{"id":13588,"date":"2025-10-18T09:50:25","date_gmt":"2025-10-18T13:50:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ecoportal.net\/en\/?p=13588"},"modified":"2026-06-29T08:39:16","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T12:39:16","slug":"fights-bacteria-cold-season-superfruit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ecoportal.net\/en\/fights-bacteria-cold-season-superfruit\/13588\/","title":{"rendered":"94 on the ORAC scale: why crowberries may outperform a\u00e7a\u00ed and blueberries as a cold-season superfruit"},"content":{"rendered":"

Crowberries \u2014 also called mossberries \u2014 are replacing a\u00e7ai and blueberries, becoming the new world fruit of health<\/strong>. These berries have been quietly thriving in the severe climates of the Northern Hemisphere for centuries, yet they are finally receiving the recognition they deserve as a nutritional powerhouse.<\/p>\n

Crowberries present superior disease-fighting antioxidant ability<\/h2>\n

Crowberries score 94 \u00b5mol TE\/g on the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (or ORAC) test, which measures antioxidants in food. To put this in perspective, a score of 40 is considered very high, making crowberries’ rating absolutely remarkable. These dark-colored berries contain a very powerful water-soluble flavonoid called anthocyanidin, which gives them their black color and remarkable health benefits.<\/p>\n

Licensed dietitian Abra Pappa explains that these antioxidants have been extensively researched for biological properties including anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and cardiovascular protection. Norwegian research teams have put crowberries second in antioxidant power<\/strong> only to rose hip, edging out such popular choices as bilberries, lingonberries, and cloudberries.<\/p>\n

Finnish research reveals powerful antibacterial properties<\/h3>\n

Finnish researchers have found that crowberries prevent the growth of Bacillus bacteria<\/strong> that can cause serious food poisoning. Such antibacterial activity lends an additional dimension to their effective health status and usefulness as food-stuff additives, together with applications in nutrition. Elevated amounts of this superfruit can be found as freeze-dried powders, which, outside of the Northern Hemisphere, are being made available online, proposing an easy way to add crowberry to smoothies, yogurt, and baked items.<\/p>\n

The cultures of the North have valued crowberries for a long time<\/h2>\n

In Lapland, crowberries are known as “kaarnikka,”<\/em> derived from the Sami word “g\u00e1r\u00e1nas,”<\/em> meaning raven. These berries were an important part of the cultures in Scandinavia for generations and were used to make pies, puddings, and jams. Due to their naturally tart acidic taste, they’re usually made into juices or freeze-dried powders.<\/p>\n

Traditional preservation methods included storage of the berries in the frozen state and adding them to soups and stews or mixing with milk for dessert. Ancient peoples knew the merits of crowberries<\/strong> for their effect on our health long before modern science was able to prove it; to be precise, they took crowberries to get rid of fevers and cold symptoms. In Iceland, they’re called “kr\u00e6kiber”<\/em> and grow abundantly in the country’s lava fields, frequently made into the beloved local juice “kr\u00e6kiberjasaft.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Nutritional powerhouse benefits:<\/h4>\n