Mulberry Juice, Hailed as Super food!

Mulberry Fruit Facts!

Mulberry fruits are born from deciduous mulberry trees that belong to  plant family Moraceae and to genus Morus. Morus or mulberry exists in 150 different species but the popular ones include the White mulberry, Black mulberry, Red mulberry, American mulberry and some hybrid forms between the white and the red mulberries. Botanically speaking, the fruit is not considered as a berry but rather a collective fruit which resembles a swollen loganberry. Upon pollination, the fleshy bases of mulberry blossoms will begin to swell until they become succulent, heavy and filled with juice. Each tiny swollen flower appears like the individual drupe of a blackberry.

Mulberry trees are deciduous trees which can grow up to 80 ft tall, depending on the species. Trees of the white mulberry are usually the tallest among the different species, followed by the red mulberry which can grow up to 70 ft tall. The black mulberry is usually the smallest, 30 ft. in height, but has the tendency to grow small as a bush if not trained when it is young.

The species vary greatly in longevity but averagely can live up to 250 years.

Taste the Colorful Mulberry Varieties!

 The name of the species does not necessarily identify the color of their fruits. White mulberry, for instance, can bear fruits which are white, lavender or black. White mulberries are generally very sweet. On the other hand, black mulberries are the best-flavored species of mulberry due to its balanced mixture of sweetness and tartness. They are usually large and very juicy. Red mulberries produce fruits which are deep red to almost black, and taste somewhat like the black mulberry. Red and Black mulberries have a refreshing tartness that will remind you of a grapefruit.

Where can you find Mulberries!

White mulberries are native to Eastern and Central China while red ones are native to Eastern America from Massachusetts to Kansas down to Gulf Coast.

White mulberry can grow in cold temperature, depending on the variety. Although some cannot survive ate 25° F, some live at -25° F. They are also the most tolerant to drought, pollution and poor soil among the mulberry species. Red mulberries are tolerant to sub zero temperature.

The black mulberries are indigenous to West Asia and were spread and cultivated in Europe since before Roman times.

They are the least cold-enduring species of mulberry and have been cultivated in America to a limited extent.

 Mulberry Juice, the Lately-proven Super Food

Mulberries have been used by people as a cure to different ailments since Ancient times although people were not quite aware of its nutritional profile. Specifically, they have been used to protect people from colds and digestive problems. Today, several research, experiments and tests have been recently conducted to distinguish the true antioxidant level and capacity of mulberries.

Awesome Anti-Aging Effects!

It was found out that mulberries contain the active constituents, anthocyanins and resveratrol. Resveratrol is hailed as the fountain of youth due to its anti-aging effects, anti cancer and body cleansing properties. Because they contain resveratrol, experts believed that mulberry juice could bring back youthful and healthy skin and even reduce the onset of wrinkles and grey hair. Anthocyanins, on the other hand, are potent antioxidants that can create a huge impact in the body and can help cure a variety of ailments. The antioxidant level of mulberries were actually measured using the Oxygen Radical Absorbance capacity(ORAC). Researchers have found out that mulberry juice has an ORAC value of 530, much greater than the ORAC values of orange, cranberry and apple juices.  It seems like the longevity of mulberry implies its ability to slow down aging and fight the damages of aging.

Mulberry Juice for Healthy Tummies

Aside from their ability to shrink wrinkles and bring back youthful skin, mulberries were also proven to help cure diseases of the digestive tract.

They promote gastric juice secretion, enhance appetite, prevent constipation and improve digestion. Due to their rich vitamin and antioxidant content, they could help cure chronic illnesses such as gastritis and hepatitis.

Mulberry Juice Treats Anemia

Mulberries have the ability to promote proper body fluid production, as well as maintain fluid balance in the body. Their rich vitamin and mineral content enriches the blood and soothes the nerves.

These mechanisms are helpful in treating anemia, and symptoms of anemia like pallor, dizziness and heart palpitations. Mulberry juice may also be helpful in correcting insomnia.

 Homemade Exotic Mulberry Juice

This is a Lebanese Recipe of Mulberry juice but all people around the globe could try it and will surely love it! It’s quite simple and you only need very few ingredients. This would yield 1 liter of fresh mulberry juice that’s so refreshing and packed with antioxidants! It’s done in 45 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 1 kilo or 2 ¼ lbs mulberry fruits
• 2 lbs of sugar or more

Instructions:

1. Wear gloves when picking fresh and ripe mulberries.
2. Wash and clean the fruits in running water.
3. Using an ordinary blender or a food mill, crush and blend the mulberries to extract the juice. If you don’t have any blender or food mill, place the mulberries in a pot or saucepan, cover with enough water and bring to a boil until tender.
4. Place the tendered mulberries in a sieve, strain and press with a fork to extract the juice. Filter the juice to remove seeds and skins.
5.  Place the filtered juice back to the blender and blend once again or immediately proceed to step 6.
6. Add sugar to sweeten, depending on your taste preference.
7. Serve cold by adding ice cubes!