Health benefits of aronia berries

      According to ChooseMyPlate.gov, a website of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), people who eat more fruits and vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet are likely to have a reduced risk of some chronic diseases.  A diet rich in fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of heart disease, certain types of cancers, obesity, type 2 diabetes, kidney stones, bone loss, and high blood pressure.

      Laboratory tests have shown that aronia berries are higher in antioxidants than apples, bananas, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, cranberries, elderberries, grapes, oranges, pears, prunes, raspberries, and other fruits that are commonly grown commercially in the United States and Canada.  For example, the Oxygen Radical Absorbency Capacity (ORAC) values for raw aronia berries (chokeberries) is 16,062 compared to 6,552 for raw blueberries.  The bar graph below shows the ORAC values for several fruits.

      The ORAC values of foods are expressed in micromoles trolox equivalents (TE) per 100 gram sample and are compared to assessments of total polyphenol content in the samples.  The shorthand way to say that is trolox equivalent (TE) or micromoles per 100 grams.

      The USDA ORAC Database for Selected Foods was on the website of the Agriculture Research Services of the USDA.  This database was a cooperative effort of the USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory (NDL), the Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, and the Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center.  This database was updated in 2010.  At that time, it contained measures of the antioxidant capacities of 326 food items.  Raw and processed fruits, nuts, vegetables, and spices were analyzed for their Oxygen Radical Absorbency Capacity and the results were placed on this database.

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     Recently the NDL removed the USDA ORAC Database from the NDL website.  This was done because of the mounting evidence that the values indicating antioxidant capacity have no relevance to the effects of specific bioactive compounds on human health.  Here is a quote from the NDL website:

    “There are a number of bioactive compounds which are theorized to have a role in preventing or ameliorating various chronic diseases such as cancer, coronary vascular disease, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes.  However, the associated metabolic pathways are not completely understood and non-antioxidant mechanisms, still undefined, may be responsible. ORAC values are routinely misused by food and dietary supplement manufacturing companies to promote their products and by consumers to guide their food and dietary supplement choices.”...

    "There is no evidence that the beneficial effects of polyphenol-rich foods can be attributed to the antioxidant properties of these foods.  The data for antioxidant capacity of foods generated by in vitro (in a test-tube) methods cannot be extrapolated to in vivo (in human) effects and the clinical trials to test benefits of dietary antioxidants have produced mixed results. We know now that antioxidant molecules in food have a wide range of functions, many of which are unrelated to the ability to absorb free radicals."

     Visit the NDL website for more information.

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     Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) is a method of measuring antioxidant capacities of foods.  An antioxidant is a molecule capable of inhibiting the oxidation of other molecules.

      When oxygen interacts with cells, oxidation is inevitable.  Cells die and are replaced with fresh, new cells.  It is a natural process that keeps the body healthy.  Although the body is created to process oxygen very efficiently, a small percentage of cells get damaged in the oxidation process and turn into free radicals.  They are “free” because they are missing a critical molecule that would keep them stable.  To find their missing molecule, they go on a rampage in the body, stealing molecules where they can.  In this process, the DNA of other cells can be damaged.  Free radicals trigger a chain reaction resulting in aging and disease.

      The exceptionally high ORAC value of aronia is due primarily to the dark purple pigments in the fruit.  These water-soluble  pigments are anthocyanins.  Anthocyanins accumulated in cell vacuoles and are largely responsible for diverse pigmentation from orange to red, purple and blue colors in flowers, fruits, and vegetables.

     According to Dr. Ronald E. Wrolstad, Professor of Food Science and Technology at Oregon State University, over 300 structurally distinct anthocyanins have been identified in nature.  Anthocyanins are one class of flavonoid compounds, which are widely distributed plant polyphenols.     

     Anthocyanins are found in fruits such as aronia, blackberry, red and black raspberries, blueberries, bilberries, cherries, currants, blood orange, elderberries, and grapes.  They are also found in vegetables such as purple carrots, purple sweet potato, red cabbage, red lettuce, red onion, and the skin of red- or purple-skinned egg-plant, potato, and radish.  The red, purple, and blue colors of many flowers are due to anthocyanins. 

     Total anthocyanin content in aronia berries is 1,480 mg per 100 g of fresh berries, and proanthocyanidin concentration is 664 mg per 100 g (Wu et al. 2004, 2006).  Both values are among the highest measured in plants to date.   

      According to Dr. Ray Sahelian, M.D., Aronia melanocarpa fruit is one of the richest plant sources of phenolic substances, mainly anthocyanins -- glycosides of cyanidin.  The main active ingredients are phenolic substances, mainly flavonoids from the anthocyanin subclass.

      Research has shown that antioxidants help reduce the risk for cancer, heart disease, inflammation, diabetes, bacterial infections, and neurological diseases.  Because antioxidants do all of that, it should be no surprise that they also slow the aging process.

