Vaughn went to a food show in New Orleans. This trip to New Orleans offered more than the usual Orleans highlights; bread pudding, rich music, and great culture. This is where we were introduced to the aronia berry. When we began to study the plant and berry more closely it became clear that previous to the fast food, long distance international shipping of food, the aronia berry was grown in the contiguous United States, thriving especially in Iowa.
We did what only self respecting ecological farmer would do. We dropped everything and decided to experiment with the plant. We shipped in plants and began working with the ‘viking’ cultivar of the aronia berry . Unbeknownst to us we became the first “commercial” plantation of aronia berries in the United States. We began to educate our neighbors about the benefits of the aronia berry we picked up fans from the extension office and helped turn friends, professional horticulturalists, scientists, and customers into believers.
It isn’t hard to create converts to the aronia berry when the USDA provides research such as this: http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm?seq_no_115=171258
As you can see the date is 2004, we were established in 1995 and have worked to give our berries to a number of agencies. We are proud to have our berries play a role in helping establish the research propelling the aronia berry. We are also proud that our aronia berries are completely organic, not from concentrate but from the berry itself, not shipped from Poland as most aronia products are. But how a healthy fruit should be…home grown!
Research on Aronia
Aronia meloncarpa, indigenous originally to Northern America, is characterized as a dark pigmented berry. There are several components and compounds that are found in the aronia berry that are beneficial to our overall health and prevention of health complications. These include levels of antioxidants, phenolic compounds, and flavonoids characterized as anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins.
In particular the discerning levels of antioxidants has one of highest capacity of recorded values for berries and fresh fruits. Lipids are very easily oxidized in our bodies when free radicals that are naturally occurring in our bodies, such as O2-, OH·, NO, are highly reactive as they are unstable molecules. When broken free they can cause the break down of lipids, proteins, and the human fiber – the DNA molecule. The primary function of antioxidants is to prevent these molecules from scavenging the body and causing decomposition, which in turn is a major anti-aging mechanism.
Aronia: Topping the Antioxidant Charts
ORAC, Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, is the method that is used to measure the antioxidant capabilities of biological samples such as fresh fruits and vegetables. The ORAC value recorded for Aronia is about 58% higher in antioxidant levels than blueberries and over 90% more than cranberries. There are two major types of ORAC tests, H-ORAC and L-ORAC. Lipophilic and hydrophilic antioxidant capacities differ in the chemical makeup and how the breakdown time in our bodies digestive system.
Proanthocyanidins have benefits that are directly related to protection against Cardiovascular disease. Consumption of foods and beverages with high amounts of PAs and phenolic compounds is identified with the reduction of systolic blood pressure levels and a reduction of the total levels of cholesterol in the bloodstream. The concentration of PAs in the aronia berry is among the highest reported value of any food (Kelm, 613-617).
Anthocyanins are natural compounds that exhibit antioxidant activity and anti-inflammatory attributes. Anthocyanin rich extracts have been reported to inhibit growth of various cell lines. For instance, the University of Maryland completed a research study that demonstrated that the extract inhibited the cell growth of human colon cell lines. Furthermore, it is attestable that it has accelerated anticancer and antitumor activity.
Sources:
Gu, L.; Kelm, M A.; Hammerstone, J. F.; Beecher, G; Holden, J.; Haytowitz; Concentrations of oligomeric and polymeric of flavan-3-ols (proanthocyanidins) in common and infant foods and estimation of normal consumption. J. Nutrition. 2004, 613-617.
Lala, G.; Malik,M.; Zhao, C.; He, J.; Kwoon, Y.; Giusti, M.; Magnuson, B.; Anthocyanin-Rich Extracts Inhibity Multiple Biomarkers of Colon Cancer in Rats. Journal Nutrition and Cancer. 2006.
Santos-Buelga, C.; Scalbert, A.; Proanthocyanidins and tannin-like compounds-nature, occurrence, dietary intake and effects on nutrition and health. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 2000.
Wu, X.; Gu, L.; Prior, R.; McKay, S.; Characterization of Anthocyanins and Proanthocyanidins in Some Cultivars of Ribes, Aronia, and Sambucus and Their Antioxidant Capacity. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 2004.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.