Mulberry Fruit's Many Benefits
The fruit of the native red mulberry tree is healthier than you may know
The Mulberry Fruit
Unripe mulberries are green to white. Ripe mulberries are dark red to black -- the darker, the sweeter! Notice the hairs? Each fruit is actually a cluster of 10-30 drupelets, each made by a single flower. Close up, you can see the hairs on the mulberry fruit!
Is it Ripe?
Don't eat white or green mulberries! They, along with the sap of the plant, can make you sick. It's the deep dark red to black berries that hold the health benefits!
Health Benefits
Mulberry (Morus rubra) fruits have potential health benefits including anti-cholesterol, anti-obesity and liver protection. They have also been proven to lower blood sugar in scientific studies.
Sweet Mulberries
Picking and tasting a mulberry fruit for the first time. So sweet and tart! New and novel experiences promote brain health and longevity. Studies show that people who seek out new experiences are happier and healthier.
"For many, harvesting mulberry fruit is the first opportunity to forage. The sensory elements of tasting, smelling, and noticing the abundance of fruit and then the sticky bright purple juice all over their hands make the connection to the mulberry tree so memorable."
Kelsey Deans, Children’s Educator
Fan Fare
A local distillery, Blue Bee Cider, makes an annual pilgrimage to harvest berries for Fan Fare, a "crowdsourced” mulberry-infused cider. Their goal: one pound of berries per gallon of cider. Even in cider, the healthy antioxidants remain.
Mitra and the Mulberry TreeLewis Ginter Botanical Garden
The Mulberry Tree
National Center for Biotechnology Information: glucose study, health benefits study.
"Healthy Brain, Happy Life" by Wendy Suzuki
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Photography: Claudine Reyes, Jonah Holland, Double Take Video.
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