Magnificent Mulberry

Mulberries have been ripening for the last week and I have been out every day picking what I can reach to put this column together. They grow in abundance just about everywhere in the U.S. and one tree can provide enough mulberries to easily give you enough fruit for all the recipes in today’s column plus feed all the fruit loving birds, like orioles, bluebirds and warblers, and still leave you wondering what to do with the rest. The real problem is trying to reach all the fruit on a mature tree… Mulberries grow on trees that can reach up to 50 feet tall. The fruit is usually about ¾ to 1 inch long, although on a young tree they can be much smaller. Each mulberry is actually many individual fruits called drupelets and are clustered on one stem to make up one mulberry. Immature fruits are white, green, or pale yellow. In most species, the fruits turn pink and then red while ripening, then dark purple or black, and have a mild, somewhat sweet flavor when fully ripe.

Mulberries are a blessing for your stomach. Mulberries contain a good amount of dietary fiber. Your body needs dietary fiber to facilitate proper digestion. It does so by bulking up stool in the stomach and facilitating the movement of food through the digestive tract. This process helps in relieving constipation, bloating, and stomach cramps. Research conducted by Italy’s F. De Ritis Institute and the Catholic University of Sacred Heart found those who consumed mulberries as part of a balanced diet plan decreased to about 10% of their total body weight in nearly three months. The researchers also noticed the group which consumed mulberries reduced drastically in the waist and thigh regions.

Mulberries improve blood flow through the body, control blood pressure, and cleanse the blood. The antioxidants present in mulberries help in improving the function of the blood vessels by keeping them supple and dilated, which leads to blood pressure control as there is a free flow of blood from the heart to other parts of the body. Mulberries encourage the production of red blood cells as they are rich in iron. Due to the high iron content, they are also great for eliminating anemia. Mulberries contain polyphenols that keep blood vessels healthy. They also contain potassium, which lowers blood pressure.

Mulberries are rich in antioxidants and phytonutrients that help in stopping the growth and spread of tumor cells and protect you from cancer according to a study by Pub Med. Mulberries are full of anthocyanins that help in keeping cancer cells at bay. They also contain resveratrol, which has anticancer properties. These antioxidants are also good as a natural antibiotic and anti-inflammatory agent. Bonus, they also will provide improved hair health and clearer skin.

Like carrots, mulberries are good for your eyes. They improve your vision and protect your eyes from free radicals that are a cause of retinal degeneration and loss in eye sight. Mulberries contain zeaxanthin, which helps in reducing oxidative stress in the cells that form your eyes. The carotenoids present in mulberries also assist in preventing cataracts and macular degeneration.

Mulberries nourish and purify the blood in the liver. Mulberries have the ability to strengthen the liver, and also contain iron that works well to maintain the liver health. Research suggests mulberries age-proof the brain, keeping it young and alert. They also provide the calcium needs of the brain, hence keeping it healthy. Mulberry also makes for an excellent treatment to keep Alzheimer’s at bay. Mulberries contain Vitamin K, calcium, and iron, which is the best combination of nutrients to maintain and build strong bone tissues and bones. These nutrients help the bones reverse the signs of bone degradation and prevent bone disorders such as osteoporosis and arthritis.

Fun Facts: The silkworm only feeds on mulberry leaves, and it was precisely because of this reason the commercial cultivation of mulberry trees “especially the white mulberry” was promoted in various parts of the world.

There is a ban on the mulberry tree in at least three cities — Tucson, Las Vegas and El Paso — due to the extremely high pollen content of the male mulberry tree, which can well exceed the 1500 count threshold for keeping pollen allergies under control.

In German folklore, the devil uses the roots of the mulberry tree to polish his boots. How odd.

The entire tree is good for you from the ripe berries to the leaves to the bark! Don’t eat under ripe berries though as those are said to cause hallucinations!

Mulberries, like most berries, are best left to ripen on the tree. Depending on the variety you might have access to, red native mulberry trees have berries that darken as they ripen, turning from white to red to purplish black when ripe and white Asian mulberry trees have berries that are white or golden when ripe. You have to actually find some trees to get mulberries. There are none available locally. Part of this is due to the short harvest time. Once mulberries start to ripen, you have about 2 weeks total to get the berries. I went out every evening for two weeks to get enough to create this column. There are plenty of trees around though. Pick some fresh mulberries this weekend while you still can and meet me in the kitchen for some recipes using this delicious little berry.