The fruit of the strawberry tree

Properties of the arbutus berries

What is the arbutus berry?

The arbustus berry is the edible fruit of a Mediterranean shrub (Arbutus unedo). Arbutus berries are the typical fruit that can be eaten on excursions in the forest, when looking for mushrooms, just like rose hips, juniper, or blackthorn, all of which are fruits of the autumn season.

Scientific name of the plant

Botanically, the strawberry tree belongs to the Ericaceae family and is related to the bearberry (Arbutus uva-ursi). The scientific name of the strawberry tree, “Arbutus unedo“, means “you should only eat one”, referring to the fact that one fruit is enough for every one.

Harvesting arbutus berries

It is said that the strawberry tree is a “very hard-working” little tree, because it produces flowers and fruit at the same time. In reality, the plant’s cycle consists of flowering and fruiting, but the fruit matures over a year, so that it coexists with the following year’s flowers. For this reason, it is possible to find specimens of this plant that are in flower and bearing fruit at the same time.

The flowers are white or pale pink, with a bulging shape, similar to that of a pear.

What is the fruit of the strawberry tree like?

The fruits form during the summer and ripen in the fall, when they are bright red and a soft texture, their optimal ripening point. It is a globose fruit about 3 cm in diameter, provided with grains or small protuberances that give it a rough texture.

Characteristics of the arbutus berry

• Ripeness: Fruits should be eaten when ripe, when they are deep red. Unripe fruits have greenish or yellow skin and are not edible.
• Flavor: They have a very sweet flavor and a starchy texture.
• How are they eaten? They are eaten raw or cooked to make jams or preserves. Vinegars and liqueurs are also prepared with the fruit.
• Dangers: The fruits should be eaten in moderation since in high doses they can be indigestible for the stomach (they are very rich in tannins).

Nutritional value of the arbutus berry

Do arbutus berries have a lot of sugar? Arbutus berries are rich in sugar (23%) and mainly in fructose. Although in numbers this may seem like a lot of sugar, the truth is that it would be necessary to eat a large quantity of these fruits to ingest “a lot of sugar”. A serving of about 5 or 10 fruits provides between 8 and 15 grams of sugar, which is less than what an apple contains.

In addition, this sugar content is accompanied by a large amount of insoluble fiber, which delays absorption and improves the assimilation of these carbohydrates. It is therefore a fruit suitable for people with diabetes or high blood sugar problems.

Benefits and medicinal properties of the arbutus berries

One of the properties of the arbutus berry is that it is highly recommended when there are urinary infections, due to its arbutin content. This component has antibiotic properties and helps treat cystitis, urethritis, vaginal and urinary tract infections. Arbutin helps fight infections.

Antioxidants from the arbutus berries

Another outstanding quality of this fruit is its high flavonoid content (32.37 mg/100 g of edible portion). 80% of these flavonoids are of the anthocyanin type. Anthocyanins appear to have antiviral properties, helping to combat colds, infections, allergies and flu.

Arbutus berries have an antioxidant role that makes them suitable for people with cardiovascular diseases and, together with a heart-healthy diet, they are of interest for preventing and treating cholesterol, hypertension and arteriosclerosis.

Among other flavonoids, there is also lycopene (the red pigment of tomatoes), which helps prevent prostate inflammation. Foods rich in lycopene are very suitable in the diet for hypertension, and in general for all those people who must take care of their heart.

Do arbutus berries have a lot of vitamin C?

They contain vitamin C, which helps fight excess free radicals, for example, those produced by tobacco consumption. This vitamin also has multiple properties for the immune system and is capable of shortening the duration of illness.

In short, the arbutus berry is a very suitable fruit for the autumn and winter season, since it is a good source of antioxidants that help prevent possible winter diseases, such as opportunistic infections.

Does the arbutus berry get you drunk?

The belief that the arbutus berry makes you drunk is due to the fact that, when it ripens, the fermentation of the fruit sugars occur and may contain alcohol.

For this reason, high intakes of arbutus berries can produce symptoms of alcohol poisoning (“getting drunk” effect).

Arbutus berries for the liver

Arbutus berries are very rich in malic acid, like green apples. In natural medicine, this acid is considered to have hepatic properties, which promotes the functions and health of the liver.

Does arbutus berry make your stomach feel bad?

As described in ancient texts, the fruit can be indigestible due to its high tannin content. The Spanish botanist Andrés Laguna refers to the arbutus berry in his writings: <<This fruit, when eaten, swells the stomach with flatulence and causes severe headaches; which was the reason why the Latins gave it the name “unedo”, admonishing that no one should eat more than one of it>>.

Contraindications of the arbutus berries

Theoretically, the high content of tannins can cause stomach irritation in people with sensitive stomachs or gastritis, as it has been proven that tannins can increase heartburn. However, controlled consumption of these well-ripened fruits should not cause any indisposition. As a precaution, it is sometimes recommended that people who already have this anomaly avoid their consumption.

More information on strawberry tree

Written by Editorial Botanical-online team in charge of content writing

16 January, 2025