Black chokeberry (aronia)
Also called aronia, aronia berry, chokeberry, Aronia melanocarpa, Aronia mitschurinii, aronia juice.
Best grade C across 12 graded outcomes Botanical Last checked
The short answer
From 17 sourcesBlack chokeberry (aronia) is a polyphenol-rich berry sold as juice, powder and extract capsules. Single trials report better artery function and an 11% drop in LDL cholesterol with 500 mg/day of extract, but the most recent meta-analysis of 10 trials found no overall cardiometabolic effect, with very low certainty. Only about half of the women in one juice trial tolerated it without complaints.
Every graded outcome on this page
12 rows · line = participants- CGrade CArterial stiffness and blood pressureArterial stiffnessn 102
- CGrade CCognitive performance and moodCognitionn 101
- CGrade CEndothelial function (flow-mediated dilation)Blood vessel functionn 66
- CGrade CTotal and LDL cholesterolCholesteroln 49
- CGrade CAmbulatory blood pressure and low-grade inflammationBlood pressuren 38
- CGrade CExecutive function and brain blood flow in older adultsCognitionn 30
- DGrade DUrinary tract infections needing medical care in nursing homesUrinary tractn 236
- DGrade DBlood sugar in women with prediabetes (juice plus Mediterranean diet advice)Blood sugarn 50
- DGrade DOxidative stress, inflammation markers and blood pressure after heart attackHeart diseasen 44
- DGrade DMetabolic syndrome markers in older adultsHeart and metabolic healthn 44
- DGrade DBlood sugar control in type 2 diabetesBlood sugarn 23
- ∅No effectCardiometabolic markers (body weight, glucose, lipids, blood pressure)Heart and metabolic healthn 666
- 9 more graded outcomes, in the evidence chapter
Key facts
- Pooled evidence
- A 2025 meta-analysis of 10 RCTs (666 adults) found no overall effect on weight, glucose, lipids or blood pressure; certainty was very low1
- Weight and fasting glucose
- A 2026 meta-analysis of 7 RCTs found no effect on fasting glucose, body weight, BMI or waist size17
- Cholesterol trial
- 500 mg/day of extract for 12 weeks lowered LDL cholesterol 11% versus placebo in 49 former smokers6
- Blood pressure
- Meta-analyses disagree: a 2019 analysis found diastolic pressure 2.55 mmHg higher, while a 2021 analysis reported lower systolic pressure23
- Tolerability
- In a 6-week trial of 100 mL juice twice daily in healthy women, only about half tolerated the juice without complaints11
What it is
Black chokeberry, or aronia, is the dark berry of Aronia shrubs, mainly Aronia melanocarpa, eaten as juice or powder and sold as polyphenol-rich extracts.
How it works
ProposedAronia berries are rich in polyphenols, including anthocyanins and procyanidins. In trials, rises in blood and urine levels of aronia-derived phenolic metabolites tracked better blood vessel function, lower cholesterol and shifts in gut bacteria, which the authors propose as the pathway. This has not been confirmed.456
Forms, side by side
3 forms named in our sources. The rest show what our data holds, and say plainly where it holds nothing yet.
Black chokeberry (aronia) forms compared
3 forms| 3 forms | Aronia extract capsules | Aronia (chokeberry) juice | Whole-fruit aronia powder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Absorption in people | Plasma and urinary phenolic metabolites rose during extract use in trials.46 | Urinary polyphenol metabolites increased during juice periods.8 | Plasma phenolic metabolites increased with whole-fruit powder.4 |
| GI tolerance | Tolerance is not described in detail in the extract trial abstracts.467 | Only about half of women drinking 100 mL twice daily for 6 weeks tolerated it without complaints.11 | Not described in the trial abstract.4 |
| Studied for | Blood vessel function, cholesterol, cognition, metabolic syndrome | Blood pressure, urinary tract infections, blood sugar in prediabetes | Blood vessel function |
- Aronia extract capsules
- Studied for
- Blood vessel function, cholesterol, cognition, metabolic syndrome
- Aronia (chokeberry) juice
- Whole-fruit aronia powder
What the human research says
Human trials only, one row per outcome. The form line shows what each trial actually tested. Grades follow our evidence-grading policy.
