About Haskap Berries and Health Benefits

The Japanese meaning for Haskap is "little presents at the end of the branch". They are as special as they are delicious.

Haskap Berries are power-packed with nutritional ingredients and they taste great! They are an excellent source of antioxidants, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Fiber and Potassium. Also known as Blue Honeysuckle in Japan it is said to be “the fruit of longevity” and “fruit of vision”. 

Their unique tangy fruit flavour includes hints of raspberry, blueberry and black currant. On the surface this berry has the colour of a blueberry and is oblong or oval in shape. The inside flesh of the berry is a rich maroon colour. The skin is very delicate and the seeds are tiny giving the fruit a "melt-in-your-mouth" quality. It's tart flavour is clean and refreshing.

Haskap Farms is located in the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada. The haskap varieties grown at our farm are a cross between Japanese and Russian plants developed through the University of Saskatchewan fruit breeding program, perfectly suited to thrive in our Canadian climate.

Harvest is from mid June to mid July when the berries are at their sweetest. The berries are then washed, graded and frozen individually before packaging. Our harvest and freezing process enables us to lock in their incredible nutritional values at peak ripeness so you can enjoy them all year round. 

Haskap Farms is in the process of transitioning to organic.  No sprays or pesticides are used.  

Haskap Berries have 3 times the amount of antioxidants than blueberries and more vitamin C than oranges

Haskap berries contain large amounts of antioxidants such as anthocyanins, polyphenols, flavonoids, vitamin C, vitamin A, fiiber and potassium. 



Health benefits of many of these compounds are:
Used to reduce blood pressure
Used to relieve gastrointestinal disorders
Cardio protectant by maintaining vascular permeability, reducing inflammation, reducing atherosclerotic plaques, and platelet aggregation (clotting).
Protects against Carcinogenesis
Has an anti-angiogensis properties which means starving the deadly cancer cells.
Reduces blood glucose levels after food intake
Improves eye health by increasing circulation within retinal capillaries, enhancing night vision, fighting macular degeneration and preventing retinopathy for diabetic patients.

Some scientific numbers:
High ORAC value of 1340 mmoles TE/100gms
High Phenolics of 1014mg/100gms
High Anthocyanins of 949mg/100gms which is the highest out of any fruit tested.
High Bioflavonoids of 887mg/100gms
Haskap Orac Chart

Information on this page was acquired through the below resources.:
Haskap: An Introduction to the Fruit, It’s Health Benefits, and Marketing Possibiliteis. By Kirsten Larson 2009
Haskap: A New berry crop with High Antioxidant Capacity, HP Vasantha Rupasinghe, PH.D, Nova Scotia Department of Economic and Rural Development
Berry Fruits as a source of Biologically active compounds: The case of Lanicera Caerulea, Irena Svarcova, Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub. 2007, 151(2):163–174
Haskap Canada