Chokeberry is a small shrub or tree, about 1.5 meters high, with leaves somewhat reminiscent of cherry leaves. The berries are sweet, tasty, slightly tart, especially unripe. Aronia is often grown as an ornamental and fruit plant, as well as medicinal by amateur gardeners, summer residents, and in specialized farms.

The homeland of chokeberry (chokeberry) is the eastern part of North America. Aronia grows there on dry stony soils and on steep river banks, in dunes and in forests, and even in swamps. At the beginning of the 18th century, chokeberry was brought to Europe, and about another hundred years later it came to Russia. Until the beginning of the 20th century, chokeberry was grown only as an ornamental crop. Indeed, white corymbs of chokeberry flowers and dark green dense leaves look very elegant. In autumn, clusters of black shiny fruits clearly stand out against the background of orange-red leaves.

Berries are harvested in autumn, dried in the open air, in dryers. Store dry berries in a dry place, no more than 2 years. And also compotes, jam, wine and much more are made from chokeberry berries.

Calorie chokeberry
Low-calorie, dietary product. 100 g of raw rowan contains only 52 kcal. Indicated for overweight people and those who follow the figure.

Useful properties of chokeberry

Aronia berries have a pleasant sour-sweet, tart taste. Aronia is a real storehouse of useful substances. It contains a rich natural complex of vitamins (P, C, E, K, B1, B2, B6, beta-carotene), macro- and microelements (boron, iron, manganese, copper, molybdenum, fluorine), sugars (glucose, sucrose, fructose), pectin and tannins.

For example, in the fruits of aronia, vitamin P is 2 times more than in black currants, and 20 times more than in oranges and apples. And the iodine content in chokeberry berries is 4 times higher than in strawberries, gooseberries and raspberries.

Due to the finely balanced nature of the combination of many biologically active substances in the fruits of chokeberry (chokeberry), they have valuable medicinal properties. Aronia berries and juice from them are used for the treatment and, most importantly, the prevention of hypertension and atherosclerosis. They are prescribed for gastritis with reduced secretory function, some vascular diseases accompanied by increased permeability and fragility of the vascular wall (capillarotoxicosis, allergic vasculitis, measles, scarlet fever, eczema).

The pectin substances contained in the chokeberry remove heavy metals and radioactive substances from the body, retain and remove various types of pathogenic microorganisms. Pectins normalize the functioning of the intestines, eliminate spasms and have a choleretic effect. The healing properties of chokeberry help strengthen the walls of blood vessels, improving their firmness and elasticity.

Also, one of the most useful properties of this berry is the normalization of blood pressure and lowering cholesterol levels in the blood. Chokeberry fruits are prescribed for various disorders in the blood coagulation system, bleeding, rheumatism, atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus and allergic diseases. Recent studies have shown that chokeberry improves liver function, and regular use of this berry improves immunity and has a positive effect on the endocrine system.

It is recommended for diabetes mellitus, especially with capillary lesions, for thyroid diseases, as a diuretic for kidney diseases, allergies, scarlet fever, typhus.

Aronia chokeberry is used as an antispasmodic, vasodilator, hemostatic, hematopoietic, appetizing, choleretic and diuretic.

The use of juice, decoction of chokeberry berries contributes to the expansion of blood vessels, as a result of which their permeability increases, the functions of the hematopoietic organs are activated, which is useful for radiation sickness and bleeding.

Chokeberry helps to regulate digestion, improves appetite, increases acidity, activates the liver, promotes the formation and excretion of bile.

A decoction of the fruits of chokeberry (chokeberry) – 20 g of fruit per 200 ml of boiling water. Used for therapeutic purposes, 1/2 cup 3-4 times a day for hypertension, atherosclerosis, diabetes, glomerulonephritis and allergic conditions.

1st place in the content of molybdenum, among the champions in the presence of calcium
Dangerous properties of chokeberry

The fruits of the chokeberry are contraindicated in hypotension, increased blood clotting, increased acidity of gastric juice, gastritis, peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum.

It is not recommended to take it with low blood pressure.