Shepherdia

Buffaloberry is a deciduous thorny, thicket-forming shrub growing up to 6 m tall. The shrub is a member of the olive family native to Western North America and is found on many Indian reservations, often where little else grows well. The bright red fruit has a tart flavor, and has historically been used as a source of nutrients for many Native Americans. The sugar and acidity of the fruit make it desirable as a fresh or dried product. In addition to its potential health benefits, lycopenoate may also be used as a natural food colorant. Recently the buffaloberry has drawn attention from several commercial wine producers. Of the three varieties of buffaloberries the Russet buffaloberry had the most indigenous uses, the silver buffaloberry was used less frequently, and the roundleaf buffaloberry appears to have had only a few medicinal uses according to Moerman’s (1998: 528-530) thorough investigation. The most popular food use of the russet buffaloberry was in the production of “Indian ice cream.” Many Native American tribes in the north made this frothy dessert by beating hot water, buffaloberries, and sugar together by hand in a basket or other grease-free container. Buffaloberries were also used to make sweetened beverages (like soopolallie), preserves, porridge, sauces and relishes, pudding, candy, and dried cakes saved for winter food. The berries were also commonly eaten raw, but only after the first frost has naturally sweetened them, and even then in moderation (Moerman 1998: 528-529).

Special Precautions of Shepherdia

Eating too many buffaloberries in any form causes diarrhea (Marles et al. 2000: 169) and may be fatal.

Benefits and uses of Shepherdia are

• the lycopene content of buffaloberries tends to be "high in comparison to tomatoes and other commercially available fruit. Lycopene is an antioxidant that appears to lower the risk of certain types of cancers.
• The fruits are also a good source of other phenolic antioxidants, the compounds responsible for their tartness and generally thought to play a role in preventing cancer and slowing cellular aging.

References

• [2008] 1974 Field guide to edible wild plants (revised & updated). 2 ed. Harrisburg, Pa.: Stackpole Books. Kindscher, Kelly
• 1987 Edible wild plants of the prairie : an ethnobotanical guide. Lawrence, Kansas: University Press of Kansas. Marles, Robin James, Canada. Natural Resources Canada., and Canadian Forest Service. 2000 Aboriginal plant use in Canada's northwest boreal forest. Vancouver: UBC Press. Moerman, Daniel E.
• 1998 Native American ethnobotany. Portland, Or.: Timber Press. Scully, Virginia
• 1970 A treasury of American Indian herbs; their lore and their use for food, drugs, and medicine. New York,: Crown Publishers.