Trial map
12 graded outcomes, largest study first12 graded outcomes: 6 improved, 4 mixed, 2 no effect. The largest, a 2025 meta-analysis of 666 people on cardiometabolic markers (body weight, glucose, lipids, blood pressure), found no effect. Outcomes that improved came from smaller studies: a median of 47 people, against 345 for no effect.
1Cardiometabolic markers (body weight, glucose, lipids, blood pressure)
No effect · No-effect grade · Meta-analysis, 666 people, 2025
Adults with or without cardiometabolic risk factors
Dose, result and source| Outcome | Found | People | Study | Who was studied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiometabolic markers (body weight, glucose, lipids, blood pressure) | No effect | 666 | No-effect grade · Meta-analysis, 2025 | Adults with or without cardiometabolic risk factors |
| Urinary tract infections needing medical care in nursing homes | Mixed | 236 | Grade D · Crossover RCT, 2014 | Residents of 6 nursing homes |
| Arterial stiffness and blood pressure | Mixed | 102 | Grade C · RCT, 2022 | Prehypertensive middle-aged men and women |
| Cognitive performance and mood | Mixed | 101 | Grade C · RCT, 2020 | Healthy, middle-aged overweight adults |
| Endothelial function (flow-mediated dilation) | Improved | 66 | Grade C · RCT, 2019 | Healthy men |
| Blood sugar in women with prediabetes (juice plus Mediterranean diet advice) | Improved | 50 | Grade D · RCT, 2026 | Women aged 30–60 with prediabetes (50 of 54 completed) |
| Total and LDL cholesterol | Improved | 49 | Grade C · RCT, 2017 | Healthy adult former smokers |
| Metabolic syndrome markers in older adults | Improved | 44 | Grade D · RCT, 2026 | Older adults with metabolic syndrome (12 men, 32 women) |
| Oxidative stress, inflammation markers and blood pressure after heart attack | Improved | 44 | Grade D · RCT, 2007 | Patients after myocardial infarction on statin therapy (mean age 66) |
| Ambulatory blood pressure and low-grade inflammation | Improved | 38 | Grade C · Crossover RCT, 2016 | Adults with untreated mildly elevated blood pressure |
| Executive function and brain blood flow in older adults | Mixed | 30 | Grade C · Crossover RCT, 2026 | Healthy older adults (mean age 65) with overweight or obesity |
| Blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes | No effect | 23 | Grade D · Crossover RCT, 2023 | Adults with type 2 diabetes (23 of 36 randomized completed) |
Every graded row
12 rowsShowing 12 of 12 outcomes. Human trials only.
CGrade CArterial stiffness and blood pressureArterial stiffnessLess arterial stiffness, no BP changeRCT
n 102 · 2022
Mixed Augmentation index and pulse wave velocity improved versus control (24-hour peripheral AIx -6.8 percentage points, P = 0.003; awake PWV -0.24 m/s). Blood pressure, flow-mediated dilation and blood lipids did not change.
- Design
- RCT, n = 102, 2022
- Population
- Prehypertensive middle-aged men and women
- Form
- Encapsulated polyphenol-rich aronia extract vs maltodextrin placebo
- Dose
- Daily capsule (amount not given in the abstract)
- Duration
- 12 weeks
- Source
- Reference 5 · PubMed 36228567 (opens PubMed)
CGrade CCognitive performance and moodCognitionFaster psychomotor speed onlyRCT
n 101 · 2020
Mixed 90 mg improved psychomotor speed versus placebo (p = 0.009). Attention, cognitive flexibility, BDNF and other vascular measures did not change; 150 mg lowered diastolic pressure only compared with 90 mg, not with placebo.
