What are Crowberries?

Crowberries are small-sized, round-shaped juicy fruit that grow in cold climates like North America, Europe, and Asia. They belong to the berry family, and they grow on trees with light green leaves and purple flowers. Crowberries are acidic in taste, and have some form of bitterness; they`ve also got a light aromatic smell. Crowberries are packed with lots of water, antioxidants, manganese, fiber, copper, vitamins C and K, with loads of other nutrients. The antioxidants in crowberries are rich in oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), as typical of superfoods. We`ll discuss some amazing benefits of crowberries.

15 Amazing Benefits of Crowberries

Crowberries Enhance Weight Loss

Crowberries are rich in antioxidants which strengthen the digestive system and improve metabolic rate, hence enhancing weight loss. What`s more? They also eliminate harmful toxins from the body. So you now know what else to incorporate into your diet to help you achieve your weight loss goals.

Crowberries Treat Kidney Issues

Regular consumption of crowberries helps relieve the health condition of people with kidney stones and some other kidney issues. It usually takes a month of consistent consumption of crowberries to feel better. It is safe to consult your doctor before consuming crowberries to treat kidney diseases.

Crowberries Combat Acne

Crowberries, like other berries, are rich in vitamin C. This gives them the ability to cure acne without leaving blemishes and wrinkles on the skin. You can mix crowberries with chick flour to make a face mask and apply it to treat acne and some other skin conditions.

They Regulate Menses

Crowberry leaves are a potent uterine tonic; they regulate menses and give some relief from excessive menstrual bleeding.

Crowberries Treat Constipation

Crowberries have the ability to treat various stomach issues. You can treat constipation and some other stomach troubles by boiling crowberries and consuming the soaked ones with a tablespoon of honey.

Crowberries Are Anti-Aging

Free radicals in the human body increase in quantity as people grow older. Antioxidant-rich fruits like crowberries help eliminate free radicals and give the skin a youthful look. Regular consumption of crowberries will beautify your skin and take off wrinkles and age spots.

Crowberries Combat Fever

People have long used crowberries to treat fever, especially in children. Crowberry leaves and branches are super effective in treating colds and fever.

They Treat Epileptic Seizures

Traditional healers discovered many decades ago that crowberry has the ability to treat epileptic seizures. There is a Russian medicine called Empetrin; it contains crowberries in large amounts, and it used to treat epilepsy, anthrax, and some other nervous disorders.

Crowberries Combat Paralysis

Crowberries give a soothing and calming sensation to the nerves, and this is a reason they are effective at treating paralysis and other nervous disorders.

They Cure Dysentery

Crowberries are a reliable natural remedy to combat dysentery. When you boil crowberries with the stems in water and consume it, you treat dysentery, as the mixture stops diarrhea. It also keeps your body hydrated.

Crowberries for Immune Strength

Crowberries are packed with vitamin C which strengthens the immune system and eliminates harmful toxins from the body. With a healthier immune system, you are sure of a reduced risk of illnesses. Who`s adding crowberries to their diet already?

Crowberries Treat Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis can be disturbing. Traditional doctors, for many decades, have used crowberry plant to treat conjunctivitis and some other eye diseases. How is this possible? Simply soak roots of crowberry plant in water and wash your eyes with it.

Crowberries Control Blood Sugar Levels

Blood sugar is a major concern in today`s society, due to the health risks of what we consume. You can count on crowberries to control high blood sugar levels after regular consumption. This fruit also prevents diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

Used as Food Dye

Boiled crowberries are great for food dye. They are used to make ice creams, wine, jellies, and loads of other recipes. Their rich coloring ability makes them useful in the textile industry for making dye also.

Used in Beauty Products

It shouldn`t be surprising that crowberries are used in beauty products, judging by their vitamin C and antioxidant contents. So not only do they do your skin some good when you consume them or apply them topically, but they are also present in some beauty enhancement products to give your skin and hair an awesome look and texture.

Tips for Buying and Storing Crowberries

Without the right information on how to select and store crowberries, you may consume them regularly but lose some of their essential nutrients. Let`s see some simple crowberry tips.

• Buy crowberries that are firm, black, plump, and uniform in size.
• Wash crowberries gently and thoroughly.
• You may store crowberries in a refrigerator for 10-15 days.
• Always store crowberry leaves in an airtight container.
• Ensure you use fresh crowberries at all times to achieve the best results.
• You should boil crowberries before eating them.

Interesting Crowberry Facts

• Crowberry is a low shrub that can attain only 10 inches in height.
• The crowberry plant has narrow, simple leaves with curved sides and light-green colored leaves arranged alternately on the stem.
• Crowberry sheds its leaves every 2-4 years.
• Sami, Inuit and Tanaina people who live in the Arctic and subarctic areas take crowberry as a staple food; they consume crowberries with lard.
• Crowberry usually flowers in May and June.
• Crowberry has many names such as blackberry, black crowberry, berry-girse, crawberry, crawcrooks, deer’s grass, crow ling, lingberry, monnocs-heather, she-heather, and crane.
• Crowberry propagates via seed, bare root, and cuttings.
• Crowberries have a slightly acidic and bitter taste.
• Back in the day, people used crowberry in making brooms and pan scrubbers.
• Crowberry leaves are covered with glands that produce toxic substances.
• Crowberry leaves that fall to the ground decompose and release toxins into the soil, hence preventing the growth of competitive plant species.
• Crowberry is a dioecious plant ― each shrub produces either female or male flowers.
• A subspecies of crowberry produces bisexual flowers.
• Crowberry fruit ripens in the fall and remains on the shrub until the spring.
• In Labrador, crowberry is used for smoking fish.
• Crowberry is a perennial plant that can live for over 20 years in the wild.

How to Make Crowberry Juice and Syrup

These are easy steps to making crowberry juice and syrup. Let`s get talking.

How to Make Crowberry Juice

• Pour eight cups of crowberries in a cup of water; crush the berries with a potato masher, then boil the mixture for 10 minutes.
• Strain cooked berries through a jelly bag or cheesecloth and a colander, and let the juice drip into a large bowl. Try not to squeeze the jelly bag or cheesecloth so you can get some clear juice.

How to Make Crowberry Syrup

• Combine berry juice, lemon juice, and sugar in a saucepan, the use a candy thermometer to heat the combination to 160 ⁰F.
• Serve immediately with waffles, pancakes, or ice cream.
• You may also store in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. It can last up to six months if you keep it in a refrigerator.

Now That You Know…

Crowberries are super useful; as you just read, you can use them in diverse ways, and you would agree that their health benefits are jaw-dropping. Are you considering adding crowberries to your diet? Your health would be grateful if you do.