Yes, school’s about to start. Strawberries and blueberries have come and gone, and raspberries are on the wane. But late summer berries – blackberries, and the less common elderberry or chokeberry (also known as aronia) – are in season now. All three pack a powerful health punch.

Berries are tiny powerhouses of nutrition that have been touted as “superfoods”: very rich in antioxidants and health benefits even among other fruits and veggies. They are low in calories, high in fiber, and high in vitamin C. In addition, berries offer powerful nutrients we still know little about: antioxidants, anthocyanins, pterostilbene, ellagic acid, polyphenols and flavanoids. One of these, the anti-carcinogen ellagic acid, is extracted from berries and is sold as a food supplement.

Dark colored berries like elderberry, aronia (chokeberry), black currant and blackberry have one of the highest antioxidant levels of all fruits, and up to 50% more flavonoids than other berries. Exactly how these substances work is not yet known, but these powerful compounds work together to fight off oxidative stress and free radicals in the body. They have been shown to regulate metabolism, boost “good” cholesterol, protect against cancer, heart disease, cognitive decline due to aging, and vision loss.

A recent study at Ohio State University proved anthocyanins can prevent cancer growth. “All fruits and vegetables that are rich in anthocyanins have compounds that can slow down the growth of colon cancer cells, whether in experiments in laboratory dishes or inside the body,” said Monica Giusti, the lead author of the study and an assistant professor of food science at Ohio State University. (researchnews.osu.edu/archive/anthocan.htm).

Of course, each has a unique nutritional profile. Just 1 cup of blackberries has half the RDA of vitamin C, as well as 10 percent of the folate and 22 percent of the fiber. They are also a good source of potassium, calcium, and iron, and malic and citric acids. Elderberries have been used in folk medicine since the time of Hippocrates. They are higher in vitamin C than oranges or tomatoes, contain vitamins A and B, thiamine, niacin, and calcium. They have more potassium phosphorus than any other temperate fruit crop. Modern research has confirmed the power of elderberries to fight viruses, including flu, AIDS, herpes and Epstein-Barr. Aronia has the most antioxidants, with 1,480 mg of anthocyanin concentration per 100 grams of fresh berries. According to the USDA, aronia berries have four times the antioxidant power of blueberries, goji berries, strawberries, or pomegranates. The astringent qualities are due to their high concentration of polyphenols.

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Blackberries

Perhaps the best know are blackberries, which grow wild throughout the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. There are many varieties, some native to the Old World, others to the New. They were eaten by hunters and gatherers in ancient times. Forensic studies from the Iron Age show that the Haraldskr Woman (500 BC, Denmark) had feasted on these berries.

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Elderberries

These attractive, easy to grow landscape plants with creamy white, fragrant, edible flowers in late June and dark clusters of berries in September were once a common backyard fruit at roadside stands and farmers’ markets. They attract lots of wildlife: butterflies love the flower nectar and the berries are a favorite of many birds. Shallow rooted, they tolerate soils with a wide range of texture, fertility and acidity, but prefer fertile, well-drained soil with a pH between 5.5 and 6.5. Because the tiny, fragile berries do not store or transport well, they have become a rarity in the age of supermarket produce where California berries are available year round.

There are many species of elders (Sambucus genus), a shrub that grows wild in temperate regions of all continents except Africa. The most common in our region is sambucus Canadensis, which grows wild throughout eastern North America as far north as zone 3 and 4. Elderberries need a rich, moist forest soil; they’re found at margins of fields and along trails and forest roads.

To harvest, pick the large clusters, bring them home, and remove the berries from the stems with your fingers or with the help of a fork. The small, tart berries can be eaten raw and added to salads, but are best in wine, vinegar, jams, syrups, pies and other baked goods.