- Design
- RCT, n = 101, 2020
- Population
- Healthy, middle-aged overweight adults
- Form
- Aronia melanocarpa extract vs placebo
- Dose
- 90 or 150 mg/day
- Duration
- 24 weeks
- Source
- Reference 7 · PubMed 32824483 (opens PubMed)
CGrade CEndothelial function (flow-mediated dilation)Blood vessel functionBetter artery dilationRCT
n 66 · 2019
Improved Flow-mediated dilation rose over control by 0.9% with whole fruit (95% CI 0.13 to 1.72) and 1.2% with extract (95% CI 0.36 to 1.97). Acute improvements were seen 2 hours after the extract on day 1 and at 12 weeks.
- Design
- RCT, n = 66, 2019
- Population
- Healthy men
- Form
- Polyphenol-rich aronia extract (116 mg, equivalent to 75 g berries) or whole-fruit powder (12 mg, equivalent to 10 g berries) vs maltodextrin
- Dose
- Daily, amounts as listed
- Duration
- 12 weeks
- Source
- Reference 4 · PubMed 31152545 (opens PubMed)
CGrade CTotal and LDL cholesterolCholesterolLower LDL cholesterolRCT
n 49 · 2017
Improved Total cholesterol fell 8% (P = .014) and LDL cholesterol 11% (P = .029) versus placebo. Blood pressure and markers of inflammation and oxidative stress did not change.
- Design
- RCT, n = 49, 2017
- Population
- Healthy adult former smokers
- Form
- Aronia extract vs placebo
- Dose
- 500 mg/day
- Duration
- 12 weeks
- Source
- Reference 6 · PubMed 28215316 (opens PubMed)
CGrade CAmbulatory blood pressure and low-grade inflammationBlood pressureSlightly lower daytime BPCrossover RCT
n 38 · 2016
Improved Daytime ambulatory diastolic pressure fell 1.64 mm Hg (P = .02); awake systolic and diastolic pressure only trended lower. TNF-alpha and IL-10 decreased. Lipids, glucose and platelet aggregation did not change.
- Design
- Crossover RCT, n = 38, 2016
- Population
- Adults with untreated mildly elevated blood pressure
- Form
- Cold-pressed chokeberry juice plus oven-dried powder (Aronia mitschurinii) vs matched placebo products
- Dose
- 300 mL juice + 3 g powder daily (about 336 g fresh berries)
- Duration
- 8 weeks per period, no washout
- Source
- Reference 8 · PubMed 27865620 (opens PubMed)
CGrade CExecutive function and brain blood flow in older adultsCognitionMixedCrossover RCT
n 30 · 2026
Mixed Spatial working memory errors fell 20% versus placebo (p = 0.006). Memory, psychomotor speed, cerebral blood flow in predefined brain regions and peripheral vascular function did not change; blood flow fell in one insular-cortex cluster, of unclear relevance.
- Design
- Crossover RCT, n = 30, 2026
- Population
- Healthy older adults (mean age 65) with overweight or obesity
- Form
- Aronia melanocarpa extract vs placebo
- Dose
- Extract providing 40 mg anthocyanins/day
- Duration
- 6 weeks per period
- Source
- Reference 13 · PubMed 41499921 (opens PubMed)
DGrade DUrinary tract infections needing medical care in nursing homesUrinary tractMixedCrossover RCT
n 236 · 2014
Mixed No immediate drop in UTIs or total antibiotic use. In the following 3-month period, antibiotic use for UTI fell in both groups and UTI incidence was 55% lower in one group and 38% lower in the other.
- Design
- Crossover RCT, n = 236, 2014
- Population
- Residents of 6 nursing homes
- Form
- Black chokeberry juice vs placebo drink, 3-month periods
- Dose
- Average 89 to 156 mL juice/day
- Duration
- 6 months (crossover)
- Source
- Reference 10 · PubMed 25026919 (opens PubMed)
DGrade DBlood sugar in women with prediabetes (juice plus Mediterranean diet advice)Blood sugarImprovedRCT
n 50 · 2026
Improved Fasting glucose, HbA1c and 2-hour glucose fell more than in the diet-only group (adjusted p < 0.001), and oxidative-stress markers improved.
