Passing a haskap bush you would be tempted to mistake the fruit with an elongated blueberry or some little bizarre grape. Nonetheless, these strange, oval fruits, commonly known as or in the newer health circles, as Haskawana, or by the generic term, honeyberries, are rapidly taking the place of other previously sought-after nutritional phenomena as the nutritional heavyweight to reckon with. Although they may appear to be a genetic experiment gone awry, they have a long history in Japanese and Russian history, and are currently enjoying a cult of enthusiastic adherents in North America and Europe.
The blueberry has been the king of antioxidants, as years went by. It is the fruit write-in-smoothie, write-in-muffins, and write-in-snack. But the haskap berry is a pain to that throne. Having a taste that is commonly referred to as a complex blend between a raspberry, a blueberry, and a blackcurrant, it provides a refreshing zest that gastronomic lovers love. However, it is it is the nutritional content that is winning heads over and more than the taste.
Why did we not hear about them before? Hasket berries had long been challenging to pick commercially because of their tender skin and penchant to spurt juice. The contemporary farming methods have revolutionized the game and these berries have never been more accessible. The deeper the researchers are getting into their chemical composition, the more they are discovering that this lowly berry may be one of the strongest superfoods on the planet.
In this guide, we are going to discuss everything you should know concerning the haskap berry. Having a fine antioxidant content as well as the manner in which you can cultivate them in your backyard, we are dealing with the entire gamut of the Haskawana phenomenon.
The Nutritional Powerhouse is packaged in plastic
When discussing superfoods, we tend to speak about the nutrient density, which is the proportion of nutrition to a certain calorie. Haskap berries are extremely high in this respect. They are not fruits, but biological batteries filled with vitamins and minerals that are important to the health of the human body.
The Anthocyanin Advantage
The anthocyanin is the most important nutritional attribute that has brought fame to the haskap. The pigments which make the berries have the deep blue, purple, and red colors are called anthocyanins. They also contain strong anti-oxidants. Research indicates that haskap berries have up to three times more antioxidants than the blueberries. to be specific they are abundant in Cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G), a particular kind of anthocyanin which has been shown to have the highest antioxidant activity.
And whereas a blueberry contains anthocyanins primarily in the skin (and that is why the inside is usually pale), a haskan berry is dark purple throughout. The solid color shows a much greater concentration of such vital compounds.
Critical Nutrients and Elements
These berries are also good sources of Vitamin C in addition to antioxidants. One handful of this may supply a good share of your daily needs, being benefit to your immune system and your skin. They are also rich in Vitamin A and Vitamin E, making it a vitamin trio that helps in vision, cell renewal and skin plasticsity.
Haskaps make good sources of potassium, calcium, and magnesium, mineral-wise. Potassium plays an important role in ensuring that one has healthy blood pressure, whereas calcium and magnesium collaborate to keep the bones strong and the body muscles at their optimum. As far as Chinese believe in increasing the intake of micronutrients, but without the help of any supplements, a useful plan involves including a portion of these berries in your morning routine.
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Possible Health Promotional Haskap Berries
Nutritional profile itself is impressive in the paper, but what will be the health benefits in real life? Although studies are in progress, it can be seen that the initial studies and historical applications of the berry indicated some prospects of human health.
Combating Inflammation
Chronic inflammation is frequently mentioned as a cause of most present-day diseases, starting with arthritis and ending with heart disease. Haskap berries are also a natural anti-inflammatory agent due to the high concentration of polyphenols. These compounds reduce oxidative stress in the body, one of the major causes of inflammation, by neutralizing free radicals. Frequent use can possibly alleviate inflammatory markers in the body thus may be beneficial in post exercise recovery or chronic illnesses.
Cardiovascular Support
Another area that the haskap excels in is its heart health. It has been discovered that it is the particular antioxidants present in these berries, especially C3G, that lead to better circulation and vascularity. They also assist in the prevention of oxidation of LDL cholesterol the bad cholesterol, which is a major factor in the formation of the in arteries. Moreover, the large amount of potassium is beneficial to maintain the normal pressure and relieve the cardiovascular system.
Eye Health and Vision
The connection between dark berries and eye health has been made especially popular by the fact that stories about WWII pilots using bilberry jam to enhance night vision became popular. Haskap berries have similar compounds found in most cases in a higher concentration. The anthocyanins can enhance the circulation of blood to the capillaries of the eyes and can also be beneficial to relieve eye fatigue especially to the people who spend hours staring at the screen.
Garden to Table: Cooking
An additional challenge that may be the largest where new health food is concerned is how to consume it. However, luckily, haskaps are highly versatile. The skin is thin, and melts readily, so that you do not get that occasionally gritty feeling with other thick-skinned berries. The taste is sour-sweet, commonly referred to as a “zingy blueberry.
Raw and Fresh
They can be best appreciated in their simplest form; fresh, off of the bush or out of the punnet. They are a great topping to yogurt, oatmeal, or granola. Their tartness makes them a good slice through the creamy texture of a product balancing out the richness of Greek yogurt or velvety ice cream.
Baking and Preserves
Haskaps are rich sources of pectin and acidic and thus are very good ingredients in jam, jellies, and compotes. Haskaps naturally thicken during cooking, unlike strawberries, which are frequently needed to be added to with pectin to set.
