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Chokeberry

Chokeberry

OTHER NAME(S): Aronia Berry, Black Apple Berry, Black Chokeberry, Purple Chokeberry, Red Chokeberry, Wild Chokeberry, Aronia arbutifolia, Aronia melanocarpa, Aronia nigra, Aronia prunifolia, Aronia Negra, Baie d'aronia

Overview

Chokeberry is a fruit that comes from the aronia shrub. It's eaten as food in Russia and parts of Eastern Europe. It's also used in traditional medicines.

Chokeberry is high in antioxidants, fiber, and other chemicals. These chemicals might help protect the heart and blood vessels and reduce swelling and blood sugar levels.

People use chokeberry for heart disease, athletic performance, cancer, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and many other conditions, but there's no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

References
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  38. Kim NY, Lee HY. Enhancement of Cognitive Functions by Aronia melanocarpa Elliot Through an Intermittent Ultrasonication Extraction Process. J Med Food. 2016 Mar;19(3):245-52.
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  40. Kim JH, Auger C, Kurita I, Anselm E, Rivoarilala LO, Lee HJ, Lee KW, Schini-Kerth VB. Aronia melanocarpa juice, a rich source of polyphenols, induces endothelium-dependent relaxations in porcine coronary arteries via the redox-sensitive activation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase. Nitric Oxide. 2013 Nov 30;35:54-64.
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  42. Goh AR, Youn GS, Yoo KY, Won MH, Han SZ, Lim SS, Lee KW, Choi SY, Park J. Aronia melanocarpa Concentrate Ameliorates Pro-Inflammatory Responses in HaCaT Keratinocytes and 12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol-13-Acetate-Induced Ear Edema in Mice. J Med Food. 2016 Jul;19(7):654-62.
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  45. Taira T, Yamaguchi S, Takahashi A, Okazaki Y, Yamaguchi A, Sakaguchi H, Chiji H. Dietary polyphenols increase fecal mucin and immunoglobulin A and ameliorate the disturbance in gut microbiota caused by a high fat diet. J Clin Biochem Nutr. 2015 Nov;57(3):212-6.
  46. Wiczkowski W, Romaszko E, Piskula MK. Bioavailability of cyanidin glycosides from natural chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) juice with dietary-relevant dose of anthocyanins in humans. J Agric Food Chem. 2010 Dec 8;58(23):12130-6.
  47. Xie L, Lee SG, Vance TM, Wang Y, Kim B, Lee JY, Chun OK, Bolling BW. Bioavailability of anthocyanins and colonic polyphenol metabolites following consumption of aronia berry extract. Food Chem. 2016 Nov 15;211:860-8.
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  49. Kay CD, Mazza GJ, Holub BJ. Anthocyanins exist in the circulation primarily as metabolites in adult men. J Nutr. 2005 Nov;135(11):2582-8.
  50. Loo BM, Erlund I, Koli R, et al. Consumption of chokeberry (Aronia mitschurinii) products modestly lowered blood pressure and reduced low-grade inflammation in patients with mildly elevated blood pressure. Nutr Res. 2016;36(11):1222-1230.
  51. Pokimica B, García-Conesa MT, Zec M, et al. Chokeberry juice containing polyphenols does not affect cholesterol or blood pressure but modifies the composition of plasma phospholipids fatty acids in individuals at cardiovascular risk. Nutrients. 2019;11(4):850.
  52. Nowak D, Goslinski M, Wesolowska A, Berenda K, Poplawski C. Effects of acute consumption of noni and chokeberry juices vs. energy drinks on blood pressure, heart rate, and blood glucose in young adults. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2019;2019:6076751.
  53. Rahmani J, Clark C, Kord Varkaneh H, et al. The effect of Aronia consumption on lipid profile, blood pressure, and biomarkers of inflammation: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Phytother Res. 2019;33(8):1981-90.
  54. Ahles S, Stevens YR, Joris PJ, et al. The effect of long-term Aronia melanocarpa extract supplementation on cognitive performance, mood, and vascular function: a randomized controlled trial in healthy, middle-aged individuals. Nutrients 2020;12(8):2475. doi: 10.3390/nu12082475.
  55. Cikiriz N, Milosavljevic I, Jakovljevic B, et al. The influences of chokeberry extract supplementation on redox status and body composition in handball players during competition phase. Can J Physiol Pharmacol 2021;99(1):42-47.
  56. Tasic N, Jakovljevic VLJ, Mitrovic M, et al. Black chokeberry Aronia melanocarpa extract reduces blood pressure, glycemia and lipid profile in patients with metabolic syndrome: a prospective controlled trial. Mol Cell Biochem 2021 Mar 5. doi: 10.1007/s11010-021-04106-4.
  57. Stankiewicz B, Cieslicka M, Kujawski S, et al. Effects of antioxidant supplementation on oxidative stress balance in young footballers- a randomized double-blind trial. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2021;18(1):44.
  58. Stankiewicz B, Cieslicka M, Mieszkowski J, et al. Effect of supplementation with black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) extract on inflammatory status and selected markers of iron metabolism in young football players: a randomized double-blind trial. Nutrients 2023;15(4):975.
  59. Petrovic M, Kesic L, Šavikin K, et al. Can the chokeberry juice be used as additional therapy for burning mouth syndrome in menopausal women?. Health Care Women Int 2021.
  60. Milutinovic M, Velickovic Radovanovic R, Savikin K, et al. Chokeberry juice supplementation in type 2 diabetic patients - impact on health status. J Appl Biomed 2019;17(4):218-224.
  61. Lackner S, Sconocchia T, Ziegler T, et al. Immunomodulatory effects of aronia juice polyphenols-results of a randomized placebo-controlled human intervention study and cell culture experiments. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022;11(7):1283.
  62. Milosavljevic I, Jakovljevic V, Petrovic D, et al. Standardized Aronia melanocarpa extract regulates redox status in patients receiving hemodialysis with anemia. Mol Cell Biochem 2021;476(11):4167-75.
  63. Habanova M, Holovicova M, Scepankova H, et al. Modulation of lipid profile and lipoprotein subfractions in overweight/obese women at risk of cardiovascular diseases through the consumption of apple/berry juice. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022;11(11):2239.
  64. Chung JW, Kim JE, Nam YE, et al. Eight-week supplementation of Aronia berry extract promoted the glutathione defence system against acute aerobic exercise-induced oxidative load immediately and 30?min post-exercise in healthy adults: a double-blind, randomised controlled trial. J Hum Nutr Diet 2023.