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Aronia or Chokeberry

Before Europeans arrived, Native Americans used and valued the chokeberry, which grows wild in damp woods and swamps. In the 1800ds, cultivars were imported to Europe, where they grew in popularity. There they acquired the Latin name aronia rather than the American name chokeberry. In many countries, aronia juice is as common as apple juice is here in the U.S. The tall bushes bear dark fruit larger than a blueberry and smaller than a cherry. This native to the eastern United States is healthy, sustainable, versatile, locally grown and flavorful.

Although aronia berries have a sugar content equal to table grapes, they also have an astringent quality to their flavor, which many find objectionable. Winemakers have used this dry astringency, combining the chokeberry with grapes for a dry wine. In addition to wine, they can be made into juice (good in combination with apple cider), syrups, jellies, jams, tea and tinctures. They’re good stirred into a salsa, cooked with apples into a chutney or baked with apples in a pie or cobbler. Freezing them tames the astringency a bit, and anything with protein helps to chemically subdue the tannic taste.

To get the maximum health benefits, eat your berries raw rather than cooked into jam or pie. Berries are like summer in a small package, so grab a handful and enjoy before the leaves turn and fresh berries are gone for the season.

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Oriental greens and berry salad with berry vinaigrette

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Vinaigrette ingredients:

1 cup berries

1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar

1 small clove garlic, crushed

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup Olive oil

1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley

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Directions:

Mash berries and stir in vinegar. Mash garlic with salt, and add oil. Combine vinegar mixture with oil mixture, add parsley, and allow to sit for 30 minutes to blend flavors. Shake vigorously before using. Use on fresh greens or other salads.

Note: if using tart berries, add 2tablespoons maple syrup or honey and decrease vinegar to 2 tablespoons.

Serves six to eight.

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Salad ingredients:

1 Tablespoon sour cream or Greek yogurt (optional; for a creamier dressing)

4 cups mixed greens (I used Napa and bok choy; you can add spinach, arugula, lettuce – whatever)

1 apple

1/2 cup elderberries

1/2 cup blackberries

1/2 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or slivered almonds), optional

1/4 cup crumbled Feta cheese

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Directions:

Place 2 or 3 Tablespoons of dressing in the bottom of the bowl. For a creamy dressing, whisk in a tablespoon of sour cream or Greek yogurt. Shred or tear the napa and bok choy leaves into the dressing, and stir to coat. Slice the bok choy stems thinly, and add, along with chopped apple, berries, nuts and feta. Serve. Serves two to four.

Easy Mixed Berry Crisp

Ingredients:

1 quart fresh berries

1 cup oats

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/3 cup flour

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/3 cup honey

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Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 8-inch-by-8-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray and place berries on the bottom. In bowl, combine oats with flour; stir in melted butter and honey. Crumble on top of berries. Bake about 30 to 40 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature, with whipped cream or ice cream.

Note: if using tart berries like aronia, use more honey, or combine with sweet berries (like blackberries).

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Blackberry-Aronia Custard

Ingredients:

1 cup aronia berries

1/2 cup maple syrup, divided

1 teaspoon lemon juice

3 eggs

1/4 cup whole milk

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup flour

4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter

1 cup blackberries

1 Tablespoon sugar

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Directions:

In small saucepan, bring aronia, 1/4 cup maple syrup and lemon juice to a boil. Simmer 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Beat eggs with remaining 1/4 cup maple syrup, milk, and salt; then beat in flour. Melt the butter, use a little to butter a 9-inch pie plate or casserole dish, and beat the rest into the egg mixture. Set aside.

To assemble, place blackberries in bottom of pie plate. Top with the aronia berry mixture. Pour the egg batter over all. Sprinkle with 1 Tablespoon sugar, place in preheated oven and bake about 20 minutes, or until set and slightly puffy. If it needs to brown further, turn oven to broil for two to four minutes to achieve a golden top.

Author of the award-winning cookbook Garden Gourmet: Fresh & Fabulous Meals from your Garden, CSA or Farmers’ Market, Yvona Fast lives in Lake Clear and has two passions: cooking and writing. She can be

reached at

www.wordsaremyworld.com.