- Design
- RCT, n = 50, 2026
- Population
- Women aged 30–60 with prediabetes (50 of 54 completed)
- Form
- Chokeberry juice plus Mediterranean diet advice vs diet advice alone
- Dose
- 100 mL/day (457 mg polyphenols)
- Duration
- 12 weeks
- Source
- Reference 15 · PubMed 42796931 (opens PubMed)
DGrade DOxidative stress, inflammation markers and blood pressure after heart attackHeart diseaseLower inflammation markersRCT
n 44 · 2007
Improved Versus placebo, 8-isoprostanes fell 38%, oxidised LDL 29%, hsCRP 23% and MCP-1 29%; adiponectin rose, and systolic and diastolic pressure fell by an average of 11 and 7.2 mmHg.
- Design
- RCT, n = 44, 2007
- Population
- Patients after myocardial infarction on statin therapy (mean age 66)
- Form
- Commercial chokeberry flavonoid extract (Aronia melanocarpa E) vs placebo, added to statins
- Dose
- 85 mg three times daily (255 mg/day)
- Duration
- 6 weeks
- Source
- Reference 12 · PubMed 17320090 (opens PubMed)
DGrade DMetabolic syndrome markers in older adultsHeart and metabolic healthImprovedRCT
n 44 · 2026
Improved Versus control, diastolic pressure fell 10 mmHg, triglycerides 9.0 mg/dL and LDL cholesterol 6.3 mg/dL, with lower TNF-α, IL-6 and oxidised LDL; weight and other body measurements did not change.
- Design
- RCT, n = 44, 2026
- Population
- Older adults with metabolic syndrome (12 men, 32 women)
- Form
- Aronia fruit extract vs no supplement
- Dose
- 10 g/day
- Duration
- 8 weeks
- Source
- Reference 16 · PubMed 40905799 (opens PubMed)
DGrade DBlood sugar control in type 2 diabetesBlood sugarNo effectCrossover RCT
n 23 · 2023
No effect Neither aronia bar changed HbA1c, fructosamine, insulin, glucose or glucose tolerance versus placebo; the gut hormone GIP rose more after the fermented bar.
- Design
- Crossover RCT, n = 23, 2023
- Population
- Adults with type 2 diabetes (23 of 36 randomized completed)
- Form
- Fermented or non-fermented aronia pulp in snack bars (37% aronia) vs wheat-bran placebo bars
- Dose
- Daily snack bars (amount not given in the abstract)
- Duration
- 8 weeks per period
- Source
- Reference 14 · PubMed 37836472 (opens PubMed)
∅No effectCardiometabolic markers (body weight, glucose, lipids, blood pressure)Heart and metabolic healthNo overall effectMeta-analysis · 10 studies
n 666 · 2025
No effect No significant effect on any cardiometabolic outcome overall. Subgroups suggested lower total and LDL cholesterol when baseline cholesterol was under 200 mg/dL and lower systolic pressure with more than 50 mg/day anthocyanins, while fasting glucose rose in people aged 50 or younger. Certainty of evidence was very low.
- Design
- Meta-analysis, 10 studies, n = 666, 2025
- Population
- Adults with or without cardiometabolic risk factors
- Form
- Chokeberry products (extracts, juices, powders)
- Dose
- Varied across trials
- Duration
- 2 weeks or longer
- Source
- Reference 1 · PubMed 40362797 (opens PubMed)
What the numbers add up to
Each point is worked out from the data and the sources numbered on this page, with the arithmetic shown under it. It adds no new data and is not medical advice.
