Vitamin C and many antioxidants Blue honeysuckle are new medicinal fruits

Lots of vitamin C and antioxidants in blue honeysuckle
The blue honeysuckle is in this country as food still relatively unknown, while the fruits can boast with many healthy ingredients and a taste similar to the blueberries. The British company CPM Retail is currently planning the launch of the blue honeysuckle in the UK and in this context, promotes the benefits of the fruits. Whether the new superfruit can live up to their promises remains to be seen.

Blue honeysuckle contains a lot of vitamin C and a high content of antioxidants. (Image: samiramay / fotolia.com)

The blue honeysuckle looks a bit like a rectangular blueberry and tastes like a mixture of blueberry, blackberry and raspberry. According to the Royal Horticultural Society in London, the fruits are suitable for direct consumption as well as for the preparation of jam and jelly. Particularly attractive are the blue honeysuckle due to the high concentration of healthy ingredients. Among other things, these contain high levels of antioxidants and vitamin C. According to the CPM spokesman Begnat Robichaud, the fruit is even twice as high in antioxidants as classic blueberries.

Studies examine the cultivation possibilities
Currently, the possibilities of cultivating the blue honeysuckle in three studies in the UK are being investigated, with both the Canadian variant and Polish plants being tested. In Poland, CPM already operates the production of the blue honeysuckle and supplies the frozen fruit from here worldwide. However, fresh fruits from local cultivation are normally only available during a relatively short harvesting window (three to four weeks). In the future, the experts hope to ensure the availability of fresh blue honeysuckle over a much longer period of time by selecting certain varieties and adapting the growing conditions.

Blue honeysuckle also grows in Bavaria
In addition to the high content of antioxidants and vitamin C, the blue honeysuckle also have a relatively high iron content, high levels of calcium and plenty of vitamin A. Overall, the blue honeysuckle come according to the experts to almost twice as many healthy nutrients as the classic blueberries. Begnat Robichaud reports that retail interest is currently high, but some work still needs to be done to bring the blue honeysuckle to the UK and other European countries. The plant was originally native to Japan and Siberia, but today the blue honeysuckle is also growing in the southern German states of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria as well as in Austria and Switzerland. On the British island, cultivation trials are currently underway to enable larger-scale cultivation. The harvest season is according to the London Royal Horticultural Society in the spring to early summer, with a plant over six kilograms of fruits could produce. (Fp)