The black dwarf berry, which is also spreading in our country, is known for its many medicinal properties, including its immune-boosting properties. An expert also draws attention to the benefits of the berry.
Black berkenye is spreading in our country
The native habitat of black dwarf barberry (also known as black aronia) is North America. It appeared in Europe in the early 20th century and has been spreading rapidly ever since. It is particularly popular in Germany because the juice of its fruit has beneficial effects on the digestive and immune systems. But it is also valuable for its high resveratrol content. Nowadays it is also available in Hungary and other Central European countries, mainly as container seedlings.
The black dwarf barberry is a shrub one to three metres tall. It forms a dense bush and develops many shoots and rootstocks. It is light-hungry and does not thrive in the shade. It bears few fruits. It tolerates temperatures as low as minus 35 degrees. The berries are very sour but have many positive qualities.
The fruit contains numerous vitamins and other biologically active substances. It has also been shown in clinical trials in Serbia to have antioxidant properties, which can help in the fight against anaemia. The juice of the berry can be used to make an excellent syrup for a soft drink, but it can also be used to colour other juices, such as elderberries
Exotic fruits used for sweetening
Otherwise, some fruits are also used as sweeteners. These are not typically known in Hungary, but it may be worth learning their names, as they could play a bigger role in the world food industry in the future. But let’s list the fruits!
Lukuma: also known as the gold of the Incas. Native to South America. It has significant antioxidant and fibre content, but also contains vitamin C, zinc, calcium, potassium and iron. Its taste is reminiscent of maple syrup. The powder made from the fruit is used to sweeten desserts, cakes or ice cream, for example.
The monk fruit: Native to southern China. Its extract is about 300 times sweeter than sucrose. Chinese medicine uses it to treat colds and sore throats. For example, a compound in it has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Curculigo latifolia: Grows wild in western Malaysia. The curculin (protein) in its fruit is responsible for its sweet taste. It is nine times sweeter than normal glucose.
Synsepalum dulcificum: Tropical African plant. Myraculin extracted from its fruit alters the sense of taste. Food eaten after chewing the berry tastes sweet.
Dioscoreophyllum cumminsii: a creeping plant native to Africa. Its fruits contain five sweet tasting proteins. Monellin can be up to three thousand times sweeter than sucrose. However, it can lose its sweetness at temperatures above 50 °C.
Thaumatococcus danelii: Native to tropical Africa. The gelatinous substance surrounding the seeds of the fruit contains the sweetener taumatin. However, it is only effective when chewed raw.
