A review article about useful fruits - black chokeberry berries: how they look, where they grow, useful properties, harm, chemical composition, calorie content and interesting facts. Chokeberry - the fruits of a shrub or a small fruit tree, outwardly resemble an ordinary mountain ash, but are painted not red, but black (by the way, they are not close relatives). The Latin botanical name for this useful plant is Aronia melanocarpa, of the Pink family, a species of the genus Aronia (there are only 15 species), angiosperms department. A variety of shrubs with black fruits grows in the middle lane: in the territory of the countries of the former USSR, in North America. More often than other species, only three are grown: as food, medicinal, ornamental shrub.
How chokeberry grows
The chokeberry shrub is very sprawling, branched, but low (up to 3 meters). The older the plant, the wider it becomes (up to 2 meters). The foliage is different from the usual red rowan. If mountain ash has elongated narrow leaves and there are many of them on one branch, then in blackberry they are simple and alternate, whole, elliptical with a sharp narrowing in a sharp tip, up to 8 cm long (usually 5 cm), and 3-5 cm wide. Above, the leaf is dark green, shiny, leathery, and the lower part with a whitish tint, slightly pubescent. Closer to cold weather, somewhere in September, they change their color to a beautiful red-purple.
Chokeberry blooms from late spring to early summer with small bisexual flowers, white (pinkish) color. As well as in ordinary rowan, each flower has five free petals, the inflorescences are collected in shields up to 6 cm in diameter.
The berries of black chokeberry are edible, outwardly spherical (6-8 millimeters in diameter), shiny, black (black-purple) with a bluish tint. One fruit weighs only half to one and a half grams. Ripe blackberries are harvested in September; they taste sour sweet.
The chemical composition and calorie content of chokeberry
Only the berries of the chokeberry plant are eaten. Various uncomplicated desserts are prepared from them, which are tasty and healthy. In addition, they are low in calories and are a dietary meal. For those who want to lose weight and maintain health, there is no better dessert, drink, or "snack" from fresh fruits.
The calorie content of chokeberry is 55 kcal per 100 g, as well as:
- fats - 0.2 g
- proteins - 1.5 g
- carbohydrates - 10, 9 g
Also present in chokeberry berries:
- organic acids - 1.35 g
- mono- and disaccharides - 11, 1 g
- water - 80, 48 g
- dietary fiber - 4 g
- ash - 1, 35 g
- starch - 0, 11 g
Vitamins:
- A - 202 mcg
- beta-carotene - 1, 19 mg
- C - 15.4 mg
- PP - 0.29 mg
- B1 - 0.01 mg
- B2 - 0.019 mg
- B6 - 0.059 mg
- B9 - 1.69 mcg
- E - 1.5 mg
- PP - 0, 61 mg
Micro- macronutrients:
- Iron - 1, 12 mg
- Phosphorus - 54, 9 mg
- Calcium - 27.8 mg
- Sodium - 4.2 mg
- Magnesium - 14.4 mg
- Potassium - 157.8 mg
Chokeberry can be dried. This is the best way to keep it with all the nutrients for several months. In addition to water, it will not lose any of its constituent elements.
Useful properties of chokeberry
Chokeberry fruits are small black berries, collected in bunches, have a very rich chemical composition. Thanks to him, berries are food and medicine at the same time.
For example, due to the high content of vitamin C in black chokeberry juice, antioxidant properties are manifested when consumed in food. Here and the strengthening of blood vessels, improvement of the heart, an increase in low acidity of the stomach, a general rejuvenating and tonic effect.
With diseases of the thyroid gland, with radiation sickness, the iodine contained in the fruits of chokeberry helps to cope.
Magnesium and potassium strengthen the nervous system and stimulate the brain. It is good to drink black chokeberry compote during periods of emotional stress, stress, increased physical exertion.
By the way, fresh berries are healthy and tasty, but they are also successfully used in cooking for the preparation of various desserts. Chokeberry juices, jams, ice cream, marmalade, etc. look nice and taste and aroma. In addition, they will all be dietary.
Traditional medicine knows recipes not only with the fruits of chokeberry. The leaves of this useful shrub are used as a remedy. They have a choleretic effect, have a beneficial effect on liver function, and reduce the risk of cancer. Chokeberry is also well used for decorative purposes. A green fence of branched fruit-bearing bushes is often arranged by gardeners. Bunches with fruits and leaves decorate dishes, create an unusual warm interior in the house. For a long time, mountain ash has been considered a symbol of large families, fertility, and procreation.
Chokeberry contraindications
Chokeberry will not be beneficial if taken to those suffering from high acidity of gastric juice. This increases the chances of getting gastritis.
The properties of berries also include its ability to lower blood pressure. Therefore, the amount of chokeberry berries and dishes prepared from it consumed by hypertensive patients should be monitored by a doctor or a nutritionist.
The use of the fruits of chokeberry is contraindicated for people with individual intolerance.
Interesting facts about chokeberry
Bunches of blackberry berries look tasty and appetizing already at the end of August. But harvesting is still premature. To get the most out of the chokeberry fruits, you need to wait even before the first frost. Then the berries will be the most ripe and even burst in your hands.
To avoid unforeseen cases with overripe fruits and stay clean, ordinary scissors will help to cut off the entire shield with berries.
Choose a dark and cool room to store cut chokeberry berries. String carefully "tassels" with berries on a string or wire and hang.
Freezing fruits is not recommended.
How to wash purple hands after chokeberry?
To do this, first rinse your hands in plain water (not in soap or steam) or wipe with a napkin. Next, take a lemon, cut a wedge and rub it with your hands. Then again rinse your hands in water. You can also use citric acid. After that, all the "paint" will be washed off. And if you wash your hands with soap or powder, etc., then the purple color will only become stronger.
Useful chokeberry tincture
For 100 g of fruit, approximately 100 pieces are required. cherry leaves, 1, 3 glasses of sugar sand, one and a half liters of water and 700 ml of vodka.
Prepare the tincture in the following way: pour the washed berries and leaves with clean water (1.5 liters). Boil for 15 minutes, filter. Sugar and vodka are added.
The color of the blackberry tincture turns out to be very attractive - ruby.
Video about the benefits of chokeberry:
