You may never have heard of aronia juice, but you can buy it in many places if you look around. Aronia is also known as chokeberry, or black chokeberry. Studies have shown that aronia/chokeberry can have antidiabetic effects.
Aronia berries, also known as chokeberry or black chokeberry, can be made into juice that can benefit diabetics.
In one study, diabetics who drank one glass (2 deciliters) of sugar-free, artificially sweetened, aronia juice had 20% lower blood sugar after just one hour.17
Remarkably, diabetics that consumed the juice with a carbohydrate-rich breakfast had 11% lower blood sugar after one hour. In other words, the juice prevented and reversed the usual blood sugar spike seen after a high-carbohydrate meal.17
Furthermore, drinking one glass (2 deciliters) of the juice per day for 3 months reduced fasting blood sugar by 31% in type 2 diabetics.17 The juice also reduced HbA1c, cholesterol and blood fats.17
If you can’t find sugar-free juice, get one with naturally occurring sugar. Studies in rats have demonstrated that aronia juice is still antidiabetic even if it contains some sugar.18
Another tip is to buy aronia powder, that you turn into juice by adding water. It may be more practical and convenient.
- Simeonov SB, Botushanov NP, Karahanian EB, Pavlova MB, Husianitis HK, Troev DM. Effects of Aronia melanocarpa juice as part of the dietary regimen in patients with diabetes mellitus. Folia Med (Plovdiv). 2002;44(3):20-23.
- Valcheva-Kuzmanova S, Kuzmanov K, Tancheva S, Belcheva A. Hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of Aronia melanocarpa fruit juice in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Methods Find Exp Clin Pharmacol. Mar 2007;29(2):101-105.