What is Aronija?

Aronija is the slavic word for Aronia. People throughout Eastern Europe and all of Russia enjoy aronia berry juice on a near-daily basis, and therefore the word aronija is much more common online than the word aronia is.

This is highly ironic, for more than one reason, however.

First of all, the scientific (latin) word for the genus of the aronia plant is in fact spelled “aronia.” That is the official, proper name of it, that scientists from all over the world use to identify it.

Even more oddly, however, is the fact that aronia is native to the north american continent. Native Americans from the entire eastern seaboard up to Nova Scotia have based their medicine and culture around this wonderfully healing berry since as far back as their records go!

Only in the last hundred years has the aronia bush (aronia melanocarpa) been transplanted to Europe where the culture has allowed it to gain the respect that it properly deserves.

It was originally touted as “a most beautiful, ornamental hedge,” and likely exported for that purpose, since the berry itself has always been to sour to eat directly.

Soon afterwards the European and Russians discovered the health benefits from eating the berries (during a famine, perhaps?) and have been selling aronija berry juice in stores ever since as what is probably the world's widest-selling superfruit juice!