Nutrient Dense Ingredients: Wild / Organic Schisandra Berry

Read a detailed breakdown of the taste, culinary use and recipes, main nutrient levels, scientific research and health benefits, top quality online sourcing options, how to grow organic schisandra berries in a garden, and where to wildcraft.

Schisandra Berry Taste, Culinary Use, and Recipes

Called the five flavor fruit, schisandra berries have the rare distinction of having all five flavors of sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami. They are truly a unique experience to eat.

They can be used in a variety of ways such as on their own, in lemonade, in a berry compote, and mixed in a cranberry sauce.

Nutrient Dense Recipes With Schisandra Berry

~ Mixed Berry Smoothie

~ Mixed Berry Compote

Schisandra Berry Nutrient Levels

Data below is for 25 grams of schisandra berry powder (i.e. the water has been removed) and is compiled from the USDA FoodData Central and GreenJeeva.com.

Macronutrients

~ Carbohydrates: 18g (15% RDA)
~ Amino acids: 3g (6% RDA)
~ Fatty acids: 1g (2% RDA)

Micronutrients

~ Iron: 13.5g (75% RDA)
~ Calcium: 1.83g (0.14% RDA)
~ Potassium: 2.5g (0.05% RDA)
~ Good source of Schisandrin A-C (phytochemicals).

Schisandra Research and Benefits

Schisandra berries have many proven health benefits with the most well researched being support of muscle strength, endurance, liver health, and blood sugar balance.

Clinical Study Title: Effect of Schisandra chinensis Baillon extracts and regular low-intensity exercise on muscle strength and mass in older adults: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. (Source)

Clinical Study Title: Effect of Schisandra Chinensis Extract Supplementation on Quadriceps Muscle Strength and Fatigue in Adult Women: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. (Source)

Clinical Study Title: Efficacy and Safety of Omija (Schisandra chinensis) Extract Mixture on the Improvement of Hyperglycemia: A Randomized, Double-Blind, and Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. (Source)

Clinical Study Title: Improvement of liver function in humans using a mixture of schisandra fruit extract and sesamin. (Source)

Schisandra Sourcing, Growing, and Wildcrafting

Online Sourcing

Below is the source I use and recommend:

~ Organic schisandra berry extract powder (grown in the USA)

Growing Organically at Home

Purchase a schisandra vine online and plant in a home garden The bush can be grown outdoors in USDA zones 3 – 10. If you don’t live in those zones, you can grow them in a greenhouse.

Wildcrafting

Schisandra berry plant is native to northeastern China, Korea, and parts of Siberia. It grows wild on vines and is most often found in temperate forests.