The black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) is a species of shrub that belongs to the Rocaceae (rose) family of plants. The tree is found throughout Northern America and Canada and Europe. The berries are rich in polyphenols, with the dark red colour a result of the high concentration of proanthocyanidins in the berries and their skin. The berries also contain anthocyanin, another red pigmented phytochemical. Chlorogenic acid and neochlorogenic acid are two phenolic acids that are also present in the berries. Evidence suggests that choke berries are beneficial at preventing anxious behaviour in animals. For example, in one study researchers fed rats chokeberry juice and then exposed the rats to experimental stress. The chokeberry juice was significantly effective at preventing anxious behaviour in the rats, suggesting that the juice might be a useful treatment for mood disorders. One possibility is that the anti-anxiety effects of the juice stem from the high concentration of polyphenolic antioxidants within the tissues of the berries.
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