"Superberry" Aronia Extract to be Available to Consumers

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(NaturalNews) Kaden Biochemicals has introduced an extract of the aronia berry, and is marketing the product as high in valuable antioxidants. Aronia, also known as black chokeberry, is a berry native to eastern North America. It has a long history of use as a food and medicinal plant by native peoples, and has been cultivated in Russia as a traditional medicine for allergies and blood pressure since the beginning of the 20th century. The berry's flavor is notable for being both sweet and sour, with a notable astringency and bitter notes.

According to Kaden, aronia has a higher anthocyanin concentration than any other red or blue berry, and is also high in another flavonoid variety known as proanthocyanids. Studies have suggested that proanthocyanids inhibit the growth of colon, blood and lung cancer cells without harming healthy cells.

In addition to these benefits, flavonoids have been shown to function as antioxidants, which remove free radicals from the blood and thus prevent various different kinds of cell damage, including those that lead to cancer and aging.

The antioxidant potential of a food or supplement is measured by a scale known as Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC). According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), blueberries, widely renowned as an antioxidant "superfood," have an ORAC value of 13,427 per one-cup serving. A single Granny Smith apple has an ORAC value of 5,381.

While the USDA does not report a value for aronia, Kaden Biochemicals says that the berries have an antioxidant content that compares favorably to that of blueberries, with an ORAC higher than 7,300 micromoles per gram.

The ORAC values are not immediately comparable, because Kaden's value is measured in grams, while the USDA's is measured per serving.

Kaden's aronia extract, containing at least 15 percent anthocyanins, will be available as a powder.

The global market for so-called "superfoods" continues to boom, with blueberry sales in the United Kingdom more than doubling from £40 million ($80 million) in May 2005 to approximately £95 million ($200 million) by May 2007.

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