Berries Unlimited, LLC Introduces Top Superfood to North America
Prairie Grove, Arkansas (PRWEB) July 18, 2013 -- Northwest Arkansas-based Berries Unlimited, LLC, promotes healthy eating through education and public awareness. While honeyberries (Lonicera caerulea) are relatively new to the North American continent, they have been a source of superfood nutrition in Eastern countries, especially Russia and Japan, since the early Middle Ages.
A hardy plant that thrives in cold climates as well as warm, various parts of the honeyberry plants are used for medicinal purposes.
Honeyberry Superfood Health Benefits
The amount of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) in 100 grams of berries can be as high as 170 milligrams, more than strawberries, raspberries and gooseberries. Honeyberries also contain a rich set of macro- and micro-nutrients.
Minerals, such as iron, calcium and phosphorus are also found in good quantities in these succulent berries. The trace element selenium is also found in the honeyberry. Other trace elements include manganese, copper, aluminum, barium, silica and iodine.
Berries Unlimited, the largest developer and grower of honeyberries in the United States, is a certified USDA berry propagator, and Lidia Delafield, owner, has developed several cultivars (cultured varieties) of her own for both consumer retail and wholesale commercial operations.
Each individual cultivar has its own unique flavor, ranging from sweet to bittersweet. The taste has been compared to blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, black currants and rhubarb.
A Brief Honeyberry History
While the shape and coloration of this Superfood berry resembles an elongated blueberry, it is actually a relative of the honeysuckle. In Russia it is called "zhimolost," which translates into English as "blue honeysuckle." Famed Russian explorer Vladimir Atlasov discovered the berries in the Kamchatka Peninsula, located in eastern Russia, at the end of the 17th century.
The Japanese varieties are called Haskap and have been fondly called "the little gift at the end of the branch" and "the fruit of vision." The health benefits of the honeyberry also earned it the moniker "the fruit of longevity."
Honeyberry Uses
The honeyberry can be eaten raw, right off the bush. However, the berry is also used in juices, jams and wines. Hare Delafield, marketing director of Berries Unlimited, predicts that honeyberries will take their place beside blueberries and other fruits on grocery shelves in the near future.
When not in flower or fruit, the honeyberry plant is still attractive, with velvety grayish-green foliage. Gardeners considering edible landscaping will appreciate both the beauty and the berry.
More information on the history of the honeyberry can be found at the website under "Honeyberry History", and the health benefits of honeyberries and various other berries can be found by clicking "Health Benefits" on the site.
About Berries Unlimited, LLC
Located in Prairie Grove, Arkansas, Berries Unlimited is a wholesale grower and licensed propagator of several varieties of small fruits, including blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and honeyberries. Berries Unlimited is a member of The International Society for Horticulture Sciences, North American Raspberry & Blackberry Association, The International Plant Propagators Society and the North American Honeyberry Association.
Berries Unlimited, LLC, is also a certified propagator for the United States Department of Agriculture, the University of Arkansas and the University of Maryland. The majority of their berries are tissue-cultured and virus-indexed in sterile laboratories, ensuring the best quality, virus-free berries available.
With both retail and wholesale operations, Berries Unlimited sells both berries and plants to consumers. They are specialists in assisting farmers set up both wholesale and U-Pick operations.
About Lidia Delafield
Lidia was a researcher at the Russian Academy of Sciences for 13 years, and is considered a germination expert as well as a world leader in honeyberry (Haskap) breeding programs. Her breeding program is one of the largest breeding programs in the world, with 19 new varieties released in 2013 and another 32 varieties which will be released over the next 2 to 3 years. Lidia grew up in Russia and has been growing and developing honeyberries (Haskap) for over 40 years.
For more information about this release, or to schedule an interview with Berries Unlimited, please contact:
Hare Delafield, Marketing Director
Prairie Grove, Arkansas
Phone – (479)846-6030
Steve Maurer, Publicist, Maurer Copywriting, http://www.maurer-copywriting.com, +1 (479) 304-1086, [email protected]
Share this article