starting to be sold in fresh form in the fruit and vegetable aisle of a few organic grocers. Since the ‘berry’ diet craze that started several years ago, it fits right in with all the other berries being used for boosting metabolism and losing weight.