Acerola Cherry: Nutritional Profile and Health Benefits
What is acerola?
Acerola, also known as Barbados cherries or
West Indies cherries, is a shrub native to several regions of the
Americas and the Caribbean.
Acerola, also known as Barbados cherries or
West Indies cherries, is a shrub native to several regions of the
Americas and the Caribbean. The fruits are small, have no pit (just like berries), and are red.
Fresh acerola cherries are hard to come by, as this fruit perishes
within five days (and in my experience, even less in hotter climates).
The best way to enjoy it raw is to grow the shrub itself. If you’re not
that lucky, the most common way to consume acerola and enjoy its
nutritional benefits is in the form of powder added to smoothie bowls,
shakes, and juices.
Health benefits and traditional use
A 2018 review study referred to the fruit
as “an untapped functional superfruit,“ explaining that, thanks to its
“reservoir of phytonutrients, the fruit exhibits high antioxidant
capacity and several interesting biofunctional properties like skin
whitening, anti-aging, and multi-drug resistant reversal activity.”
Traditional and folk medicine uses of acerola include treatment for
liver ailments, dysentery, diarrhea, coughs, colds, and the common flu.
Nutritional profile
Acerola has one of the highest vitamin C
contents among all fruits, second only to rosehip. It contains 50-100
times more vitamin C than oranges and lemons. This makes it an excellent
choice for strengthening the immune system, as well as building strong,
healthy collagen reservoirs in the body. Healthy amounts of collagen
mean strong and healthy skin, hair, nails, ligaments, and joints.
Acerola is an excellent potent antioxidant that protects the body from
inflammation and oxidative stress. It contains anthocyanins, a family of
pigments that have been shown to improve the function of brain
receptors and help protect against memory loss and other cognitive
disorders.
Apart from that, the cherries contain beta-carotene (a form of vitamin
A), lutein (good for eye health), and several members of the B-vitamin
family: thiamine-B1, riboflavin-B2, niacin-B3, pyridoxine-B6, folic
acid-B9, and pantothenic acid-B5. B vitamins are crucial for proper
nerve function, digestion, energy and mood, red blood cells, and brain
function.
In terms of minerals, they contain iron, phosphorus, and calcium, all
take part in building tissues and preserving healthy DNA.