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The genus Aronia is considered to have 3 species. The most common and widely used is Aronia melanocarpa (black chokeberry) which emerged from Eastern North America. The lesser known Aronia arbutifolia (red chokeberry) and the hybrid form of the abovementioned species called Aronia prunifolia (purple chokeberry) were first cultivated in Central and Eastern North America. In the eighteen century the first shrubs of the best-known species Aronia melanocarpa reached Europe where they were first cultivated in Scandinavia and Russia. Currently the black chokeberry has emerged as a popular shrup in Central Europe where it is mainly used for food production and cosmetic industries. Especially the growing scientific basis for its wide range of health promoting properties have caused an increased interest and demand in Aronia products.

Health Benefits
Chokeberries have a long tradition in folk medicine especially in North America and Europe. The large polyphenol content of Aronia has gained scientific interest and was intensively studied in the last few decades. A meta analysis has analysed the potential health benefits resulting from daily consumption of aronia extract in adults.

Daily consumption of aronia extract significantly decreases systolic blood pressure and total cholesterol. Interestingly, these effects are more pronounced for adults over the age of 50. Blood pressure and total cholesterol are key markers for the total heart health and an increased blood pressure is a key factor for cardiovascular disease. Therefore, aronia extract might help to increase overall health and lower the risk for cardiovascular diseases. As cardiovascular disease is a severe cause of death especially in the US, dietary supplements such as aronia extract can be a promising low-risk and noninvasive treatment. Furthermore, for high cholesterol and mild to moderate hypertension aronia berry supplementation may be considered as an alternative treatment.

(A majority of studies with in vitro and in vivo experiments found both therapeutic and preventive effects on non-communicable diseases :


 * Cancer prevention and treatment: During cancer treatment patients show increased levels of superoxide anion radicals that case oxidative stress in platelets undermining their biological function. Black chokeberry extract has proven to decrease superoxide anion radicals in patients with cancer and is therefore effective in dampening oxidative stress that arises through cancer and its treatment . Furthermore, different studies have demonstrated anti-carcinogenic mechanisms of Aronia polyphenol such as reduced cancer cell growth, migration, adhesion and the inhibition of cancer stem cells.


 * Diabetes: The consumption of aronia juice concentrate increases the concentration of adiponectin in the plasma and therefore lowers the risk of diabetes type 2 . Furthermore, an open lab study reports improvement of glycemic control due to lower glycated hemoglobin and fasting blood cellulose . Therefore, chokeberry juice can be a natural medicine to treat diabetes.
 * Cardiovascular disease: Oxidative stress, increased blood pressure, obesity and elevated inflammation all increase the risk of cardiovascular disease . It was demonstrated that the consumption of aronia powder, juice or extract increases the nitric oxide synthase activity dampening hypertension and inflammation .Furthermore aronia consumption reduces weight gain and regulates cholesterol levels and blood pressure .  As Cardiovascular disease is a severe cause of death especially in the US aronia extract, juice or powder can be a promising natural treatment.
 * Gut microbiota: Microbiota has proven to modulate the immune system and contributes to the progression of chronic diseases and affects insulin, lipid and energy metabolism . Fiber, sorbitol and polyphenols from aronia positively change the gut microbiota composition and have a direct anti-microbial activity against some pathogens .The bacteriostatic effect shows higher resistance to Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus while the antiviral effect significantly improves resistance towards the Influenza A virus.
 * Other positive effects:  A positive effect on the eye functioning as well as protection against UV radiation have also been detected health benefits after the consumption of chokeberry.

Overall aronia fruits, extract and powder are very rich in bioactive compounds and antioxidants with a wide range of health benefits for non-communicable diseases. These health promoting properties and the rich nutrition composition of the fruit and its pomace make aronia interesting for the food industry .)