What are free radicals, what is oxidative stress and how can Aronia Berry boost health?
Free radicals are, in a way, the body’s waste material which is created as it breaks down food and overcomes various external difficulties. These can either be internal such as inflammation or environmental like air pollution, sunlight or electromagnetic radiation, smoking habitually along with overexertion to processed foods including trans fats, colors synthetic sweeteners and preservatives, plus contact with hazardous solvents & pesticides. The impairment caused when our system cannot neutralize these free radicals productively is known as oxidative stress, which has been associated with diseases for example cancer, cardiovascular illnesses (like myocardial infarction stroke hypertensive heart disorder thrombosis etc.) furthermore vision loss due to harm of retinal gland in eyes.
The body’s primary defense against the oxidative action of free radicals is antioxidants, which can be produced endogenously or obtained from external sources. Fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices are some of the best sources of antioxidants, such as vitamins, minerals, polyphenols, flavonoids, catechins, and phytoestrogens. Each plays a different role in the body, and all are essential for proper functioning.
The aronia berry is, however, the most abundant source of such bioactive substances. Studies have shown that this berry, which is also known as the chokeberry, has a very high content of polyphenols, specifically phenolic acids, anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, flavones and flavanones. In a study that analyzed 143 plant samples for polyphenols, the aronia berry was found to be the most plentiful source. It is these high values of bioactive substances that give this fruit its multitude of medicinal and therapeutic properties.
In addition, aronia has been proven in recent years, by cultivation and industrial practice, to be the most resistant of the rest of the berries, in terms of its high resistance to weather conditions, as well as to mechanical or manual harvesting methods and finally damages during transport and storage in refrigerator or freezer conditions. This means that aronia is really ‘too tough to die’ and will do anything to get to your plate!
So why not give Aronia Berry a try? It may just be the key to enhancing your wellbeing!