Korean Black Raspberry

Korean black raspberry, scientifically named Rubus coreanus, is a raspberry species native to Korea, Japan, and China. While its edible berries are traditionally fermented into "bokbunja ju", a Korean fruit wine, it's important to note that the majority of fruit used for commercial production is often Rubus occidentalis, native to North America. Rich in antioxidant compounds, particularly ellagic acid, bokbunja is marketed for its potential anti-obesity and aphrodisiac properties, although scientific evidence supporting these assertions is lacking. Bokbunja fruit contains anthocyanins such as cyanidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-rutinoside, and pelargonidin-3-glucoside, distinguishing it from R. occidentalis which contains xylose containing glycosides. Additionally, ellagic acid, touted for various health benefits, has faced FDA warnings against false anti-disease claims, particularly in the context of cancer treatment or prevention, as there is no scientific evidence supporting such assertions.