Mulberry

Morus alba (white mulberry), Morus nigra (black mulberry), and Morus macroura (long-fruited mulberry) are deciduous trees of the Moraceae family. Botanically, they differ: M. alba has glossy, polymorphic leaves and fruits of various colors (white, pink, black); M. nigra has rough leaves and always dark, intensely colored fruits with short stems; M. macroura is distinguished by its extremely long clusters (up to 10 cm). The fruit is a cluster of achenes surrounded by a fleshy perianth. Nutritionally, the fruits are rich in simple sugars, fiber, and an unusually high content of iron, calcium, and protein for fruit. The phytochemical profile of dark forms is dominated by anthocyanins (cyanidin) and resveratrol with strong antioxidant effects. A specific component (especially in the leaves, less so in the fruit) is the iminosugar 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ), which inhibits carbohydrate-digesting enzymes, thereby helping to regulate blood sugar levels.