I thought berry season was over … then on the way home from the Adirondack Museum in Blue Mountain Lake, I found chokeberries. Then a friend bought late-season raspberries at Rulfs Orchard.
All berries are tiny powerhouses of nutrition that have been touted as superfoods. They’re low in calories, high in fiber and high in vitamins, especially C. Dark-colored berries like elderberry and aronia (chokeberry) have one of the highest antioxidant levels of all fruits, and up to 50% more flavonoids than other berries. They also contain anthocyanins, pterostilbene, ellagic acid and polyphenols. Exactly how these substances work is still unknown, but these powerful compounds work together to fight off oxidative stress and free radicals in the body. They have been shown to regulate metabolism, boost “good” cholesterol, protect against cancer, heart disease, cognitive decline due to aging and vision loss.
Chokeberry (Aronia) has the most antioxidants, with 1,480 mg of anthocyanin concentration per 100 grams of fresh berries. According to the USDA, aronia berries have four times the antioxidant power of blueberries, goji berries, strawberries or pomegranates. The astringent qualities are due to their high concentration of polyphenols.
Raspberries are a good low-calorie source of fiber, vitamin C, B vitamins, and many minerals especially manganese and potassium. They have more antioxidants than strawberries or tomatoes. Ellagitannins, antioxidant compounds almost exclusive to the...
Read Full Story: https://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/opinion/columns/2021/10/chokeberry-and-elderberry-two-late-season-berries/
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