Simple Haskap Compote:
- Add 2 cups of haskap berries to 2 tablespoons of maple syrup and/or honey in a small saucepan.
- Cook on low flame between 10-15 minutes until the berries disintegrate and the sauce becomes syrupy.
- Warm over pancakes, waffles or a slice of cheesecake.
Smoothies and Drinks
Due to their deep color, haskaps make smoothies a deep purple. They go well with spinach, bananas and mango. To have a cooling summer cocktail, make a bunch of berries and muddle it with mint and lime, poured over ice and topped with sparkling water to make a Haskap Mojito mocktail.
Savory Applications
You should not confine yourself to sweets. The berry is surprisingly tart which is a good addition in savory food. Haskap berry reduction sauce containing balsamic vinegar, shallots is an excellent match with duck, venison, or pork. The fat of the meat is cut getting a gourmet balance of flavors due to the acidity.
Growing and harvesting Haskap Berries
To the gardening lover haska berries are heaven sent. They are very tough, resistant to diseases and are among the first fruits to be available in the season. And this is the way you can grow your own Haskawana patch.
Cold Hardiness and Climate
These berries are a creation of the boreal forests of Russia and Japan i.e. they are cold constructed. They are able to endure a temperature of up to -50 F -45 C. As a matter of fact, the flowers are resistant to frost up to 19 o C (-7 o F). This renders them a good crop among the northern farmers who have trouble with a more delicate crop such as the peaches or even some varieties of blueberry.
Planting Requirements
- Soil: Haskaps are not as finicky as blueberries (high acidity 4.5-5.5) are. Their pH range is between 5.5 and 7.5 which is common in most garden soils. They have good soil with a heavy concentration of organic matter.
- Sunlight: Full sun is most preferable in order to produce fruit, though partial shade is acceptable.
- Pollination: This is the most crucial aspect. The haskaps do not pollinate themselves. To get fruit you have to have at least two varieties of plants that bloom simultaneously. Make certain that you are purchasing matching pairs with your nursery.
Harvesting Tips
Haskaps are premature and usually precede the strawberries. The berries will become blue on the outside before they become fully ripe on the inside. When you pick them when they are blue, they may be too tart. Wait till the inside of the berry is deep crimson or purple.
The berries are tender and therefore to be handled carefully. Commercial pickers even shake the bushes until the berries fall onto the tarps, which in your case you may also imitate. Take a clean piece of cloth beneath the bush and shake the branches and the berries that are ripe will fall off easily.
Environmental Impact of Haskap Growing
Sustainability is an emerging issue to modern consumers, and haskaps provide an interesting eco-friendly profile. Their toughness and manner of growth contribute to them being a low-impact crop in comparison with most industrial fruits.
Water Conservation
Haskap bushes tend to be drought resistant once planted, unlike top rooted plants, such as raspberries. Their extensive root systems also help them to tap moisture that is further down the soil profile and which has led to a lack of necessity to irrigate all the time. This renders them an appropriate option in areas with water limitations or when a gardener wants to exercise xeriscaping using food crops.
Supporting Pollinators
Since haskaps flower very early in spring (when the snow is still melting) they form an important source of food to early-emerging pollinators. Solitary bees and bumblebees depend on such early flowers to get nectar when most other flowers are closed. By growing haskaps, you will contribute to the local bee population that is in the difficult stage of their lives.
Low Chemical Input
Haskaps do not have many natural pests and diseases. They do not succumb to the same fungal problems that afflict strawberries or pests that attack apples. This resistance of nature implies that they can be cultivated in many cases without using pesticides and fungicides, or with minimum requirements. To the backyard farmer, it is less labor and a healthier harvest. To the planet it will be an activity with less chemical runoff into our waterways.
The Haskap Revolution was adopted
The emergence of the haskap berry, also known as the Haskawana, is not simply a food craze. It is a transition to functionally dense, environmentally resilient, and historically-based foods. The haskap will perform on all fronts whether you are trying to increase your antioxidant consumption, trying a new taste on your morning toast or simply trying to get a garden that will not die when the winter sets in.
It may be a little change but with a big payoff as we keep searching on ways to make our health and our planet better with inclusion of these resilient and rich in nutrients berries in our lives. The next time you visit a farmers market and see them or you visit a nursery and see a bush, taste them. You will be glad your body (and your taste buds) will thank you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do berries have a blueberry flavor?
Their similarities are few, but usually more tart and complex. Imagine a blueberry combined with a raspberry and a taste of cranberry or blackcurrant.
Is it possible to eat the skin of the haskap fruit?
Yes, the skin is so thin and easily disintegrates with eating. It is not hard or sour as the skin of some grape.
Are haskap berries safe to pets?
The toxicity of Lonicera caerulea (haskap) to dogs and cats is a little researched nowadays. Although most berries are harmless, it is prudent to always seek the advice of a veterinarian when trying new foods in the food intake of your pet.
What is the time of a haskap bush to be in blossom?
It takes about a year or two before you will be able to get a small harvest after planting but usually around the third or fourth year you will notice a big harvest. A full grown bush is capable of yielding 7-10 pounds of berries.
Where do I purchase haskap berries?
Fresh haskaps are not easily available in the major supermarkets because they have a short shelf life. Local farmers markets, specialty health food stores or pick-your-own farms are your best bet. Haskaps and haskap powders are currently found in online stores.
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