Is Kousa Dogwood Fruit Edible? Fruit Benefits With Toxicity

How Do You Eat A Kousa Dogwood Fruit?

The Kousa berry (Cornus kousa) is a member of the plant family Cornaceae. People consume these berries after ripening, and their taste is as sweet as honey. 

The skin of the Kousa Dogwood fruit is edible but does not taste good, so it’s okay to discard it. Moreover, you can eat these berries in different forms: raw, cooked, or preserved.

Besides their sweet taste, these berries possess various nutritive compounds, such as Vitamin C, E, and Potassium.

Here are the steps to eat Kousa berries.

• Harvesting: Wait until the berries are fully ripened. Similarly, fully ripe berries are usually pink to red in color and have a firm texture.
• Cleaning: Rinse the berries with cold water to remove debris, dirt, or insects. Furthermore, dry the berries with a towel before processing the further steps.
• Separating the seeds: Seeds are embedded in the center of berries, so cut the berries into half and separate the seeds from the pulps by squeezing or scooping out using a spoon.
• Consumption: Now, your Kousa berry is ready to eat.

Is Kousa Dogwood Fruit Poisonous?

People enjoy eating Kousa Dogwood fruits but some people may have allergic reactions to eating them.

The fleshy parts of the Kousa Dogwood fruit are edible, and the seeds in the center are not recommended to eat because of their hardness and bad taste.

However, beware of some considerations before consuming the fruit.

• Identification: Before eating the fruit, appropriate identification is essential. Similarly, all species of Dogwood are not edible and can cause various allergic reactions in our body.
• Pesticides and contamination: If the tree is treated with pesticides or other chemical contaminants, you may get allergic reactions to their consumption. Furthermore, only eat fruits from the trees that are not in the treatment with chemicals.
• Moderation: Although the fruit is safe to eat, overconsumption may lead to different health issues. So, it’s better to eat them in a limited amount to prevent yourself from digestive discomfort.

Moreover, just like humans, pets may have individual reactions in their bodies.

So, take care of the health of your pets too.

Similarly, if they overconsume the fruit, immediately contact the animal care center.

• Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. 
• National Capital Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222.

Benefits Of Kousa Berry

Kousa berries bear beneficial compounds like Flavonoids, Anthocyanins, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E.

Let’s dive into some of the health benefits of the Kousa berry.

• Antioxidant properties: The beneficial compounds present in the Kousa berry act as antioxidants and prevent the formation of free oxygen radicals in our bodies. Certain compounds in the Kousa fruit help reduce allergic reactions from some disorders in our bodies.
• Dietary fiber: This fruit contains an ample amount of dietary fiber that helps improve the gastrointestinal disorders in our body.
• Cardiovascular health: Kousa berry helps to improve cardiovascular health. Furthermore, the antioxidants present in this fruit contribute to heart health by reducing oxidative stress.