Overview Description
Acerola cherry ( Malpighia emarginata) is a plant that is native to tropical regions of the Western Hemisphere. It’s believed that the shrub-like plant originated in southern Mexico and the Caribbean.
Acerola produces cherry-like berries, but it’s not a true cherry. These berries are pleasant-tasting and have been used in modern and folk medicine.
Acerola is very high in Vitamin C but also contains calcium, iron, niacin (vitamin B-3), phosphorus, riboflavin (vitamin B-2) and thiamine (vitamin B-1)
Benefits and Uses
Acerola is most well-known for being extremely rich in vitamin C. Because of this, it’s often used to help with or prevent colds or flu. It’s also used as an antioxidant nutrient. Together with vitamin C, acerola may be taken to boost immunity.
A study has shown that cherries high in antioxidants and vitamin C had the ability to help the body in stunting the growth of colon cancer.
May boost your immune system as it is dependent on vitamin C to produce and mobilize white blood cells.
Antioxidants are key to maintaining your health. Vitamin C itself is a potent antioxidant.
Promotes Collagen Production
Collagen makes up the connective tissue in skin, cartilage, tendons, and blood vessels. Vitamin C stimulates collagen production
Helps with healthy Skin
The antioxidants are great for promoting healthy-looking skin. Acerola may play a role in smoothing out complexions linked to radiation from the sun.
Increase in energy levels
Vitamin C helps the body make L-carnitine, an amino acid that mitochondria in your cells use to create energy. Experts also have shown that acerola juice may increase energy metabolism in the brain.
Supports a healthy Brain
Acerola cherry may protect the hippocampus, from oxidative stress caused by poor diet and obesity. Both ripe and unripe acerola cherries contain antioxidant compounds that help the brain.
Can aid in Digestion
Acerola may metabolically aid function and digestion.
Acerola cherry has long been used in traditional systems of medicine for diarrhea, stomach pains, and liver dysfunction, as it promotes a normal response to inflammation in the gut
Vitamin C also builds collagen, protects mucus membranes, and prevents scurvy. Vitamin C is important to keep the immune system functioning and help the body fight infections, viruses, and even cancer.
Of all the research on acerola cherry, the studies that focus on vitamin C are the most abundant.
Forms and Sources
Also called the West Indies cherry, Barbados cherry, or just simply “acerola.”
Acerola Juice Powder 25% Vitamin C
Side Effects and Interactions
Consuming too much can lead to diarrhea, digestive cramps, dizziness or fainting, flushed appearance, frequent urination, headache (including migraine), nausea and vomiting
How to Label
Acerola Juice powder ( Malpighia emarginata)
Research & Studies (References)
Similar to witch hazel, acerola cherry is an astringent. This could make it helpful for treating skin blemishes, promoting skin elasticity, and aiding digestive issues. It may even have use as an antimicrobial mouth wash.
https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/acerola-cherry#claims
Acerola, an untapped functional superfruit: a review on latest frontiers
Acerola being a rich source of potent antioxidants like ascorbic acid and other phytonutrients like phenolics, and carotenoids appear to be a promising candidate in combating various diseases associated with the oxidative stress. In fact, a range of biological activities has been demonstrated using different extracts of acerola and its phyto constituents.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6098779/
[The acerola fruit: composition, productive characteristics and economic importance]
Acerola also presents carotenoids and bioflavonoids which provide important nutritive value and its potential use as antioxidant. Brazil has a climate and soil appropriate for the culture of acerola, thus this country is the main mundial productor.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17024954/
Antigenotoxicity and antioxidant activity of Acerola fruit (Malpighia glabra L.) at two stages of ripeness
The results about determination of compounds made using HPLC showed that unripe acerola presents higher levels of vitamin C as compared to ripe acerola.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21503669/
Effects of Acerola (Malpighia emarginata DC.) Juice Intake on Brain Energy Metabolism of Mice Fed a Cafeteria Diet
Ripe acerola juice reversed the inhibition of citrate synthase in the hypothalamus. The industrial acerola juice reversed the inhibition of complex I activity in the hypothalamus. The other changes were not reversed by any of the tested substances. In conclusion, we suggest that alterations in energy metabolism caused by obesity can be partially reversed by ripe, unripe, and industrial acerola juice.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26797515/
Corrective effects of acerola (Malpighia emarginata DC.) juice intake on biochemical and genotoxical parameters in mice fed on a high-fat diet
The results indicated that food supplementation with ripe or industrial acerola juice led to a partial reversal of the diet-induced DNA damage in the blood, kidney, liver and bone marrow
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24296107/
Biological activity of barbados cherry (acerola fruits, fruit of Malpighia emarginata DC) extracts and fractions
The tumor specific cytotoxic activity and MDR reversal activity of barbados cherry may suggest its possible application for cancer therapy.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15103668/
It has been reported that the vitamin C of acerola is better absorbed by human beings than the synthetic ascorbic acid (Assis et al. 2008). Uchida et al. (2011) studied the comparison between absorption and excretion of ascorbic acid alone and acerola juice in healthy Japanese subjects.
Evaluation of cytotoxic activity of various extracts of sweet cherry (Prunus avium) against human colorectal adenocarcinoma HT-29 cell line
https://www.chemijournal.com/archives/2016/vol4issue3/PartA/4-2-25.pdf
Antidepressant foods: An evidence-based nutrient profiling system for depression
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6147775/
Phytopharmacology of Acerola (Malpighia spp.) and its potential as functional food
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0924224417306805
Antidepressant foods: An evidence-based nutrient profiling system for depression
