The salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis) is a plant native to the western coastlines of North America. It bears yellow, orange, and red fruits of the same name, which resemble raspberries in structure and were treasured by the American Indians for their sweet taste and medicinal properties. Salmonberries were often eaten with salmon, hence their name, although they are also called thimbleberries, Alaskan berries, and Russian berries. List of Health Benefits Unusually high in manganese – 100…
Aronia berries, also called chokeberries, are dark purple-colored fruits that are native to eastern North America. They grow on green-leaved deciduous shrubs that are commonly found in swamps and wet woods. Although aronia berries are not well-known, even in their native continent, their reputation has increased of late due to some well-publicized campaigns declaring them to be the “world’s healthiest fruit.” List of Health Benefits Unsurpassed antioxidant activity – The aronia berry’s biggest draw is…
Coconut sugar, also known as coconut sap sugar, is a sugar derived from the sap of coconut tree flowers. It has been used as a traditional sweetener for centuries in regions where coconut trees flourish, such as Southeast Asia. Coconut sugar is mostly comprised of sucrose, which gives it a sweet, caramel-like flavor. Unlike refined white sugar, coconut sugar is minimally processed, and few if any chemicals are added to it, meaning that most of…
Goji berries, also called wolfberries, are the fruits of the Lycium barbarum and Lycium chinense plants. Native to southeastern Europe and Asia, these fruits are characterized by their bright orange-red color and raisin-like shape. They have been cultivated in Asia for over 2000 years, and have been nicknamed “red diamonds” due to their unusually high nutritional value. Traditional Chinese medicine was perhaps the first healing system to understand and utilize the berries for medicinal purposes,…
Acai berries are the fruits of the acai palm, a species of palm tree native to Central and South America. These berries, which are characterized by their grape-like appearance and bitter taste, have been cherished by the Amazonian natives for centuries due to their incredible medicinal properties. These properties, which are slowly being validated by ongoing studies, are the reason why acai berries – along with other Amazonian foods such as cacao, maca, and camu camu –…