Single trials positive, pooled data flat
Juice did not match the extract for cholesterol
A 4-week juice trial found no change in total or LDL cholesterol or blood pressure versus a matched placebo drink, unlike the 12-week extract trial in former smokers. In a 6-week juice trial in women, LDL and VLDL lipoprotein subclasses rose during the juice period and returned to baseline after washout.9611
Studied doses
Doses used in research, shown against the official limits. They describe the studies, not a recommendation for you.
Studied doses in research, not advice. These are amounts used in research, not personal advice. Your clinician or pharmacist can say what fits you.
Doses studied in human trials
Interactions and safety
Published interactions only: each row cites a source. No row means none was found in our sources, not that a combination is safe.
Interactions
0 agentsNone found in our sources.
Check with what you take
Kept on this device onlyAdd what you take. We list every interaction our evidence profiles cite between Black chokeberry and your picks, and between your picks.
- Loading names…
Add a supplement or medicine you take to check it against Black chokeberry.
Starting from one medicine? The interaction checker rates how serious each pair is, on a curated list of 19 entries for 11 medicines. This cabinet has no severity rating: it lists every interaction row our supplement pages cite.
Who should be careful
3 groups- People with sensitive digestion
- In a 6-week trial of 100 mL aronia juice twice daily, only about half of the women tolerated it without complaints, and gut bacteria responded differently in those who did and did not.11
- People on heart or cholesterol medicines
- The cited trials did not test drug interactions. One 6-week trial gave aronia extract alongside statins after a heart attack, and pooled trials show small, inconsistent effects on blood pressure and cholesterol.121
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- The trials enrolled non-pregnant adults and give no safety data for pregnancy or breastfeeding; LactMed and LiverTox have no aronia entry.1
How to read the label
What to check on the Supplement Facts panel.
How to read the label
2 checksExtract vs juice vs powder
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to common questions; the numbers link to the sources below.
Common questions
6 answersDoes aronia help with weight loss?
Does aronia lower cholesterol?
Does aronia lower blood pressure?
Does aronia help memory?
A 24-week trial found faster psychomotor speed at 90 mg/day but no change in attention or cognitive flexibility.7
Is aronia juice easy to tolerate?
Not for everyone: in one 6-week trial, only about half of women drinking 200 mL a day tolerated it without complaints.11
Can aronia be taken with statins?
No interaction studies were found. In one 6-week trial, people on statins after a heart attack took 255 mg/day of aronia extract alongside their statin, and inflammation and oxidation markers fell more than with placebo. Check with your prescriber before combining.12
Sources
17 sources: trial abstracts, NIH fact sheets and reference databases. Numbers in the text link here.
Sources cited on this page
17 sources- 1Impact of a Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa (Michx.) Elliott) Supplementation on Cardiometabolic Outcomes: A Critical Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Meta-analysis Nutrients, 2025 · PMID 40362797
- 2The effect of Aronia consumption on lipid profile, blood pressure, and biomarkers of inflammation: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Meta-analysis Phytother Res, 2019 · PMID 31237052
- 3Daily supplementation with aronia melanocarpa (chokeberry) reduces blood pressure and cholesterol: a meta analysis of controlled clinical trials.Meta-analysis J Diet Suppl, 2021 · PMID 32794414
- 4Effects of aronia berry (poly)phenols on vascular function and gut microbiota: a double-blind randomized controlled trial in adult men.RCT Am J Clin Nutr, 2019 · PMID 31152545
- 5The effects of Aronia berry (poly)phenol supplementation on arterial function and the gut microbiome in middle aged men and women: Results from a randomized controlled trial.RCT Clin Nutr, 2022 · PMID 36228567
- 6Aronia berry polyphenol consumption reduces plasma total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in former smokers without lowering biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress: a randomized controlled trial.RCT Nutr Res, 2017 · PMID 28215316
