Cloudberries, raw (Alaska Native)
Whole food · American Indian/Alaska Native Foods
Photo: Wikipedia
Cloudberries, known as 'Arctic gold,' are rare, amber-hued berries with a unique texture—soft, juicy, and slightly grainy, like a mix between a raspberry and a mango. Their flavor is a complex, tart-sweet blend with distinct floral and honeyed notes. Nutritionally, they are a low-calorie, high-vitamin C powerhouse, often containing more vitamin C than oranges by weight.
Calorie split: 19% protein · 67% carbs · 14% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
People cherish cloudberries for their intensely aromatic, luxurious flavor that captures the essence of the brief northern summer. They are deeply woven into Nordic and Indigenous cultures, symbolizing both a prized seasonal harvest and a connection to the wild tundra.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
Their delicate nature makes them extremely perishable and difficult to transport, leading to high cost and limited availability outside their native regions. Their natural tartness can be intense for some palates, and their high vitamin C content, while beneficial, may cause digestive discomfort in very large quantities for sensitive individuals. Tip: Pair with creamy, fatty foods like cloudberry cream, yogurt, or ice cream to balance the tartness and improve nutrient absorption.
Key benefits
- Exceptionally high in vitamin C, supporting immune function.
- Rich in ellagic acid, a potent antioxidant.
- Low in calories and naturally free from fat and sodium.
- Contains manganese, essential for bone health and metabolism.
- Traditional source of pectin for natural jam-setting.
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
In Finland, the cloudberry (lakka) is so revered that its picking spots are often closely guarded family secrets passed down through generations.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 87.0 g |
| Energy | 51.0 kcal |
| Energy | 214 kj |
| Protein | 2.4 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 0.80 g |
| Ash | 1.2 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 8.6 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 18.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 0.70 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 35.0 mg |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 158 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.05 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.07 mg |
| Niacin | 0.90 mg |
| Vitamin A, IU | 210 iu |
FAQ
Why are cloudberries so expensive?
They are expensive due to their rarity, specific growing requirements (wild in arctic bogs), extreme perishability, and the labor-intensive, short-window harvest. They cannot be commercially farmed on a large scale.
Can I substitute cloudberries in a recipe?
True substitution is difficult due to their unique flavor. The closest might be a mix of apricot and raspberry, but it will lack the distinct floral, honeyed notes. For jam, a small amount of passion fruit can sometimes mimic the tartness.
How do I store and preserve cloudberries?
Use fresh cloudberries within 2-3 days, stored in a single layer in the fridge. For longer storage, freeze them on a tray first, then transfer to a bag. They are most traditionally preserved by cooking into jam with sugar.
Weight-loss friendliness (composite index)
Energy density 0.51 kcal/g · 19% calories from protein · 0.0 g fiber · 0.0 g sugar per 100 g.
Composite of energy density (Rolls et al., 1999), protein & fiber satiety, minus sugar. A calculated heuristic — ranks satiety-per-calorie, not a clinical measure.