      Aronia berries and products made from aronia berries fit the definition of a  nutraceutical.  This term combines the words "nutrition" and "pharmaceutical."  The word was coined in the 1990's by Dr. Stephen L. DeFelice, founder and chairman of the Foundation of Innovation Medicine, Crawford, New Jersey.  According to Dr. DeFelice, "A nutraceutical is any substance that is a food or a part of a food and provides medical or health benefits, including the prevention and treatment of disease."
               

      Over the last few years, Nature’s Power Nutraceuticals (NP Nutra) Corporation has tested over 100 different nutraceutical fruit powders including the most popular ones from other manufacturers.  NP Nutra’s water soluble aronia 4:1 extract got the highest ORAC score at 4738 umoleTe/g, which is more than double that of other nutraceutical powders.

      However, an article in the January 25, 2011 issue of Newsweek claims that antioxidants “…may not do any good, and may actually harm.”  The article is entitled, “Antioxidants Fall From Grace.”  The article says that one study concluded that, “…taking antioxidants …supplements was not beneficial to health and might even be dangerous, though the reason for the danger wasn’t clear.”  In 2008 the Cochrane Collaboration, an international consortium of scientists who assess medical research, scrutinized 67 studies with nearly 400,000 participants.  The report “…found no evidence to support antioxidant supplements for primary or secondary prevention….”  The Newsweek article says, “It’s not clear why antioxidants in supplement form might be so dangerous.”  Three other studies were also briefly discussed in the Newsweek article.  

          

      For what appears to be a better explanation of the studies cited in the Newsweek article, read the comment of Dr. Jonathan Wright entitled, “Newsweek Publishes Disgraceful Article on Antioxidants.”  Dr. Wright is a physician and natural biomedical researcher.  He says that the Newsweek article is, “Another one-sided ‘mainstream media’ attack on an aspect of natural health care, filled with to-be-expected misinformation, partial information, and -- of course -- no attempt at all to present both sides of the manufactured controversy.”

      None of the studies cited in the Newsweek article were about aronia berries.  And there have been no reports of side effects of eating aronia berries or products made from them.  But like almost anything, moderation and variety is advisable.

Begley, S. 1994. Beyond vitamins. Newsweek, 123(17):45-49.

     Phytochemicals are chemical compounds that occur naturally in plants (phyto means “plant” in Greek).  The term is generally used to refer to chemicals that may have biological significance.  Many of these compounds have specific functions in plants.  Some are also active when consumed by animals.  Many of these compounds are essential to life and/or highly beneficial to health.  Others are toxic.  Antioxidants are one type of phytochemical.  But scientists estimate that there may be as many as 10,000 different phytochemicals. 

      There are dozens of fruits and berries that provide health benefits for human consumption.  Each of them has certain substances that the other berries do not have.   In addition to berries, many other food or food product contain a wide variety of different chemical compounds that are classified as antioxidants.  This includes:

     Carotenoids (lycopene, carotenes, and lutein) in fruit, vegetables, and eggs

     Polyphenolics (resveratrol and flavonoids) in chocolate, cinnamon, coffee,
                 fruit, olive oil, oregano, red wine, soy, and tea

     Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in many fruits and vegetables

     Vitamin E in vegetable oils

      Dry ground cinnamon spice has an ORAC value of 267,536.  But how much cinnamon can you eat?  I certainly can’t eat it by the spoonful like medicine.  But I have found a way to consume more cinnamon.  Now at breakfast, I have started to eat several big cinnamon rolls!  I’m already feeling healthier.  We need to all eat more cinnamon rolls because cinnamon is very high in antioxidants.  Of course I'm joking.  Too much of anything is probably not good for us.  But I sure do like cinnamon rolls and they make me feel better!  And that’s my cinnamon roll testimonial.

          

      The flavor of aronia berries is nothing like cinnamon or cinnamon rolls but it is just as distinctive.  Most people are already familiar with the taste of blueberries and other small fruits.  Each has its own unique flavor.  So does aronia.  But aronia berries are more astringent than most other fruit.  If you like dry wine you will most likely love raw aronia berries.  They do lose some of their astringency when cooked or processed but they retain most of their health benefits (see studies cited below).  You can read more about the health benefits of including aronia berries in your diet at Agriculture Marketing Resource Center.

      A two-year project entitled “Developing production, processing, and marketing of aronia berries on small family farms in Southeast Iowa” was funded in 2009 by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture and completed in 2012.  Some of the funds for this project were used for chemical analysis of Iowa grown aronia fruit.  The laboratory tests were conducted by the Midwest Grape and Wine Industry Institute at Iowa State University.  The results showed that the aronia juice had a pH of 3.5, titratable acidity of 8.2 and a total solids content of 6.9 degrees Brix.  High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis showed that succinic acid, malic acid, quinic acid, acetic acid, citric acid and ascorbic acid were present.  Glucose, fructose and possibly sorbitol made up the carbohydrate portion of the juice.  By comparison, a commercial juice sample from Germany was tested.  This juice had a pH of 3.4, titratable acidity of 13.0 and total solids content of 15.4 degrees Brix. HPLC analysis showed that the same acid and carbohydrate compounds were present but in different proportions.

