If people would incorporate more fruit into their diet, especially fruits with high-antioxidant phenolics (compound in wine) like blueberries, cranberries, chokeberries & the like, they might actually obtain many of the health benefits they need! Consider the superberry – Aronia otherwise known as the chokeberry.
Aronia berries have the highest concentration of antioxidants present in any fruit. Why is this so important? Antioxidants protect the body’s cells from the damaging effects of oxidation. And because aronia is rich in antioxidants, it has a very high ORAC value (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity - a measure of an antioxidant's power to neutralize free radicals) - almost 80 units, the highest amongst fruits. In the United States, the Aronia berry was tested by the Department of Agriculture in November of 2007. A public comparison was published showing that Aronia was tested and compared to 276 other edible items that can be found in the USA and is ranked ? 1 antioxidant.
Aronia berries, among all other healthy benefits, provide good protection for our eyes. A diet rich in polyphenols was recommended for pilots and professional drivers since they depend so much on sight. At present, more and more people work watching monitors or spend many hours at a computer desk. A significant part of modern society is interested in maintaining visual acuity and may benefit from the intake of the superberry's polyphenol content.
The superberries contain a large amount of carotene, which protects cells from damage and the eyes from cataract formation. They are also rich in flavonoid anti-oxidants such as luteins and zeaxanthins. Zeaxanthin has photo-filtering effects on UV rays and thus protects eyes from age related macular disease in the elderly (ARMD) and eye inflammation (uveitis). Researchers in Japan have been measuring the effects of aronia crude extract (ACE) on eye inflammation. The study was published in Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science several years ago.
For more research on the aroniaberry see our website Aroniaberries101.
Also search pubmed.gov and enter aronia, aroniaberries, or chokeberries in the search field.