- 7The Effect of Long-Term Aronia melanocarpa Extract Supplementation on Cognitive Performance, Mood, and Vascular Function: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Healthy, Middle-Aged Individuals.RCT Nutrients, 2020 · PMID 32824483
- 8Consumption of chokeberry (Aronia mitschurinii) products modestly lowered blood pressure and reduced low-grade inflammation in patients with mildly elevated blood pressure.Crossover RCT Nutr Res, 2016 · PMID 27865620
- 9Chokeberry Juice Containing Polyphenols Does Not Affect Cholesterol or Blood Pressure but Modifies the Composition of Plasma Phospholipids Fatty Acids in Individuals at Cardiovascular Risk.RCT Nutrients, 2019 · PMID 30991718
- 10Black chokeberry juice (Aronia melanocarpa) reduces incidences of urinary tract infection among nursing home residents in the long term--a pilot study.Crossover RCT Nutr Res, 2014 · PMID 25026919
- 11Interindividual differences in aronia juice tolerability linked to gut microbiome and metabolome changes-secondary analysis of a randomized placebo-controlled parallel intervention trial.RCT Microbiome, 2024 · PMID 38461313
- 12Combination therapy of statin with flavonoids rich extract from chokeberry fruits enhanced reduction in cardiovascular risk markers in patients after myocardial infraction (MI).RCT Atherosclerosis, 2007 · PMID 17320090
- 13Aronia melanocarpa extract supplementation affects brain vascular function and cognitive performance: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study in older adults with overweight or obesity.Crossover RCT Clin Nutr, 2026 · PMID 41499921
- 14Aronia in the Type 2 Diabetes Treatment Regimen.Crossover RCT Nutrients, 2023 · PMID 37836472
- 15Effects of Chokeberry Juice Added to a Mediterranean-Style Diet on Glycemic Control and Redox Homeostasis in Women with Prediabetes: A Randomized Controlled Trial.RCT Nutrients, 2026 · PMID 42796931
- 16Aronia (Chokeberry) Fruit Extract is a Potential Candidate for Managing Metabolic Syndrome in Elderly Patients.RCT J Am Nutr Assoc, 2026 · PMID 40905799
- 17The Effect of Aronia melanocarpa (Chokeberry) on Body Weight and Fasting Blood Sugar: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials.Meta-analysis Endocrinol Diabetes Metab, 2026 · PMID 41317342
What changed
Every dated change to this page: what changed, who made it and why.
Change log
3 entries| Date | Change | Who and why |
|---|---|---|
| all | Audit: added four evidence rows (2026 cognition crossover in older adults, 2023 type 2 diabetes crossover with no glucose effect, 2026 prediabetes juice trial and 2026 metabolic syndrome extract trial, the last two without placebo); a 2026 meta-analysis of 7 RCTs (no effect on fasting glucose or weight) as a key fact and FAQ, not graded because its abstract gives no participant total; studied doses note the 10 g/day extract trial; FAQ "What is black chokeberry?" (duplicated the page heading question) replaced; statin FAQ, page questions and goal-hub link. Safety check: LactMed and LiverTox have no aronia entry, no NCCIH page exists (404), and PubMed shows no human drug-interaction or pharmacokinetic-interaction study, so the interactions list stays empty. | Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: A–Z audit against docs/supplements/AUDIT-STANDARD.md |
| all | Independent adversarial review: disclosed the Artemis International author on the 2021 meta-analysis and the Naturex employees on the 2022 arterial-stiffness trial; two (not one) BioActor employees on the cognition trial; AIx change stated in percentage points; added the lipoprotein rise seen in the 6-week juice trial. | Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: review |
| all | Initial editorial evidence review (first draft). Every PMID checked against NCBI E-utilities esummary (titles and years taken from the record, none retracted) and the abstract read for each cited row. Studied doses are reported as research doses, not dosing advice. | Writer: Kymata Health EditorialTrigger: new page |
Supplement & Nutrient Encyclopedia. Educational information only; it is not medical advice and does not replace a clinician. Dietary supplements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Statements about supplements have not been evaluated by the FDA.