      A study entitled “The effect of processing on chokeberry (Aronia Medik.) polyphenols” cited by the Nordic Association of Agricultural Scientists examined the effects of different types of food processing on the concentrations of antioxidants in aronia berries.  The aronia berries were produced into jams, dried fruits and juices.  Their results showed that processing the aronia berries as jams yielded the least amount of antioxidant loss at 95% retention of antioxidants.  Processing the aronia berries into dried fruit yielded a little bit higher antioxidant loss at approximately 65% retention of antioxidants.  Finally, processing the aronia berries into juice yielded the greatest antioxidant loss at approximately 25% retention of antioxidants.

      Similar results were obtained from a study entitled “Nutritional Value, Taste Considerations, and Antioxidant Content of Iowa Grown Aronia Berry Food and Beverage Products.”  Funds for this project were provided by the USDA Specialty Crops Block Grant Program through the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.

      Some testimonials about the health benefits of aronia may lead you to believe that aronia is a cure-all.  It is not a cure-all.  Even though the health benefits of antioxidants and aronia are well documented in medical research publications, it is always good to have a large dose of skepticism.   The placebo effect is also real and can be very strong.  If you believe or want to believe that something will cure your ailments, it most likely will.  Belief is very powerful.  So beware of testimonials!

      Nutraceuticals and nutraceutical supplements are not currently regulated by the United States Food and Drug Administration (US-FDA).  Due to this, claims regarding the beneficial effects of nutraceuticals can only be “health claims” and not “medicinal claims.”  For instance the claims must not state that by eating/taking the nutraceutical a disease will be prevented or cured but only that it may help to improve health, possibly assisting in the avoidance of the onset of illness.

      Health claims for aronia are based primarily on laboratory and animal research rather than human tests.  In 2010, researchers at Hebrew University in Jerusalem reviewed the aronia research studies done with people.  They found only 13 aronia studies with people.  They rated the quality of most of these studies as poor.  They concluded that more rigorous studies in people will be needed before aronia products can be recommended with confidence (2010, Chrubasik, etal.).

      Although the name "nutraceutical" implies that nutraceuticals have medicinal properties they are in fact food types.  As it stands nutraceuticals are only required to comply with food laws.  The two key areas of food regulation to be considered in relation to nutraceuticals are those of labeling and advertising.

      In 1994, Congress passed the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act. Dietary supplements without drug approval can make so-called 'structure/function' claims, such as "Vitamin A promotes good vision" or "St. Johns Wort maintains emotional well-being," so long as the label bears a disclaimer that the claim has not been evaluated by the FDA and that the product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. -- quote from an article by Maxwell J. Mehlman, J.D. and Professor of Law and Director of the Law-Medicine Center at Case Western Reserve University School of Law, Cleveland, Ohio.

      Reaction to the obesity epidemic in the United States combined with claims related to the health benefits of aronia is driving the interest in and market for aronia berries.  But care must be taken not to excessively promote the health claims and potential benefits of aronia berries.  Many new "miracle foods" are surrounded by a lot of health claim hype, and aronia is no exception.

      USDA chemist Ronald L. Prior says the total antioxidant capacity of the foods does not necessarily reflect their health benefit.  Benefits depend on how the food's antioxidants are absorbed and utilized in the body.  Currently, there are no USDA guidelines on how many (dosage) or what kind of antioxidants to consume in your daily diet. 

References:

Chrubasik, C., G. Li, S. Chrubasik.  2010.  The clinical effectiveness of chokeberry: asystematic review.  Phytotherapy Research .  24(8): 1107-1114.

Wu, X., L. Gu, R. L. Prior, and S. McKay. 2004. Characterization of anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins in some cultivars of Ribes, Aronia and Sambucus and their antioxidant capacity. J Agric Food Chem. 52 (26): 7846-7856.

Wu, X., G. R. Beecher, J. M Holden, D. B. Haytowitz, S. E. Gebhardt, and R. L. Prior. 2006. Concentrations of anthocyanins in common foods in the United States and estimation of normal consumption. J Agric Food Chem. 54 (1): 4069-4075.

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Disclaimer:

      The author of this blog accepts no responsibility for the validity of information provided.  The health and medical efficacy of products or plants mentioned on this blog may not have been evaluated by or approved by the US-FDA to treat, cure, or prevent disease.

Recommendation:

      Please recommend this website http://aroniainamerica.blogspot.com/ to a friend, family member, or anyone who might be interested in aronia.

 

      Please post a comment in the box below.  To learn more about aronia, visit our website Everhart Horticulture Consulting.

Thank you,
Dr. Eldon Everhart